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Board approves Panovich rezoning after months of negotiation; 65‑foot option retained for rear building
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Summary
After weeks of public comment and negotiation with neighbors, the board approved the Panovich (Panovich/Panovich) property rezoning with proffers limiting frontline building height to 45 feet, a six‑foot berm and plantings along Briarfield Lane, and a 65‑foot maximum on the rear building in one development option; vote passed 4‑3‑2 with named no votes.
The Loudoun County Board of Supervisors voted Jan. 21 to approve the rezoning application for the Panovich property (ZMAP 2024‑0016) after the applicant revised proffers to reduce building heights near Briarfield Estates and add a landscape buffer.
DPZ staff told the board the applicant offered two development options: a single building capped at 45 feet, or a two‑building arrangement with a 45‑foot limit in the 200‑foot zone adjacent to Briarfield Estates and up to 65 feet on the remainder of the property. Later in the packet the applicant revised the two‑building option so the eastern building would be 45 feet and the western building 65 feet (SEG 4620–4632; SEG 4652–4660).
Supervisor Crony (mover) said negotiations produced concessions the community had asked for, including a 6‑foot berm and Leland cypress plantings within a 75‑foot buffer on Briarfield Lane; the applicant also proffered to exclude some of the heavier industrial uses from the site. Staff continued to note compatibility concerns because the suburban neighborhood place type does not anticipate industrial uses (SEG 4690–4701).
Several supervisors said the elevation difference between the site and Briarfield Estates makes a 45‑foot building appear lower in practice; others said allowing a 65‑foot building in that location would set an undesirable precedent. After extended debate, the motion to approve passed 4‑3‑2; the transcript records Supervisors LaTurna, Sainz and Randall voting no (SEG 5112–5115).
Next steps: The rezoning record and proffers will be finalized according to standard filing and permitting procedures; any special exceptions for uses not proffered out will require separate approvals.
