Town Council Accomplishments -- to date!

*  Council initiates sign ordinance revamp.  The Town Council in late October initiated a review of the town's regulations on signs, which have not been rewritten since 1996.  The action occurred after Reid brought to Council  concerns from leasing agents about not being able to keep "For Rent" signs up at the Village of Leesburg , due to town time restrictions;  complaints from hotels that guests can't find their establishments (because the town forbids directional signs) and other problems. 

* Reid saves additional $175,000 on street resurfacing.  Council Aug. 11 voted 5-2 to approve a road resurfacing budget that saves  $175,000 in fiscal 2010.  These funds can now go to extra police, trails or projects that benefit people greater.  Leesburg spends more than $1 million over and above what VDOT gives us to repave streets before their time -- sometimes within five years of being paved already! It's high time we spend the money on projects that benefit more residents.

http://www.leesburg2day.com/articles/2009/08/13/news/leesburg/849paving081309.txt

*  Council moves to get Sycolin Road/U.S. 15/7 Bypass Flyover Constructed *  The Town Council unanimously adopted Reid's resolution calling on VDOT, the Board of Supervisors and federal and state legislators to get the environmental study and designs completed to bridge Sycolin Road over the Bypass and remove the dangerous and congested at-grade intersection.  Click here.

http://www.leesburg2day.com/articles/2009/06/10/news/fp157%20sycolin061009.txt

Sycolin Road to Ashburn to be paved -- Due to Ken's leadership in getting the Board of Supervisors and Town Council to pass resolutions urging the immediate paving of the gravel portions of Sycolin Road between Leesburg and Ashburn, this critical project was awarded a contract for construction on Feb. 19, meaning completion by fall 2009 -- a year ahead of schedule!  Ken also ran a petition drive in fall 2007, which blitzed VDOT with 250 emails of folks supporting the paving.  This means motorists from Leesburg will not have to risk damage to their cars on the gravel portions to Ashburn any more.

* Town gets authority to raise speed limit on Sycolin, offer expedited review for site plans.  Thanks to Ken's initiative, the Virginia General Assembly has passed, and Gov. Kaine has signed, a bill to allow the Town to offer expedited review of site plans for new buildings.  In addition, thanks to efforts by Del. Tom Rust, Leesburg now has authority from VDOT to raise or lower speed limits in commercial areas -- notably the 25 mph zone on Sycolin Road north of the Bypass, which has been difficult for motorists to obey since the speed limit south of the Bypass is 35 mph.

* Council initiates test of two hours free at meters during holidays:  Parking downtown is difficult for some.  Meter enforcement discourages folks from patroning downtown businesses.  Reid pushed forth two hours free at meters during the holidays to see if this can be done year round.  A parking summit will likely take place by February to resolve issues of insufficient parking downtown.

* Council initiates review of H-2 corridor.  The Town Council in late October 2008 adopted a resolution, first initiated by Reid, to re-evaluate the H-2 corridor overlay district., which comes under the purview of the Board of Architectural Review (BAR).    H-2 review is a burden on business and adds little value to the streetscape of Leesburg's entry corridors.  The planning commission/BAR review must be completed by June 2009 and will hopefully result in possibly making more administrative review of signs and other permits.

* Council passes  Reid's proposal for a 75-day limit on Board of Architectural Reviews.  If the BAR fails to act by the 75th day, the application is approved.   As BAR liasion, Reid succeeded in getting discussion on ways to minimize and streamline BAR reviews.  The town zoning officials will now be devising regulations to weed out unnecessary applications, particularly in the H-2 corridor overlay district.  This is a significant difference in how Leesburg will be doing business. 

* Council gives department objectives to meet in budget.  For the first time in many years, the Town Council -- at Ken Reid's behest -- approved about several objectives for various departments to meet in the budget -- instead of letting each department set their own goals and objectives.  These objectives include investigating the use of groundwater for irrigation instead of potable water;  instituting BAR H-1 guidelines by January 09; having the Balch library speed up on its endowment. 

*  Digital clock at Ida Lee pool.  Ken asked the Parks & Rec department in 2006 to post a digital clock at Ida Lee pool, so swimmers and parents could see the time.  This clock hangs prominently over the diving pool area.

*  Securing funds for the Balch Library.  The Balch Library costs Leesburg taxpayers about $489,000 per year, and none of the money comes from the county or state.  Thanks to Reid's prodding, the Council sought the help of Delegate Joe May, who is going to seek a $40,000 grant from the state this year.  Unfortunately, the General Assembly chose not to act on this request this year.  But Reid is helping the Balch with promoting its new endowment. 

*  Succeeded in getting a temporary library in Leesburg.  Reid pressured county staff on their intransigence in ensuring a library would be open for residents during the closing and remodeling of the Rut Library.  Thanks to the Council's pressure, we have a temporary library on Catoctin Circle until the new Rust Library opens.  Until the town acted, the County was going to shut Rust and make all Leesburg residents drive to Sterling, Ashburn or Purcellville.

*  Attempted to save the Mighty Midget Kitchen as a barbecue and allow B'Z BBQ and Hamburg Doener to both stay in Leesburg.  Reid's efforts highlighted the failure of our town's staff to do much to retain business in Leesburg.  Now, Reid is seeking to get the new owners to get past the onerous B.A.R. for their shiny new patio.

*  Jump-started regulatory reform.  Before the dramatic decision by Wolf Furniture to not build a showroom in Leesburg, Reid has been campaigning hard to minimize burdensome planning, zoning, site plan and engineering reviews in Leesburg. 

*  Refocusing economic development efforts.  Reid worked hard to get the town away from spending tax dollars on economic development and more toward deregulating and making the business climate better. The results?  Savings for taxpayers on economic development staff and questionable initiatives.

