Planning commission recommends final St. Louis Village Plan with edits, asks staff to add drain-field review

The Loudoun County Planning Commission on June 12 voted to adopt a resolution recommending approval of the draft St. Louis Village Plan, with edits captured in Attachment 3 and additional language directing staff to draft text about assessing the operating capacity of individual septic/drain fields as well as community sewer options.

The vote, made by Commissioner Cliff Jasper and seconded by Chair Keirce, carried 7-0-2 with Commissioners Banks and Combs absent. The commission also accepted a set of staff-led revisions meant to clarify implementation steps and to include an implementation table reflecting policy actions and leads.

Why it matters: The plan is the small-area plan for the unincorporated village of St. Louis and will guide zoning, infrastructure, and conservation decisions for the rural historic village and surrounding buffers. Commissioners and residents said they want clearer timelines and more detail in the implementation section so future boards, staff and residents can track progress on water, roads, historic preservation and other action items.

Staff summary and community outreach

Jennifer Moore, community planning manager in the Department of Planning and Zoning, reviewed the plan and the CPAM (Comprehensive Plan Amendment) history. She told the commission that a task force had produced the draft and that the county and the Loudoun County Design Cabinet had hosted design charrettes and multiple community meetings. The draft includes chapters on water and natural resources, heritage resources, infrastructure and community facilities, and land use; it ends with an implementation table that organizes proposed actions by policy and lead department.

Public comment and community perspective

Madeline Skinner, speaking for the Loudoun Historic Village Alliance and a former task force member, praised volunteer contributions by the Loudoun County Design Cabinet and urged the county to craft a strong educational communications strategy. “Our villages mean so much to those who live in and around them,” Skinner said, urging small-area plans for other rural historic villages such as Lucketts, Willisville and Paeonian Springs.

Key issues raised by commissioners

- Implementation detail and timelines: Commissioners Cliff Jasper and Mark Keirce repeatedly said the implementation table is an important addition but asked staff to make sure actions in the table are supported by text in the plan and, where feasible, include estimated timelines or an…