Westpark Property

News and Announcements

08-08-22 News Release: Loudoun County Purchases Former Westpark Golf Course; Plans for Passive Park

Overview

Loudoun County has purchased three parcels of land totaling 134 acres that made up the former Westpark Golf Course in Leesburg. The new county-owned land, located around the Leesburg Country Club subdivision and along Country Club Drive, has been placed into a conservation easement, which will preserve the natural landscape. In the coming years, the county plans to develop the property into a passive park consisting of walking and biking trails. The passive park will be designed following input from members of the community and will be based on the requirements for property within a conservation easement.

Funding for the project in the amount of $13.4 million is included in the county's Capital Improvement Program (Fiscal Year 2023 - Fiscal Year 2028) with completion of the passive park expected in Fiscal Year 2027.

Current Property Maintenance

Loudoun County has assumed responsibility for maintaining the property, which is surrounded by homes. Among the key maintenance needs is the mowing of grass. Because the property is now in conservation easement, it will no longer be operated or maintained as a golf course. As a result, the mowing of grass will be accomplished in a manner that is different than residents experienced when the property was a golf course. At the present time, grass mowing procedures are as follows:

A swath of grass located approximately 20 feet from residential property lines where the Westpark property grass meets residents' grass will be cut regularly.
A 4-foot swath of grass along the existing golf cart paths will be cut regularly to ensure the paths are walkable.
The whole property will receive rough-cut mowing two times each year, in a manner commonly referred to as “bush hog” mowing.

Residents should not cut grass on the county-owned property that abuts their property.

Future Park

Development of the future passive park consisting of walking and biking trails on the Westpark property will be informed by input from the public. In the coming months, Loudoun County will begin the public process that includes public information meetings for residents to learn more about park plans, as well as opportunities for residents to view and respond to design concepts. Informed by public input, the Board of Supervisors will approve a final design before any construction begins.

Stay Informed

County Purchase of Property

The county purchased the property for $3.8 million from a private owner who bought the land several years ago following the closure of the golf course. Loudoun County purchased the property on [closed date].
Note that the county did not purchase an 8.2-acre parcel on which the former Westpark Hotel is located. This parcel remains privately owned and any future development is subject to the Town of Leesburg’s regulations.

Conservation Easement & Environmental Benefits

The placement of property into a conservation easement imposes certain restrictions on the use of the land in the future. As a result, the former Westpark Golf Course land cannot be developed.
The easement restricts certain aspects of how the county maintains the property, such as limiting the number of times mowing may occur along Dry Mill Branch and Tuscarora Creek to three times a year. The easement also restricts the removal of trees and vegetation, allowing their removal only for reasons related to invasive species, dead or dying trees, or trees that pose a human health or safety hazard.
The Westpark property is expected to be valuable asset in Loudoun County’s ongoing environmental preservation efforts. The property can help the county meet environmental requirements from the Commonwealth of Virginia; thereby helping to mitigate the impact of other development throughout the county. Improvements on the property, such as wetland and stream restoration projects and enhanced stormwater management infrastructure, is expected to result in significant nutrient and sediment reductions that will benefit local water quality as well as result in outcomes that are environmentally beneficial.
Read the Conservation Easement Documents