[{"_1":2,"_112":-5,"_113":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88,100],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6598984,"mediaKeyId","3020371-6c45abeb40ec61d5eb5c3eea4a4c5f2d","parentId",3020371,"title","County survey shows high satisfaction with Loudoun services, rising concern about cost of living","audioSeconds",410,"startMs",3690000,"endMs",4100000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3020371-6c45abeb40ec61d5eb5c3eea4a4c5f2d&start=3690&end=4100","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3020371-6c45abeb40ec61d5eb5c3eea4a4c5f2d/thumbnail_3690000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6598984/Virginia/County-survey-shows-high-satisfaction-with-Loudoun-services-rising-concern-about-cost-of-living","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6598984-2e4fd74030fa236d49262cc631300aa2/orig.mp4?Expires=1771083992&Signature=aCvfFaHRsXnVPTrm-XxFTt6UsIdZZ8L7jpyhlP9G7MA9njvEbQrd1hvopMI-DTp5Eqvom2m~emn7dVrN6ttUg2mDNg3kQt5yf-B0RUJH~lfUdlNsflL4mSUGcT1YPId-cDRPwRVLA2nqRuE9UAufGHnFEQ01KOPPwibg3qJLnSoeL-4weNtWicTL4LYscY8zUgfy9hWZ5jSwGcSSD7I3UNsRV9tPl8d88FqTHbCGdfrvZCPu8oLQ2Su3VaC~PfyC3ngaXelw350wrbFZMc9Dv0lTKqP~Smc9oz4ZnuPwtH3yJpYyPBxi4pvxyeVnXgp7J4M-535T5i-bfRXTtTUOsA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Loudoun County","date","2025-04-15T00:00:00Z","article","Loudoun County staff and consultant Polco presented the results of the county's fall 2024 survey of residents at the April 15 meeting, reporting generally strong ratings for quality of life and county services but noting notable declines in perceptions of affordability and air quality.

Key findings: Roughly 80% of respondents rated Loudoun's overall quality of life and community image as excellent or good, and about eight-in-ten said they planned to remain in the county for the next five years. Government-related ratings were largely on par with national benchmarks and improved on several measures: respondents reported increases in perceptions that the county treats residents with respect and fairness and that operations are transparent.

Areas of lower ratings: Respondents rated cost of living and the availability of affordable quality housing below national and custom benchmarks. Perceived air quality declined since 2022 by a small percentage; staff emphasized that these are perception measures and suggested departments may need to investigate whether perceptions align with measured air-quality data.

Survey details: Polco reported 1,352 completed responses from a sample of about 6,500, producing a margin of error of +/-3%. The firm said results were weighted to match Loudoun's population and that the county receives national and custom benchmark comparisons and an interactive public report with demographic breakdowns.

Board questions and next steps: Supervisors asked staff about using the data for targeted outreach and departmental planning. Departments will use the interactive and subgroup data for deeper analyses. Staff said plans include using survey findings to inform budgeting, communications, and disparity analyses by demographic group and subarea.

Ending: Board members thanked Polco and staff and noted the results will be used to guide departmental work and future outreach.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Loudoun County - Board of Supervisors Business Meeting - Apr 15, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","A Polco survey presented to the Board reported strong ratings for Loudoun as a place to live and for county services, improvements in perceptions of government transparency, and declines in perceived air quality and affordability; staff said detailed interactive results and subgroup analyses are available for departments.","taxTitle","Loudoun County, Virginia","taxId",5640,"location","Virginia","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6598989,"Board approves new comparator set and raises target pay band to better match regional labor market",360,10800000,11160000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3020371-6c45abeb40ec61d5eb5c3eea4a4c5f2d&start=10800&end=11160","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3020371-6c45abeb40ec61d5eb5c3eea4a4c5f2d/thumbnail_10800000.jpg","/articles/6598989/Virginia/Board-approves-new-comparator-set-and-raises-target-pay-band-to-better-match-regional-labor-market","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6598989-a708ab347ef1cb1f0a87fe11912d2f38/orig.mp4?Expires=1771083992&Signature=U303ywiw4W-N9ryu2oA5RB3dw68LT0ulmOqEN0qHXbWdXwwTFqMl1FyxWVl3XBqmif3Xeh6HFLKLeoM-IzC~N10BnHQLLEndqZ-Q0LBWm2GTYONOPqtxc780tdwyFuADjsWj7oKYK9pZfj0hSaDoOnv3Lwuhabk8BIU85I~M3vqk0Z-f5x0jds-8FUNTckYEmP1ESoPDUZjeAIP~0PQcPNCReCEdTdWaERmAaOhBTWZmKupxpbspMEoWYuBFO3eR~~2YTg5lYHsRXNrltEFTtzYoL81kzdsO9J59hI4gMBeqUyio1Su2WpLsakDBLHGnA5xJCpzx98zVtUvxmUALDw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Loudoun County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved changes to Policy 5.3 on April 15, expanding the county's comparator market and raising the target compensation band for staff pay.

