Loudoun County Board of Supervisors Public Hearing - September 10, 2025

The Loudoun County Board of Supervisors held a public hearing on September 10, 2025, addressing 15 agenda items. The meeting began with a moment of silence for Charlie Kirk and victims of gun violence, followed by the Pledge of Allegiance. The board considered a consolidated agenda of routine items, a special exception for a dog kennel, and a comprehensive plan amendment for Gloucester Parkway. Several public comments were heard, and all items were approved or advanced with varying levels of discussion.

Consent Calendar

• Item 1: Proposed conveyance of an easement within Lucketts Community Park to Loudoun Water (Catoctin) – Approved 8-0-1.
• Item 2: Proposed assignment of county easements to Loudoun Water (Sterling) – Approved 7-0-2 (Supervisors Leterno and Randall absent).
• Item 3: Resolution authorizing eminent domain for Evergreen Mills Road realignment at Reservoir and Watson Roads (Ashburn/Little River) – Approved 8-0-1. The project aims to improve safety at a 2017 fatal accident site.
• Item 4: Amendments to Chapter 1020 (Naming of Streets) to remove Confederate and segregationist names – Approved 8-0-1. Supervisors Sainz and Briskman spoke in support, noting the effort began in 2021.
• Item 5: Renewal of Chrysalis Vineyards/Locksley Estate Agricultural and Forestal District (Little River) – Approved 8-0-1.
• Item 6: Renewal of New Upperville Agricultural and Forestal District (Little River) – Approved 8-0-1.
• Item 7: Renewal of New Aldie Agricultural and Forestal District (Little River) – Approved 8-0-1.
• Item 8: Renewal of New Hughesville Agricultural and Forestal District (Catoctin) – Approved 8-0-1.
• Item 9: Renewal of New Mount Gilead Agricultural and Forestal District (Catoctin) – Approved 8-0-1.
• Item 10: Renewal of New Rockland Agricultural and Forestal District (Catoctin) – Approved 8-0-1.
• Item 11: Cedar Lake Restaurant with Drive-Through Facilities (Algonkian) – Approved 8-0-1. Supervisor Briskman noted it will likely be a Taco Bell.
• Item 12: Loudoun Tech Center BAPS: ZMAP-2024-0016 (Sterling) – Approved 8-0-1. BAPS will relocate to a larger facility for humanitarian services.
• Item 15: St. Louis Village Plan (CPAM-2022-0001) – Approved 8-0-1. (See discussion below for details.)

Public Comments & Testimony

• Consolidated Agenda: Samantha Wall spoke on Item 4, supporting street renaming and emphasizing the importance of historical education. Jennifer Imhoff and Madeline Skinner spoke on Item 15 (St. Louis Village). Imhoff expressed support for the plan with caveats: no commercial spaces, no housing developments, no community water (but support for median-income well assistance), and passive park use of county-taken land. Skinner criticized the planning process for excluding task force members after the design cabinet phase and urged that future village plans include resident involvement and that decisions on Route 15 be postponed until the small area plan is complete.
• Item 13 (Dog Kennel): Multiple speakers addressed the board.
  • Opponents: Nancy Meisner, Joseph Vill, Eileen Vroom, William Vroom – cited illegal operation, noise, inadequate lot size (4.85 acres), and property value concerns. They argued the kennel has operated without permits and that a 15-dog limit is too high for the rural residential area.
  • Supporters: Jen Imhoff, Wayne Parsons, Lorraine Gruca, Alison Marhoff, Mateo Barreto (the applicant's son) – praised the business for its well-maintained property, supervised dogs, and needed service. They noted no formal noise complaints, minimal barking, and that the kennel is a good neighbor.
• Item 14 (Gloucester Parkway): No public speakers registered.

Discussion Items

• Item 13: Dog Home Away From Home (SPEX-2024-0028) – The applicant, Megan and Pablo Alfaro, requested a special exception to operate a dog kennel on a 4.85-acre parcel in the Catoctin district. The kennel had been operating without approval; staff issued a notice of violation, but the applicant immediately began the permitting process. The Planning Commission recommended approval with modifications: a 6-foot privacy fence and a limit of 4 dogs in the outdoor run area during the day. Staff recommended 15 dogs maximum, including personal pets. The applicant committed to these conditions and additional mitigations (noise buffers, supervised play, anti-barking techniques). Supervisor Kirchner moved to forward the item to the October 21, 2025 Business Meeting for action. The motion passed 8-0-1. Kirchner expressed leaning toward approval after a site visit.
• Item 14: Gloucester Parkway (CPAM-2024-0006) – Staff presented a comprehensive plan amendment to remove the eastern segment of the Gloucester Parkway extension (over Goose Creek) from the Countywide Transportation Plan. The analysis found minimal traffic impacts if other planned improvements (e.g., Route 7 widening) are built by 2040. The removal would reduce natural resource impacts and save an estimated $28 million. The Planning Commission forwarded with approval. Supervisor Turner moved to suspend the rules and approve; after the public hearing was closed, the board voted 8-0-1 (Supervisor Randall abstaining) to suspend. The final approval motion carried 7-0-2 (Supervisors Briskman and Randall abstaining).

Key Outcomes

• Consolidated Agenda Items (1-12, 15): All approved with votes of 8-0-1 or 7-0-2, with Chair Randall absent or abstaining on some items.
• Item 13 (Dog Kennel): Moved to the October 21, 2025 Business Meeting for final action. Supervisor Kirchner will conduct a site visit before the meeting.
• Item 14 (Gloucester Parkway): Approved, removing the eastern segment from the CTP. The western segment remains for future access. The board will consider other east-west capacity improvements in future CIP updates.