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Health & Fitness

Ashburn District May Newsletter 2013

Ashburn District Newsletter May 2013 is full of information regarding the county's current bond rating, transporation issues affecting the ashburn district, the BOS calendar and much more.

Dear Friends and Neighbors,

I recently traveled to New York with Chairman York, County Administrator Tim Hemstreet and county finance staff to meet with the three bond rating agencies: Moody’s, Standard and Poor’s and Fitch.  All three agencies reaffirmed our AAA rating which is tremendous because it allows us to borrow funds for capital improvement projects at the very best rates, thus reducing the tax burden on residents.

Fitch cited Loudoun’s “robust economy” and “sound financial position,” in its report and specifically called out the extension of Metro into Loudoun - stating the Phase II expansion of Dulles Rail into Loudoun “will positively impact the county's dynamic underlying economy.”  Leesburg Today.

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Our stellar credit rating is also important to businesses when they consider investing in Loudoun. It signals that the leaders of the community they are choosing to invest in take fiscal management seriously. I recently had the pleasure of attending a ground breaking ceremony for a 54,000 square foot spec-office building in Lansdowne as part of the Buckeye Development project in Riverside Office Park.  This is a signal of the strength of the commercial real estate market in Loudoun, as speculative office has lagged in recent years.

More good news on the economic development front! After a competitive nationwide site selection search, Raytheon has announced they have chosen Loudoun as the headquarters location for their Intelligence, Information and Services (IIS) Division. They will relocate the IIS executive team from Texas to the Ashburn campus.  Raytheon’s presence in Loudoun will total 1,100 employees in over 600,000 square feet of office space.

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Small businesses also continue to choose Loudoun.  New local businesses such as Wineing Butcher and Alamo Drafthouse Cinema bring new and exciting shopping and recreational opportunities to Loudoun residents.  During the 15 May BOS Business Meeting, the Board passed a resolution supporting Small Business Week June 3-7, 2013. Both current and future small business owners will be able to enjoy a wide variety of informational panels, discussions and events throughout the week.

We also approved the Rural Economic Business Development Business Strategy at the 1 May meeting. The strategy was developed by the Loudoun County Department of Economic Development and the Rural Economic Development Commission. Its goal is to leverage the assets and resources in western Loudoun to increase the number and scale of rural businesses, minimize further residential development and promote and enhance our image as a premier tourism destination.

Warmest regards,

Ralph

EDUCATION

HS-6 & HS-8

On 14 May the School Board voted to allow rising juniors and seniors in the Ashburn area the opportunity to remain at their current high schools when HS-6 and HS-8 open in 2014 and 2015 respectively.  The School Board elected to postpone making a decision on whether or not to grandfather "trailing siblings” until the 11 June meeting. 

School Budget Reconciliation

The School Board successfully reconciled the school budget on 29 April by trimming $16 million. Even with the reductions, the School Board was able to retain a 2% salary increase for teachers with no increase in class size and no reductions in force. They are committed to delivering high quality educational opportunities in a cost efficient manner.

LCPS Survey

Loudoun County Public Schools is currently conducting a survey to gain valuable feedback from all county residents with regards to the school district.  Please take a moment to complete the survey and let your voice be heard. 

Stone Bridge and Broad Run High Schools – Nationally Ranked

Newsweek, U.S. News & World Report and the Washington Post Challenge, each with their own criteria for ranking, recently released their findings for top high schools in the country.  There are approximately 22,000 public high schools in the United States.  A number of Loudoun County schools ranked in the top 5%, and Ashburn District schools ranked high in both Newsweek and the Washington Post Challenge rankings.

Stone Bridge High School
   Newsweek   #228
   Washington Post Challenge #235

Broad Run High School
   Newsweek   #669
    Washington Post Challenge #321

PARKS AND RECREATION

Dog Parks

During the 15 May BOS Business Meeting, Supervisor Letourneau and I re-initiated the public process to change the county’s zoning ordinance to allow private dog parks in Planned Development-Housing districts. This means, if passed, communities will be able to create and pay for their own dog parks if they so desire. 

TRANSPORTATION

Pacific Boulevard Opening from Dresden Street to Relocation Drive

A ribbon cutting ceremony for Pacific Boulevard between Relocation Drive (Route 775) and Dresden Street was held 30 May.  

SCC Public Hearing

The second State Corporation Commission (SCC) public hearing to determine if the SCC should lower tolls on the Greenway will be held on 6 June at Park View High School at 4pm and 7pm.  If you are unable to attend, please sign the petition.

Sycolin Road & Route 7/15 Interchange Closing

 According to VDOT, beginning 8 June, Sycolin Road will be closed between Gateway Drive and Hope Parkway while crews build an overpass. The interchange closure is permanent and access to Route 7/15 is only available via the detours listed below (map).  

  • North detour (green route): Westbound Battlefield Parkway to Miller Drive SE to westbound Dulles Greenway (Rt. 267) to eastbound Rt. 7/15 Bypass to westbound Rt. 7 to Plaza Street SE/Sycolin Road (This section of Greenway does not require a toll).
  • South detour (blue route): Plaza Street to eastbound Rt. 7 to westbound Rt. 7/15 Bypass to eastbound Dulles Greenway (Rt. 267) to eastbound Battlefield Parkway to Sycolin Road (This section of Greenway does not require a toll).
  • Alternate north detour (purple route): Eastbound Battlefield Parkway to westbound Rt. 7 to Plaza Street SE/Sycolin Road
  • Alternate south detour (yellow route): Eastbound Rt. 7/15 Bypass to eastbound Rt. 7 to westbound Battlefield Parkway to Sycolin Road.

When the Sycolin Road overpass opens in 2014, drivers will continue to use the suggested alternate routes to access Sycolin Road from the Bypass and the Bypass from Sycolin Road.

OTHER BOARD NEWS

Action Reports

The Board’s 1 May BOS Business Meeting and Public Input Session, the 8 May BOS Public Hearing and the Board’s 15 May BOS Business Meeting and Public Input Session  Action Reports are posted on Facebook  and my website.

Calendar Updates

The Board of Supervisors holds their regular business meetings on the first and third Wednesdays of the month, beginning at 4:00 p.m., with public input beginning at 6:00 p.m. The Board’s monthly public hearings are on the second Wednesday of the month, beginning at 6:00 p.m.  The Board schedule for June is as follows:

 05 June 4:00 p.m.
   BOS General Business Meeting
   (with public input as early as 6:00)

 12 June  6:00 p.m.
   BOS Public Hearing

 19 June 4:00 p.m.
   BOS General Business Meeting
   (with public input as early as 6:00)

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