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Leesburg News: Additional park land coming to Leesburg
Additional park land coming to Leesburg
Town council voted unanimously July 22 in favor of a boundary line adjustment that would bring parts of Veterans Park and Ball's Bluff Regional Park within Leesburg's town limits.
The parks are northeast of Leesburg and will officially be added to the town after Loudoun County Circuit Court signs off on the land contract between the town and county.
In all, 141 acres will be brought into the town -- 86 acres from Veterans Park and 55 acres more of Ball's Bluff Regional Park, said Bill Ference of the town's Parks and Recreation Department.
Much of Ball's Bluff is already within the town's boundary.
More Leesburg news
Crosswalks coming
Town council voted last week to add crosswalks across Battlefield Parkway at the Exeter neighborhood.
The vote is the result of safety concerns raised by council members and the Exeter Home Owners Association. Exeter is cut in two by Battlefield Parkway.
Residents of the neighborhood were to use a tunnel that runs under Battlefield Parkway, near Catoctin Circle and Plaza Street, to cross the road. However, the tunnel, which is covered in graffiti, is viewed as dangerous by residents, town staff said.
Town staff members said they are discussing how to close off the tunnel.
Crosswalks will be added at the intersections of Catoctin Circle and Battlefield, Fieldstone Drive and Battlefield, Chadfield Way and Battlefield and across Plaza Street near Exeter. The total cost is expected to be $8,000.
Town staff said they hope to have the project complete within 30 days of the July 22 meeting.
Historic district guidelines
Approval of changes to the town's historic district guidelines could be pushed back a month.
At a town council meeting July 22, Board of Architectural Review Chair Teresa Minchew asked council members for additional time to review changes to the town's historic district guidelines.
The BAR, which reviews development applications in the town's two historic corridors, has not seen revisions made to the guidelines, Minchew said.
The current guidelines are from 1994.
A “wholesale redraft” of the guidelines is needed because a town hired consultant's changes did not meet BAR approval, said Minchew adding that money for the consultant ran out before a redraft was completed.
The BAR was to review the guideline changes before sending them to the council for approval.
Under the current schedule, Minchew said the BAR would not be able to review and make changes to the guidelines before the public hearing scheduled for early fall.
Some council members were annoyed at the delay.
“I want this done this year,” said Councilman Kevin Wright, who added that the approval of the historic corridor guidelines has taken too long.
Minchew requested moving the BAR's review deadline back a month, which would put the guidelines in front of council eyes in mid-January. Town Manager John Wells recommended the guidelines be approved no later than the end of January.
Contact the reporter at hhobbs@timespapers.com
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