Tia Earman

Support Loudoun’s Agricultural Industries Jan. 29 

Posted on by Tia Earman

This text was taken from an email sent Jan. 23, 2025. Sign up for email alerts →

Honey production falls under next week’s Agricultural Processing stakeholder discussions. Photo by Liz Dennison. 

Dear Supporter,

In November, Loudoun County began a series of seven work sessions as the first step to update the Zoning Ordinance and Comprehensive Plan for Western Loudoun in an effort to better support the modern farms of Loudoun, address harmful inconsistencies within the existing ordinance, and reduce negative impacts on neighboring properties within Loudoun’s Rural Policy Area. The second Transportation and Land Use Committee work session is Wed., Jan. 29, with the focus this time on Agricultural Processing and Farm Worker Housing. We encourage you to provide fresh, public comments to support our agricultural community. 

Rural Area Stakeholder Meeting: Agricultural Processing
Wed., Jan. 29 @ 5 p.m.
1 Harrison Street, S.E., Leesburg

Submit Commits

The year-long update process began well with the first stakeholder work session, focused on Equine Uses and Indoor Recreational Uses, held Nov. 21, 2024. The discussion was productive, with direct and thoughtful questions from County staff coupled with knowledgeable feedback from the stakeholders involved. 

Hopefully it will result in a draft Zoning Ordinance and Comprehensive Plan that adequately addresses the ongoing issues impacting these industries and the productivity will continue into the second work session, focused on Agricultural Processing and Farm Worker Housing.

Greatest Concerns for Jan. 29 Stakeholder Meeting

Loudoun County is home to a vibrant farming community working to keep active agriculture alive and well in this unique region. Changes to regulations on agricultural processing and farm worker housing, more than any of the other six work topics, can best support many of Loudoun’s farmers. Whether they are growing a variety of vegetables for farmers markets or specializing in a single product such as strawberries for a CSA, many of Loudoun’s most successful operations are processing their own products for market and employing numerous people during the growing season to do so. Therefore, its critical that any updates to the Comprehensive Plan take this into account.

According to the newly adopted Loudoun County Zoning Ordinance, agricultural processing is “the processing and/or preparation of agricultural products, including changes to the physical state or form of the agricultural product.” The industry term is broad and includes a range of activities like harvesting and jarring honey, washing and packaging berries and rolling oats.

Grain processing at Hanging Rock Hay in Lovettsville, Va. Photo by Chris Van Vlack.

Specific areas to address:

1. Broaden local processing definition. 
Farmers in Loudoun often lease numerous parcels of different sizes that may or may not be contiguous with their farming operation. They are allowed to harvest and process their products on the farm as an accessory use, but are severely restricted because the current ordinance requires that 51% of that product to be processed must be grown or raised on one parcel (“on-site”). This is an unrealistic expectation that does not match the realities of modern farming in Loudoun, with its high land prices. The 2022 Census of Agriculture shows that in Loudoun, far more farmers are farming on smaller parcels of land than ever before, meaning that more operations are utilizing multiple parcels to grow their products. 

The current regulations were written over 20 years ago for single large site operations in mind. They have not been adapted since then to reflect today’s typical producers, who run “farms” composed of four or more small parcels. As new uses in the Rural Policy Area arose, like breweries and event venues, they were not inhibited in the same way that smaller and medium-sized farms now are.

Because of this, PEC supports changing the language of the ordinance from “on-site” to “within Loudoun County” to ensure that we are supporting both local production and Loudoun farmers’ ability to process their product.

2. Remove arbitrary limits on number of employees and equipment.
Regulations for agricultural businesses are often more stringent than other nonagricultural businesses in western Loudoun. Two other unequal standards limit the number of employees a business may have and heavy equipment (tractors, trailers, and business vehicles) that may remain onsite. These limitations on employees and critical equipment hamper farm businesses, small and large. 

PEC supports removing these limits to allow businesses to operate with the tools and workforce necessary to thrive. Should the standards remain, the limitations must be reduced and/or clarified to determine if standard farm equipment is considered “heavy equipment.” Identical regulation should also be placed on other business industries.

