Purcellville Town Council Member Voices Strong Opposition to Valley Commerce Center Rezoning at Loudoun County Hearing

PURCELLVILLE, Va. — Loudoun County residents and local officials packed the Board of Supervisors chambers on April 15 for a contentious public hearing on the proposed Valley Commerce Center, a large-scale industrial development that has ignited debate over growth, rural character, and resource protection in western Loudoun County.

At the center of the opposition stands Caleb Stought, a member of the Purcellville Town Council, who delivered pointed public comments against the rezoning application. Stought shared a video of his remarks on social media shortly after the hearing, emphasizing the project’s potential harm to the community. “The Valley Commerce Center rezoning application raises serious concerns for our community,” he posted, highlighting issues ranging from traffic congestion to environmental impacts.

The proposal, submitted by JK Land Holdings and led by local developer Chuck Kuhn, seeks to rezone approximately 117 acres of land along Purcellville Road (Route 611) and near the Route 7 Bypass from Joint Land Management Area-3 (JLMA-3) rural residential zoning to Planned Development-Industrial Park (PD-IP). Under current zoning, the property could support up to about 39 single-family homes. The rezoning would instead permit nearly one million square feet of flex industrial and business park space, including warehouses and light manufacturing uses.

The site sits just outside Purcellville town limits, bordered by established residential neighborhoods such as Mayfair and Wright Farm. Opponents argue that introducing heavy industrial activity into this transitional rural-residential area would fundamentally alter its character and strain existing infrastructure.

During the three-hour hearing, roughly 50 speakers addressed the Board, reflecting deeply divided opinions. Residents opposing the project cited increased truck traffic, potential groundwater depletion, nighttime lighting pollution, noise, and the erosion of the area’s semi-rural feel. Many homeowners in the vicinity rely on private wells for water, raising fears that high-capacity industrial usage could lower water tables and affect residential supplies.

Michael Parish, a Mayfair resident, told the Board that families depend on consistent private wells, warning that the project would introduce “high-capacity industrial water use into that system.” Lloyd Harting, another resident, referenced a 2024 traffic study showing an average of 427 trucks traveling Purcellville Road and over the Route 7 bridge daily during rush hours, many associated with the nearby Maker Industrial Park. Additional industrial development, he argued, would exacerbate congestion on already narrow two-lane roads.

Purcellville officials also weighed in strongly against the plan. Mayor Christopher Bertaut, along with Town Council members Erin Rayner, Caleb Stought, and Susan Khalil, spoke at the hearing, raising concerns about compatibility with nearby homes and the broader impacts on the town despite the site being in county jurisdiction. The Purcellville Town Council had previously rejected an annexation request for the property in January 2025 by a 4-3 vote, with Stought and others expressing opposition at the time. That rejection pushed the rezoning process to Loudoun County.

Community organizing against the project intensified in the weeks leading up to the hearing. In early April, about two dozen residents gathered at the Carver Senior Center to coordinate opposition strategies, including email campaigns to supervisors, yard signs, social media efforts, and turnout at public meetings. A survey of homeowners in Mayfair, Wright Farms, and Chestnut Hill reportedly found 93% opposed, citing groundwater, traffic, light pollution, and loss of rural character.

Supporters of the Valley Commerce Center, including some local business owners, countered that the region desperately needs more flex industrial space to accommodate growing demand, create jobs, and diversify the tax base. They pointed to nearby existing industrial uses and argued that the proposed development could provide economic benefits without the heavier impacts of data centers or large warehouses. The Loudoun County Planning Commission had recommended approval in February by a 6-2-1 vote, noting revisions by the applicant, potential economic gains, and comparisons suggesting industrial use might consume less groundwater than the maximum residential buildout allowed by right. County planning staff, however, had recommended denial earlier in the process.

The hearing comes amid broader tensions in Loudoun County over balancing rapid development with preservation of western Loudoun’s rural and agricultural heritage. Western Loudoun has seen increasing pressure from suburban expansion, data centers in other districts, and infrastructure strains. Opponents of the Valley Commerce Center framed the decision as a test of the county’s commitment to thoughtful planning under its 2019 General Plan, which designates the area as a Rural Neighborhood.

Letters to local newspapers and opinion pieces echoed these sentiments. One editorial argued that the proposal fails to meet standards for compatibility, introducing “heavy truck traffic, extensive nighttime lighting, and large industrial buildings into an area surrounded by residential communities.” Proponents, meanwhile, emphasized that denying the rezoning could lead to scattered residential development that might fragment the landscape differently.

Stought’s comments, captured in the video he shared, underscored the human element of the debate. As a Purcellville elected official representing residents who live near the proposed site, he highlighted how the project could affect daily life for families in the area. His remarks joined a chorus of voices urging the Board of Supervisors to prioritize long-term community impacts over short-term economic gains.

The Board of Supervisors has not yet scheduled a final vote on the rezoning, but the April 15 hearing marked the final public comment opportunity before deliberations. Observers expect a close decision, given the Planning Commission’s favorable recommendation contrasted with staff concerns and vocal community pushback.

For Purcellville, the outcome carries symbolic weight even though the land lies outside town boundaries. The town has grown rapidly in recent years, and debates over annexation, zoning, and growth have sometimes divided local leadership. Stought and fellow council members who opposed annexation have positioned themselves as defenders of resident quality of life against unchecked expansion.

As Loudoun County continues to grapple with its identity—part high-tech economic engine, part historic rural enclave—the Valley Commerce Center case exemplifies the challenges of balancing those forces. Residents on both sides agree that the decision will shape the western county’s landscape for decades.

Critics like Stought and organized neighborhood groups hope the Board will heed calls to preserve the area’s character and protect vulnerable resources such as groundwater. Supporters see an opportunity to meet legitimate business needs in a county where industrial vacancy remains low.

Whatever the Board decides, the passionate turnout on April 15 demonstrated that western Loudoun residents are deeply invested in how their communities evolve. The video shared by Councilman Stought serves as a reminder that, beyond policy details and square footage, these debates center on the kind of place future generations will call home.