Loudoun Wildlife Conservancy

On Wednesday, July 29, Supervisor Sally Kurtz led a public meeting on the issue of The Woods Road relocation. Also speaking for the County were Lewis Rauch (Director of Capital Construction and Solid Waste Management), Rick Weber (Solid Waste Management Program Manager), Harry Walsh (Citizens Relations Manager from the Office of the County Administrator), and Diane Ryburn (Director of Parks, Recreation and Community Services).

Over 100 citizens attended, coming from two primary interest areas: residents of Courtland Woods concerned about road safety and viewsheds, and residents from across Loudoun concerned about Banshee Reeks and the wildlife and habitat impacts of any road realignment.  I took notes throughout the meeting and wanted to share what I gathered with you here:

Supervisor Kurtz conveyed that the landfill will be expanded and the future phases have already been planned and prepared. At the current rate of trash collection, these future phase of the landfill will be opened and used over the next 10-15 years. In order to use these new phases of the landfill, there need to be ground water monitoring stations around the perimeter of the landfill to make sure toxins are not escaping from the landfill. The perimeter for the expanded landfill butts directly against The Woods Road in some places. Because it is a residential road, there needs to be a 300′buffer.

VDOT is responsible for The Woods Road. In 2009, however, budget cuts caused them to defund the relocation plans. In response to that, our Board of Supervisors put $750,000 of County money against doing a 30% design plan for relocating The Woods Road. Once that plan is in place, it will be the determining document for what is done to The Woods Road when the final phases of the landfill are opened up. [So -- What is decided in the next year about The Woods Road and Banshee Reeks will be what we have to live with in 15 years from now - regardless of how technology, environment and other factors change between now and then]

Mr. Rauch explained that “VDOT has washed their hands of the project,” and therefore the County is putting money in to make sure this project goes forward.  Sally explained that because County funds are being used, there will be more flexibility in what is done in relocating The Woods Road. 

Citizens raised questions around the impact of the landfill on Goose Creek, as well as wetland issues such as the impact of relocating The Woods Road on the rare Mountain/Piedmont Basic Seepage Swamp that is on Banshee Reeks and the Virginia Outdoor Foundation (VOF) conservation easement on the property. The response that we received from Sally was that in moving the road, the Mountain/Piedmont Basic Seepage Swamp would not be destroyed. Mr. Weber said “We don’t know where the road will be – we need to do the environmental analysis.”  Additionally, the county is in discussions with VOF because the current plans do violate the easement.

The next step is for the County to set up a Woods Road Stakeholder Group and signups were taken [yes, we signed up]. In addition to residents of Courtland, there were members and leaders from Loudoun Wildlife Conservancy, Friends of Banshee Reeks, Virginia Master Naturalist (Banshee Chapter), Audubon Naturalist Society (Rust Sanctuary), Piedmont Environmental Council, and the Loudoun Preservation Society present. Together, we will make sure the environmental and historic concerns around the relocation of The Woods Road are heard and considered as alternatives are identified and plans move forward. We will keep you informed throughout.