MIDCO Meeting Recording From 11/21/24:
MIDCO Recording From 10/18/24:
MIDCO Meeting From 9/19/24:
MIDCO Meeting Recording From 8/15/24:
MIDCO Meeting Recording From 7/18/24:
MIDCO Meeting Recording From 6/25/24:
The video of the meeting is available here: Water Water, will there be a drop to drink (youtube.com)
MIDCO Meeting Recording From 5/16/24:
MIDCO Meeting Recording From 4/18/24:
MIDCO Meeting Recording From 3/21/24:
MIDCO Meeting Recording From 2/15/24
MIDCO Meeting Recording From 1/18/24
MIDCO Meeting Recording From 11/16/23:
Note: the recording was started after the start of the meeting due to forgetfulness.
MIDCO Meeting Recording From 10/19/23:
MIDCO Meeting Recording From 9/21/23:
MIDCO Meeting Recording From 8/17/23:
MIDCO Meeting Recording From 7/20/23:
MIDCO Meeting Recording From 6/15/23:
MIDCO Meeting Recording From 5/18/23:
MIDCO Meeting Recording from 4/20/23:
MIDCO Meeting Recording from 3/16/23:
MIDCO Meeting Recording from 2/16/23:
MIDCO January 2023 Meeting Recording
MIDCO Meeting Recording From 11/17/22:
MIDCO Meeting Recording From 10/20/22:
MIDCO Meeting Recording From 9/15/22:
MIDCO Meeting recording from 8/18/22
MIDCO meeting recording from 7/21/2022:
MIDCO meeting recording from 6/16/22:
MIDCO Meeting Recap From 5/17/22:
The video recording is below.
The video recording is below.
MIDCO Meeting Recap From 4/21/22:
The recording from the meeting is below.
MIDCO Meeting Recap From 3/17/22:
First up was a presentation on the Update of the Mobility Chapter of Comprehensive Plan. Using a draft of a map titled “Roadway Segments for Consideration in the Thoroughfare Plan Update, February 17, 2022”, Jeter described the potential changes in roads that County staff had selected to analyze in the process of updating the Mobility Chapter. Among them were reductions of Vint Hill Road and Lucasville Road from four to two lanes, enlargement of Dumfries Road to six lanes, rerouting the Bi-County Parkway to Pageland Lane to and Gum Spring Road or Rt. 234 and Rt. 15 to connect to Loudon County and Dulles Airport. Charlie Grymes asked about the status of the Route 28 Bypass. Jeter noted that the Bypass had been in the Comprehensive Plan (CP), was voted out by the BOCS, and then was voted back in two weeks later. He noted that the Bypass would run along an existing stream, and impact homes along the route, including a trailer park. The environmental impact process has not been completed. Other potential changes marked in blue on the map included making Old Bridge Road six lanes (which it already is down to Smoketown Road) and the extension of Heathcote Boulevard as an alternative to Route 29. Grymes noted that an earlier proposal to extend Route 29 through the Manassas Battlefield Park had been rejected as unfeasible. Jeter said that county staff was also considering removing two roads from the CP, Station Street and Rollins Ford Road, in an area where data centers might be located.
Jeter then moved the discussion to the mid-County area and specifically the plan that was once in the CP but taken out nine years ago to widen Purcell Road to a four-lane divided highway and extend it to Prince William Parkway. If it were constructed, it could intersect the Parkway at the approximately 650-acre Delaney Tract. He indicated that the Transportation Department had put the proposal back on the table because Purcell is a dangerous road.
It was mentioned that safety could be improved with additional enforcement, decreased speed limits and other measures. It was pointed out that it would not only open the mid-county area to new development but would bring more through traffic to an environmentally sensitive area. It was also noted that numerous homes along the path would be affected, either losing property or their home.
Next was a look at the Update of the Housing Chapter of the Comprehensive Plan. Jeter noted that a number of things in housing policy have important effects on land use. Both Jeter and Grymes and others in attendance agreed that housing development should be transit-oriented to reduce congestion, reduce carbon emissions, and lower transportation costs and that public policy should encourage telework and walkable neighborhoods. Among the many proposals country-wide to foster affordable housing is a plan that permits homeowners to build Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) on their properties. ADUs would include such things as repurposed space in existing buildings, stand-alone units, and additions to the primary home. Its effect, by definition, is to increase the allowable density in the affected zoning category. Among the concerns regarding its use throughout the County is that it would foster increased density in areas not well-served by public transit and directly override local zoning restrictions. They could also circumvent septic system requirements. One attendee said that someone in her community had, with county permission, built a second home, presumably as an ADU that was larger than the original home on the same property over her objections and in violation of her HOA’s restrictions. Another way to foster the availability of affordable housing is to grant developers a density bonus for providing affordable units in their projects. However, in at least one case cited during the discussion, workforce housing units were proffered to be marketed for only six months, after which they reverted to market prices.
Below is a recording from the meeting. Unfortunately, we didn't start the recording until after the meeting started.
