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Record of Proceedings

Loudoun County Board of Zoning Appeals Public Hearing - February 28, 2025

Commissions & Advisory Boards — Friday, February 28, 2025
BodyLoudoun County, Virginia
SessionCommissions & Advisory Boards
DateFriday, February 28, 2025
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 1:11:28

Original source
Transcript — VerbatimClick a timed line to jump · ⧉ to share it
0:01

The official time is apparently in two minutes.

0:06

We need to make sure everybody who wants to come has the ability to get here.

0:17

Excuse me.

0:21

They're all we're gonna watch it after I post it.

0:27

Fair standing or long now there.

0:37

Yeah, or no?

0:38

I have no which means happy.

0:42

It's less just a little title slide.

1:26

Sorry, too, because she needs to push the button for the recording machine.

1:35

So we can only few.

2:29

Thank you.

2:55

Stephanie start.

3:06

You can begin.

3:07

Okay.

3:08

All right.

3:09

All right.

3:09

So the Loudon County Board of Zoning Appeals is now in session.

3:14

Um before we begin, I'll ask everyone to please check your phones and make sure that everything is on silent mode.

3:21

Um it interferes with our meeting and our recording system if they're not turned off or down.

3:27

Um this board is composed of five and two alternates.

3:31

We have five on our panel today.

3:34

We are a quasi judicial body, we are an arm of the court.

3:37

We meet on the fourth Thursday of each month after each appeal has been duly advertised in a local publication for two consecutive weeks after each property has been duly posted and after all adjacent owners have been notified by certified mail.

3:51

It takes three affirmative votes from this board for a matter to pass.

3:56

If you wish to speak, please sign a piece of paper with our secretary Stephanie Caps back in that corner.

4:02

Um the attorney can be called at the proper time for each appeal.

4:06

We will hear from staff first and then the applicant or the attorney and staff and the applicant will each have 10 minutes.

4:14

Other speakers will have three minutes.

4:17

Um I think uh the next thing on our agenda is um some preliminary matters.

4:25

We need to do an election of our chair and our vice chair for the 2025 year.

4:31

We normally do that in January, but we did not have a meeting in January because we didn't have any appeals.

4:36

So we're doing it for so is there um someone who would like to make a motion as to who should serve as chair for the coming year?

4:46

I'd like to nominate Dan Forbes to be chair for the committee.

4:50

Is there a second?

4:53

Is there are there any other nominations?

4:56

Is there any discussion?

4:59

All in favor?

5:01

Aye.

5:02

Any opposed?

5:05

Thank you.

5:06

I appreciate your vote in confidence.

5:09

Um we need to elect a vice chair.

5:12

Are there a nominations for our vice chair?

5:16

I'll nominate Lord Clark.

5:20

Thank you.

5:20

Is there a second?

5:21

Second.

5:23

Are there any other nominations?

5:28

All in favor, aye.

5:31

Any opposed?

5:32

Any abstentions?

5:34

We'll let Rory know.

5:38

All right.

5:40

Right.

5:40

And if for some reason that one either one of us is not available, I have every confidence that someone else will be able to pick up this particular baton.

5:50

So I think we're in good hands.

5:53

Looking around the room, I feel confident.

5:57

All of our members, thank you.

5:59

All right, so we have two public hearings.

6:01

Chair, sorry, congratulations.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Zoning Regulations█████████████████████████████████████████████47%
Signage Regulations██████████████████████████27%
Procedural██████████████████19%
Public Safety█████5%
Historic Preservation██2%
Summary of Proceedings

Loudoun County Board of Zoning Appeals Public Hearing - February 28, 2025

The Loudoun County Board of Zoning Appeals held a public hearing on February 28, 2025 (noted as originally scheduled for February 27, 2025 per the agenda, but the instruction requires using February 28, 2025 as the meeting date). The board considered two items: a boundary line adjustment variance and a sign development plan amendment. Preliminary matters included the election of officers and a date change for the April meeting.

Preliminary Matters

  • Election of Officers: Dan Forbes was nominated and elected as Chair; Lori Clark was elected as Vice Chair; Stephanie Capps was elected as Secretary, all by voice vote with no opposition.
  • April Meeting Date: The board voted unanimously to move the regular April meeting to Wednesday, April 30, 2025 at 6:00 PM.

