Community Swimming Pool

As part of the rezoning approval for the Oak Hill Properties developments around Round Hill, the County was offered a junior-Olympic sized swimming pool. The location of that pool has yet to be determined. Several options have been discussed, including enlarging the facilities at Franklin Park or building a new pool (possibly indoor) at Woodgrove Park or the Round Hill Center.

Action to Date: Pool
2/21/07 The Loudoun County Department of Parks, Recreation and Community Services held a community input meeting to provide information on the planned facility at Woodgrove Park and answer residents' questions. Public comment centered on the opinion that the planned facility is not adequate to serve the public need. PRCS Director Diane Ryburn responded that she agreed, that there is a larger facility in the county long-range plan, though it is not yet in the 10-year budget, but that this would at least be a start. She also reiterated that this is a county facility, not a homeowners facility and that if homeowners in the Villages felt they needed or were promised an HOA pool that they would need to address that issue with the builder, Oak Hill. Presentation
1/24/07 The Loudoun County Department of Parks, Recreation and Community Services has scheduled a public information and input session to be held at the Round Hill Elementary School at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 7, to discuss the concept plan for an indoor pool facility at Woodgrove Park. (This meeting was cancelled due to weather; it was rescheduled for Feb. 21.) Press release
1/6/07 The Town of Round Hill and members of the surrounding community filed an appeal to the zoning administrator's determination. The appeal reads in part: "The Round Hill Town Council and members of the Round Hill Community ... are of the opinion that the combined indoor facility as presented through the documentation referenced in the Zoning Administrators determination is not of equal value of the stated proffer." Appeal letter
1/4/07 At its regularly scheduled meeting, the Round Hill Town Council heard public comment from citizens concerned that the proposed aquatic facility is too small to serve the area's need. A local resident in the pool design business also presented research that showed that the financial value of the proposed indoor facility is significantly less than that of the proffered pool and community center together. The Town Council voted to first ask that the determination be withdrawn, and more information, time, and discussion be provided before a final determination is made. If the determination is not withdrawn, the Council is prepared to file an appeal. The deadline for appeal is Jan. 8.
12/20/06 The Round Hill Town Office received copies of the determination and associated plans. Facility Plan
12/8/06 The Loudoun County Zoning Administrator issued a determination that a small, three or four lane County-run indoor pool at Woodgrove Park would satisfy the conditions of both proffers for the junior Olympic sized pool and the community center (which is defined as having its own .25 meter outdoor pool). County Parks and Rec agreed to the deal. Appeals must be filed within 30 days. Zoning Administrator Letter of Determination
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 all of the options were still on the table, including both using all the money for an indoor facility at Franklin Park as well as dividing the money and allowing some of it to be used to build a homeowners-only pool in the Villages. He also 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. 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, all of which were in favor of using the proffer money to build a pool in the area. Opinion varied on what type of facility should be built, for whom it should be built, and where it should be located. 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 either expand the pool facilities at Franklin Park or build a pool at the Round Hill Center (as part of the building's conversion to a community center). In either location, the Council supports the construction of an indoor facility. 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 enlarge the pool at Franklin Park, instead intending to concentrate facilities at Fields Farm in Purcellville. According to Mayor Etro's 2002 letter, the Town "felt that that attitude was contrary to the sense of a Round Hill Community that most people seem to be striving for. ... Being that the Town felt it important to have a pool and a [community] center in the Round Hill Area, we all began to focus on placing a pool and center at Woodgrove Park. ... The last I heard was that the County was going to look into the feasibility of making it an indoor pool."
  According to Mayor Etro (in a 2002 letter): "During the construction of Franklin Park, the County requested the developer to provide the monetary contribution at that time. Needless to say, Oak Hill flatly refused. I understand that over the years, the County has made overtures to Oak Hill, reminding them that the costs would be escalated over time, but to no avail."
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:

#41a. Applicant will comply with the Department of Parks and Recreation Service Plan (dated August 1987) with regard to monetary contribution to the Loudoun County Board of Supervisors for a junior Olympic swimming pool. Amount of monetary contribution to be made will be based on Means Construction Price Guide for the year the contribution is made. Should the Department of Parks and Recreation conclude it would rater have the applicant provide alternative facilities or alternative services to said contribution, Applicant will coordinate with the Department of Parks and Recreation to all parties' satisfaction. Applicant will implement said proffer prior to the issuance of the first 800 zoning permits for residential units.

In 2002, Round Hill Mayor Frank Etro summarized the Town's stance on the proffered pool: "The Town in concert with the County has always approached this proffer as a community facility funded by the developer and operated by the County, during the debate of the zoning application and since its approval. After all, a proffer is to run to the benefit of the receiver (the County and the Round Hill Community). Over the years the Town has been a strong advocate for this proffer to be used at Franklin Park as it is apparent that the existing pool is undersized."