The Platform

What I Stand For

Annexation

I voted against the Valley Commerce Center annexation just eight days into my administration fulfilling my campaign promise.

At the time, the proposal called for more than 1.2 million square feet of industrial development on 117 acres. I opposed it because it would have dramatically changed Purcellville’s small-town character.Purcellville residents have consistently opposed this proposal.

If this annexation had been approved, it would not have stopped with one property. In addition, the town cannot create an “island” by skipping over intervening properties, meaning additional annexations along Purcellville Road would eventually follow. That corridor is predominantly residential, and nearby neighborhoods and many Purcellville residents have opposed this and similar proposals for more than 15 years.

My opponent did not vote to end the annexation effort and did not publicly oppose the subsequent rezoning during the Loudoun County Planning Commission or Board of Supervisors public hearings.

Although the Board of Supervisors ultimately approved rezoning the property from Joint Land Management Area-3 (JLMA-3) to Planned Development-Industrial Park (PD-IP), the property’s limited water supply significantly restricts the industrial uses that can be developed.

I oppose annexing this property into the Town of Purcellville. Planning commissioners and Catoctin Supervisor Caleb Kershner have publicly suggested that the town could someday choose to annex it.

I will not support entering into a privately negotiated annexation agreement among the Town of Purcellville, Loudoun County, and the property owner. These negotiations take place outside the public hearing process, leaving residents without a meaningful voice while the terms are being negotiated.

When my opponent had the council majority, she was moving toward a negotiated settlement for this property. I opposed that approach then, and I oppose it now. Purcellville residents have made their opposition clear for years, and bringing this property into town would significantly increase the intensity of development that would occur. I will not support that.

This election is about more than one property, however. It is about the future of our town. Will we continue to protect Purcellville’s small-town character, or will we begin opening the door to annexations intended to expand private development?

My position is clear. I will not support annexing this property or similar growth-driven annexations.

We don’t want to Ashburn Purcellville. We want Purcellville to remain Purcellville.

Utility Rates

One of the most important votes I cast this year was supporting the adoption of a multi-year utility rate schedule.

The ordinance formalizes the Town’s long-term financial planning for its water and wastewater systems into a financial framework that funding partners, credit rating agencies, and governmental entities increasingly expect to see when evaluating infrastructure investments and requests for financial assistance.

It is important to understand what this ordinance does and does not do. The adopted schedule is a long-range financial planning model based on the Town’s current Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) and the best information available today.

It does not lock the Town into future utility rate increases. Rather, it provides a planning framework that will continue to be reviewed and updated as projects advance, project engineering work is completed, competitive bids are received, grants are awarded, and new technologies influence project costs.

Historically, the estimated costs of major capital projects have often changed as projects moved from preliminary planning to final design and construction.

Likewise, inflation and the costs of labor, construction materials, treatment chemicals, equipment, and other operating expenses continue to fluctuate.

For these reasons, long-term projections should be viewed as planning assumptions rather than fixed outcomes.

For example, the Town expects to receive approximately $7 million in grant funding during FY 2027 for PFAS treatment improvements. Grants such as these can significantly reduce the amount that must ultimately be financed through utility revenues.

As projects are refined, bids are received, and additional outside funding is secured, future projections can be adjusted to reflect the most current information.

Another important improvement has been increasing accountability within our financial practices. The Town is taking a more deliberate approach to ensuring that the General Fund accurately accounts for staff time and administrative services provided to the water and wastewater enterprise funds.

This creates a more transparent picture of the true cost of operating our utility systems while ensuring expenses are allocated appropriately between the General Fund and the enterprise funds.

The ordinance adopted by the Town Council includes the following financial planning assumptions for future utility rates:

FY 2027: 16.5% water; 14.5% wastewater (previously adopted)
FY 2028: 35% water; 32% wastewater
FY 2029: 35% water; 19% wastewater
FY 2030: 35% water; 3.5% wastewater
FY 2031: 25% water; 3% wastewater
FY 2032: 7% water; 3% wastewater

These financial planning assumptions provide a transparent roadmap for managing the Town’s long-term utility infrastructure needs and do not predetermine future rate increases.

As projects are refined, grants are awarded, bids are received, and costs are updated, the projections can be adjusted to reflect the best information available at the time.

My commitment is to continue pursuing every available grant and outside funding opportunity, carefully manage operating expenses, encourage competitive bidding, and support innovative solutions that reduce costs whenever possible while continuing to provide safe and reliable water and wastewater service for our residents and businesses.

Zoning

Zoning is one of the most important tools a town has to protect its character while responsibly managing growth.

It determines what can be built, where it can be built, and whether future development reflects the vision of the residents who call that community home.

I worked on and voted to pass Purcellville’s updated zoning ordinance. My opponent did not. While serving first as a Town Council member and then as your Mayor, I worked to bring our zoning regulations in line with what residents have consistently told us they want—a town that grows responsibly while protecting our neighborhoods, historic areas, open spaces, and small-town character.

One example is duplexes in our R-3 residential areas. We eliminated duplexes as an allowed use and changed them to require a special use permit. Why? Because duplexes are a more intensive use than single-family homes. They can effectively double density, increase traffic, create additional noise, and change the character of established neighborhoods.

Many residents came forward and asked that duplexes receive additional public review. A special use permit process allows neighbors to participate, speak at public hearings, and have a voice before a more intensive use is approved in their community. That is how zoning should work. Residents should have a say before decisions are made that directly affect where they live.

Zoning also protects the character of our historic downtown. Current regulations limit building height to two and a half stories and allow two dwelling units per building. These limits help preserve the scale and feel of our historic commercial district, and also prevent overbuilding on a narrow, crowded street.

