Rezoning riches, rural resistance

Plan defies land use goals, stirs concern over water, traffic, and rural impact

By Valerie Cury

On July 29, the County Planning Commission held a public hearing on the Valley Commerce Center proposal to rezone 117.07 acres at 17110 Purcellville Road from JLMA-3 (residential) to PD-IP (industrial). The property, owned by Chuck Kuhn (17110 Purcellville Road, LLC), is currently zoned for up to 39 homes. The applicant seeks approval for up to 1,274,892 square feet of industrial development and a zoning modification to waive certain road, water, and wastewater infrastructure requirements.

County staff is not recommending support of the rezoning to the Board of Supervisors for approval, citing inconsistency with the Loudoun County 2019 General Plan. The staff report states the proposal conflicts with the land use guidance for the Purcellville Joint Land Management Area’s Rural Neighborhood Place Type and introduces development patterns that do not align with the plan’s policy recommendations.

The report further notes that the impacts of a proposed industrial zoning “are not adequately mitigated given the immediate proximity to residential uses.” It concludes that “the proposal to develop the site with industrial uses is not consistent with the Rural Neighborhood Place Type.” 

As part of the proposed zoning modification to remove the requirement that industrial uses connect to public water, the applicant seeks to use well water instead. Given the scale of the proposed development—over 1.27 million square feet—staff notes it could impact water availability for nearby areas that also rely on wells. The development, staff said, would be more appropriate within the Town of Purcellville. 

Since 2015, the property has been proposed for annexation into the Town on two occasions, but different majority Town Councils have voted against it. Community meetings were held in 2022 and 2024, and a design charrette took place in 2015. In each instance, residents have overwhelmingly opposed the annexation.

The property is surrounded by residential and agricultural uses, including the Mayfair subdivision to the west and Wright Farm to the east. To the north is a 119-acre agricultural parcel in the County’s Land Use Assessment Program, and land in the New Hillsboro Agricultural and Forestal District lies about 200 feet to the northeast.

A 39-home development would generate an estimated 32 morning trips, 41 evening trips, and 424 weekday trips. By contrast, the proposed 1,274,892 square foot industrial park would generate 433 trips in the morning and evening peak hours, and 3,527 trips on an average weekday.

Citizens Weigh in

In an email to the Planning Commission, Audrey and Jonathan Young argued that a large industrial project is unnecessary in a rural residential area given available industrial land elsewhere. They, along with the Purcellville Town Council majority, said the proposal would harm public health, safety, and welfare.

Andrew and Elizabeth McCoy also submitted an email stating that the rezoning request is “ill-suited for the property.”

Purcellville Mayor Chris Bertaut urged the Planning Commission to reject the Valley Commerce Center proposal, citing traffic impacts, environmental concerns, and what he described as a fundamental incompatibility with surrounding rural neighborhoods. He referenced JLMA guidelines that support low-density development and emphasized that residents both inside and outside the Town strongly oppose the project.

“I am here tonight to speak in strong opposition to the proposed rezoning for the Valley Commerce Center,” said Purcellville Council Member Susan Khalil. She said that the Town Council majority voted to reject the annexation request for the same project. It was based on two things, “overwhelming public opposition and clear inconsistency with our Comprehensive Plan.”

Khalil continued, “The citizens of our Town and especially the Mayfair community and the surrounding areas have made it abundantly clear they do not want industrial development on this land. This is not just a local concern, it’s a regional one.”

Purcellville Vice Mayor Ben Nett said that in January the majority of Town Council voted no to the proposed annexation for the Valley Commerce Center. “The Town Council vote to deny the annexation was not arbitrary, it was a result of years of community engagement, data review and the careful adherence to our Comprehensive Plan.” 

Nett said the Town’s Comprehensive Plan was not created in a vacuum—it had broad citizen input on how the Town grows. “This project completely ignores that vision. Moreover, your own County Planning Department has stated plainly this rezoning request conflicts with the County’s General Plan.”

Mayfair resident Michael Parish asked the Planning Commissioners to reject the application. He said that last year residents of Mayfair, Wright Farm and Chestnut Hill neighborhoods were surveyed and 93% of households opposed the annexation proposal. 

Parish said the Mayfair community is a charming neighborhood, with children riding their bicycles, parents pushing baby strollers and there’s even a neighborhood lemonade stand. “Residential and industrial do not mix, and the proposal before you would turn the scene that I just described into a nightmare.”

Daniel Carvill, a Mayfair resident, said he was opposed to the project and emphasized the surrounding areas are all residential. “This property should be for single-family homes … Single family homes are part of the American dream … These types of projects kill the American dream.”

Lloyd Harting said he opposed the application and noted it would cause a significant increase in traffic on Purcellville Road. He said that approximately 148 trucks use Purcellville Road in the morning with an average of 263 trucks using the road in the afternoon rush hour. Harting, who lives in Mayfair, said the property should remain at the current zoning of 39 homes.

Peter Dalton spoke in favor of the application, saying there is a “serious lack of commercial space. That makes it harder to grow and serve the community effectively,” and he needed a place to park his work trucks.

