Loudoun County Board of Supervisors Business Meeting – September 16, 2025

The Loudoun County Board of Supervisors held a regular business meeting on September 16, 2025, at 9:00 AM. Chair Randall presided, with Vice Chair Turner and Supervisor Saines participating remotely. The meeting covered a broad range of items, including routine consent approvals, public testimony on controversial land-use proposals, and several key votes on data centers, zoning enforcement, and historic preservation. The meeting included a closed session on property disposition and acquisition, followed by board comments and a public input session that lasted approximately 1.5 hours.

Consent Calendar

• Proclamations: Recognized September 2025 as Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, September 17–23 as Constitution Week, and September 15–21 as Diaper Need Awareness Week. Approved a resolution honoring Kiara Mathur for a U.S. EPA President’s Environmental Youth Award.
• Procurement and Contracts: Approved 14 items including award authority increases for IT professional services, staff augmentation, telecommunications, heavy-duty transit buses, elevator equipment, and contract renewals for architectural services, paratransit buses, vehicles, software, and IT services, as well as new contract awards for vehicles and IT solutions.
• Reports and Policies: Accepted the Consolidated Annual Performance and Evaluation Report (CAPER) for FY 2024–2025 and approved a loan repayment policy amendment for the Home Accessibility and Repair Program (HARP).
• Transit Equity Analysis: Approved the Title VI Service Equity Analysis for a proposed commuter bus pilot from Dale City (Prince William County) and Frederick County, Maryland.
• Environmental Commission: Approved the Fiscal Year 2025 Annual Report.
• Planning Commission: Accepted the Calendar Year 2024 Annual Report and bylaw update.
• Appointments: Confirmed several board and committee nominations, including John Selman to the Fiscal Impact Committee and Dr. Jeffrey Maggitt to the Other Post-Employment Benefits Investment Committee.
• Page Wallace Historical Marker: Added to the consent agenda as a Board Member Initiative – a historical marker for a lynching victim.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Tuscarora Substation (Item 6): Multiple residents of Tuscarora Crossing spoke in opposition, arguing that the substation was not disclosed when they purchased homes, would negatively impact property values (citing a 7–15% decrease from transmission lines and 10–30% from high-voltage lines), and would create visual blight and noise. Speakers requested denial or relocation of the substation to the eastern side of the site. (Brett Sposa, Emily Cassabian, Madhu Ontiro, Sarve Surya Kant, Isom Diab, and others.)
• Enhanced Zoning Enforcement (Item 9): Several Broadrun Farms residents opposed proactive zoning enforcement, calling it government overreach and arguing the current complaint-driven system works. They expressed fears of fines, liens, and inspections expanding indoors. (April Sullivan, Felicia Hannah, Michael Sullivan, Ivy Nye, Tiffany Plant.)
• Data Centers and Genocide: Thomas David urged the board to reject data centers, asking “Does the county have a soul?” and referenced biblical teachings. Multiple speakers condemned the county’s perceived complicity in genocide in Gaza, citing the UN’s declaration that Israel is committing genocide, and called for divestment from complicit companies. (Sarah Hussein Bazar, Vanna Milka, Maya Smith, Xenia Hutchinson.)
• Other: Michelle Lane Smithwick raised concerns about safety and unlicensed healthcare workers. Robert Griffin criticized Democratic leadership and the board’s handling of political violence.

Discussion Items

• Waxpool Area Traffic Studies (Item 10): Staff presented findings from traffic studies requested by Supervisor Glass. The study recommended retaining the current configuration of Waxpool Road (no closure of the intersection with Belmont Ridge Road) and proposed renaming a segment of Truro Parish Drive. A motion to endorse the findings and defer renaming to the first November meeting was approved 9–0.
• Tuscarora Landbay 3 Substation (Item 6): This application sought special exceptions for a GIS substation to serve a data center campus. The Planning Commission had recommended denial. Applicant made concessions: committing to a fully GIS substation (35 feet high vs. open-air equipment), tier 4 generators (quieter and cleaner), and enhanced screening (12-foot wall, 4-foot berm). Despite community opposition, Supervisor Umstead moved to approve, citing the data centers were previously approved and the substation would be well-screened. The vote tied 4-4 (Umstead, Letourneau, Kershner, Turner in favor; Crony, Saines, Briskman, Glass opposed). Chair Randall abstained, stating she needed to verify claims about buyer disclosures. The item was deferred to the next business meeting.
• Greenfield Farm Rezoning (Item 8): Application to rezone 174.4 acres from AR-1 to residential and commercial for 518 dwelling units (496 single-family, 22 multifamily) plus 44,265 sq ft of commercial uses, including a convenience store with gas pumps. Applicants made changes: reduced unit sizes, added attainable housing commitments (6 units with first-floor bathrooms), and agreed to build 4 lanes of Evergreen Mills Road and a half-section of Cross Trail Boulevard. Staff raised concerns about historic resource protection (five-year maintenance agreement for the farmhouse and archaeological sites) but recommended approval. The board approved 7-2 (Supervisors Umstead and Saines opposed), with several supervisors expressing hope for longer-term preservation and adaptive reuse.
• Data Center Standards and Locations Phase 2 (Item 2a): Staff presented the project plan for CPAM-2025-0001 and ZOAM-2025-0001, focusing on text amendments for data center compatibility, on-site power generation, substations, noise, and parking. The TLUC recommended adding a policy that data centers should not encroach into the Transition Policy Area (TPA) outside designated place types. Chair Randall moved to approve the project plan with that policy directive. After debate, the motion passed 8-1 (Supervisor Umstead opposed), effectively closing the door on data center development in areas like Dulles Cloud South.
• Enhanced Proactive Zoning Enforcement in Algonkian (Item 9): Supervisor Briskman, after a community meeting, moved to discontinue the initiative. The motion passed 9-0.

Key Outcomes

• Waxpool Traffic Study: Approved 9-0; staff directed to defer street renaming to first November meeting.
• Tuscarora Substation: Vote tied 4-4; chair abstained; item deferred to next meeting.
• Greenfield Farm Rezoning: Approved 7-2 (Umstead and Saines opposed).
• Data Center Standards Phase 2: Approved 8-1 (Umstead opposed).
• Enhanced Zoning Enforcement: Motion to discontinue passed 9-0.
• Consent Agenda: Adopted with unanimous approval. Proclamations were presented and accepted.
• Closed Session: Board directed staff to prepare a resolution for condemnation and quick-take of property for a traffic signal at Algonkian Parkway and Hardwood Forest Drive/Noble Terrace, and to proceed with a public hearing on the disposition of property at 161 West Main Street, Purcellville.
• Appointments: John Selman nominated to Fiscal Impact Committee; Dr. Jeffrey Maggitt nominated to OPEB Investment Committee; Environmental Commission standing committee members confirmed.
• Public Comments: Over 15 speakers addressed the board; comments included strong opposition to the substation, proactive zoning, and data center expansion, as well as calls for divestment from companies linked to the Gaza conflict.