What passed: A motion by Supervisor Sainz, seconded by Supervisor Glass, added Montgomery County (MD), Frederick County (MD), Prince George's County (MD) and the District of Columbia to the set of comparator localities the county uses when benchmarking pay. The board also approved changing the compensation target from the prior 95%-100% range to a new 100%-105% range.

Why it matters: Multiple supervisors said the change reflects regional labor market realities and the county's competition for workers across the broader DC metro labor market. Speakers noted recruitment and retention pressures for county positions and public-safety roles. Supporters said the change will help Loudoun be more competitive while retaining fiscal oversight.

Vote: The motion passed 9-0.

Implementation: Staff were directed to incorporate the new comparator set and compensation target into county compensation policy and to reflect the change in upcoming budget and human-resources planning.

Ending: The board characterized the change as long overdue and said it should help the county retain and recruit employees in a tight regional labor market.","The Board of Supervisors voted 9-0 to revise the county's official compensation policy, adding Maryland counties and the District of Columbia to Loudoun's comparator market and increasing the target compensation range to 100%-105% of the market median.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6598994,"Supervisors send Phase 2 of data-center planning to committee for scope refinement",1740,10680000,12420000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3020371-6c45abeb40ec61d5eb5c3eea4a4c5f2d&start=10680&end=12420","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3020371-6c45abeb40ec61d5eb5c3eea4a4c5f2d/thumbnail_10680000.jpg","/articles/6598994/Virginia/Supervisors-send-Phase-2-of-data-center-planning-to-committee-for-scope-refinement","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6598994-28ce142db6dd55f2eb63f02cadbb3cdf/orig.mp4?Expires=1771083992&Signature=PQ-mVbSLH5jf4i2Q86I27TWbW94XmM8AM4IcyKQAt1KkUdjIgCEzx4rniOonCE4dJLeCl~m3aJzHtZ7DdrsL27MjDcZaWlufkSamjMS1vvh1MtJTbDOaUMgZgS3Mz74TwixdrEKKBZb40y~gShO2~WbUHlFTOLwnJJIbsN~xJnI2Iak9qWAE1-3gc7aLNLDNsuVC4GukHiSdAvzx7XAKJEonjvxu7htgha3tYI7hn34EVIziIbl8TiItzamKG~dZMSPlUt8txblZve22JhDix3cleqymbFsIoGdb4ouyR4OCLYcbA9IjyAykH6bqNZAQKEt9Yn2GQShe1dPKz0Ly3Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Loudoun County Board of Supervisors on April 15 voted unanimously to send Phase 2 of the county's data-center project to the Transportation and Land Use Committee for focused review and scope refinement.

Phase 2 scope: Staff described Phase 2 as a two-part effort: (1) a general-plan amendment (CPAM) addressing land use, site and building design, sustainability, water, energy and community impacts; and (2) zoning ordinance amendments (ZOAM) to add standards such as noise attenuation, building and site design, landscaping and buffering, accessory-use requirements and rules for utility substations and microgrids. Phase 2 follows the board's earlier Phase 1 work to review map designations and by-right allowance.

Why it matters: Data centers remain an active development type in Loudoun County. The Phase 2 work would set policy and standards affecting appearance, utility needs, noise and other environmental or infrastructure impacts. Boardmembers and staff said the item needs more focused committee-level discussion to narrow or clarify scope before the full board takes legislative action.

Board action: The board voted 9-0 to send the Phase 2 project plan to the Transportation and Land Use Committee (TLUC) with direction that the committee refine scope, schedule and cost and return a recommended plan for a future board meeting. Several supervisors said they expect the committee to remove items that are no longer needed after Phase 1 and to focus on new issues such as microgrids and substation design where policy gaps remain.

Process note: Several supervisors emphasized that the board's prior decisions restrict or alter what Phase 2 needs to cover; other supervisors asked staff to be explicit about what remains to be done and what can be dropped. The board also asked staff to present a narrowed agenda for TLUC so that the committee can return a concise proposal to the full board.

