LCEA – Loudoun County Equine Alliance

Banshee Reeks Update 6 16 25

June 16, 2025/in Equestrian resources and amenities, LCEA, Take Action, Trail Access for Equestrians

It appears that our efforts to open trails at Banshee Reeks Nature Preserve (BRNP) are nearing fruition!

The recent recommendation by the Transportation and Land Use (TLUC) subcommittee is currently on the June 17 full board agenda as a “consent item”.

This means the TLUC subcommittee’s recommendation has been reviewed by the full Board of Supervisors (BOS) and does not require further deliberation or discussion on it. It can be passed as is, along with other consent items, in one large vote.

Here’s where we stand:

“Transportation and Land Use Committee (TLUC): At the TLUC meeting on May 21, 2025, the TLUC recommended (4-0-1: Randall absent) that the Board of Supervisors approve Alternative 4* and direct staff to update the language of the Banshee Reeks Nature Preserve Master Plan to include these specific equestrian trails. Additionally, TLUC further recommended that the Board of Supervisors direct staff to conduct further assessment to obtain additional equestrian trail mileage within Banshee Reeks Nature Preserve, including without limitation, the Virginia Outdoors Foundation (VOF) Easement, with such further assessment to occur within a requested period of twelve months.”

*Alternative 4 is just over 4 miles in northern third of BRNP.

This is great news and brings us so close to finalizing a project that LCEA has been working on for the benefit of all equestrians for over 7 years! But before we get too excited, it must be noted that money allocated to improvements to BRNP that are tied to equestrian use has not been approved as noted in the fiscal impact statement within the board item packet (see below).

“FISCAL IMPACT: There is no fiscal impact associated with updating the BRNP Master Plan to include any of the Options listed below. However, the request to fund the implementation of any of the Options would be sent to a future Capital Improvement Program budget process for consideration and prioritization by the Finance/Government Operations and Economic Development Committee (FGOEDC) and the full BOS. The fiscal impact of Alternative 4, as recommended by the PROS Board, is estimated to be between $570,000 and $795,000.”

LCEA agrees with PROS board that this estimate is overly high, and recommendations for trail remediation is overly engineered for equestrian use.

At this time, we don’t feel the need to ask for your attendance at the June 17 meeting, but your letters encouraging supervisors to fund this project are still important.

You can email all supervisors at once using BOS@loudoun.gov. You may also want to contact your own supervisor https://www.loudoun.gov/86/Board-of-Supervisors. Or you can call the Comment Line, 703-777-0115.

Please see the attached letters from LCEA to Board of Supervisors members that can help you craft your letters. Or, your phone or email message can be as simple as, “Please pass the May 21, 2025 recommendations by TLUC and approve all necessary funding.”

LCEA June 2025 letter to BOS on Banshee Reeks

LCEA USTR PHTA concerns BRNP recommendation

Please spread the word!

The board of LCEA greatly appreciates your continued support.

Take Action: Emails to Support Equestrian Park

June 16, 2025/in Equestrian resources and amenities, LCEA, Take Action, Trail Access for Equestrians

On June 11, 2025, the Loudoun County Board of Supervisors Finance Committee discussed the merits of an equestrian and agriculture center in Loudoun. Except for Chair Randall, the finance committee is composed entirely of “eastern” supervisors who are not familiar with and do not appreciate the equestrian industry. They include Supervisors Briskman, Letourneau, Saines, and Umstattd.

Because an earlier Department of Economic Development study for a multi-purpose equestrian coliseum became the focal point of discussion, the supervisors were understandably concerned about the cost, and felt that any equestrian park would need to be revenue neutral or better, bring a “return on investment”. The infrastructure that LCEA has recommended is much less costly than a 5,000 seat coliseum. Further, we envision this as a Loudoun County Park. No park in Loudoun is revenue neutral even when tournaments pay for use.

Unfortunately, the recommendations that LCEA provided were not fully considered, and committee did not commit money for a park study. It was instead tabled to return to the committee at another time. LCEA is requesting meetings with Supervisors to better emphasize what LCEA supports.

Update: Despite this disappointing meeting, Loudoun Equine Alliance (LCEA) continues its efforts to support the creation of an equestrian park.