First up was a presentation on the Update of the Mobility Chapter of Comprehensive Plan. Using a draft of a map titled “Roadway Segments for Consideration in the Thoroughfare Plan Update, February 17, 2022”, Jeter described the potential changes in roads that County staff had selected to analyze in the process of updating the Mobility Chapter. Among them were reductions of Vint Hill Road and Lucasville Road from four to two lanes, enlargement of Dumfries Road to six lanes, rerouting the Bi-County Parkway to Pageland Lane to and Gum Spring Road or Rt. 234 and Rt. 15 to connect to Loudon County and Dulles Airport. Charlie Grymes asked about the status of the Route 28 Bypass. Jeter noted that the Bypass had been in the Comprehensive Plan (CP), was voted out by the BOCS, and then was voted back in two weeks later. He noted that the Bypass would run along an existing stream, and impact homes along the route, including a trailer park. The environmental impact process has not been completed. Other potential changes marked in blue on the map included making Old Bridge Road six lanes (which it already is down to Smoketown Road) and the extension of Heathcote Boulevard as an alternative to Route 29. Grymes noted that an earlier proposal to extend Route 29 through the Manassas Battlefield Park had been rejected as unfeasible. Jeter said that county staff was also considering removing two roads from the CP, Station Street and Rollins Ford Road, in an area where data centers might be located.
Jeter then moved the discussion to the mid-County area and specifically the plan that was once in the CP but taken out nine years ago to widen Purcell Road to a four-lane divided highway and extend it to Prince William Parkway. If it were constructed, it could intersect the Parkway at the approximately 650-acre Delaney Tract. He indicated that the Transportation Department had put the proposal back on the table because Purcell is a dangerous road.
It was mentioned that safety could be improved with additional enforcement, decreased speed limits and other measures. It was pointed out that it would not only open the mid-county area to new development but would bring more through traffic to an environmentally sensitive area. It was also noted that numerous homes along the path would be affected, either losing property or their home.
Next was a look at the Update of the Housing Chapter of the Comprehensive Plan. Jeter noted that a number of things in housing policy have important effects on land use. Both Jeter and Grymes and others in attendance agreed that housing development should be transit-oriented to reduce congestion, reduce carbon emissions, and lower transportation costs and that public policy should encourage telework and walkable neighborhoods. Among the many proposals country-wide to foster affordable housing is a plan that permits homeowners to build Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) on their properties. ADUs would include such things as repurposed space in existing buildings, stand-alone units, and additions to the primary home. Its effect, by definition, is to increase the allowable density in the affected zoning category. Among the concerns regarding its use throughout the County is that it would foster increased density in areas not well-served by public transit and directly override local zoning restrictions. They could also circumvent septic system requirements. One attendee said that someone in her community had, with county permission, built a second home, presumably as an ADU that was larger than the original home on the same property over her objections and in violation of her HOA’s restrictions. Another way to foster the availability of affordable housing is to grant developers a density bonus for providing affordable units in their projects. However, in at least one case cited during the discussion, workforce housing units were proffered to be marketed for only six months, after which they reverted to market prices.
Below is a recording from the meeting. Unfortunately, we didn't start the recording until after the meeting started.
Below is a recording from the February MIDCO meeting.
MIDCO Meeting Recap From 2/17/22:
First up we continued on the Pathway to 2040 Update of the Land Use Chapter of the Comprehensive Plan. There are a number of new concepts, including the use of bands of density called Transect Zones ranging from T-1A and T-1B to T-6 to indicate the transition in maximum densities. The maximum housing density in a T-1A zone would be 1-2 dwelling units per 10 acres while that in a T-6 zone would be 50-100 dwelling units per acre. Depending on the conditions attached to the use of the T-1A classification, this would mean that, on a 100-acre property there could be as many as 10 dwelling units, each on a 10-acre lot, or as many as 20 dwelling units if they were clustered on smaller lots, leaving the remainder as open space. It was noted that the required acreage for clustering had not yet been decided. Other changes include new Long-Range Land Use (LRLU) designations such as Agricultural and Forestry (AF), Residential Neighborhood (RN), Conservation Residential (CR), Neighborhood Mixed Use (NMU) and Community Mixed Use (CMU).
Jeter noted that the Semi-Rural Residential (SRR) classification in much of the mid-County area currently allows 1-5 acre lots with a recommended minimum average acreage per dwelling unit for the entire development of 2.5 acres. He said that the proposed inclusion of the mid-County area in the same LRLU classification (AF) and Transect Zone (T-1A) as the present Rural Area (RA), together with the proposal that Resource Protection Areas be excluded in calculating the densities of proposed developments, would be a reduction of allowable density in the mid-County area. This would help protect the Occoquan Reservoir and the tree cover in the environmentally critical mid-county area. There is a concern that these changes might lead to higher density in the RA, which MIDCO doesn't support. It was also noted that a key question is how the new LRLU classifications--which are only aspirational--translate into the Zoning Ordinance, which actually governs the allowable densities.
The discussion then turned to the New Special Planning Areas included in the draft of the updated Land Use Chapter. Jeter said that one of these would be the Government Center Activity Center, part of which would be on privately owned land along Asdee Lane, as well as the site of the old ball-park and the private parcel between the McCoart building and the Police and Fire stations on Davis Ford Road that is currently for sale. The proposed plan would allow for mixed-use housing and commercial there. He indicated that the land is very environmentally sensitive and includes Resource Protection Areas. He indicated a preference for making the area a park that takes advantage of the beautiful treed landscape. Mid-county is already lacking in parks.
