Loudoun County Board of Supervisors Public Hearing - May 13, 2026

The Loudoun County Board of Supervisors held a public hearing on May 13, 2026, to consider five consolidated agenda items and two individual land use applications. The hearing opened with a procedural debate over whether to postpone reconsideration motions from the May 4, 2026 special board meeting until May 19, 2026, due to two absent supervisors. The board voted 4-3 to postpone the motions. Following that, the board approved the consolidated items, deliberated on the SDC Ashburn I special exception and the Barrister substation applications, and forwarded both to future business meetings.

Consent Calendar

• Item 1 (Erosion and Stormwater Management Amendments): Approved motion 2B as presented, adopting amendments to Chapter 1096 of the Codified Ordinances. Passed 7-0-2 (Supervisors Kirschner and Glass absent).
• Item 2 (Repeal of Dulles Town Center Community Development Authority): Approved motion 2B to repeal Chapter 260, finalizing the earlier dissolution of the CDA. Passed 7-0-2. Supervisor Sainz noted 18% of people shop online and emphasized the importance of keeping the mall as a community asset.
• Item 3 (Kincora Fire Station Easement Conveyance to Loudoun Water): Approved motion 2B for the conveyance of easements within PIN 042-49-0209-00. Passed 7-0-2.
• Item 4 (Goshen Corner Park Water Main Easement Conveyance to Loudoun Water): Approved motion 2B for conveyance of a 20-foot easement within PIN 248176330. Passed 7-0-2.
• Item 5 (New Bluemont Agricultural and Forestal District Withdrawal): Approved motion 2B for ALEGI-2025-0013, withdrawing land owned by Thomas L. and Mary F. Francis. Passed 7-0-2.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Tia Ehrman (Piedmont Environmental Council): Spoke on Item 6 (SDC Ashburn I). She expressed opposition to the data center expansion, citing unanswered questions about cooling mechanisms, generator tiers, and energy/water impacts. She requested generator specifications in proffers and a commitment against non-emergency generator use, and urged the board to oppose continued expansions.
• Barry Wiseman (remote): Attempted to speak on Item 7 about a road safety issue on Route 650 (Oatlands Road). Chair Randall ruled the comment out of order because it was not related to the agenda item, and suggested he address it at the May 19 business meeting.

Discussion Items

• Item 6 – LEGI-2025-0015, SDC Ashburn I (Special Exception SPEX-2025-0031): Staff presented a request to increase the building footprint by approximately 800–1,000 square feet (about the size of a two-bedroom apartment) for Building D, which extends beyond the approved rezoning boundary. The applicant, SDC, explained that the building was removed from the site plan to close bonds, and redesigning to avoid the encroachment was impossible due to fire code setbacks from adjacent buildings. The applicant highlighted proffers including low-carbon concrete (30% reduction), EV charging, and bike/pedestrian facilities. Public speaker Tia Ehrman opposed the project. Supervisor Sainz proposed forwarding the application to the June 16, 2026 business meeting, with a request to proffer a Tier 4 backup generator and consider solar panels. The board voted 6-0-1-2 (Supervisor Brixman abstained; Kirschner and Glass absent) to forward it.
• Item 7 – LEGI-2025-0010, Barrister Substation (CMPT-2025-0004, SPEX-2025-0021, SPEX-2025-0023): Staff presented a hybrid GIS/AIS substation application by Dominion Energy to serve the Dullesbury data center campus. The substation is in the Urban Transit Center place type, where substations are not anticipated. Dominion agreed to enhanced screening: a 15-foot masonry wall along the future Barrister Street and 12-foot walls elsewhere, plus enhanced buffers and tree conservation. Multiple supervisors criticized Dominion's refusal to consider alternative wall designs or materials beyond three standard colors, citing the need for better aesthetics as many more substations are expected. Supervisor Brixman announced she would vote no. The board voted 6-1-2 (Brixman opposed; Kirschner and Glass absent) to forward the application to the May 19, 2026 business meeting for action.

Key Outcomes

• Procedural motion: The board voted 4-3 to suspend Rule X of the Board Rules of Order, allowing motions to reconsider actions from the May 4, 2026 special board meeting to be brought at the May 19, 2026 special board meeting instead of the current meeting.
• Consolidated agenda items 1–5: All approved unanimously (7-0-2) with two supervisors absent.
• Item 6 (SDC Ashburn I): Forwarded to the June 16, 2026 Board of Supervisors Business Meeting for action by a 6-0-1 vote (one abstention, two absent). Supervisor Sainz requested additional proffers for a Tier 4 generator and solar.
• Item 7 (Barrister Substation): Forwarded to the May 19, 2026 Board of Supervisors Business Meeting for action by a 6-1 vote (Supervisor Brixman opposed; two absent). Dominion was asked to provide visuals of a hybrid substation and alternative wall designs before that meeting.