*  Aiding non-profits and faith-based groups.  Reid has championed aiding social service groups that help the poor and needy, highlighting that the town spends three times as much money on museums, dinners and tourism events than helping those in need.

*  Supported streamlined efforts so churches and other houses of worship can aid the homeless.

*  Supported efforts by the Volunteer Firefighter Company No. 1 to build a new fire station, which is sorely needed to house larger equipment and provide funding for the company.

*  Opposed more banks and drive-thrus in Leesburg.  Reid voted "no" on Virginia Commerce Bank and Chevy Chase Bank, citing the fact there are 14 drive-thrus on East Market Street, thus causing a problem with autos weaving in and out of shopping centers.  He voted for a drive-thru BB&T Bank in Potomac Station only after securing buffering for adjacent homeowners.

*  Tree preservation.  Reid succeeded in amending guidelines so privately funded capital projects have to abide by tree preservation rules.  Reid has championed efforts to restore Leesburg's dwindling tree canopy and pushing forth a tree preservation and conservation ordinance.

*  Put Leesburg on the map!  Reid got VDOT to agree to post a sign on the Capital Beltway at Exit 45A, telling travelers how to get to Leesburg -- a boost to our tourism efforts.

*  More funds for dormant road projects.  Reid got a Council majority to support funding for widening Evergreen Mill Road and building interchanges on the Leesburg Bypass. 

*  Opposing trucks in neighborhoods. Reid is seeking changes in the town's zoning ordinance to limit the quantity and size of commercial vehicles that cn park on residential streets.

*  Keeping the Government Center in Leesburg.  Along with his colleagues, Reid has been a consistent supporter of keeping the proposed County Government Center in Leesburg or the Leesburg area.

*  Getting more officers on walking patrol.  Reid has raised questions about morale and turnover in the police department and how police resources are allocated.  After some prodding, the police are now stationing patrol officers on foot on Leesburg's streets.  Reid would like to resurrect a bike patrol, too.

*  Supporting annexation.  Reid supports efforts to annex a minimum mount of land south of town, including the Peterson/Crosstrail property, to preserve the flight paths of Leesburg Airport and to ensure the town, not the county, controls development south of Leesburg.

*  Sycolin Road paving petition.  Reid, along with Broad Run Supervisor Lori Waters, co-sponsored a petition drive to get VDOT to pave Sycolin Road south of town before 2010.  Thanks to hundreds of petitions, VDOT is going to move expeditiously to add asphalt to this gravel stretch.

*  Succeeded in getting Council to unanimously endorse  a resolution restoring Crosstrails Boulevard between Evergreen Mill Road and U.S. 15 to the Countywide Transportation plan.  

*   Succeeded in getting VDOT to install guardrails and other safety improvements on U.S. 15 north of Leesburg after the tragic deaths of the Muse teens in December 2006.  After years of inaction, VDOT is finally making U.S. 15 safe, but Ken will continue the effort to get another bridge built to Maryland in order to REDUCE traffic in the 15 "Hallowed Ground" corridor.  

*  Got Loudoun Public Schools to expand the driveway at Cool Spring elementary school so there are two lanes of egress for parents dropping off their children.  Backups were frequent prior to the opening of this wider exit in August.

*  Succeeded in getting  the Town to extend the length of right-turn lane from Sycolin to the Bypass.  The right turn and left turn lanes are too short.  Traffic needs to move through this intersection quicker until a flyover can be built so the at-grade crossing is eliminated.

*  Helped defeat comprehensive revisions to town charter that would weaken Council and allow town to take private property -- much like what happened in Kelo in Connecticut.  Instead, the Council voted 4-3, with Reid in the majority, to devise a charter bill that will give us power to create affordable housing and developer agreements.  Reid would support a charter review commission of former Council members, mayors and town managers.  Said Reid during debate:  "If we have a special task force to look into trails over a five-month period, why not do the same for the Town Charter, which is equivalent to the Constitution for the Town of Leesburg?"

*   Helped get Crossroads Baptist Church pre-school a joint hearing.  This little school on Edwards Ferry Road got caught in the cross hairs of the town's onerous regulations.  But Ken Reid led the fight to get a joint hearing of the Council and Planning Commission on the school's special exception, which will be heard Oct. 5, meaning the school could open by mid October.  Said Reid during debate Sept. 12:  "I'd rather have these kids learn the Gospel than stay home and watch Barnie or Teletubbies."

*  Fought for better transportation proffers for Crosstrail development and PMW Farms (JR Festival Lakes).  Ken has put his transportation expertise to use in noting that the Crosstrail development falls below what should be proffered for transportation.  Reid also attempted to win more transportation funds from the PMW Farms, a development Reid voted against out of concern for schools impact and roads.    

*  Reid seeks funds for pedestrian bridge at Ft. Evans Road.    Despite the presence of a Safe-T Ride bus, several residents -- largely poor minorities -- walk or run across the bypass, risking their lives to get groceries at the Food Lion.  A pedestrian overpass, while expensive, is more cost effective than the Safe-T Ride and will cut down on accidents.  Reid pushed and got $35,000 to study such a new bridge.

*  Secured $49,000 added to the budget to increase the hours of Safe-T Ride, which helps residents get across the bypass at Ft. Evans.

Reid's actions have pushed forward the KSI interchange at Route 7 and River Creek Parkway, which opened in 2008;  completion of Battlefield Pwy. between Ft. Evans Road and Edwards Ferry road, and to streamline zoning requirements on business and architectural review guidelines.

There's more coming, folks!  Email your ideas for Common Sense solutions to Councilmanreid@FDAINFO.com