Several residential and nonresidential development applications came before the Loudoun County Planning Commission at its Monday, May 15, public hearing and the commission heard little opposition from members of the public on any of the applications.
The only negative comments came regarding the proposed Marbury development along Route 659, south of Braddock Road and to the left of the quarry. The development would rezone 242 acres, which would permit the development of 227 single-family homes and eight affordable dwelling units.
Ed Gorski, land-use officer for the Piedmont Environmental Council (PEC), restated his continued opposition to development in the Dulles South area. He told the commission that the people in the proposed area would see a $2,000 capital facilities deficit per year, according to a fiscal impact study conducted by the PEC, and that the road network, as it stands, could not handle the additional traffic generated by the Marbury development.
Gorski, however, was the only one of the three speakers that opposed the application directly. The other two speakers said they would support the development provided the developer continues to work with surrounding landowners and consider a lower density for the development.
The other applications before the commission had no members of the public speaking against them, including the 122-acre rezoning for the Stonegate development that will include 193 units south of the W&OD Trail in the Broad Run District. The commission voted to forward Stonegate to the Board of Supervisors with a recommendation of approval.
The commission also voted to forward the Hall Road proposed development to a future commission work session to address concerns about the residential density. If approved by the Board of Supervisors, the project would rezone 4.25 acres north of Loudoun County Parkway (Route 606) for the development of 47 townhouse units. The area is currently zoned for four units per acre.
Three members of the Oak Grove Baptist Church spoke in favor of the proposed development.
"I think it would be a continued tremendous asset to the community as well as our church," church member Tammie Crank said.
IN ADDITION TO the residential developments, the commission also made recommendations of approval on two nonresidential applications, the Sheraton at Dulles Town Center and the Presidential Golf Course.
The Presidential Golf Course application is an extension of the already approved golf course. Currently, the course is being constructed on 190 acres on the north side of Waxpool Road and the application would allow for an additional 125 acres along the south side of the road.
This is an exceptional amenity for the area," said Francine Neville, a representative of Verizon, one of the neighboring business, said. "The golf course will be a very strong draw for other Fortune 500 companies to come to the area."
The Sheraton at Dulles Town Center, which would cover a 7.9-acre lot in the Steeplechase Industrial Park, east of Route 28, would employ 70 full-time personnel and generate an estimated $300,000 occupancy tax revenue within its first year. The hotel was sent forward to Supervisors for approval with the stipulation that the developer construct a right-turn lane onto the property. The applicant had originally stated it did not think a right-turn lane was necessary.
Following a comment from Arthur Fuccillo, who developed the Dulles Town Center, that the Sheraton had no affiliation with the center, the commission made a recommendation to the Supervisors that the name of the hotel be changed to Sheraton at Steeplechase.
The Planning Commission will hold its next meeting Monday, May 22, at 6 p.m., where it will continue working on the Route 50/Arcola and the Upper Foley/Upper Broad Run sub-areas Comprehensive Plan Amendments.