Public Hearing Item a: BOZA-2024-0004 – Boundary Line Adjustment

  • Staff Presentation (Brian Fish, Zoning Planner): The applicant sought a variance to allow an increase in the maximum depth-to-width ratio from 5:1 to 7.84:1 and a decrease in minimum lot width from 200 feet to 122 feet for a vacant parcel (PIN 363253720) to permit a boundary line adjustment between two parcels owned by the applicant. The need arose after a ground-penetrating radar survey revealed a larger cemetery and floodplain constraints on the vacant parcel, eliminating the assumed buildable area. The variance would allow the adjustment to create a buildable lot of 3.1 acres (from 1.4 acres). Staff supported the variance, noting the hardship was not created by the applicant, the situation was unique, and no neighbors objected.
  • Applicant Testimony: The applicant explained the discovery of additional graves and floodplain issues, and that the boundary line adjustment would bring the parcel closer to compliance with A-3 zoning (3 acre minimum). They confirmed the adjusted parcel would use an existing access easement.
  • Public Comment: No public speakers for or against the application.
  • Decision: A motion to approve the variance was made with a condition that the adjusted green parcel obtain its access onto Buchanan Gap Road only from the existing access easement. The motion passed unanimously (voice vote, no opposition noted).

Public Hearing Item b: LEGI-2024-0060 – Sign Development Plan - Cascades Overlook

  • Staff Presentation (Mr. Raul, Zoning Administrator): The applicant, Starlight Media LLC on behalf of Cascade Station LLC, sought to amend the 2015 sign plan for the Cascades Overlook Town Center to replace four existing pedestrian directory signs with digital boards (each double-sided, ~22 sq ft, with digital board ~12.5 sq ft) and add two new digital wall signs. No increase in sign dimensions was proposed. Staff supported the request, noting the signs are internal to the development, the digital boards would improve communication and include emergency alerts, and a waiver from landscape base requirements was justified to avoid impeding pedestrian circulation.
  • Applicant Testimony (Jeff Morton): The applicant detailed the benefits: outdated signs replaced, energy-efficient LED displays with automatic dimming, FEMA-connected alerts, and only family-friendly advertising. All signs operate during center business hours. The two new wall signs would cover previously unserved areas. The applicant accepted all conditions of approval.
  • Decision: A motion to approve the sign plan amendment subject to the conditions of approval dated February 19, 2025, was made and seconded. The motion passed unanimously (voice vote).

Administrative Items

  • Assistant County Attorney Report: Update on the Newport Academy case (Court of Appeals affirmed board's decision; possible appeal to Supreme Court pending) and the Highfields Farm case (applicant removed berm from floodplain, appeal withdrawn).
  • Zoning Administrator Report (Ryan Reid): Reported that applications for two expiring board seats are due by March 14, 2025. Outlined tentative upcoming agenda items for March through June 2025.

Key Outcomes

  • Approval of Variance (BOZA-2024-0004): Unanimous approval with condition limiting access to existing easement.
  • Approval of Sign Plan Amendment (LEGI-2024-0060): Unanimous approval subject to staff conditions.
  • Election of Officers: Dan Forbes (Chair), Lori Clark (Vice Chair), Stephanie Capps (Secretary).
  • April Meeting Rescheduled to April 30, 2025.

Meeting Transcript

The official time is apparently in two minutes. We need to make sure everybody who wants to come has the ability to get here. Excuse me. They're all we're gonna watch it after I post it. Fair standing or long now there. Yeah, or no? I have no which means happy. It's less just a little title slide. Sorry, too, because she needs to push the button for the recording machine. So we can only few. Thank you. Stephanie start. You can begin. Okay. All right. All right. So the Loudon County Board of Zoning Appeals is now in session. Um before we begin, I'll ask everyone to please check your phones and make sure that everything is on silent mode. Um it interferes with our meeting and our recording system if they're not turned off or down. Um this board is composed of five and two alternates. We have five on our panel today. We are a quasi judicial body, we are an arm of the court. We meet on the fourth Thursday of each month after each appeal has been duly advertised in a local publication for two consecutive weeks after each property has been duly posted and after all adjacent owners have been notified by certified mail. It takes three affirmative votes from this board for a matter to pass. If you wish to speak, please sign a piece of paper with our secretary Stephanie Caps back in that corner. Um the attorney can be called at the proper time for each appeal. We will hear from staff first and then the applicant or the attorney and staff and the applicant will each have 10 minutes. Other speakers will have three minutes. Um I think uh the next thing on our agenda is um some preliminary matters. We need to do an election of our chair and our vice chair for the 2025 year. We normally do that in January, but we did not have a meeting in January because we didn't have any appeals. So we're doing it for so is there um someone who would like to make a motion as to who should serve as chair for the coming year? I'd like to nominate Dan Forbes to be chair for the committee. Is there a second? Is there are there any other nominations? Is there any discussion? All in favor? Aye. Any opposed? Thank you. I appreciate your vote in confidence. Um we need to elect a vice chair. Are there a nominations for our vice chair? I'll nominate Lord Clark. Thank you. Is there a second? Second. Are there any other nominations? All in favor, aye. Any opposed?

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