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Council backs out on intent to bid on Country Club house

Tuesday, Sep. 27 by Laura Peters | 11 comments | Email this story

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Courtesy Photo/Town of Leesburg

Leesburg Country Club may not be having the town as their new neighbor after Leesburg Town Council voted Sept. 27 not to bid on 1 Country Club Drive in order to build an access road. Council voted 5-2 with Council member Tom Dunn and Mayor Kristen Umstattd dissenting. The motion was moved by Council member Katie Hammler and seconded by Council member Dave Butler. The key point was a strategy to reduce the cost of the right-of-way. Very quickly there was a significant decline in value of the property, second, there was a decline in the amount the town would offer for the property, three the town staff was unable to get the additional information to get into the property and resale information, Hammler said. For fiscal reasons we are requesting the town attorney no longer participate in an auction to get this specific house. Residents of Country Club went around during the weekend of Sept. 24 and 25 to gather 276 signatures in opposition of the proposed road. The Linden Hill access road project, which is set to start in the spring 2012, would be an addition to the South King Street widening project and would add a one-way road between Linden Hill and Leesburg Country Club. This resolution does not mean that we will not build the access road and it does not mean that we will not buy the house, Butler said. We dont have to buy the house, we could acquire rightof-way [for the land] and we can do that. The easiest thing is to say is forget the house. A set-back for the access road would decrease the amount of land on the lot at 1 Country Club Drive and give no parking in front of the home. Council was going to bid on the house on Sept. 23 at the Loudoun County Courthouse in order to obtain the property for the road, then attempt to resell the home. After petitions from residents of both neighborhoods and the cancellation of the foreclosure auction, Council decided to bring it up at their next meeting. Council even called a special meeting for Sept. 23 in order to discuss bidding on the house, but cancelled it after the auction was cancelled. Linden Hill, a 36-house development, has had its residents petition Council numerous times in the past to get the access road approved and set up for design and construction. The problem
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the past to get the access road approved and set up for design and construction. The problem Linden Hill residents would face with the widening project without the access road wouldnt allow them to turn left into the Town of Leesburg. They will have to turn right on South King Street, then make a U-turn if they want to go into town. Residents of Linden Hill say if there were no access road the U-turn option would be a huge inconvenience and make their travel into town significantly longer. I do not think this access road is the way to go, Vice Mayor Kevin Wright said. Countinuing down this path of purchasing this house is not getting us anywhere, Council member Ken Reid added. Residents of County Club, many who have lived there for more than 30 years, say the road is going to significantly impact the neighborhoods safety, traffic congestion and real estate value. Maybe we should put a median all the way through, so those of you who think its not an inconvenience to make a U-turn ... have you all do it, Dunn said. I would be more interested in killing the whole South King Street widening. According to the town, a traffic light or a median break are not viable options due to state and local regulations. I am aware that residents of Country Club believe that the Linden Hill community is large enough to create a traffic jam on Country Club Drive, but too small to justify the expense of the access lane, Umstattd wrote in a letter to residents of Linden Hill and Country Club. I believe that the impact of the Linden Hill residents driving onto Country Club Drive at the access lane will be largely unnoticed. The proposed access road would be a one-way road with a 16-foot width and it would be 70 feet from South King Street and a second left-hand turn lane would be added on Country Club Drive. I do not believe that the access road will endanger or inconvenience Country Club residents, nor do I believe the reconfiguration of the intersection of Country Club Drive and S. King Street will be a negative, Umstattd wrote. Quite the opposite, I think the addition of a second left turn lane out of Country Club Drive onto northbound King Street will be extremely beneficial to the residents of Country Club. It will allow twice as many Country Club residents to exit the neighborhood simultaneously on one light. The mayor said she believes with Tuesday nights vote the plan for the access road will not survive.

