October 16, 2006: The Planning Commission held a
public hearing on the rezoning application, which is now for 1,898
new houses and apartments.
County
Staff Report
Ridgewater Park, previously called Creekside, is a developer
proposal for 1,998 new houses and apartments on 600 acres in Leesburg.
This area is currently planned for 1 house per 10 acres, because
any development will directly impact the community's drinking
water supply drawn from Goose Creek.
County staff recommends denial of this application. It does not
match the county's Comprehensive Plan at all -- a clear signal
for denial. This developer proposal will negatively impact the
drinking water supply, the Greenway, local roads, and Leesburg
airport.
The County and Town of Leesburg recently agreed to jointly plan
this area. No rezoning should occur until that process is complete.
January 1, 2006: A rezoning application (ZMAP) for
the property has been filed with the county. The ZMAP would rezone
the property for 2,128 new houses.
The application is currently under technical
review. During this time, referrals are obtained from a variety of internal
and external agencies ( i.e. Virginia Department of Transportation, County Office
of Transportation, Environmental Review Team, Loudoun County Public Schools, Loudoun
County Sanitation Authority, the County Attorney, adjacent towns as appropriate).
County staff has 100 days to complete this process before addressing the resulting
issues with the applicant. The timeframe may take longer as the applicant
responds to queries from County staff.
March 1, 2005: The developer gave a presentation on the Creekside development
proposal to the Board of Supervisors. The county and the Town of Leesburg
remain in discussion over the proposal.
February 15, 2005: The Board of Supervisors passed a resolution that
temporarily prevents the Creekside development and land swap with Phil Bolen Park,
and the Crosstrail development from moving forward.
In an 8-0-1 vote, with Supervisor Snow absent, the Board approved a resolution
regarding the Leesburg Joint Land Management Area (JLMA), where the Crosstrails
and Creekside developments would be located. They suspended any further action
or staff review of the Creekside and Crosstrails CPAMs until a joint planning
process is completed with the Town of Leesburg on the Joint Land Management Area
(JLMA).
We will continue to watch this proposal as the resolution language leaves the
door open for the developer to submit a rezoning application in the future.
This great news means that more local stakeholders, including Leesburg residents,
will be able to participate in how this area develops. The Leesburg Town Council
has previously expressed concern over the development proposals and opposes the
Phil Bolen Park land swap.
December 21, 2004: The Board of Supervisors passed a resolution that
instructs county staff to give the developer the go-ahead to submit a plan for
Creekside. The developer provided few details about the project.
The application called for a change in planned land uses from non-residential
uses such as commercial, office, and industrial employment to primarily residential
with a town center. The proposed location is planned for non-residential uses
due to safety and economic issues related to its direct proximity to the Leesburg
Airport.
The Creekside development originally proposed up to 5,000 new houses
in an area zoned for only 80. Adding up to 5,000 new houses would
add:
The costs for this development include the obvious capital costs for schools
and recreational facilities, and the less discussed long term operating costs
and debt servce. Other costs include public welfare and safety in surrounding
neighborhoods which could threaten the long term economic viability of the Leesburg
airport, an important economic engine for the town.
