Ashburn District Newsletter-December 2013

Happy holidays, friends and neighbors!

I hope you enjoyed Thanksgiving with family and friends and made time to consider your blessings. Hanukkah has begun and Christmas is just around the corner. This is a great time to consider visiting one of Loudoun’s many farms to select your Christmas tree if you haven’t already.

While the Christmas season is one of celebration, many of our neighbors are struggling to make ends meet. Please take a moment to review some of the opportunities to give and serve that are highlighted in this month’s newsletter.

As always, please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any questions, input, or suggestions on how we can continue to make Ashburn a great community. And don’t forget to check out my Facebook page for more frequent updates. Thank you for allowing me to serve you.

Regards,

Ralph

GENERAL GOVERNMENT

Bond Referendum Results from 5 November:

Thank you to all who voted “yes” to the four bond referendums on 5 November. We will now be able to move forward with improving athletic fields, designing a portion of the Belmont Ridge Road improvement project, providing needed fire and rescue equipment for our fire fighters, and improving and expanding several Loudoun schools. While all of the referendums were needed, the overwhelming support for the Belmont Ridge Road improvements is very encouraging as this has been a top priority since I took office. If you are interested in seeing the full results at the precinct level, click here.

Legislative Agenda:

The Board approved the 2014 Legislative Agenda in November and met with our Loudoun Delegation to discuss our priorities prior to the General Assembly session beginning in January. By providing this information early, our delegation has time to decide which legislation to sponsor and begin the work of building support in Richmond prior to the session. The complete agenda is available here.

 PARKS AND RECREATION

Athletic Field Improvements:

As addressed above, one of the bond referendums that passed in November was to allocate $2.1 million to upgrade athletic fields at County elementary and middle schools. This Board has been a strong advocate of the need to increase the number of fields available for our citizens and this was a smart place to start. Working with the Department of Parks and Recreation and the Parks, Recreation and Open Space Board, 25 fields were identified as those most needing improvement. All 25 fields should be complete within three to four years. We will use a combination of new staff and contract workers to complete the necessary upgrades, which include wells, irrigation systems, top dressing and seeding.

TRANSPORTATION

Waxpool Road/Ashburn Village Boulevard:

At long last, construction has begun on the Waxpool Road/Ashburn Village Boulevard project! The total project cost is approximately $4.6 million. It includes widening Waxpool Road to four lanes from Faulkner Parkway to Unbridled Way as well as installing a signal at Ashburn Village Boulevard which will eliminate the frustrating four-way stop that is currently in place. If the schedule holds, the project will be complete by this summer (2014)!

Metrorail Updates:

Metrorail Service District Comprehensive Plan Amendment (CPAM):

At the Board’s 16 October business meeting, we approved a Comprehensive Plan Amendment (CPAM) for the area of the Metrorail Service District. The goal of this is initiative is “to evaluate alternative development scenarios based on parameters that would minimize public costs for future infrastructure, maximize overall public benefit, and also allow for the tax district to generate revenues sooner”. Loudoun Planning staff has been directed to create a thorough work plan to bring back to the Board for discussion and approval. The overarching goal is to work with landowners to ensure that the planning and zoning allows the highest and best use of the properties within the Metrorail Service District. I will keep you posted on progress on this initiative.

Silver Line Transit Bus Schedules:

Construction of Phase one of the Metrorail Silver Line is complete.  Passengers will be able to ride from the western most station at Wiehle Avenue east by early next year. In preparation for this opening, Loudoun’s Office of Transportation and Capital Infrastructure has released the proposed 2014 bus schedules for public comment. When service begins, Loudoun County Transit buses will depart from park & ride locations in Loudoun County and transport passengers to the Wiehle-Reston East or Spring Hill Metro stations in the morning. Buses will return from these stations to Loudoun County in the afternoon and early evening.

The proposed schedules also include changes for bus service departing from the Potomac Falls area to Metrorail stations and service from Metrorail to select Loudoun employment centers. Additionally, the proposed schedules address new service which will replace the current Tysons Express schedules.

View the proposed schedules and find out how to comment here: www.loudoun.gov/silverlinebuses.

Metro Parking Garage Decision:

One of the final major decisions yet to be made in the Metrorail project is determining the best method to construct and finance the three commuter parking garages which will operate in Loudoun at Route 606, Route 772 north, and Route 772 south. This decision will impact Loudoun’s ability to take advantage of the Federal Transportation Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (TIFIA) to secure a low interest loan, with payments deferred during the five year construction period.  After reviewing all of our financial options, it is clear to me that utilizing the TIFIA loan is the best course of action for the county. This option will allow us to accrue substantial cash from revenues generated from the Metro Tax Districts (because of the loan deferral) which in turn will us to issue significantly less debt to complete the overall project.

The Board issued an RFP to solicit proposals from the private sector to build and manage the garages. Four responses were received by the October 30 deadline. Staff is currently reviewing the proposals and considers all to be viable options. The Board must make a decision on this issue by the end of January 2014. 

Ribbon Cuttings and Celebrations:

United Airlines Opens New Hangar at Dulles:

I was very pleased to attend the celebration of United’s new widebody aircraft maintenance hangar on 21 November. The 125,000-square-foot hangar, the largest at the airport, will enable United to perform indoor maintenance on two widebody aircraft — such as 777’s and 787’s — simultaneously. United invested nearly $45 million in developing this hangar, the most modern in United’s world-wide portfolio.  This is a big win for Loudoun!