Ending: Staff said TLUC will take up the item in May and return a revised project plan with recommendations for scope, timeline and budget.","The Board directed staff to forward the second phase of a countywide data-center plan'covering design, siting, sustainability and utility issues'to the Transportation and Land Use Committee for refinement before returning to the full board.",{"_33":101,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":102,"_41":103,"_43":104,"_45":105,"_47":106,"_49":107,"_51":108,"_53":109,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":110,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":111,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6598998,"Loudoun supervisors set path to restore commuter-bus revenue neutrality after surge in riders",260,4320000,4580000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3020371-6c45abeb40ec61d5eb5c3eea4a4c5f2d&start=4320&end=4580","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3020371-6c45abeb40ec61d5eb5c3eea4a4c5f2d/thumbnail_4320000.jpg","/articles/6598998/Virginia/Loudoun-supervisors-set-path-to-restore-commuter-bus-revenue-neutrality-after-surge-in-riders","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6598998-9ef6d195f58303a1a4da37a54c195e6a/orig.mp4?Expires=1771083992&Signature=MhMZ1DYxRdSAnFBfRrplFQcOsMStJY-p~4pPCMXzjClAxNV1w9VPMA-ZsKNxRJpG2uMunng5Ab2pzYqLpKwPutIXJ9DsFIAP~IiOiA~NsPiMLpo4WmewdM~q2Qs2VdZrXtG0iqzOLUb0xoxmIrT2mRSMi~flAvCF~Z0yQeCAXaGfuxmvoFersGoo9KIxvQG623MH7BBbm9KJlsUD-pccvMTxYecFUkydBMDD5WD2HNiNx4oW4jOyRn5pACP3YzCfbH69FaZNycSrwPvjfH6S9rvN-g1RRv61ZMHv1Or-NgzzG2nI3Ifs9Uh4je8pA9IKFlDZbG--YNRbg1bWI1-etg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Loudoun County Board of Supervisors on April 15 directed staff to return the commuter-bus service to a revenue-neutral footing and approved a timetable to evaluate implementation beginning in fiscal year 2027, after hearing that ridership has more than doubled since mid-2024.

The vote came after transit staff and county administration described sustained overcrowding on morning and evening buses as federal agencies moved more employees back to in-person work. County Administrator Tim Hemstreet and transit planners told the board that average passengers per trip rose to about 38 and the number of buses reporting standees spiked in March, prompting staff to propose a range of responses including adding buses and raising one-way fares.

Why it matters: The board suspended its revenue-neutrality rule during and after the pandemic when ridership fell sharply. With ridership now increasing, the county faces a choice between shifting operating costs onto riders through higher fares or continuing to subsidize commuter-bus operations with local tax funding.

Transit staff said the county currently subsidizes about $2.7 million in operating costs and that returning to revenue neutrality immediately would require a one-way fare of about $14 based on existing ridership projections. Staff recommended reinstating the revenue-neutral policy for fiscal 2026 and setting fares at $14 on July 1, 2025 to meet that standard. Some supervisors said a sudden jump in fares would shock frequent users and asked for a slower phase-in.

Supervisor discussion focused on balancing immediate relief for standing riders with fairness to commuters and the policy goal of revenue neutrality. Vice Chair Turner and several supervisors emphasized that commuter service relieves roadway congestion and provides benefits beyond individual riders. Supervisor LeTourneau and Supervisor Brixman said they were concerned about a rapid increase to $14 and preferred phasing increases while adding bus capacity to relieve overcrowding.

Two board actions: The board first voted to reinstate the commuter-bus revenue-neutrality policy (motion passed 7-2). Later the board approved a motion to implement revenue-neutrality beginning in fiscal 2027 or later, retain nine commuter buses previously authorized for surplus to be available for service needs, and direct staff to prepare an evaluation for the fiscal-2027 budget process (motion passed 9-0).

Staff said the county can add a small number of buses in early May to relieve acute crowding while continuing planning work. The board also confirmed the previously scheduled fare increase to $12 that will take effect in December 2025 per earlier board direction; any additional increases or the timing of full revenue neutrality will be the subject of the fiscal-year 2027 evaluation.

Looking ahead: The board directed staff to return with more detailed financial modeling for FY 2027 showing the impact of different fare schedules, grant assumptions and projected ridership. Supervisors asked staff to prioritize targeted schedule changes and additional buses to reduce standees in the short term and to bring back a clear path to revenue neutrality that minimizes sudden fare shocks for commuters.

Ending: Transit staff said the first short-term service changes could begin in May and that the board's FY-27 evaluation will set the medium-term approach to fares and subsidy.","After a sharp rise in commuter-bus ridership this spring and multiple proposals for fare increases, the Loudoun County Board of Supervisors moved to reinstate the county's revenue-neutral policy and directed staff to phase implementation so the system is evaluated for full revenue neutrality by fiscal 2027.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

County survey shows high satisfaction with Loudoun services, rising concern about cost of living

Board approves new comparator set and raises target pay band to better match regional labor market

Supervisors send Phase 2 of data-center planning to committee for scope refinement

Loudoun supervisors set path to restore commuter-bus revenue neutrality after surge in riders