Greenfield Farm Phase 2 application“hits the nail on the head” says Miller

By Sophia Clifton

On April 10, the Loudoun County Planning Commission held a work session to review the Greenfield Farm Phase 2 rezoning application, which proposes transforming 174.4 acres of agricultural land located in the Catoctin District, east of Evergreen Mills Road and south of Shreve Mill Road, into a mixed-use residential and commercial community.

The project, submitted by Orme Farm LLC, calls for the development of 518 residential units, including 496 detached single-family homes and 22 multi-family attached units. It also includes approximately 44,265 square feet of commercial space. Proposed on-site uses include a convenience store with gas pumps, a drive-through restaurant, and, in a future separate application, potential agri-tourism uses such as a winery or local market.

Since the November public hearing, the applicant has made several modifications to the proposal. To address environmental concerns, all active recreation areas and residential units have been relocated outside a 660-foot buffer surrounding a bald eagle nest found on the property. Within this protected buffer, the applicant now plans to create a stormwater management pond, a tree conservation area, and a pollinator meadow.

In making these adjustments, the applicant has slightly reduced the project’s open-space allocations, cutting active recreation space from 53,600 square feet to 47,400 square feet and reducing public amenity space from 241,000 square feet to 235,000 square feet. Additionally, Orme Farm LLC has committed to installing a historic marker near the property’s historic manor house.

The rezoning request seeks to change the land designation from agricultural to a residential/commercial zoning district. The applicant is also seeking three special exceptions: permission for a convenience store with gas pumps, a drive-through restaurant, and a reduction in residential lot widths to 30 feet.

As part of the zoning changes, the applicant has proposed increasing the maximum size allowed for a convenience store from 5,000 to 6,000 square feet, to better accommodate modern designs that typically include food service and seating areas. Many commissioners supported this adjustment, noting it would better serve community needs and help mitigate traffic congestion.

Transportation and infrastructure improvements are a major component of the proffer statement submitted by the developer. In the first phase, the applicant has pledged to realign Shreve Mill Road, add two additional lanes along Evergreen Mills Road, and dedicate land for the future Crosstrail Boulevard. The second phase would involve building Crosstrail Boulevard as a four-lane road, and the third phase would consist of conducting traffic signal justification studies and implementing further improvements along Evergreen Mills Road.

Planning Commision Vice Chair Mark Miller (Catoctin) emphasized that the applicant’s commitment to constructing these roads would provide essential infrastructure at a lower cost than if the county funded the improvements itself, helping to meet the transportation goals outlined in the county’s 2019 Transportation Plan. “That is very significant,” Miller said. Planning Commission Chair Clifford Keirce (Sterling) agreed, saying, “The county knows the roads need to be built and this will cost significantly less.”

However, county staff, including Land Use Planner Allison Britain, disagreed. “Staff continue to identify an impact to heritage resources as an issue for commission consideration and continue to identify outstanding issues related to capital facilities and transportation impacts,” Britain said.

The preservation of the early 1800s Greenfield Farm manor house, located on a 10-acre parcel at the center of the project site, was a key point of discussion. Although the manor is not currently included within the limits of the Phase 2 application, its historical significance has led to staff concerns about the lack of a formal preservation plan.

At the meeting, staff reiterated that heritage impacts remain an outstanding issue that needs binding commitments from the applicant. While some commissioners expressed reluctance to impose long-term conditions before a standalone preservation application is submitted, expected in May 2025, others stressed the importance of securing a preservation plan now to ensure the structure’s protection. 

Suggestions included establishing clear standards for structural stabilization, ongoing maintenance, and adaptive reuse possibilities such as a small winery or produce market. County staff plan to continue working with the applicant to define specific preservation measures to be included in future submissions.

After deliberations, the Planning Commission voted 7–1 to forward the rezoning application to the Board of Supervisors with a recommendation for approval, with Commissioner Ad Barnes (Leesburg) voting against and Commissioner Madhava Reddy Madireddy (Dulles) absent.

Although the commission’s recommendation advances the project, several outstanding issues remain, including finalizing transportation funding details, addressing capital-facility contributions, and ensuring sufficient protections for the site’s heritage resources.

Commissioners Ad Barnes and Eric Combs (Ashburn) also voiced their concerns about how close the development would be built to Leesburg Executive Airport. Combs said the Town of Leesburg sent the planning commission several resolutions opposing the application. “That airport is getting pretty busy,” Barnes said. “There are a lot of executive jets coming up.”

Miller said the county has worked on revising the Comprehensive Plan to highlight the area where Greenfield Farm would be built, shifting it from a rural policy area to a transition policy area to meet the needs of the community’s continued growth. “This application is to do pretty much just that. A small-lot, transition-type neighborhood. It’s what we asked for,” he said, commenting that the application “hits the nail on the head.”

As Loudoun County continues its broader efforts to transition rural areas into more mixed-use, transit-oriented communities, the Greenfield Farm Phase 2 project stands at a critical crossroads. The outcome of the next application cycle, especially regarding the manor house’s future and infrastructure commitments, will play a pivotal role in shaping both the development and the preservation priorities for this part of the county.