Loudoun County BZA Public Hearing – April 30, 2025: Sign Plan & Variance Decisions
Loudoun County Board of Zoning Appeals Public Hearing – April 30, 2025
The Board of Zoning Appeals (BZA) met on April 30, 2025, to consider two public hearing items: a sign development plan for the Aventon Moorefield Station apartment building (continued from March 27) and a variance request for a storage shed on a residential property located within the new mountainside overlay district. The meeting also included administrative reports, discussion of board member term expirations, and planning for a future training session on the new online zoning ordinance platform.
Discussion Items
- LEGI‑2024‑0062 – Aventon Moorefield Station Sign Development Plan – Staff presented a revised proposal addressing board concerns from the March 27 meeting. The applicant eliminated several signs (loading dock wall signs, six residential entry signs, and some window/wall signs) and reduced the ground monument sign to 60 square feet, meeting ordinance standards. The applicant requested two variances: (1) to increase the height of a miscellaneous parking sign from 6 feet to 9 feet 2 inches to comply with ADA requirements (the ordinance limits miscellaneous signs to 6 feet, but ADA requires a minimum height of 7 feet to the bottom of the sign), and (2) to allow a vertical blade sign displaying the development name to be mounted at a height of 65 feet (the ordinance limits illuminated signs to 25 feet). The applicant argued that the building’s six‑story height is unusual in Loudoun County and that the sign is needed for branding and wayfinding. Staff reviewed the seven approval criteria and recommended approval subject to four conditions. The applicant provided precedent images of similar signs at The Wyatt, Vine at One Loudoun, and Boulevard at Gramercy in Ashburn Station. Board members visited the site and commended the applicant for addressing prior concerns. The board unanimously approved the sign development plan subject to the conditions.
- BOZA‑2025‑0001 – Variance for Storage Shed at 14674 Waterford Court – Applicant Patrick Hurley requested a variance to allow a 16‑foot by 32‑foot (512 sq ft) non‑habitable storage shed within the ridge feature protection area of the mountainside overlay district (MOD). The entire 3.23‑acre property, zoned AR1, lies within the MOD, and the majority is in the ridge feature protection area. Under Section 7.01.04.B.4 of the new zoning ordinance (effective December 13, 2023), non‑habitable accessory structures are prohibited in the ridge feature protection area, though habitable structures like an accessory dwelling unit are allowed. The applicant testified that he purchased the lot in 2019, built the house in 2020, and ran out of funds to include a shed at that time. The property’s steep slopes and existing improvements (house, garage, well, drain field) leave no other buildable area outside the ridge feature protection area without extensive tree clearing and grading. He argued that the strict application of the ordinance unreasonably restricts his ability to maintain the property because he has no storage for necessary equipment (zero‑turn mower, snowblower, chainsaw, etc.) and that the hardship stems from the physical condition of the property (steep slopes, ridge feature overlay) that existed at the time of the ordinance’s adoption. Staff noted this is the first variance request under the new MOD provisions and that the situation is unusual because the entire parcel is within the restricted area. The board heard that the shed location is already cleared, will not be visible from Stump Town Road, and that the applicant could not store equipment in his garage without parking cars outside. The board determined that the variance criteria were met, including that the hardship was not self‑created. The variance was approved unanimously.
Key Outcomes
- Approval of LEGI‑2024‑0062 – Motion by Mr. Kramer, seconded. The board voted unanimously (5‑0) to approve the sign development plan for Aventon Moorefield Station, subject to the conditions in the April 30, 2025 staff report.
- Approval of BOZA‑2025‑0001 – Motion by Mr. Clark, seconded. The board voted unanimously (5‑0) to grant the variance for the storage shed, based on findings that the applicant met the burden of proof under Code of Virginia and Section 10.08.D of the Loudoun County Zoning Ordinance.
- Administrative Matters – County Attorney Hugh Green reported that board member terms have expired and the court has not yet appointed successors; members continue to serve until successors are appointed. Zoning Administrator Ryan Reed noted that two upcoming sign plan applications have been delayed and may appear in June. The board agreed to hold a business meeting on May 22, 2025, for a training session on the new online zoning ordinance platform, to be led by new Zoning Administrator Teresa Miller (introduced at the meeting).
Meeting Transcript
The board is composed of five members and two alternates. Initially we will have the panel that we had at the last meeting since we have I don't know if this is the right nomenclature, but I guess a uh a continued matter, a carryover matter. And so the first panel will be Mrs. Forbes, Mr. Kramer, Mr. Canonico, and Mr. Walker. Um so um we will we will hear the first one and then the the rest of us will weigh in. Um we are a quasi-digital body, we are an arm of the court. We meet normally on the fourth Thursday of each month, so today is a bit of an anomaly. Um after each appeal has been duly advertised in a local publication for two consecutive weeks, and after each property has been duly posted and all adjacent landowners have been notified by certified mail. It takes three affirmative votes from this board to pass. Um and if you wish to speak, please sign a piece of paper with our secretary Stephanie Caps. Her hand is raised, she's over there. Um for each appeal, we will hear from staff first and then from the applicant, each of whom will have 10 minutes. Anyone else who wishes to speak? We would love to hear from you, and you will have three minutes. Um before we commence, all of those who will be speaking to us tonight on this appeal and on the variance that is uh the second thing on our agenda. Um would you please stand and raise your right hands? Do you solemnly swear that the evidence you will give before this board at this hearing be the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so hope you got thank you. All right. Are there any preliminary matters? It's on my agenda, but I'm not aware of any. All right, so the next um thing on our agenda is um it's L E G I dash 2024-0062, the Aventon, if I pronounced that correctly, Moorefield Station Sign Development Plan. And I think we need to hear from um Mr. Howe first. Mr. Dow are and everyone has their updated staff report. Please con please commence. Okay, I think you need to get the mic in front of you. Thank you. Ah, better. Thanks. Apologies for that. Um, let me start over. So the applicant Aventon Moreview station owner LOC is seeking a sign development plan for Avanton Morphew, a six-story multifamily depart apartment building located at 43601 Cheryl Street in the Brown district. This request was continued from the March 27 meeting to give the applicant the opportunity to address concerns that were raised by the board related to the number of signs and the size of the signage. The applicant works with staff and modify the proposal as follows. The applicant, the um the window and wall signs for the pet and spa and the bike room has been converted to window signs that meets the zonian ordinance standards. I apologize, I'm not wrong, so uh that meets the zone order and standards, and in addition to the reloading doc wall signs has been eliminated. And six of the residential entry only signs has also been eliminated. The entry sign and exit signs um has been consolidated into one signs. And then the ground monument sign has been reduced in size to be be to be at 60 square feet or below that meets the zoning ordinance standards. In addition, uh two of the wall signs has you just a minute. Sorry. Please continue. This type of signs are less than two square feet in size and are more appropriate feet under the miss diminished signs rather than the wall sign that was previously placing. The revised proposal for your consideration today is for two requests. And section A1B to allow illimited wall sign to at the highest point to be 65 feet from the uh ground. The request to increase the height for the parking sign is to accommodate is to comply with the requirements of AD uh the American Disability Act, which requires parking signs to have a minimum height of seven feet measured to the bottom of the sign.
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