Keith Mainland said he runs a landscaping company and he employs 16 people. “We are in urgent need of industrial space.”

Jeff Tarae, who resides in Ashburn and is a commercial real estate professional, said there is a limited inventory of flex industrial space. “This project will offer the type of modern flex space that businesses are actively seeking while respecting the character of western Loudoun.”

Commercial real estate broker Chase Stewart said she specializes in industrial and flex space in Loudoun. “I am here tonight to express my strong support for this proposed industrial flex development in Purcellville.” She said that industrial space is extremely low in the area. Stewart said that approving this development means supporting local business retention.

JK Moving president David Cox spoke in support of the application. Cox said that the site is not part of the rural area and is located near existing industrial areas. “This application is the right use in the right place,” he concluded.

Gregory Paris said the project, if approved, could fail due to the lack of sufficient water. “There are so many water issues in western Loudoun. Round Hill routinely has droughts,” he said.

“It’s funny that everyone who supports it [has] financial interests,” said Paris. “If there are so many modifications needed why is this up for discussion?”

General contractor Scott Moffat spoke in favor of the rezoning. “There’s a great need for development in this region. This site will promote growth of existing businesses in the community as well as attracting new businesses.”

Joe Parker said the project “is the right fit in the right place at the right time.” 

Emily Johnson with Piedmont Environmental Council said the proposal is “entirely inconsistent with its Rural Neighborhood Place Type,” and it is immediately next to residential neighborhoods.

“This should be located within the Town,” but the Town doesn’t want it. It is completely out of character with County and Town planning goals. Johnson pointed out that it is not County practice to allow applicants to use their own wells for developments of this density.

“The impact to water resources is a major concern to us. We recommend denial that will introduce non-conforming uses in this area,” said Johnson.

Council Member Carol Luke said she is firmly opposed to the rezoning. “This is a 1.2 million square foot industrial project placed on land currently zoned for 39 homes on 3-acres each on rural land. It is a complete disregard for the County’s General Plan, which states this type of development is not supported in the Purcellville JLMA.” Luke added that the boundary protects the rural character and livability of western Loudoun.

There is a great demand for this type of space, said Scott Carpenter. He said companies need space to store their equipment, and that it makes sense to place an industrial park near an existing one since Purcellville is the hub of western Loudoun.

Owen Brown said the proposal is sandwiched between two residential areas, and the County’s own staff noted that “this rezoning request is not consistent with the rural character or in keeping with the types of low intensity of rural residential.”

He expressed concern that the Northern Collector Road is still on the County’s Transportation Plan. “We have fought against this road for a decade and it has yet to be removed.” He added, “The fact that it remains having access on the site plan does nothing to mitigate our concerns.”

Regarding the scarcity of industrial properties in this county, “Through the magic of the internet, I myself have found 26 such properties for lease” and my wife found 50, said Brown.

Tia Earman with the PEC said the primary concern is the threat to local water resources. She added that the proposal would also contribute to the loss of community character and have negative impacts on area roads.

The very idea of an industrial park operating on its own well and septic should be a deal breaker in itself, noted Earman.

Town Council member and Mayfair resident Caleb Stought, who in January did not support the majority Town Council vote to oppose the Valley Commerce Center annexation, now said the current rezoning proposal is inconsistent with the County’s 2019 General Plan and poses risks to water availability and traffic. He urged the Planning Commission not to support the rezoning.

Developer Casey Chapman said, “I am here to fully support the Valley Commerce Center application in its entirety. The application represents what the American Dream is.” To argue that the application is too dense for the County “is kinda ridiculous.” 

Commissioners send application to work session

In a nearly unanimous vote, the application was moved to a work session for further discussion—with Commissioner Robin-Eve Jasper (Little River) voting against.

Mark Miller (Catoctin) said, “There might be a middle ground. A property of this size can be operated by alternative well and septic”—though he questioned whether the water resources on the property are “large enough.”

Dale Polen Myers (At-Large) said she supported the motion to move the application to work session—saying if the well and septic fails, she wanted people to understand there would be a backup if needed. Myers pointed out that the Mayfair residential community has high density.

Ad Barns (Leesburg) said that the application reminded him of the Hiddenwood proposal, which twice failed to pass.

Robin-Eve Jasper said she wouldn’t support the motion to go into work session. “This is a 1.3 million square foot development in the middle of two residential neighborhoods in Purcellville.

“For context, [the] Loudoun Inova Hospital main building is 318,000 square feet and the total development there including the new tower brings us up to about 700,000 square feet. So you are taking a development of that scale and sticking it into the JLMA outside of Purcellville, which is incredibly relatively low-density development.”

Said Jasper, “We are taking a completely inappropriate development based on the 2019 zoning plan and everything that’s on the ground and we’re putting it right smack dab in the middle of two residential neighborhoods. 

“The reason we’re doing it is because there’s not enough land at a cheap enough price left in eastern Loudoun and there is a shortage of flex space now. We’re moving it out to western Loudoun. What is the impact of that?

“That is the exact thing we fight all the time when we have applications,” Jasper said.