Supervisors Advance Crosstrail Proposal
Town, Builder to Meet Before Rezoning Vote

By Arianne Aryanpur
Washington Post Staff Writer
Thursday, December 7, 2006

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.

"I've said all along that this project would be a benefit to the town and county. . . . It would bring a lot of amenities to an area that doesn't have them," said Supervisor Mick Staton Jr. (R-Sugarland Run). "By approving this, we're improving traffic flowing east and providing more jobs."

Supervisors opposed to the plan raised the same issues that Leesburg officials have cited: the proximity of the airport and the impact on traffic. Several homeowners associations have made similar arguments.

"We all know that mixed-use development has its benefits. . . . The issue for me is the location," said Supervisor Lori L. Waters (R-Broad Run). "I don't think this is the appropriate place."

Waters, Chairman Scott K. York (I) and Supervisors Sarah "Sally" R. Kurtz (D-Catoctin) and James G. Burton (I-Blue Ridge) ultimately voted against the plan. Staton, Tulloch and Supervisors Stephen J. Snow (R-Dulles), Jim Clem (R-Leesburg) and Eugene A. Delgaudio (R-Sterling) voted for it.

In September, the Loudoun County Planning Commission recommended approval of the plan. But county staff members disagreed, saying that the developer's transportation proffers fell about $3 million short of paying for the roads that would be needed.

Also on Tuesday, supervisors deferred voting on one of the most contentious parts of the plan: which jurisdiction should provide utilities to the property.

The board voted to wait 90 days before discussing whether the Town of Leesburg or the Loudoun County Sanitation Authority should provide water and sewer service to the site. Tulloch said the 90 days would give Leesburg enough time to resolve litigation involving homeowners who allege that the town's utility rates for out-of-town customers are unreasonably high.

Peterson Cos. wants the county to provide the utilities. Several supervisors indicated that they prefer making Leesburg the utilities provider, so long as it lowers its rates for out-of-town customers.