Supervisors Advance Crosstrail Proposal

Town, Builder to Meet Before Rezoning Vote

The Loudoun County Board of Supervisors narrowly approved plans Tuesday to turn a 500-acre parcel just southeast of Leesburg into a dense complex of offices, restaurants, stores and 1,200 homes.

But the supervisors agreed to defer a vote on rezoning the property until the developer has tried to address the town's concerns that the project would snarl traffic and prevent expansion of Leesburg Executive Airport.

The board voted 5 to 4 to approve a Comprehensive Plan amendment, a key first step in allowing Peterson Cos. to build its proposed town center. The development, known as Crosstrail, would be modeled after the Fairfax Corner project that Peterson Cos. built in that county and, like Fairfax Corner, would include restaurants, office buildings and a cinema complex.

But Leesburg officials remain opposed to the plan, citing the proximity of the proposed homes to the airport and arguing that the developer's transportation proffers are not sufficient to offset the impact on traffic.

As a concession to the town, the board voted unanimously Tuesday to give Leesburg officials a chance to meet with the developer before the end of January to try to resolve differences. That is the board's legal deadline for voting on Peterson Cos.' rezoning request.

"I think the town should have one last opportunity for a joint planning session," said Vice Chairman Bruce E. Tulloch (R-Potomac), who made the motion to defer the rezoning vote.

Leesburg Town Council member Kenneth D. Reid, who was sitting in the audience with several town staff members, said he was pleased with the outcome.

"At least the Board of Supervisors is giving us the opportunity to weigh in on this in a meaningful way," he said. "This gives us a chance to discuss the issues we have -- the transportation proffers and the amount of residential [development] near the airport."

Peterson officials at the meeting said the vote represented a win for them as well.

"We got what we came here for, which was the Comprehensive Plan amendment," said company President Jim Todd.

The project would be built between proposed Dulles Greenway interchanges at Battlefield Parkway and Crosstrail Boulevard.

In the debate before the vote, supervisors supporting Crosstrail said its mix of offices, stores and residences would be a boon to Leesburg and Loudoun County.