During a brief discussion of the proposed Yorkshire Activity Center, there were concerns regarding flood control, mixed-use designations over park areas, and intensity given traffic issues on Rt. 28.
Next we discussed the proposed Data Center in Independent Hill- Potomac Technology Park.
Jeter noted that an application had been filed for a data center on a property in the rural crescent next to Prince William Forest Park. He said it was a bad place for a data center, because the property was the site of the historical Barnes farm, and there are Resource Protection Areas on it and it could be a much-needed north entrance to the park. He also mentioned that the site of the county poor house dating back to the 1700's was nearby and could be accessed by the new north entrance, which could also feature the Barnes family history. Kim Hosen added that the area is within the area Congress had designated for the park but that the government had not yet acquired. Moreover, they cover the headwaters of Quantico Creek. Hosen added that the property was every bit as important as the area on Pageland Road in the northern part of the County that is the primary subject of the controversy over data centers.
The final item on the agenda was the proposal by the International Central Gospel Church to build a new church at 5451 Davis Ford Road to be called the Transformation Temple International Church. The church recently filed its second submission to the County, which includes some changes. The major changes include a redesigned vehicle entry, an underground stormwater retention facility and an electronic sign. The left exit from the property would now be perpendicular to Davis Ford Road instead of angular, but there is still no left entrance into the facility as required by Prince William County. The stormwater facility would be under the parking lot. The electronic sign at the entrance would be approximately six-feet tall and twelve-feet wide. A number of concerns were voiced by the attendees, including traffic back-ups on Davis Ford Road; the need for U-turns on Davis Ford to access the facility from the east; continued skepticism that the relatively small septic field can serve a congregation of 200 or more; the viability of the septic field given the soil conditions of the property; the fact that it's unclear if the applicant has an agreement to access the public water line on Davis Ford Road; and the fact that the Virginia Department of Health won't assess the septic system until after the project is approved. Jeter suggested that residents concerned by one or more of these issues contact the Planning Commission, the BOCS, and/or county staff.
First up we continued on the Pathway to 2040 Update of the Land Use Chapter of the Comprehensive Plan. There are a number of new concepts, including the use of bands of density called Transect Zones ranging from T-1A and T-1B to T-6 to indicate the transition in maximum densities. The maximum housing density in a T-1A zone would be 1-2 dwelling units per 10 acres while that in a T-6 zone would be 50-100 dwelling units per acre. Depending on the conditions attached to the use of the T-1A classification, this would mean that, on a 100-acre property there could be as many as 10 dwelling units, each on a 10-acre lot, or as many as 20 dwelling units if they were clustered on smaller lots, leaving the remainder as open space. It was noted that the required acreage for clustering had not yet been decided. Other changes include new Long-Range Land Use (LRLU) designations such as Agricultural and Forestry (AF), Residential Neighborhood (RN), Conservation Residential (CR), Neighborhood Mixed Use (NMU) and Community Mixed Use (CMU).
Jeter noted that the Semi-Rural Residential (SRR) classification in much of the mid-County area currently allows 1-5 acre lots with a recommended minimum average acreage per dwelling unit for the entire development of 2.5 acres. He said that the proposed inclusion of the mid-County area in the same LRLU classification (AF) and Transect Zone (T-1A) as the present Rural Area (RA), together with the proposal that Resource Protection Areas be excluded in calculating the densities of proposed developments, would be a reduction of allowable density in the mid-County area. This would help protect the Occoquan Reservoir and the tree cover in the environmentally critical mid-county area. There is a concern that these changes might lead to higher density in the RA, which MIDCO doesn't support. It was also noted that a key question is how the new LRLU classifications--which are only aspirational--translate into the Zoning Ordinance, which actually governs the allowable densities.
The discussion then turned to the New Special Planning Areas included in the draft of the updated Land Use Chapter. Jeter said that one of these would be the Government Center Activity Center, part of which would be on privately owned land along Asdee Lane, as well as the site of the old ball-park and the private parcel between the McCoart building and the Police and Fire stations on Davis Ford Road that is currently for sale. The proposed plan would allow for mixed-use housing and commercial there. He indicated that the land is very environmentally sensitive and includes Resource Protection Areas. He indicated a preference for making the area a park that takes advantage of the beautiful treed landscape. Mid-county is already lacking in parks.
During a brief discussion of the proposed Yorkshire Activity Center, there were concerns regarding flood control, mixed-use designations over park areas, and intensity given traffic issues on Rt. 28.
Next we discussed the proposed Data Center in Independent Hill- Potomac Technology Park.
Jeter noted that an application had been filed for a data center on a property in the rural crescent next to Prince William Forest Park. He said it was a bad place for a data center, because the property was the site of the historical Barnes farm, and there are Resource Protection Areas on it and it could be a much-needed north entrance to the park. He also mentioned that the site of the county poor house dating back to the 1700's was nearby and could be accessed by the new north entrance, which could also feature the Barnes family history. Kim Hosen added that the area is within the area Congress had designated for the park but that the government had not yet acquired. Moreover, they cover the headwaters of Quantico Creek. Hosen added that the property was every bit as important as the area on Pageland Road in the northern part of the County that is the primary subject of the controversy over data centers.
