Loudoun County Board of Zoning Appeals Meeting - December 19, 2025
Loudoun County Board of Zoning Appeals Meeting - December 19, 2025
The Loudoun County Board of Zoning Appeals (BZA) convened on Thursday, December 19, 2025, at 6:00 PM. The board considered one public hearing item: the Village of Clear Springs Sign Development Plan (LEGI 2025-0002 / ZMOD 2025-0001), and also received administrative reports. The meeting was conducted in person and via remote participation.
Preliminary Matters
- The board accepted a corrected table (slip page) for the sign development plan, which clarified the sign area calculation (combining primary and partner sign square footages into one line) and corrected the total number of signs from four to two. The motion to accept the correction passed unanimously.
Discussion Items
- Village of Clear Springs Sign Development Plan – Staff (David Moore, Senior Planner) presented the application for a 33.04-acre property zoned PDH-6, located on Evergreen Mills Road, approved for a USTA Mid-Atlantic Tennis Center and 1,077 residential units. The applicant sought deviations from the zoning ordinance: increase individual sign area from 120 to 326.2 square feet, overall sign area from 240 to 652.4 square feet, and maximum height from 5 to 10.5 feet (primary signs) and 8 feet (secondary signs). Staff recommended approval subject to conditions.
- Applicant Adam Steiner (J2) presented the design, noting the signs provide wayfinding and placemaking, and that the total sign area is still less than allowed by-right. He emphasized the signage is appropriately scaled for the four entrances along Evergreen Mills Road, with low-level LED lighting to minimize night sky impacts. The applicant stated the signs are part of a cohesive package for the community.
- Board members questioned Mr. Moore and Mr. Steiner about the sign calculations, wayfinding, and design compatibility. Mr. Canonico raised concern that one entrance (a cul-de-sac) might confuse visitors, but the applicant explained the sign is for placemaking and identity. The board reviewed the seven statutory criteria for approval; the applicant testified that each criterion is satisfied, and staff confirmed no inconsistency.
- Public comment: A resident named Angwin asked about the sign size, lighting, road widening, and whether the signage would be built early. The applicant and staff responded that the signs are designed for the ultimate four-lane road, will be set back from the right-of-way, and will be installed early in construction to establish community identity.
Key Outcomes
- Motion to Approve: The board voted unanimously to approve LEGI 2025-0002 / ZMOD 2025-0001, subject to the conditions of approval dated December 1, 2025, and based on the findings for approval in attachments 4 and 5 of the December 18, 2025 staff report. No opposition or abstentions were recorded.
- County Attorney’s Report: Hugh Green reported that litigation regarding group homes appeals has concluded. The Supreme Court of Virginia denied a petition for appeal, and two related circuit court cases were dismissed with prejudice. The board also discussed a pending appeal of a denied permit for an RNG baseball facility; the chair expressed concern that the operation continues despite the denial, but the county attorney noted the matter is under appeal and staff is monitoring compliance.
- Zoning Administrator’s Report: Bradley Polk announced the next BZA meeting is scheduled for January 22, 2026, with one appeal of a notice of violation on the agenda.
Meeting Transcript
And then they get married on Saturday and then so low there have so on Thursday. Oh he says they're about 10% of 30. And then the spectrum is good. Good to meet you. It is six o'clock. Is everybody ready? All right. Are we are we taking? Yes, ma'am. All right. The Ladden County Board of Zoning Appeals is now in session. Before we begin, I'm going to ask everyone to check their cell phone to make sure it's in a silent mode. That way it won't interfere with our proceedings. This board is composed of five members and two alternates. We have five people here today. We meet on the fourth Thursday of each month, unless it's November or December, like this month, after each appeal has been duly advertised in a local publication for two consecutive weeks after each property has been duly posted after all adjacent owners have been notified by certified mail. It takes three affirmative votes from this board for a matter to pass the board. If you wish to speak, please sign a piece of paper with our secretary, Stephanie Cap. She's sitting over there for each appeal. We will hear from staff first, and then the applicant or the attorney, each of whom will have 10 minutes. Other speakers will have three minutes. All right. Do we have any preliminary matters? I think we do, uh, Madam Chair for this upcoming um legislative application or for the sign plan that's tonight. And that is uh one of the tables in the packet is is they're requesting it be updated. And so I'll let staff talk about that. But since it's under the time in which we can allow it, I'll let staff explain it and then you can vote on how if you wish to accept it. Um there's no fundamental change uh to the numbers, but I think it's the way it's organized, but I'll let staff explain that. You know, change to table is legible. Uh forgive me. And that's something we should take up preliminarily. Because it has to be included in the part of your uh you have to allow it in essentially. And that's table, it's an illustration showing on page five of your handout. But uh what you have the slip piece uh slip page is the one that staff's gonna talk about here in a minute and ask that you include it in the current uh to allow it to be into the the staff report. So uh I'll go I'll let whomever on the staff wants to talk about that. Okay, thank you, Mr. Green. Sure. Um, but why don't it's part and parcel of the public hearing item? So let's get the public hearing item before us and then we'll take it up as the first um issue in the public hearing item. So um the public hearing item is um L E G I um 2025-0002 Village of Clear Springs sign development plan um Z mod 2025-0001. Um so why don't we hear from staff first with regard to this preliminary matter? Who is taking the lead on that? Uh yes, ma'am. Uh David Moore with the zoning administration. Um Mr. Moore, you have the floor. Yes, ma'am. Uh so the uh sorry, uh what point of procedure did you want to swear in? Oh, all right.
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