Printer-Friendly
Email this Story
Post a Comment (1)
Leesburg Town Council narrowly approves Festival Lakes plans
Two motions to revisit decisions made Nov. 27 and one vote to approve residential building were passed by Leesburg Town Council Dec. 11.One of the rescinding motions was to undo the denial of PMW Farms, more commonly known as Festival Lakes. The other was to reconsider the council's decision to approve plans to renovate Volunteer Fire Station No. 1 on Loudoun Street.
“It's like you didn't make the decision,” said Deputy Town Attorney Jeanette Irvy prior to the votes.
Festival Lakes
Council voted 4-3 to approve plans for residential building on 105 acres of land in northeastern Leesburg shortly after voting 4-3 to rescind its Nov. 27 decision against the development.
The motion to rescind undid the council's 4-1-1-1 for denying the application, with Kevin Wright voting against the denial, Kelly Burk abstaining and Marty Martinez absent.
Vice Mayor Susan Horne, who had filed the motion last week, voted against the application on Nov. 27, which would have brought 275 housing units to the property in northeast Leesburg.
Now, she said, that vote – taken at 1 a.m. -- was done so in haste and based on bad information. The council refused to defer the decision and wait for questions on the development to be answered, she said. “I have since learned overcrowding at Catoctin Elementary is not an issue.” Overcrowding at this school was sited by several council members as a reason not to develop more houses in northeastern Leesburg.
The application was described by council as a good one, but some council members said it wasn't the correct decision for Leesburg.
Councilman Ken Reid said the decision to rethink the council's vote could raise other questions.
“I think if we are going to rescind our decision so quickly after making it, it's going to set a bad precedent,” said Reid before the vote. He had voted against the development Nov. 27. “The larger issue is [reconsidering] does not make us look good.”
Fire Station No. 1
After lengthy discussion between residents, the fire station and council, the town council voted 4-3 in favor of rescinding its Nov. 27 decision to allow additions and renovations to the volunteer fire station on Loudoun Street. Residents had filed a motion Dec. 7 asking the council to reconsider.
The council had voted Nov. 27 to uphold a Board of Architectural Review decision approving of the volunteer fire department's plans.
These plans included demolishing the current station to make way for a 44,000-square-foot firehouse and office building.
Residents against the firehouse plans spoke out again at the Dec. 11 meeting, saying the building was too massive for the neighborhood.
Council heeded the community's concerns and complaints that the BAR took into consideration factors like the fire department's economic needs into making its decision.
But reversing this decision could get complicated for the town.
Irvy warned the council that rescinding approval of a project previously OK'd by council might expose the town to a possible lawsuit by the fire department.
Fire department representatives at the Dec. 11 meeting said they had moved forward with plans. No legal action had been taken as of Dec. 11.
Contact the reporter at hhobbs@timespapers.com
Wow, they make decisions then take it back a week or two later. What a wishy-washy group! I'm disappointed in Kelly Burk on the JR's issue. She said she was a slow growth advocate then she packs 'em in, just a few months after switching another parcel in this same section (Ft. Evans/Battlefield Pkwy) from retail to condos/apartments.
Posted by Waya
Report Offensive Content
You must be logged in to post a comment.