Bow Wow, Chickens OK and Dog Parks Now Legal in Sterling, Loudoun
Dog parks are finally allowed in Loudoun County! Since 2002, dog parks have not been a permitted zoning use anywhere in the county (except as an accessory use to a public park and in the PDR-TRC zoning district).
After hearing from constituents and HOA leaders, the board of supervisors brought an item to the full board in 2013 to add the "Dog Park Zoning Amendment" to our strategic plan.
Earlier in January 2012, I removed an item "outlawing chickens in the residential areas" to make room for more important work by the limited county staff.
In stead of making chickens illegal, chickens are legal throughout Loudoun. Just last night I met a Sterling resident who has chickens in the Richland Acres area of Sterling District who was grateful that I had not outlawed chickens. Former Supervisor Sally Kurtz and current rural western Supervisors are also grateful.
This allowed staff to have time to begin work on revising a "dog park" ordinance and other laws.
The Planning Commission held a Public Hearing on October 21, 2014 and voted unanimously to approve the amendment. At the Board's Public Hearing last night, we also voted unanimously to approve the amendment and suspended the rules, thus enacting the ordinance change last night. "Dog Park" is now an allowed use in HOA-owned common open space within the PD-H Zoning Districts.