Leesburg planning commission forwards capital improvements plan to council with recommended edits

Leesburg Planning Commission members on Feb. 6 heard staff present the town’s draft six-year Capital Improvements Program (FY25–FY31) and voted to forward the plan to the Town Council with recommended revisions, including moving the town hall roof maintenance project earlier and adding a policy to consider undergrounding utilities and gas lines when project work exposes the ground.

The public hearing, led by Doug Wagner, assistant director of public works, opened with an overview of the CIP scope and schedule. Wagner said a capital improvement is “construction, renovation, demolition, or acquisition of facilities or properties of more than $60,000 with a useful life of at least 5 years,” and highlighted that streets and highways comprise a large share of the proposed program.

Commissioners pressed staff for additional detail and prioritization information as they reviewed new and updated projects. Topics raised included an initial electric‑vehicle charging station project, the town hall roof replacement, Liberty Lot resurfacing, utility projects (including a utilities‑treatment evaluation), street and bridge maintenance, and a variety of parks and amenities requests such as benches and trash cans on King Street.

Wagner told the commission the draft adds 13 new projects, including EV charging stations at town locations, the town hall roof replacement, Utley Park tennis court and fence replacements, and a milling-and-paving program. He said the town is also reviewing disinfection system controls and secondary clarifier refurbishment for utilities and noted that some projects were removed or reallocated — for example, the Town Branch stream restoration was removed by council vote and a sanitary pump station upgrade was rolled into data center improvements.

Commissioners asked how unfunded or deferred projects are tracked and how priorities are set when costs escalate. Commissioner Campbell asked whether there is “a list of unfunded projects from each department” so commissioners and council can see deferred maintenance and future cost exposure. Wagner and budget staff said departments supply a “priority and potential future” list that tracks projects not included in the six‑year funded CIP; that list is presented to council and reviewed by facilities, IT and fleet staff.

Commissioners also sought clarity on how the town decides between competing projects when costs rise. Staff said projects are scheduled by priority and funding source; some funds (for example, VDOT revenue sharing) have spending deadlines that drive schedule choices. For very large projects that require external funding, staff said they work with funding partners (Loudoun County, VDOT, NVTA) to reprioritize and split work where feasible.

On EV chargers, a staff member said the initial project would install two chargers at Lassiter Way to meet ADA requirements; earlier grant applications for additional chargers at the parking garage and airport were not funded. A commissioner asked whether the CIP entry for EV chargers and the funding table can be updated before council review; staff agreed they would update numbers for council.

Commissioners raised operating‑budget implications for some requests. On a proposal to add branded benches and trash cans on South and North King Street, commissioners emphasized the need to identify who will clean and maintain receptacles and whether that work belongs in operating budgets rather than capital budgets.

Utility projects drew particular attention. A commissioner asked whether the utilities “evaluation” item should remain in the CIP where it reads like a study; staff said they would review whether studies should be listed in the adopted CIP or handled separately in the budget process. Commissioners also raised questions about potential changes in water‑treatment chemicals and the need for public outreach if treatment changes are proposed.

After discussion, the commission voted to forward the CIP to Town Council “with a recommendation of approval on the basis that the projects listed in the capital improvement program are consistent with the objectives of the town plan,” subject to eight revisions the commission listed in its motion. The revisions directed staff to (1) remove the Catoctin Circle/Edwards Ferry Road intersection project from the future projects list; (2) consider a specific CIP project to install benches and trash cans with Leesburg branding on South King Street and North King Street; (3) add a CIP policy supporting undergrounding utilities and gas lines where feasible when projects open the ground; (4) add funding for land, planning, design and construction of transit infrastructure and structured parking to serve the Crescent District, Eastern Gateway District and the B‑One downtown commercial district; (5) move up town hall roof maintenance; (6) prioritize early‑year funding for safety and security projects over community amenities; (7) consider removal of the Liberty Lot resurfacing project given uncertainty over the future of the land; and (8) consider removal of a utilities study absent additional background research.

The motion was seconded and the commission approved forwarding the CIP and its recommendations to council (ayes recorded). Staff said the plan will next be presented to the town manager on Feb. 11, followed by a Town Council public hearing on March 11 and additional budget review meetings ahead of an anticipated March adoption.

What’s next: Town staff will update cost tables and project schedules where requested, provide the commission’s recommendation to Town Council, and continue refinement of the CIP schedule in coordination with funding partners and department priorities.