3. Adjust screening regulations to be more consistent.
Many of the same restrictions that impact the equine industry, discussed in the first stakeholder work session, are also negatively impacting agricultural uses. The restrictions in place today impede innovative farm practices for many properties and should be modified to recognize the limited negative impact of farm processing operations on nearby neighbors.

Therefore, we encourage the county to work with the farmers to adjust or remove, where appropriate, expensive screening requirements, which can be barriers to entry for new businesses and visually screen the very scenery that agritourism depends on. Ironically, the restrictions on small farming operations with onsite processing are more stringent than large, high impact uses like wedding venues!

PEC supports consistency in the setback requirements for western Loudoun businesses, and encourages the county to work with production agricultural operations to adjust hours of operations in a way that fits the day to day realities of their businesses.

4. Provide reasonable solutions to the lack of farm worker housing.
Farm worker housing is a vital component of a successful business plan for many of Loudoun’s production operations, as farmers rely on temporary labor to support their businesses in the busy season. Short-term, seasonal housing options for farm workers within the county provides them with a more stable and healthy environment that in turn helps businesses grow. PEC supports finding a more reasonable, flexible, and sustainable solution than the ad hoc, insufficient options that exist today. 

Submit Commits
Farmers and agricultural producers will be stakeholders in the Wed., Jan. 29 work session. Photo by Hugh Kenny/PEC.

Review Process & Stakeholder Groups

Please check out the official county webpage where all of the documents and schedule updates are available. We also encourage you to fill out and submit an official public comment form for the upcoming work session Wed., Jan. 29, even if you have given comments in the past. Please remember newer input relevant to the topic at hand has the greatest impact on the process. 

The stakeholder input process will take place over the next 12 months through seven meetings of the Transportation Land Use Committee. Three distinct groups of stakeholders, identified by the Board of Supervisors — comprised of agro-businesses and preservation and agricultural businesses — will contribute to these meetings:

  • Residents: These will be nominated individually by the three supervisors whose districts comprise western Loudoun. Contact Supervisors TeKrony or Kershner or Chair Randall if you’re interested in serving as one of these representatives.
  • Agro-businesses: For these meetings, this group represents an array of business interests chosen by Beth Erickson of Visit Loudoun. They will largely focus on the diverse agrotourism sector including you-pick farms, wineries, breweries and equine event centers. 
  • Preservation and Agriculture: This group represents all other agricultural businesses and farmers of western Loudoun. Loudoun leads the Commonwealth of Virginia in 10 different agricultural industries, including equine, vegetable production, cut flowers, berries and goats. Representatives from this stakeholder group will be chosen by Chris Van Vlack of Loudoun Farm Bureau.

These stakeholder work sessions started in November 2024 and are currently slated to run through early 2026. Towards the second half of 2025, county staff will develop the draft language for the comprehensive plan and zoning amendments, which staff is working on. They will begin to be reviewed and worked on first by the Zoning Ordinance Committee. Finally, the amendments will move on to a Planning Commission public hearing and work sessions and a Board of Supervisors public hearing for any final revisions and adoption. This process is expected to conclude in 2027.

Although the process will include opportunities for public input at each of these phases, it is vital that the public and interested parties give their input now, while there is ample time to address the most pressing issues.

Meeting Schedule

Over the holidays, the county removed the tentative schedule for the stakeholder sessions from the official webpage. It was previously posted as follows:

  • Meeting 1: Liveries/Stables/Outdoor Recreation – Nov. 21, 2024
  • Meeting 2: Ag Processing / Other Farm Related Uses – Jan. 29, 2025
  • Meeting 3: Value Added Farming / Other Farm Related Issues/ Conservation Easement Density – Mar. 2025
  • Meeting 4: Mountainside Overlay District / Signage Anticipated –
    May 2025
  • Meeting 5: Farm Wineries/Limited Breweries / Limited Distilleries/Events – July 2025
  • Meeting 6: Food Trucks / Food Service / Rural Restaurants – Sept. 2025
  • Meeting 7: Outstanding Issues – Nov. 2025

With the number of topics to be covered, new issues are still being identified, and given the county’s already-full workload, it’s likely these dates will move around a bit, but we appreciate vital topics being given ample time for consideration. The meeting following Jan. 29 has tentatively been scheduled for April 24. PEC and partner advocacy groups have worked hard to support residents’ needs and keep active agriculture thriving in western Loudoun for many years. We will keep you updated as this process moves along and share our concerns in advance of each meeting. 