LCEA has already been in touch with supervisors to arrange for meaningful meetings to help move this forward. See our previous letter to BOS on this matter.

We will continue to keep you updated!

The letter that LCEA sent to the finance committee in advance of last night’s meeting is attached. LCEA envisions a park with a focus on unsanctioned shows and clinics. It would help to support a pipeline of competitors and their horses to move up to sanctioned shows, or for equestrians to simply to enjoy riding. There would be a rental revenue stream from shows and clinics as well as from equestrian campsites.

If you haven’t already done so, please take the time to write to your Supervisor to show your continued support for an equestrian park in Loudoun.

Emails for your Supervisor can be found on this link https://www.loudoun.gov/86/Board-of-Supervisors

The full Board email is BOS@loudoun.gov

The following is the letter the LCEA provided to the BOS:

Loudoun County Board of Supervisors:

The Loudoun County Equine Alliance (LCEA) supports a Board of Supervisors’ directive to staff to prepare a study on an Equine and Agricultural Center AND to authorize the study’s inclusion into the 2025 CIP (Capital Improvement Program). This is a long awaited and necessary catalyst to further the economic impact of the equestrian, agriculture and tourism industries in Loudoun. To date, there is one park that contains a properly constructed equestrian ring (Lovettsville), and no county park with more than 4 miles of equestrian trails. The few county parks that contain “equestrian areas” within the master plan are not funded and are of inadequate size. Our board has previously recommended infrastructure items of high importance for inclusion in an equestrian center. They include acreage sufficient for

1. A minimum of 2 large outdoor LIGHTED arenas of the size of Lovettsville. At least one should have sand footing and another geo-tech footing to accommodate additional equine disciplines.
2. Indoor with competition area of at least 150 x 300 plus adjoining covered warm up area approximately 100-225. The pavilion and indoor arenas at VA Horse Center are good examples.
3. Outside course acreage for cross-country jumps.
4. Flexible grass arena for combined driving. At least 700 x 300 feet.
5. Minimum of 8-12 permanent stalls with added area sufficient to accommodate at least 75-100 additional temporary stalls. Temporary stall area should have electrical and sufficient number of spigots for water.
6. Wash areas with drains near stalls for horses.
7. Bathrooms with showers (in at least some of them).
8. Manure management bays.
9. Separate parking for trailers and spectator vehicles. Spillover for both could be field parking.
10. Electric and water hookup for tent, horse trailer or RV camping.
11. Area for primitive camping that would allow for trailer parking and room to make temporary corrals for horses.
12. Trails of at least 8 miles on site and preferably more to add interest for multi-day campers. This could be part of LPAT/Trails and Waterways.
13. Storage bays for the bedding, and jumps.
14. Storage bays for all the equipment needed to care for the place – mowers, forklifts, back hoes, arena dragging equipment, etc.

In addition to the comparable facilities provided by the Johnson Group, LCEA would offer the
World Equestrian Center’s two locations for review.

LCEA does not recommend linking a quarantine facility to an equestrian park but does recommend that the County support the Cuticelli group of investors and owners of the Ark quarantine station in NY, in their efforts to build a similar operation at Dulles.

Kelly S. Foltman, DVM
President, LCEA

Source link: https://loudounequine.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/LCEA-Letter-to-Finance-committee-on-equine-center-1.pdf

Helpful links:

More BOS contact and meeting information can be found on the Loudoun.gov website

Find your supervisor here. Here’s the list of Loudoun Supervisors, their Districts, and other helpful contact information.

https://www.loudoun.gov/4864/Standing-Committees

Watch 6/10/2025 committee deliberations here

Save Oak Hill State Park–Calls, emails needed TODAY

March 29, 2025/in LCEA

You may be aware that, after visiting Oak Hill, Governor Youngkin will ask for a budget amendment to designate Oak Hill a state park. This is but a first step and requires approval by delegates of the General Assembly. It is far from assured that delegates will vote in favor of Oak Hill when they meet to consider amendments on April 2nd.

URGENT ACTION NEEDED!!!

Please email and call Delegates and Senators in the Loudoun delegation (listed below). Urge them to KEEP OAK HILL IN THE BUDGET! We have enough votes in the Loudoun delegation alone to ensure this passes, but we need every one of those votes. Let them know how important this is to you!

