Loudoun County FGOEDC Committee Meeting - October 14, 2025
Loudoun County Finance/Government Operations and Economic Development Committee Meeting - October 14, 2025
The Finance, Government Operations, and Economic Development Committee (FGOEDC) of the Loudoun County Board of Supervisors met on October 14, 2025, to discuss economic development, capital projects, property tax methodology, affordable housing loans, a space strategy for the government center, budget development items, and healthcare services at the adult detention center. Several action items were approved on consent, and multiple votes were taken on affordable housing loan applications and a major facility relocation decision.
Consent Calendar
- Items 12, 13, 14, 15, and 20 were added to the consent agenda and approved unanimously (4-0-1, with Supervisor Umstadt off the dais):
- Item 12: Proposed repeal of Chapter 888 (Real Estate Tax Classification for Surviving Spouses of Certain Persons Killed in the Line of Duty).
- Item 13: Proposed amendments to Chapter 878 (Transient Occupancy Tax).
- Item 14: Design endorsement for Arcola Quarters for the Enslaved (Dulles District).
- Item 15: Design endorsement for Courts Complex Phase IV Renovation (Leesburg).
- Item 20: Village of St. Louis Deferred Forgivable Loan Program (Little River District).
- Other items on the consent agenda (e.g., Contract awards, bylaw amendments, Chapter 888 repeal, etc.) were approved without separate discussion.
Discussion Items
- Monthly Department of Economic Development Report (Item 1): Buddy Rizer reported on the economic impacts of the federal government shutdown, noting a modest but broad economic disruption. Virginia is one of the most affected states. Loudoun's unemployment rate ticked up to 3.6% in August, matching the state average. The “Launch Loudoun” program has engaged over 2,250 businesses. EDA Chair Angela Wilson updated on strategic priorities including entrepreneurship and affordable housing. Supervisor Randall expressed concern about the unemployment increase, noting it does not yet reflect recent buyouts and shutdown impacts. Rizer also highlighted a new “Loudoun Possible” section in the monthly report featuring success stories like Dyne Electric.
- Quarterly Capital Improvement Projects Report (Items 2): Sherene Dorazio and Ernie Brown presented progress on 167 active CIP projects valued at $3.8 billion. Highlights included completion of the Sterling Recycling Center, the River Bend Stream restoration, and progress on the Crisis Receiving Center. 130 electric vehicle charging ports are now operational countywide, with 82 more planned.
- Personal Property Tax Rates and Assessment Methodology (Items 4 & 5): Robert Wertz presented proposed changes for Tax Year 2026, including shifting to market-based valuations for vehicles, boats, and equipment. The methodology for new automobiles will change from 100% of cost to 95% of MSRP. Data center equipment depreciation schedules will be extended from 5 to 6 years, starting at 60% of cost. The changes will increase revenue for some classes (e.g., heavy equipment and machinery/tools) and decrease for others. Committee members expressed concern about the impact on small businesses, especially trucking companies facing potential doubling of assessed values. Wertz noted a communications plan will be developed. The item is slated for the November 6 Board of Supervisors meeting.
- Affordable Multifamily Housing Loan Applications (Items 16-19): Four applications were considered:
- Moorefield Station Apartments (Item 16): Staff recommended approval of a $19.3 million loan at 2% simple interest for 40 years to support 249 affordable units (30-70% AMI). Approved 4-0-1.
- Stone Ridge Towns (Item 17): Staff recommended denial due to low leverage ratio, insufficient deeply affordable units, and lack of on-site services. The committee voted to not approve the $1.08 million loan (4-0-1).
- Overlook at Broadlands Apartments (Item 18): Staff recommended denial (score 67.86 vs. 75 threshold). Committee voted not to approve the $6.9 million loan (4-0-1).
- Village at Clear Springs Apartments (Item 19): Despite a high staff score (86.86), the leverage ratio (1:0.73) was deemed too low. The committee voted 3-1-1 to not approve but to waive the application deadline to allow resubmission under the new attainable housing program.
- Space Strategy Update – Leesburg Government Center (Item 21): Staff presented two options: Option 1 (remain in Leesburg at the Government Support Center campus) and Option 2 (relocate east near a Metro station). The committee voted 4-0-1 to pursue Option 2, directing staff to develop partnership options for a 300,000-400,000 sq ft government center east of Leesburg, with costs and timing to be included in a future CIP.