Thank you for all of your support and submitting your input at this critical time for these agricultural producers! This is the moment to show the Board of Supervisors that the public is paying attention and engaged on these issues.

Sincerely,

Tia Earman
Senior Land Use Field Representative
Loudoun and Clarke Counties
[email protected]

Upcoming Work Sessions to Bring Rural Area Policy Changes 

Posted on by Tia Earman

This text was taken from an email sent out on Nov. 14, 2024. Sign up for email alerts →

Aerial view of PEC's Community Farm
PEC’s Community Farm at Roundabout Meadows in Aldie, Va. Photo by Hugh Kenny/PEC.

Dear Supporter,

In an effort to address harmful inconsistencies and reduce negative impacts on neighboring properties within Loudoun’s Rural Policy Area, the Board of Supervisors will be spending the next two years reviewing and updating both the Loudoun Comprehensive Plan and the accompanying zoning regulations. Originally part of the 2023 Zoning Ordinance Update, this new effort is called the Western Loudoun CPAM/ZOAM. 

Twenty-six years ago, Loudoun County proposed a “200,000-acre solution” to support rural area businesses and curb residential development. Since then, the county has been highly successful in attracting new businesses looking to leverage Loudoun’s stunning rural open spaces. But under the current regulations, some businesses, especially traditional agricultural businesses – farms, equine centers, etc. – have been unable to innovate for an ever changing economy and customer base.

The businesses most supported by today’s ordinance are  primarily non agricultural in nature as adjustments have been made to support the newer industries coming online over the years. Unfortunately, the agricultural based businesses have not benefited from updates or adjustments in the same way, and residents have felt the negative impacts of unexpected large public gatherings now located nearby. 

Seven stakeholder work sessions will begin on Nov. 21, covering topics ranging from agricultural processing facilities to farm wineries. The official county webpage lists the topics and the dates they’ll be discussed. We encourage you to submit an official public comment form on any or all of the topics, to support the rural area and share your experiences and concerns for western Loudoun.

First Rural Area Stakeholder Meeting
Thurs., Nov. 21 @ 5 p.m.
1 Harrison Street, S.E., Leesburg

Submit Comments

We know many of you gave input in the past, but it is vital to submit comments again! Filling out this form at least once and giving early input is very important as specific issues are still being identified and language has not yet been set. 

Rural Loudoun is a valuable resource for all Loudoun residents and businesses, for farm-based enterprises and local food security, as well as tourism and the broader rural economy. It is also Loudoun’s primary source of climate mitigation, where its soils, trees and green space capture carbon and heat. This region has benefitted from that long-standing recognition in county policy; we need you to help ensure that continues into the future. 

Gem Bingol speaking to the Board of Supervisors.
The Board of Supervisors needs to hear from the public as well as PEC staff on this and other topics of importance. Photo by Hugh Kenny/PEC.

Review Process & Stakeholder Group

Although the process will include opportunities for public input throughout, it is vital that the public and interested parties give their input now, at the jumping off point, while there is ample time to address the most pressing issues.

  1. The Board will start the process with intensive stakeholder work sessions managed by its Transportation and Land Use Committee (TLUC). The first of seven meetings will begin next week on Nov. 21 at 5 p.m. They will run through 2025. 
  2. Then, in 2026, county staff will develop draft language for the comprehensive plan and zoning amendments, to be reviewed by the Zoning Ordinance Committee (ZOC). 
  3. And finally, the amendments will move on to a Planning Commission public hearing and work sessions, and a Board of Supervisors public hearing, for any final revisions and adoption. This process is expected to conclude in 2027.

Also participating in the work session discussions will be three distinct groups of stakeholders as defined by the Board: residents, agro-businesses, and preservation and agricultural businesses.