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Comments
Thu, Sep 29 at 07:24 AM by Laugh | Report this comment Health and Beauty Bridal Guide Historic Frederick Maryland

Actually, Katie Hammler has stumbled (I say that because she is too stupid to have figured it all out) onto a great plan. Fool the Country Club residents into thinking the access road is dead, and then looked shocked when it continues. Great job, Country Club residents. You sure got taken to the cleaners on this one!
Thu, Sep 29 at 05:02 AM by Representative Government | Report this comment

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Good, the system worked for once. People actually found out this disaster was on the road to reality, they spoke up, and the course changed. We also have a reason to vote Tom Dunn out of office. Apparently it is worth a million bucks so that 36 households can avoid a u-turn. Does this guy not look at the town budget? At least the mayors response didnt sound like it came from a 12 year old, although she also seemed to miss the problems with cost people had. If it was $100k, Id say go ahead.
Wed, Sep 28 at 03:40 PM by Jack | Report this comment Health Resolutions Future Leaders Coming Soon

Yeah, yeah Im okay, I tie my hand up to a chair so I dont fall that way. Yeah,

Yeah, yeah Im okay, I tie my hand up to a chair so I dont fall that way. Yeah, Yeah Im alright, I took a sip of something poison but Ill hold on tight.
Wed, Sep 28 at 02:23 PM by One Vote for Hammler | Report this comment

Get your special tax district started now Laugh. That house isnt going to be on the market forever. Maybe Tom Dunncant help you fight those u-turns. Oh no! A u-turn! Five people voted to kill your pet project, not just Hammler.
Wed, Sep 28 at 01:55 PM by the simple truth | Report this comment

Linden Hill shouldnt exist, but it does. Bad property ownership, bad developing, all leads to this day. It should have been part of Greenway Farms, Lawford Drive should have wrapped north/east around the open space, Linden Hill would have cul-de-sacd near 15, and lower access to what is now the Pheasant Place cul-desac. But no, it developed as it is, and those in LH now want everything there way. Its not their fault per se, as they arent responsible for the developers actions of the pastbut they should live with what is planned to happen, and be happy they have viable options for all 4 turns.
Wed, Sep 28 at 01:27 PM by Laugh | Report this comment

Leave it to Katie I really am that stupid Hammler to mess this whole thing up. She makes a motion to end efforts to buy the house sending a message to Linden Hill residents to drop dead. She does NOT make a motion to end the access road plan, sending a message to the Country Club residents that Katie Hammler thinks they are more stupid than she is. Great Job, Katie Hammler. You win the prize as the sleaziest pol ever.
Wed, Sep 28 at 12:10 PM by tim | Report this comment

Richard, why blame the Realtor? If you bought the house you should only blame yourself.
Wed, Sep 28 at 11:29 AM by Robert | Report this comment

Linden Hill is a pretty cute subdivision that was approved for development with a right in / Right out turning movement. Route 15 in front of Linden Hill is stripped to reflect this. All these years the illegal left turns have been allowed which is why we are here today. Maybe we should put a median all the way through, so those of you who think its not an inconvenience to make a U-turn ... have you all do it, Dunn said. I would be more interested in killing the whole South King Street widening. I do not agree with the above statement but will say that 10 +/- yeras from now Govenor Drive will probably be in the same catagroy as Linden Hill as the property east of Country Club/Greenway Develops and 15 will look like a route 28
Wed, Sep 28 at 09:43 AM by Richard | Report this comment

If I had purchased a home with poor ingress and egress then I only have myself (and realtor) to blame. Town taxes and politicians should not be involved in this.
Wed, Sep 28 at 09:15 AM by next | Report this comment

Yeathat was a comment youd expect from a toddler if I cant have it, neither can you. Life is lifeit was too expensive and a u-turn can be made safely with the lights at Greenway. Sorry for your inconveniencestart your commute a few minutes earlieradjustwe all have to at some point of our lives.
Wed, Sep 28 at 06:27 AM by Done with Dunn | Report this comment

That comment by Tom Dunn is one of the most idiotic statements Ive heard in a long time. Hey Tom, everyone cant be satisfied. Linden Hill is a tiny development and the

Hey Tom, everyone cant be satisfied. Linden Hill is a tiny development and the widening project is for the good of the entire area. Sometimes people get the short end of the stick, that is life. Ultimately though, what is good for many is what needs to win the day, and that is what happened here. Does Dunn live there or something?

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