The final item on the agenda was the proposal by the International Central Gospel Church to build a new church at 5451 Davis Ford Road to be called the Transformation Temple International Church. The church recently filed its second submission to the County, which includes some changes. The major changes include a redesigned vehicle entry, an underground stormwater retention facility and an electronic sign. The left exit from the property would now be perpendicular to Davis Ford Road instead of angular, but there is still no left entrance into the facility as required by Prince William County. The stormwater facility would be under the parking lot. The electronic sign at the entrance would be approximately six-feet tall and twelve-feet wide. A number of concerns were voiced by the attendees, including traffic back-ups on Davis Ford Road; the need for U-turns on Davis Ford to access the facility from the east; continued skepticism that the relatively small septic field can serve a congregation of 200 or more; the viability of the septic field given the soil conditions of the property; the fact that it's unclear if the applicant has an agreement to access the public water line on Davis Ford Road; and the fact that the Virginia Department of Health won't assess the septic system until after the project is approved. Jeter suggested that residents concerned by one or more of these issues contact the Planning Commission, the BOCS, and/or county staff.
MIDCO Meeting Recap From 1/19/22:
First up was a presentation on the Liberia Avenue- Prince William Parkway Activity Center by county planner Alex Vanegas. The proposed Liberia Avenue Activity Center is a 404-acre area including the Kline Farm Project and a strip of land on the east side of Liberia Avenue between Prince William Parkway and Richmond Avenue. He noted that the area was very diverse, with commercial, residential, and agricultural uses; a Virginia Railway Express station in Manassas Park; and several nearby cemeteries. Most of the land area of the plan are already developed and built or under construction except for the Kline Project area. The plan involves Transects of T-2 and T-3 for much of the Kline Project area. T-2 is single-family homes and T-3 means buildings up to five stories and up to twelve housing units per acre- basically townhouses or condominiums. There were no details as to what would actually be built on the Kline area.
There were many comments, many pointing out that the proposed plan doesn't fit with the surrounding community. It was noted that the consultants chosen to formulate a plan for the area were primarily experienced in urban development, possibly biasing the result. There were questions as to why this would be an activity center. It was mentioned that the boundaries seemed to be gerrymandered to capture the most intense development in the area, and that if they drew a circle around the Kline area it would capture a more accurate picture of the surrounding community. The comment that the area residents had been making clear for ten years that the housing density of the project should resemble the surrounding community, and this plan was even more intense than previous plans was made. It was pointed out that there is little prospect of easing traffic congestion, as the VRE station is two miles away, there is no public transit, and the county lacks the funds or right of way to improve Liberia Avenue or Yates Ford Road. It was suggested that Old Town Manassas is the Activity Center in the area, and this plan would extend urban sprawl along the Parkway. Others pointed out that the quality of life in the mid-county area had deteriorated greatly since they moved here, with the traffic congestion and travel times increasing, the amount of green space and wildlife habitat declining, and vacant retail space—particularly in Manassas Park—increasing.
Vanegas replied that the consultants worked on both semi-rural and suburban development and that the highest density in the plan was T-3, lower than the T-4 that the Kline Farm developer had proposed. He said that they had to deal with a long-range land use designation of CEC (Community Employment Center) for the property. To a question about the requirements or conditions or criteria for an Activity Center, he said there are none in particular, but the CEC is a consideration. To the question of why here, he mentioned that development had to go somewhere, and the rural area was out of bounds. He further stated that this is an area with shopping and other amenities.
The proposed Fairgrounds Activity Center was presented next. It is adjacent to the southwestern boundary of the City of Manassas. It includes the County Fairgrounds and the densely developed area across Rt. 234 where Old Dominion Speedway used to be. Vanegas led off the discussion of the proposed Fairgrounds Activity Center by noting that the Bradley Square residential development was interested in expanding beyond its present boundaries. As currently envisioned, the Activity Center would have transects mostly in the T-2 to T-3 range, meaning up to five stories and 12 units per acre. He noted that there were a number of cultural and historical properties that should be preserved, including the Bradley House, an armory, and several cemeteries. There were numerous comments to the effect that since the Fairgrounds are the oldest in the state and could be a showcase for county agricultural and horticultural products, it would be unconscionable to lose the venue. There could be a partnership with the City of Manassas or a public-private partnership to preserve the location.
A proposed map change for an area next to Signal Hill Park was presented briefly next. This is proposed for the corner of Signal Hill Drive and Manassas Drive. Jeter noted that this would put high density housing right next to Signal Hill Park. The general sentiment was that this type of intense development didn't belong in an area surrounded by a park.
In Conclusion, Jeter thanked Vanegas for coming to the meeting and answering some tough questions. He noted that all of the proposed changes to the Comprehensive Plan, including the proposed Activity Centers, were expected to be voted on at once by the Board of County Supervisors in April. Vanegas urged participants in the meeting to submit their comments to “Pathway to 2040” on the county website, pwcva.gov.