  1. Residents: These will be nominated individually by the three supervisors whose districts comprise western Loudoun. Contact Supervisors TeKrony or Kershner, or Chair Randall if you’re interested in serving as one of these representatives.
  2. Agro-businesses: These have been recently defined by Supervisor Kershner’s motion to include only wineries, breweries and distilleries. Representative stakeholders will be chosen by Beth Erickson of Visit Loudoun. 
  3. Preservation and Agriculture: This group represents all other agricultural businesses and farmers of western Loudoun. Loudoun leads the Commonwealth of Virginia in 11 different agricultural industries, including equine, hay, vegetable production, cut flowers, berries and goats. Chris Van Vlack of Loudoun Farm Bureau will choose the representatives from this broad stakeholder group.

Meeting Schedule

The tentative schedule for the stakeholder sessions:

  • Meeting 1: Liveries/Stables/Outdoor Recreation Scheduled – Nov. 21, 2024
  • Meeting 2: Ag Processing / Other Farm Related Uses – Jan. 2025
  • Meeting 3: Value Added Farming / Other Farm Related Issues/ Conservation Easement Density – Date TBD
  • Meeting 4: Mountainside Overlay District / Signage Anticipated – Date TBD
  • Meeting 5: Farm Wineries / Limited Breweries / Limited Distilleries/Events – Date TBD
  • Meeting 6: Food Trucks / Food Service / Rural Restaurants – Date TBD
  • Meeting 7: Outstanding Issues – Date TBD

Greatest Concerns for Nov. 21 Stakeholder Meeting

PEC and many advocacy groups have worked hard to support residents’ needs and keep active agriculture thriving in western Loudoun. And for many years, we have offered input and shared our concerns, as have many of you. Unfortunately, the bulk of specific, long-identified issues went unaddressed in the last zoning ordinance update. 

Now is the time to make adjustments that prioritize support for the agricultural businesses and farming communities that Loudoun County is so well known for. We will keep you updated as this process moves along, and share our concerns in advance of each meeting. Up first on Nov. 21: Stable, Livery, Outdoor Recreation

Photo by Charlotte Clements.

Loudoun County leads the Commonwealth in both number of horses and number of equine farms. Because the equine industry is one of the strongest agricultural sectors in Loudoun today with a great deal of potential for growth over the coming decade, it is vital that our county’s Comprehensive Plan and Zoning Ordinance are supportive of these farms. The current ordinance, however, places severe restrictions and regulations on their operations, far exceeding those on non-agricultural based businesses operating in the same region.

For example:

  • The stable/livery has been incorrectly categorized as an “accessory agricultural use” in the zoning ordinance, instead of what they are, which is an essential standalone agricultural use. 
  • The setback and buffering requirements for stables and liveries is currently far greater than those for other rural businesses. They should be brought onto an even playing field as landscape buffers are expensive and represent a potential barrier to entry for new businesses, especially ones that are often vital components of the rural scenery itself.
  • The current ordinance’s limitations on building square footage creates issues for the construction of indoor arenas for equine training and events. This prevents the equine industry from training year-round, which would boost Loudoun’s economy. Reasonable limits should be developed with industry input. 
  • Any outdoor recreation facilities built in western Loudoun should respect the setting in which they are created, with features like unpaved roads/parking lots and with no event style lighting to contribute to light pollution and detract from the county’s dark skies policies.

The Board of Supervisors is already looking to add a new equestrian facility, and existing equine facilities are considering expanding to host more national horse shows in Loudoun. With adjustments to the regulations governing stables and liveries, the county can support the equine sector to make an already impactful industry even more robust — to keep the rural economy growing, even as other sectors are reaching a saturation point.

Thank you for all of your support and for submitting your input at this critical time for these amendments. This is the moment to show the Board of Supervisors the public is watching and engaged on these issues!

Tia Earman
Senior Land Use Field Representative
Loudoun and Clarke Counties
[email protected]

Sept. 5 in Leesburg: Public Hearing on Proposed Aspen-Golden Transmission Line

Sept. 5 in Leesburg: Public Hearing on Proposed Aspen-Golden Transmission Line

Posted on by Tia Earman

There is a critical chance to weigh in on the proposed “Aspen to Golden” electric transmission line through Loudoun County at the upcoming State Corporation Commission (SCC) public hearing on Sept. 5 in Leesburg.