To email:

Copy and paste the email addresses of the Loudoun Delegation:

DelDReid@house.virginia.gov

DelMMartinez@house.virginia.gov

DelAReaser@house.virginia.gov

DelJSingh@house.virginia.gov

SenRPerry@senate.virginia.gov

SenKSrinivasan@senate.virginia.gov

Here’s some “talking points” to help you craft your call/email… edit, cut & paste as needed:

SUBJECT: VOTE YES, Save Oak Hill!

Dear [Delegate/Senator __________________],

[As your constituent, if you are one] I write to you today to urge you to say “YES” to the creation of Oak Hill State Park in Loudoun County.

Please, keep Oak Hill in the budget!

Oak Hill is our 5th President, James Monroe’s, home. Keeping it in the budget will conserve important history and beautiful greenspace for Loudouners, Virginians, and beyond. What a mistake it would be to miss this opportunity. There are so many good reasons to make Oak Hill the latest jewel in Virginia’s parks system:

The park will have no financial burden on the Commonwealth.
After this one-time grant by the County, the park will be privately financed.
Maintenance and operational costs will be paid for privately by endowment and investment from the endowment.
This “newly re-discovered” park will generate new interest and revenue for all of Loudoun and the Commonwealth since historical tourism is a huge part of our local economy.

Oak Hill has been meticulously maintained and preserved to keep its authenticity — with private funds. We would be inheriting a bargain–the work has already been done. With its deep history going back to Colonial times, and even prehistoric times, once Oak Hill and its land is lost to development, it will be gone forever. We can’t let that happen.
The Oak Hill grounds will remain open to all for generations to come.
Its 1240 acres of forest, fields and wetlands, right on Rt.15 in Leesburg means easy access for tourism and recreation for millions of people.
For equestrians, it could include miles of public access trails.
For everyone, it means a Central Park-like, curated oasis for passive recreation, agriculture and history.

This is a great opportunity that we will lose forever without your support. Please vote YES on Oak Hill!

Sincerely,

[Your name]

Click the links below for phone numbers to call:

Delegate David Reid

Delegate Marty Martinez

Delegate Atoosa Reaser

Delegate JJ Singh

Senator Russet Perry (already came out publicly in support – express thanks)

Senator Kannan Srinivasan

Link to all other members of the House

Link to all other members of the Senate

Now that you have sent your emails and made your calls, please forward this to your friends and neighbors to do the same. Let’s preserve Oak Hill for us all to enjoy for generations to come!

Zoning Update – November 2024

March 7, 2025/in LCEA

Representing the equestrian community’s interests, Loudoun County Equine Alliance president Kelly Foltman, vice president Emily Houston, and other equine business stakeholders, participated in the county zoning ZOAM on November 21, 2024 to discuss the current and proposed zoning changes that affect nearly all equine businesses in Loudoun. Armed with the anonymous responses many of you provided to our recent equestrian property use survey, the Alliance clearly described to County officials the negative impact of the 2023 zoning ordinances on horse boarding and equine event venues that lie at the heart of the $180 million a year horse-related business in Loudoun County.

Recent changes to zoning regulations reclassified equine boarding and training facilities and equine event facilities from “agricultural” to “agricultural support” uses. Many current equine properties cannot meet, or are unable to expand under, the more restrictive maximum structure square footage, property line set backs, and hours of operation imposed on “agriculture support” businesses. To remedy this, LCEA believes most facilities on which horses are kept should be reclassified from “agricultural support” back to “agricultural” with common sense zoning guidelines that will allow the equine industry to remain viable and profitable.

Become a member of the Loudoun County Equine Alliance. Individual membership is free.

If you would still like to take the zoning impact survey for data collection purposes, please click here.

Loudoun Transmission Line Alliance

May 9, 2024/in LCEA

Rural Loudoun, despite developmental pressure, has remained a haven for agriculture and agritourism, open spaces, environmental conservation, and historic preservation. Building transmission lines through Rural Loudoun would impact all of Loudoun’s residents (past, present, and future), our environment, and put our historical legacy at risk.

LCEA Position Paper on Transmission Lines HERE