First up was a presentation on the Liberia Avenue- Prince William Parkway Activity Center by county planner Alex Vanegas. The proposed Liberia Avenue Activity Center is a 404-acre area including the Kline Farm Project and a strip of land on the east side of Liberia Avenue between Prince William Parkway and Richmond Avenue. He noted that the area was very diverse, with commercial, residential, and agricultural uses; a Virginia Railway Express station in Manassas Park; and several nearby cemeteries. Most of the land area of the plan are already developed and built or under construction except for the Kline Project area. The plan involves Transects of T-2 and T-3 for much of the Kline Project area. T-2 is single-family homes and T-3 means buildings up to five stories and up to twelve housing units per acre- basically townhouses or condominiums. There were no details as to what would actually be built on the Kline area.
There were many comments, many pointing out that the proposed plan doesn't fit with the surrounding community. It was noted that the consultants chosen to formulate a plan for the area were primarily experienced in urban development, possibly biasing the result. There were questions as to why this would be an activity center. It was mentioned that the boundaries seemed to be gerrymandered to capture the most intense development in the area, and that if they drew a circle around the Kline area it would capture a more accurate picture of the surrounding community. The comment that the area residents had been making clear for ten years that the housing density of the project should resemble the surrounding community, and this plan was even more intense than previous plans was made. It was pointed out that there is little prospect of easing traffic congestion, as the VRE station is two miles away, there is no public transit, and the county lacks the funds or right of way to improve Liberia Avenue or Yates Ford Road. It was suggested that Old Town Manassas is the Activity Center in the area, and this plan would extend urban sprawl along the Parkway. Others pointed out that the quality of life in the mid-county area had deteriorated greatly since they moved here, with the traffic congestion and travel times increasing, the amount of green space and wildlife habitat declining, and vacant retail space—particularly in Manassas Park—increasing.
Vanegas replied that the consultants worked on both semi-rural and suburban development and that the highest density in the plan was T-3, lower than the T-4 that the Kline Farm developer had proposed. He said that they had to deal with a long-range land use designation of CEC (Community Employment Center) for the property. To a question about the requirements or conditions or criteria for an Activity Center, he said there are none in particular, but the CEC is a consideration. To the question of why here, he mentioned that development had to go somewhere, and the rural area was out of bounds. He further stated that this is an area with shopping and other amenities.
The proposed Fairgrounds Activity Center was presented next. It is adjacent to the southwestern boundary of the City of Manassas. It includes the County Fairgrounds and the densely developed area across Rt. 234 where Old Dominion Speedway used to be. Vanegas led off the discussion of the proposed Fairgrounds Activity Center by noting that the Bradley Square residential development was interested in expanding beyond its present boundaries. As currently envisioned, the Activity Center would have transects mostly in the T-2 to T-3 range, meaning up to five stories and 12 units per acre. He noted that there were a number of cultural and historical properties that should be preserved, including the Bradley House, an armory, and several cemeteries. There were numerous comments to the effect that since the Fairgrounds are the oldest in the state and could be a showcase for county agricultural and horticultural products, it would be unconscionable to lose the venue. There could be a partnership with the City of Manassas or a public-private partnership to preserve the location.
A proposed map change for an area next to Signal Hill Park was presented briefly next. This is proposed for the corner of Signal Hill Drive and Manassas Drive. Jeter noted that this would put high density housing right next to Signal Hill Park. The general sentiment was that this type of intense development didn't belong in an area surrounded by a park.
In Conclusion, Jeter thanked Vanegas for coming to the meeting and answering some tough questions. He noted that all of the proposed changes to the Comprehensive Plan, including the proposed Activity Centers, were expected to be voted on at once by the Board of County Supervisors in April. Vanegas urged participants in the meeting to submit their comments to “Pathway to 2040” on the county website, pwcva.gov.
MIDCO Meeting Recap From 11/18/21:
First up was the International Central Gospel Church presentation. Olaun Simmons of Vanderpool, Frostick & Nishanian, P.C. introduced Pastor Arthur and Donald Schools, who accompanied him in discussing the changes in the proposal since it was first presented at an earlier MIDCO meeting in 2020. He said that the church, which currently meets at the Fulfillment Temple in Springfield, purchased the property on Davis Ford Road in 2019. The church members, now numbering 120, are seeking a Special Use Permit (SUP) to construct the new facility on the property, which is zoned A-1 (Agriculture). He said that since the earlier meeting, the church has dropped Phase II of the proposal, which would have included a recreational center, including a youth center and a gymnasium, purchased a strip of land bordering on Davis Ford Road needed to build a parking lot, relocated the entrance to the property, reduced the number of seats in the sanctuary from 250 to 208, and reduced the number of parking spaces from 122 to 81. The church also plans to save more of the existing trees on the property and plant some new ones. The property would have a septic drain field, a storm water pond, and would be connected to public water. In contrast to the earlier proposal, the church building itself would be a two-story, 18,000 square foot structure with a red brick, not white, exterior and would not exceed 38 feet in height.
Though welcoming these proposed changes, many of those in attendance remained concerned by a number of issues related to the proposal, the most serious of which being the effect on traffic. Although the applicants insisted they had been told that no right or left turn lanes would be needed, with only a short right lane taper being planned, this assertion met considerable skepticism. The planned left exit from the property would be adjacent to and parallel to the right turn entrance, requiring drivers to look over their shoulders to look for west-bound traffic on the road. Moreover, without a left turn entrance lane, west-bound traffic waiting to make a left turn into the church parking lot would hold up other west-bound traffic at times when east-bound traffic was heavy. Simmons’ response that parishioners would have to be instructed not to turn left into the church property but to make a U-turn further down the road so they could turn right into the church property was immediately countered by assertions that there was no good place to make a U-turn before Yates Ford Road. This was followed by a discussion of whether the Alford Valley intersection provided enough space for a U-turn, and whether it was fair to the residents there to put them in that situation.
