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Residents clash over Lenah schools site
Residents of Lenah Run overwhelmingly spoke out against a proposal to put two new schools in their community Sept. 10, while many South Riding residents showed support for the site.
The school system hopes to build a middle and high school off Lenah Run Road just south of U.S. 50 to alleviate overcrowding in area schools. The middle school would open in 2010 and the high school in 2011.
Some of the approximately 50 who spoke at the meeting said building on the Lenah site is the best option.
But about two-thirds came to voice their disapproval with the site and asked the Planning Commission not to recommend approval for a special exception to build there.
Those in opposition mentioned concerns over the $20 million cost, traffic impact and the location, which many say is too far away from populated communities like South Riding and Stone Ridge.
"We need to put schools where the students are," said parent Lisa Melton, who lives in Lenah Run. "The growth is not in the transition area. The growth is in the suburban area, and that's where these schools need to go."
Residents also were worried about transportation costs that would be incurred by placing the school a few miles away from most of the student population instead of within walking distance as a "community" school.
Most of the Lenah Run residents who attended, including a representative with a letter from the Lenah Run Homeowners Association, said they did not want the two-story schools in their backyards.
Those who supported the Lenah site focused on the fact that it is most likely the only site where schools could be completed in time to prevent more students from being bused to out of area schools.
Currently, 48 Aldie-area students who should attend Mercer Middle School are being bused to Stone Hill Middle School in Ashburn.
"This site is acceptable and ready to go right now," parent Trisha Haneghan said. "We don't have time to go window shopping. The process to approve a new site is too lengthy to resolve our looming overcrowding situation."
Jeffrey Morse, president of the South Riding Proprietary, presented a letter from the HOA to the Planning Commission in support of the Lenah site.
"Of greatest concern to the residents of South Riding is overcrowding at Mercer Middle School and Freedom High School," it said. "We view the Lenah property as the only viable option."
The Planning Commission is scheduled to meet in a work session Sept. 16 to discuss the issue further. Then they must make their recommendation to the Board of Supervisors on whether to approve the special exception request.
Contact the reporter at ecoe@timespapers.com.
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