Round Hill Community Center

There has been much talk around Town of establishing a community center in Round Hill. As part of the rezoning approval for the Oak Hill Properties developments around Round Hill, the County was offered a community center. The location of that center has yet to be determined. Several options have been discussed, including:

  • Opening a center at the old Round Hill Elementary School on High Street
    • This building is currently still owned by the Loudoun County School Board.
    • It is the temporary location of the Franklin Park Performing Arts Center and is also used as offices and storage space for the school board.
  • Converting Potts Farm barn on East Loudoun Street into a community-use space
  • Building a new center at Woodgrove Park

Action to Date: Community Center
10/6/05 In his Mayor's Report to the Town Council, Mayor Frank Etro described a meeting he had with Parks, Recreation and Community Services Director Diane Ryburn in which she confirmed that the county zoning administrator has determined that the language of the proffer statements call for the construction of a pool and community center for the Round Hill area, not for a Villages homeowners association. However, the builder, Oak Hill, has appealed this decision. Ryburn does not expect any action on the matter in the immediate future.
3/3/05 Mayor Frank Etro reported to the Town Council that in conversations with Supervisor Jim Burton, Supervisor Burton has expressed his strong opinion that the developer is responsible for building a community center with a pool in addition to a second pool to fulfill the proffers, and that these facilities should be for the use of the entire Round Hill community, not an HOA. The County has estimated the budget for these facilities at $3 million. The developer has expressed disagreement with this interpretation and may go to court over the proffer. However, the proffers become due with the issuance of the 800th building permit, which is expected to be requested soon. The County intends to stop issuing permits until the proffers are fulfilled. Supervisor Burton also expressed his preference that the facilities be built in Round Hill, with the pool at Woodgrove Park and the Community Center at the old Round Hill Elementary School.
10/7/04 At the Town Council meeting, Mayor Frank Etro reported that, according to Supervisor Jim Burton, the County is still unable to release cost estimates for the proffered community center and pools. Also this week, County Parks, Recreation and Community Services Director Cindy Welsh also announced she will retire at the end of this year.
9/16/04 During a community meeting in Round Hill, Loudoun County Supervisor Jim Burton told the audience that the County staff was working on compiling cost estimates of several different options for the pool/community center proffers. Those numbers were expected the following day. He said that once the figures were available he would return to Round Hill to present them and hear public comment before the County would proceed in any direction. He also said that he believes Round Hill needs a community center and that center should be in the old elementary school building; that if all the Oak Hill proffer money were to be used for a pool then funds to restore the old school would have to be found elsewhere; and that if Round Hill were to open a center it would not have adverse effects on the community center in Bluemont. Meeting Notes
7/22/04 More than 100 area residents attended a County Department of Parks, Recreation and Community Services public input session to discuss Oak Hill's proffers of a pool and community center to the County. Loudoun County Supervisor Jim Burton and PRCS Director Cindy Welsh were on hand to listen to citizen comments. Most remarks centered on the pool, though a few citizens discussed the community center. Meeting Notes | Summary of Public Comments (from County)
7/15/04 During his report to the Town Council, Round Hill Mayor Frank Etro urged attendance at the public input session on July 22. The Town Council voted to have Mayor Etro speak on behalf of the Council supporting the use of the Oak Hill proffer to convert the Round Hill Center (old elementary school) into a community center. Meeting Notes | Proffer language
7/15/04 The Loudoun County Department of Parks, Recreation and Community Services has issued the following pubic service announcement:
Loudoun County Parks, Recreation and Community Services (PRCS) has scheduled a public input session regarding proffers for the Oak Hill Development in Round Hill. The session is being held at the request of County Supervisor Jim Burton to seek input regarding the proffers, which include a county swimming facility. Citizens will be given the opportunity to provide input during the session scheduled on Thursday, July 22, at 7:30PM. The meeting will take place at the Round Hill Center, 20 High Street in Purcellville [Editor's note: This should be Round Hill]. Please contact Mark Novak, Park Planner with PRCS, at 703-777-0343 for more information.
2002 The county decided not to build a community center at Franklin Park, instead intending to concentrate facilities at Fields Farm in Purcellville. The Town of Round Hill then began focusing on Woodgrove Park as the site for the proffered community center.
1989 At the time of the rezoning for the Villages of Round Hill, Greenwood Commons and Lakepoint, Oak Hill developers proffered money to the county for the establishment of a community center. The proffer language follows:

#41b. Applicant will comply with the Department of Parks and Recreation Service Plan (dated August 1987) with regard to construction of a community center, and dedicate such to the Loudoun County Board of Supervisors. Should the Department of Parks and Recreation conclude it would rather have the Applicant provide alternative services or have the Applicant make monetary contribution toward a larger facility to be built at said site, Applicant will coordinate with the Department of Parks and Recreation to all party's satisfaction. Applicant will implement said proffer prior to the issuance of the first 800 zoning permits for residential units.

Initially the Town supported building the center at Franklin Park.