The other major issue raised by the proposed church is whether the property is large enough to support an adequate septic field, particularly if the congregation grows, as expected, from 120 to over 200. As one participant pointed out, septic fields on lots of similar size were designed to percolate for a 4-5 bedroom house, not for a church with more than a hundred members. Moreover, at the earlier meeting on the proposal, it was suggested by the applicant that the capacity of the septic field could be enhanced by a holding tank that would release sewage gradually following periods of heavy use on Sundays. However, that possibility was not mentioned in the presentation and, when asked about it, Schools said that he wasn‘t aware of it. Adding to the concern over the adequacy of the septic field was the apparent failure of the revised proposal to deal with stormwater from neighboring properties. Several property owners said that rainwater from their properties frequently ran over Davis Ford Road and onto the proposed church property and one asserted that flooding could make a septic field inoperable.
Asked whether the proposal had already been approved, Jeter said that no decision had been made and that the application for the SUP would first have to go to the Planning Commission (PC) for a hearing and public input. The PC would then make a recommendation to the Board of County Supervisors (BOCS), which would then hold a public hearing before deciding whether to approve it. Simmons said the application might go to the PC in January.
Next the proposed Change in Magisterial Districts was discussed. Jeter noted that the state had put together a guidance describing widely accepted criteria for establishing the boundaries of magisterial districts within counties. Among them are that: the districts be of nearly equal population, that they deviate no more than 5 percent from the ideal district population, that they provide equal opportunities for racial and ethnic groups to be represented, and that they do not favor any political party. The BOCS recently voted unanimously not to establish an eighth district, as some members proposed. However, they did vote to change the boundaries of the existing seven districts so that their populations deviated by no more than 2.5 percent. The biggest changes involve moving some of the Coles District to the Occoquan District and adding some areas north of Manassas to the Coles District. The county is now taking comments (see County Redistricting on the county website) and has scheduled a hearing for December 21. One of the interesting effects of the redistricting is that it places more Occoquan District people next to the site of the Kline Farm Project (which is still in the Coles District).
Updates:
Data Center Overlay District—One of the most controversial issues in Prince William County at the present time is the proposed expansion of data centers into areas not now in the Data Center Overlay District. Among these areas are properties on Pageland Road north of Manassas and in Independent Hill next to Prince William Forest Park.. Largely motivated by the high prices being paid for land to build data centers (as much as $2 million per acre in Loudoun County), property owners on Pageland Road are joining together to sell land to data center owners. However, it is not clear how long data centers in their current form will be needed and how the buildings will be disposed of following their useful lives. It is still unclear what the county will do on this issue.
Earl M. Cunard Park--Some of the money proffered for the retail and residential development on Apollo Drive may be used for improvements in Earl M. Cunard Park behind the PWC Credit Union Building, even though the developer couldn’t be persuaded to proffer five acres to expand the park. A Starbucks drive-through is being built close to the park on Hoadly Road.
Gladney Heights--Near Gladney Drive, a developer wants to build four additional houses on or near the Resource Protection Area (RPA). They have applied to the BOCS for an easement over county property for access road close to Ravenwood Drive and Davis Ford Road.
Property on Davis Ford Road between Asdee Lane and Bacon Race Road--This 15-acre property, formerly part of the Purcell Farm, was recently sold, leading to speculation that the developer may seek to put housing there.
First up was the International Central Gospel Church presentation. Olaun Simmons of Vanderpool, Frostick & Nishanian, P.C. introduced Pastor Arthur and Donald Schools, who accompanied him in discussing the changes in the proposal since it was first presented at an earlier MIDCO meeting in 2020. He said that the church, which currently meets at the Fulfillment Temple in Springfield, purchased the property on Davis Ford Road in 2019. The church members, now numbering 120, are seeking a Special Use Permit (SUP) to construct the new facility on the property, which is zoned A-1 (Agriculture). He said that since the earlier meeting, the church has dropped Phase II of the proposal, which would have included a recreational center, including a youth center and a gymnasium, purchased a strip of land bordering on Davis Ford Road needed to build a parking lot, relocated the entrance to the property, reduced the number of seats in the sanctuary from 250 to 208, and reduced the number of parking spaces from 122 to 81. The church also plans to save more of the existing trees on the property and plant some new ones. The property would have a septic drain field, a storm water pond, and would be connected to public water. In contrast to the earlier proposal, the church building itself would be a two-story, 18,000 square foot structure with a red brick, not white, exterior and would not exceed 38 feet in height.
