County Kicks Off Review of Western Loudoun Rural Uses and Standards

Loudoun County will launch a public process this month to update key aspects of the county's Zoning Ordinance related to certain uses of property in the rural areas of the county. The process will also result in the alignment of the county's Comprehensive Plan with any adopted changes to rural uses in the Zoning Ordinance.

The initiative will result in standards for uses of properties in western Loudoun County that will be incorporated into the county's planning documents and Zoning Ordinance. The project-known as the "Western Loudoun Rural Uses and Standards" project-will focus only on specific rural topics approved by the Board of Supervisors earlier this year, which include farm breweries, distilleries and wineries; equestrian-related uses; agricultural processing; value-added farming; restrictions in the Mountainside Overlay District; signage in rural areas; and various agricultural-related definitions.

Work Sessions Begin November 21

The Board's Transportation and Land Use Committee (TLUC) will hold a series of work sessions that will include two members of the Planning Commission and various western Loudoun stakeholders. The first work session is scheduled for Thursday, November 21, 2024, at 5:00 p.m. in the Board Room of the Loudoun County Government Center, 1 Harrison Street SE in Leesburg. The meeting will be televised on Comcast Cable Channel 23 and Verizon FiOS Channel 40 and livestreamed at loudoun.gov/meetings.

The November 21 work session will focus on stables, liveries and outdoor recreation. Additional work sessions will be scheduled to discuss a range of issues that were raised during the Zoning Ordinance Rewrite process.

The county has invited stakeholders to represent three areas of interest: agriculture and conservation, business and tourism, and residents. Three representatives from each area of interest will be invited to attend the TLUC work sessions. Stakeholder representatives will be selected for their expertise in various topics and to help the Board and Planning Commission gather a broad community perspective.

Two more work sessions are scheduled on January 23 and April 24, 2025. Additional work sessions may be scheduled. The complete schedule of the Board's meetings, including the special TLUC work sessions, is posted at loudoun.gov/calendar.

Future work sessions will focus on other topics, including:

• Agricultural processing and other farm topics
• Farm breweries, distilleries and wineries, and events
• Food trucks, food service, and rural restaurants
• Mountainside Overlay District and signage in rural areas
• Value-added farming, other farm topics and conservation easements

Following those work sessions, county planning staff will draft language for review by the Zoning Ordinance Committee and public hearings will be scheduled for the Planning Commission and Board of Supervisors. The county anticipates adoption of the final changes in early 2027.

Provide Your Comments

Members of the public are invited to provide input online at any time on the Western Loudoun Rural Uses and Standards project by submitting an online comment form, which is posted at loudoun.gov/RuralUses. Anyone who does not have access to the internet may provide input by calling the Department of Planning and Zoning at 703-777-0246.

In addition, members of the public may provide input during regular meetings of the Board and at future public hearings on the topic. More information about how to sign up to speak at Board meetings is posted online at loudoun.gov/SignUpToSpeak.

More Information

Information about the project plan for Comprehensive Plan Amendment (CPAM)-2024-0002 and Zoning Ordinance Amendment (ZOAM)-2024-0002, Western Loudoun Rural Uses and Standards, is available online at loudoun.gov/RuralUses.

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