Leesburg council authorizes eminent-domain filings for Evergreen Mill Road widening; asks staff to continue voluntary negotiations

The Leesburg Town Council on Sept. 23 authorized staff to file certificates of take in Loudoun County Circuit Court to acquire easements and a small fee interest needed for the Evergreen Mill Road widening project.

Lawrence Bowman, the town’s land acquisition manager, told the council the project will widen about 1.3 miles of Evergreen Mill Road between South King Street and the southern entrance to Heritage High School and is funded with town, county, Northern Virginia Transportation Authority (NVTA) and state funds. He said the process for acquiring property rights is governed by the Virginia Constitution and Code of Virginia § 15.2-1800 and that filing certificates of take would allow the town to meet Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) locally administered project right-of-way certification requirements while negotiations continue.

Bowman said council previously adopted Resolution 24-018 (Feb. 13, 2024) finding a public necessity for the project and authorizing negotiations for rights on 34 parcels. He told the council the town has already completed acquisitions or did not require offers for many parcels: 18 of the 34 lots did not require offers, two lots were not needed, two are town-owned, eight are owned by the…