Though welcoming these proposed changes, many of those in attendance remained concerned by a number of issues related to the proposal, the most serious of which being the effect on traffic. Although the applicants insisted they had been told that no right or left turn lanes would be needed, with only a short right lane taper being planned, this assertion met considerable skepticism. The planned left exit from the property would be adjacent to and parallel to the right turn entrance, requiring drivers to look over their shoulders to look for west-bound traffic on the road. Moreover, without a left turn entrance lane, west-bound traffic waiting to make a left turn into the church parking lot would hold up other west-bound traffic at times when east-bound traffic was heavy. Simmons’ response that parishioners would have to be instructed not to turn left into the church property but to make a U-turn further down the road so they could turn right into the church property was immediately countered by assertions that there was no good place to make a U-turn before Yates Ford Road. This was followed by a discussion of whether the Alford Valley intersection provided enough space for a U-turn, and whether it was fair to the residents there to put them in that situation.
The other major issue raised by the proposed church is whether the property is large enough to support an adequate septic field, particularly if the congregation grows, as expected, from 120 to over 200. As one participant pointed out, septic fields on lots of similar size were designed to percolate for a 4-5 bedroom house, not for a church with more than a hundred members. Moreover, at the earlier meeting on the proposal, it was suggested by the applicant that the capacity of the septic field could be enhanced by a holding tank that would release sewage gradually following periods of heavy use on Sundays. However, that possibility was not mentioned in the presentation and, when asked about it, Schools said that he wasn‘t aware of it. Adding to the concern over the adequacy of the septic field was the apparent failure of the revised proposal to deal with stormwater from neighboring properties. Several property owners said that rainwater from their properties frequently ran over Davis Ford Road and onto the proposed church property and one asserted that flooding could make a septic field inoperable.
Asked whether the proposal had already been approved, Jeter said that no decision had been made and that the application for the SUP would first have to go to the Planning Commission (PC) for a hearing and public input. The PC would then make a recommendation to the Board of County Supervisors (BOCS), which would then hold a public hearing before deciding whether to approve it. Simmons said the application might go to the PC in January.
Next the proposed Change in Magisterial Districts was discussed. Jeter noted that the state had put together a guidance describing widely accepted criteria for establishing the boundaries of magisterial districts within counties. Among them are that: the districts be of nearly equal population, that they deviate no more than 5 percent from the ideal district population, that they provide equal opportunities for racial and ethnic groups to be represented, and that they do not favor any political party. The BOCS recently voted unanimously not to establish an eighth district, as some members proposed. However, they did vote to change the boundaries of the existing seven districts so that their populations deviated by no more than 2.5 percent. The biggest changes involve moving some of the Coles District to the Occoquan District and adding some areas north of Manassas to the Coles District. The county is now taking comments (see County Redistricting on the county website) and has scheduled a hearing for December 21. One of the interesting effects of the redistricting is that it places more Occoquan District people next to the site of the Kline Farm Project (which is still in the Coles District).
Updates:
Data Center Overlay District—One of the most controversial issues in Prince William County at the present time is the proposed expansion of data centers into areas not now in the Data Center Overlay District. Among these areas are properties on Pageland Road north of Manassas and in Independent Hill next to Prince William Forest Park.. Largely motivated by the high prices being paid for land to build data centers (as much as $2 million per acre in Loudoun County), property owners on Pageland Road are joining together to sell land to data center owners. However, it is not clear how long data centers in their current form will be needed and how the buildings will be disposed of following their useful lives. It is still unclear what the county will do on this issue.
Earl M. Cunard Park--Some of the money proffered for the retail and residential development on Apollo Drive may be used for improvements in Earl M. Cunard Park behind the PWC Credit Union Building, even though the developer couldn’t be persuaded to proffer five acres to expand the park. A Starbucks drive-through is being built close to the park on Hoadly Road.
Gladney Heights--Near Gladney Drive, a developer wants to build four additional houses on or near the Resource Protection Area (RPA). They have applied to the BOCS for an easement over county property for access road close to Ravenwood Drive and Davis Ford Road.
Property on Davis Ford Road between Asdee Lane and Bacon Race Road--This 15-acre property, formerly part of the Purcell Farm, was recently sold, leading to speculation that the developer may seek to put housing there.
MIDCO Meeting Recap From 10/21/21:
James Noel was first up with an overview of the Dumfries Road Senior Center (ex- Geisler Project) for the Franklin Johnston Group, which is the developer of the project. He said that the company specialized in developing luxury senior housing developments and had developed 40 properties with more than 6,500 housing units in many Virginia localities, including Newport News, Williamsburg, Woodbridge, and Norfolk. He said the company’s philosophy was to build for the long term, emphasizing quality, aesthetics, and sustainability.
Jonelle Cameron provided more detailed information on the planned development, which would contain 192 one and two bedroom housing units for residents 55 years or older. To build the project, the developer is seeking to change the long-term land use designation of the property on the county’s Comprehensive Plan (CP) to SRH (Suburban Residential High) and to rezone it to PMR (Planned Mixed Residential). By eliminating the retail center included in earlier applications, the developer reduced the estimated number of vehicle trips per day from 2,907 to 745.
