Loudoun County Board of Supervisors Public Hearing - February 11, 2026

The Loudoun County Board of Supervisors held a public hearing on February 11, 2026, addressing eight items including consent calendar approvals, a contentious resolution regarding open-space easements for a transmission line, and zoning applications for a private school, a data center, and an office building. The meeting featured public testimony from residents, business owners, and advocacy groups, and the board voted on several items after suspending the rules.

Consent Calendar

• Item 1: Proposed Amendment to Chapter 860.02 (Penalty for Delinquency) – Approved 9-0.
• Item 2: Conveyance of easements within PINs 040-26-1254-000 and 040-35-3126-000 to Loudoun Water for a water main serving attainable housing – Approved 9-0.
• Item 3: Conveyance of easement within PIN 040-26-1254-000 for a trail and crosswalk on Loudoun County Parkway – Approved 9-0.
• Item 5: Withdrawal of land (Rockland Farm, LLC) from the New Rockland Agricultural and Forestal District – Approved 9-0. Supervisor Glass noted the landowner plans to place the property into a conservation easement.

Public Comments & Testimony

• On Item 4 (Open-Space Easements for Golden-Mars Transmission Line):
  • Victor Block (Loudoun Valley Estates HOA President) urged approval of all eight easements, arguing Dominion Energy manufactured the timeline and that Route 1F is a pressure tactic. He referenced Chino Hills, California, where towers were later torn down for undergrounding.
  • Vicky Hugh (Loudoun Valley Estates resident) opposed overhead lines near her home, stating the power is intended for data centers, not reliability. She asked the board to accept the easements to protect the community.
  • Maritess Pack (Loudoun Valley Estates homeowner) expressed health concerns for her children due to magnetic field exposure from high-voltage lines and supported underground alternatives.
  • Jeff Walsh (resident) argued Dominion’s 15-month delay in filing for state approval created artificial urgency and urged approval of the original eight easements.
  • Philip Emanuel (resident) stated that Routes 3A and 3B were not before the board when it acted in January 2025, and that undergrounding is technically feasible. He asked the board to align its position with the full record.
  • Brian Turner (via phone, representing Lansdowne Conservancy and HOA Roundtable) supported the original easements, stating Route 1F is not currently before the SCC and that the easements provide leverage for undergrounding.
• On Item 6 (Arc of Loudoun at National Conference Center):
  • Penny Satches Brough (resident) raised concerns about the school using a private playground in Lansdowne without liability coverage, urging clarity that the playground is not authorized.
• On Item 7 (Concorde Industrial Park):
  • Theo Stomatis (Loudoun County Chamber of Commerce) supported the application, noting Prologis’s investments and community involvement.
  • Alan Safarian (owner of AAI Heating and Air Conditioning) spoke in favor, describing his positive experience as a tenant in a Prologis building.
  • Emily Johnson (Piedmont Environmental Council) opposed the rezoning, arguing it would displace flex industrial tenants and harm economic diversity. She cited businesses struggling to find space in Loudoun.
  • Victor Block (Loudoun Valley Estates HOA) again spoke, noting that the data center would likely be fed by the Golden-Mars line and urged the board to consider transmission impacts.

Discussion Items

• Item 4: Resolution for Acceptance of New Open-Space Easements and Diversion of Open-Space Easements (Sterling):
  • Staff presented an alternative resolution accepting seven of eight easements, excluding PIN 122-49-7166-000 (which would block Routes 3, 3A, and 3B). The alternative keeps Route 1F (median of Loudoun County Parkway) viable, though staff and board members expressed strong opposition to that route.
  • Supervisor Sainz (district representative) supported the alternative, noting it allows continued advocacy for undergrounding and maintains leverage with the State Corporation Commission (SCC). He thanked residents for their advocacy.
  • Supervisor Glass asked to delay the vote until after a scheduled meeting with staff on Friday, February 13, but Supervisor Sainz argued the community’s letter requesting immediate action and the SCC timeline warranted a vote that night. The board suspended the rules (9-0) and then adopted the alternative resolution (9-0).
  • The motion excluded the easement that would block Routes 3, 3A, and 3B, keeping them viable for overhead construction. Route 1F remains viable but unblockable by the county.
• Item 6: The Arc of Loudoun at the National Conference Center (Ashburn):
  • Staff recommended approval of two special exceptions to allow a private school for up to 50 students and to eliminate the outdoor play area requirement. The school is temporary within the existing conference center, pending redevelopment of the campus.
  • The applicant highlighted the reuse of underutilized space with no new construction or parking needed. The traffic analysis estimated 124 additional weekday trips.
  • The board suspended the rules and approved the application 9-0. Supervisor Randall praised the Arc’s commitment to serving individuals with disabilities.
• Item 7: Concorde Industrial Park (Sterling):
  • Staff presented a rezoning from PDGI to Industrial Park, with special exceptions to increase FAR to 0.8 for data center use, allow a utility substation, and modify buffering. The site currently has four flex-warehouse buildings (269,000 sq ft). The application includes multiple development options (data center, warehouse, flex).
  • The applicant (Prologis) argued the existing buildings are inefficient and non-conforming, and that redevelopment for data center is the most viable economic use. They noted heavy investment in new flex industrial elsewhere in the county.
  • Supervisor Sainz questioned the displacement of existing tenants (including a food bank and small businesses). Supervisor Laterno asked about the economics of alternative uses. Supervisor Crony noted the county already secured right-of-way for Sterling Boulevard and questioned the lack of proffers.
  • The board forwarded the application to the March 17, 2026 business meeting for final action (9-0).
• Item 8: Dulles North 3 (Sterling):
  • Staff presented a special exception for a one-story commercial office building on property zoned PDIP. The proposal is straightforward and consistent with the Route 28 Tax District.
  • The board suspended the rules and approved the application 9-0.

Key Outcomes

• Item 4: Adopted alternative resolution accepting 7 of 8 open-space easements (excluding PIN 122-49-7166-000) – Vote 9-0. The county attorney will notify the SCC and Dominion of the decision.
• Item 6: Approved LEGI-2025-0061, SPEX-2025-0146, and SPEX-2025-0162 for The Arc of Loudoun at the National Conference Center – Vote 9-0.
• Item 7: Forwarded LEGI-2024-0002, ZMAP-2024-0001, SPEX-2024-0009, SPEX-2024-0040, SPEX-2025-0153, and SPEX-2025-0161 (Concorde Industrial Park) to the March 17, 2026 business meeting for final action – Vote 9-0.
• Item 8: Approved LEGI-2025-0021 and SPEX-2025-0045 (Dulles North 3 office building) – Vote 9-0 (Supervisor Laterno absent).
• Consent items (1, 2, 3, 5) approved 9-0 each.
• The board will conduct a straw poll via email to support a state budget amendment funding Spark operations.