War Over Paintball Parks In Loudoun

ALDIE, Va. (WUSA) -- A battle has been brewing between residents who live in the beautiful countryside of Aldie, Va. and Pev's Paintball Park.

Robert Nester says, "So much hollering and shooting pop-pop-pop all day long."

You can see Robert Nester's home from the 47 acre park off Route 15 in Aldie near Gilbert's Corner.

The park's owner bought the property, which is zoned for business. There are 8 fields with plans to build 6 more.

Loudoun County board of supervisors voted 8-1 this week to review the zoning ordinance to specifically look at restricting and possibly prohibiting future paintball parks from coming into western rural Loudoun County.

The Nesters and other family members say Pev's Paintball doesn't fit in with the rest of the rural landscape. And although reviewing the zoning ordinance won't help their case, they're fighting to preserve other parts of the county.

Nester says, "Sitting out on your porch or coming home from work, it's not what you want."

Megan Mack is the Park Director she says, "It's not too loud; we start at 10 and end at 6:30 or 7 p.m. It's within the noise perimeter."

Besides the noise factor, residents have complained since the park opened last June about unsightliness, and claims of the paint's harmful effects .

Mack says the paint is biodegradable and not harmful to the environment.

Mack says, "It's frustrating people assume, instead of asking, they make allegations."

In any case of "not in my backyard," there are sometimes winners and losers. Pevs Paintball, for now, will not be one of them. Residents say those who lose out will be new paintball parks who are thinking about coming to Loudoun County and residents who would rather not live close to a paintball facility.

Nester says, "I don't have anything against paintball parks, I use to go to them when I was younger. I just wish they could put up some trees to muffle the noise. We all gotta get along."

Pev's Paintball has been recognized by the Loudoun Convention and Visitors Association and the Virginia Tourism Corporation. The board of supervisors will look at revising the zoning ordinance in the next two months.