Recently, a downtown property owner sought a variance through the Board of Zoning Appeals to increase the number of dwelling units in a renovation plan from six units spread among three buildings to eleven units. The request was denied by the BZA. One resident urged the Board to deny the request, explaining that granting one exception could open the door to additional requests and even greater increases in density throughout the small area.

Residents have also seen proposals that would significantly change the scale and character of our town. The Vineyard Square project was approved for 40 apartments and a six-story building in on 21st St. After more than 15 years, those permits finally expired because the Town Council majority would not support extending them again.

That decision protected Purcellville from moving forward with a project that would have represented a significant increase in density and a dramatic change from the character and scale of our historic downtown.

There are other properties where owners are seeking greater development potential. One example is the property located at the traffic circle, one of Purcellville’s most important gateways. This area already experiences significant traffic, particularly during peak travel times. A major commercial development of four big box structures at this location would have important implications for traffic, infrastructure, and the character of the entrance to our town.

The potential redevelopment of this property also demonstrates why transparency and public involvement matter. The Planning Commission Chair publicly shared that he had been approached by potential buyers who discussed their concept for the property and asked whether he would support it. He stated that he could not make such a commitment and that he would not agree to keep those discussions from the public, after he was asked to do so.

Major changes to a gateway property should not be shaped through private conversations before residents have an opportunity to participate. Any request for increased density or expanded uses should go through the proper public process, including a zoning amendment or comprehensive plan amendment when required, so residents can review the proposal and make their voices heard.

Our zoning policies should come from the people of Purcellville through an open and transparent process. That is how we protect our neighborhoods, preserve our history, and ensure that growth happens in a way that reflects who we are.

We have many pressures for increased density both inside and outside our town. The question is simple. Will we allow those decisions to be driven by individual development interests, or will we continue to put the voice of Purcellville residents first?

We don’t want to Ashburn Purcellville. We want Purcellville to remain Purcellville.

Purcellville Main Street

Who wouldn’t want to support the Virginia Main Street Program for our historic downtown?

The name itself reflects many of the things we value in Purcellville, such as a welcoming downtown, strong local businesses, historic preservation, and a vibrant community gathering place.

Virginia Main Street is a respected statewide program designed to help communities strengthen their down towns through economic development, historic preservation, and community revitalization.

Administered through the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development, the program provides communities with technical assistance, training, and access to resources designed to support downtown districts throughout the Commonwealth.

The question facing Purcellville is not whether a vibrant downtown is important.

It is.

The question is whether adopting a particular state program is the best approach for our community at this time and whether its structure, requirements, and goals align with the vision our residents have established for Purcellville.

Virginia Main Street is more than a designation. Successful programs require a significant long-term commitment, including ongoing coordination, reporting, organizational support, community engagement, and a strong partnership between the downtown organization and our local government.

Higher levels within the Virginia Main Street programrequire additional capacity and continued investment of time and resources, such as having a full-time employee designated to overseeing this program. For a small town like Purcellville, those commitments must be carefully evaluated alongside other priorities and available resources.

Purcellville already has a Comprehensive Plan and Zoning Ordinance that establish the community’s vision for responsible growth, preservation of our historic character, and appropriate development.

Revitalization does not require transforming our downtown into a larger urban district or significantly increasing density. It requires thoughtful investment that reflects the identity of the community.

Purcellville’s downtown revitalization is already underway. Local business owners and property owners have invested in improving their buildings, enhancing storefronts, and making 21st Street a more attractive destination.

A successful downtown does not depend solely on membership in a program. It also depends on private investment, entrepreneurship, and community commitment. We already have that.

The discussion about downtown’s future is ultimately a discussion about vision. Some believe downtown should evolve into a more urban-style destination with additional residential development and increased intensity.

Others believe revitalization should occur within the scale, character, and purpose established by Purcellville’s Comprehensive Plan and Zoning Ordinance. That vision emphasizes strengthening our historic downtown as a commercial center that supports small businesses, professional offices, restaurants, and locally owned establishments while preserving the unique character that makes Purcellville special.

Purcellville’s downtown represents an important opportunity to strengthen our commercial base by supporting small businesses, professional offices, restaurants, and locally owned establishments that contribute to a vibrant and active 21st Street.

It also gets us closer to our envisioned 30% commercial and 60% residential goal. Strengthening this commercial district also moves Purcellville closer to its long-term goal of achieving a healthier balance between commercial and residential land uses.

Our long-term planning vision has been to work toward approximately 30% commercial and 60% residential land uses—a balance that strengthens the Town’s tax base, supports local businesses, and reduces the need for residents to leave Purcellville for everyday goods and services.

The Town’s zoning framework was designed to encourage a strong commercial presence while allowing residential uses that complement the downtown environment. For example, current zoning provisions allow up to two residential dwelling units per building in this area, helping preserve the focus on a diverse commercial district.

Those planning goals recognize that a healthy community requires balance.The objective is to continue expanding commercial and retail opportunities while preserving the scale and character that make Purcellville unique, rather than shifting the focus toward additional residential density.

This difference in philosophy is reflected in the visions that have been presented for Purcellville’s future. My opponent has publicly stated that she envisions 21st Street becoming more like San Diego’s Gaslamp District. That represents a different vision for downtown Purcellville, one emphasizing adenserurban-style destination.

I believe Purcellville’s downtown should continue to evolve in a manner that reflects our adopted planning documents and preserves the small-town character that residents value.

A successful downtown depends on more than a program designation. It depends on responsible planning, engaged businesses, private investment, and honoring the goals our residents have established through Purcellville’s Comprehensive Plan.

My commitment is to support a downtown that strengthens our local economy, welcomes visitors, preserves Purcellville’s unique character, and remains true to the community we proudly call home.