Leesburg VA town council recently passed a new ordinance permitting indoor recreational businesses as ‘by right’ in its industrial zoned areas.
In 2009, Loudoun County spent time monitoring a paintball scuffle between rural residential homeowners and a permitted outdoor paintball facility.
The paintballs were claimed to damage birds and the environment though most of the issues surrounded the commercial use–with resulting traffic and noise activity–near homes.
Commercial activity present near the site are horse stables, a beef processing facility and a concrete wholesaler.
Leesburg is targeting its newer industrial area SE of the US 15 Bypass and Route 7 junction for smaller businesses.
The area backs to the W&OD trail and is anchored by the FAA air traffic control site for the entire MidAtlantic region. A dog kennel, storage facility, auto repair, auto dealerships and other small businesses dot the area.
Leesburg’s older industrial area near Old Town served the railroad transport business in the early 20th century and is slated for redevelopment.
Leesburg calls this area, also backing to the W&OD trail, its “Crescent District”.