- FY 2027 Budget Development Items (Items 22-24): Presentations were given on service levels for Animal Services, Economic Development, and General Services; transmittal of town capital project requests totaling ~$90 million; and service models for healthcare and psychiatry at the Adult Detention Center. No votes were taken, but guidance was provided.
Key Outcomes
- Consent Agenda approved (4-0-1).
- Moorefield Station Apartments loan recommended for approval (4-0-1).
- Stone Ridge Towns loan recommended for denial (4-0-1).
- Overlook at Broadlands Apartments loan recommended for denial (4-0-1).
- Village at Clear Springs Apartments loan recommended for denial but with a waiver to resubmit (3-1-1; Supervisor Laterno opposed, Supervisor Umstadt absent).
- Government Center relocation to east near Metro directed (4-0-1).
- Personal property tax methodology changes to be presented to full Board in November.
- Budget development items received as informational; staff will continue preparations for FY 2027.
Meeting Transcript
I would like to call to order the October 14th, twenty twenty-five, Loudoun County Board of Supervisors, Finance, Government, Operations, and Economic Development Committee meeting. This room has a hearing loop. If you need hearing assistance, switch your hearing aids to telecoil mode if you need a headset. Questions and comments are not timed, however, once a motion is on the table, committee members will have three minutes to ask questions and make comments for all of the items. Um who will also be offered an opportunity to ask questions after the committee, ask questions. Um committee members without objection, I would like to ask that we add item fifteen, design endorsement courts complex phase four renovation, and item sixteen, design endorsement arcola enslaved quarters. And item twenty, Village of St. Louis deferred forgivable loan program to the consent agenda. Seeing no objection, I thank you for helping us shorten the meeting. Sorry, fourteen fifteen and twenty. Thank you, ma'am. Other groups that actually were had a had asked too. So I I don't I don't care if it I don't do not care that it goes on consent. I just want to make sure that when it gets to be the time that everyone is all the appropriate committees are reached out to. Item 12, proposed repeal of Chapter 888 of the codified ordinances, Loudoudon County Real Estate Tax Classification of Property Owned by surviving spouses and certain persons killed in the line of duty. Item 13 proposed amendments to Chapter 878 of the codified ordinances of Loudoun County Transit Occupancy Tax. Item 14, design endorsement arcola quarters for the enslaved, that's in Dulles District. And item 15 design endorsement courts complex phase four renovation that's in Leesburg and Item 20, Village of St. Louis Deferred, excuse me, forgivable loan program that's in Little River District. Do I have a motion? Second. Motion made by Supervisor Sane, seconded by Supervisor Laterno. By way of uh comment before we vote, the um design endorsement design endorsements are new. Um this is a way for staff to bring an item to the board and the committee sort of midway, so we don't uh see something after a lot of work has been done on it. So we get a chance to do a quick review. Um, and so those were on consent. Thank you, colleagues. Um, madam chair, it was at St. Louis, the one that you wanted to make sure all folks were at the table. No, that was Arcola. Arcola, okay, thank you. Um the St. Louis Forgivable Loan Program is a uh we'll be we'll be coming to the full board. So this is basically endorsing the concept, and then staff will come back to us uh with a plan on how they plan to move forward on that. Um I think those are all of the comments I have. Colleagues, do you have any comments on consolidated? Madam Chair. Yes. Um two things. One, I do want to thank staff for all the work that continues to be done on the village of St. Louis item in every way. I think I've said this before that uh I do believe the village of St. Louis is a part of Loudon County that have been overlooked. I won't say ignore, but I'll say overlook for a very, very long time. And um now we are doing uh kind of circling back around and doing some of the things. Fact that the the they they were the first to get the village plan done. I think it's very apropos, and I want to thank all the staff that worked on that. I also want to say that we start working on um the uh loan or rather the um issue for military members and their and their family or their spouses. We start working on that last term. Sometimes these things do take a while to to get to fruition or to happen, but I want to thank all the citizens who brought this to our attention last term, and that we've been working up for such a long time, and again, thanks staff.
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