In response to a suggestion that the number of daily vehicle trips might be underestimated because many people over 55 were still working, Jonelle responded that they used the accepted criteria to estimate the number of trips. Asked how long it would be before construction begins and when the project would be completed, she said that if the application were approved in April, it would take 8-10 months for site development, 13 months from the start of construction until the first residents moved in, and 24 months until the project was completed. She noted that the buildings would have elevators and that there would be some walking trails, a vegetable garden, a fitness center, game rooms, a 1,000 square foot area for resident gatherings, and possibly a place to charge electric vehicles. In response to a question regarding traffic from the nearby high school and fire station, she said that a new traffic light was not warranted by the project but a turn lane might be needed for left turns into the property. She said that the developer was considering the installation of solar panels on the buildings and looking at storm water management. Jonelle indicated that they had noted all the citizen input from this meeting and the previous one, and it would be considered when the plan was updated.
John McBride and Russ Forno, attorneys with Odin, Feldman & Pittleman, P.C., represented the developer, NVP, Inc., in describing the proposed 81.65-acre Kings Crest development, which would straddle Prince William Parkway near Coloriver Drive. There would be 55.98 acres and 25 homes north of the Parkway and 25.67 acres and 14 homes south of it. The average density on the north parcel would be 2.2 acres per house, and the south portion would be 1.8 acres per house. The development would require extending Finger Lake Way from the neighboring Hunter Ridge development, because access to the Parkway is limited. The common area would be protected by a conservation easement enforced by both the county and the home owners association (HOA). The north section would have a trail connection. More info is available under the "Current Projects" tab.
Martin Jeter asked Mr. McBride if he had reached out to the neighboring communities, particularly since there is a proposed connection to Hunters Ridge. McBride said that they had contacted the immediate neighbors. Jeter recommended they contact the HOA's and engage the surrounding neighbors. Several members of the Hunters Ridge HOA were present and then participated in the discussion of the Kings Crest project. They expressed concerns about whether the aesthetic and other standards of the project would be consistent with those of Hunters Ridge. For example, Hunters Ridge doesn’t allow front fences, limits rear fences to four feet in height, and forbids parking trucks in the street. McBride said that he was very interested in these issues and would consult the Hunters Ridge HOA and others. Jeter pointed out that the property was designated SRR (Semi-Rural Residential) in the CP, which carries a recommended density of 2.5 acres per home. He suggested that the developer consider lowering the density to at least meet that standard, thereby saving more trees for carbon uptake, protect the ground water and limit clearing in the sensitive area near the Occoquan Reservoir, thereby reducing silt and sediment pollution. McBride said they would look at it, but were proposing similar densities to what was nearby. Jeter thanked him for considering the suggestion, and noted that those other projects were built years ago, and the environmental situation had changed in recent years, including climate impacts and ground water conditions. The county doesn't have any accurate idea of the groundwater situation, so it makes sense to limit the usage as much as we can. Jeter also noted that the project is contiguous to the over 600-acre Delaney tract, and would help to set the stage for what would happen there.
Next Jeter called attention to the fact that a privately owned 49-acre strip of land lying between the McCoart Center and the police and fire stations on Davis Ford Road and stretching from the Parkway to Asdee Road is now being offered for sale. The county had tried to buy it 10 or 15 years ago, but couldn't come to an agreement with the owner on the price. The property was recently assessed at $5 million. After the Potomac Nationals left Pfitzner Stadium, a proposal was submitted to the county to build housing on both the privately owned parcel and some of the adjoining county land. Nothing came of that proposal and no other activity affecting the parcel was noted until it was put on the market recently. The property is heavily treed and environmentally sensitive, containing several streams with Resource Protection Areas and a family cemetery near the Parkway. Both Jeter and Jack Kooyoomjian favored encouraging the county to purchase it to complete the McCoart Center and provide for additional park area. Jeter urged residents who agreed to contact the BOCS.
Updates:
Traffic Facilities on Hoadly Road--A new traffic light is expected to be completed at the intersection of Hoadly Road and Queen Chapel Road by late 2022. A No-U-Turn sign will be installed at Lost Creek Drive.
Data Centers--The county is considering an expansion of the area within which data centers are allowed. Summaries of stakeholder meetings on the issue and a draft of the consultant's report are on the MIDCO website. The report says that Loudoun County retains advantages in attracting data centers, but doesn’t include important information, such as data centers expected lifetimes.
Solar Farms--A video is available about crops that can be grown on solar farms, including using vertical solar panels that can track with the sun. Go to: https://youtu.be/lgZBlD-TCFE
Turnover in County--Parag Agrawal, the county Planning Director, resigned recently; as did Patti McKay, the Brentsville Planning Commissioner; and Bill Milne, Chairman of the Planning Commission. County Executive Chris Martino is also leaving at the end of the year. Rebecca Horner is filling in as acting Planning Director and Don Taylor is temporarily serving as Chairman of the Planning Commission until elections in February. These resignations come at a time when the county is facing a number of crucial issues concerning land use, the Rural Crescent, data centers, and transportation. Tom Gordy will be the new Brentsville Planning Commissioner and Gwendolin Brown will serve Neabsco District to replace Bill Milne.
MIDCO Meeting Recap From 9/16/21:
First up was a presentation on the Independent Hill Project. Representative Joe Jacobs described the roughly 60-acre project, which would consist of a 35-acre commercial area zoned PMD (Planned Mixed District) south of Route 234 and east of Independent Hill Drive and would contain a 12-acre commercial center and a number of townhouses, and a 25-acre residential area zoned PMR (Planned Mixed Residential) next to Bristow Road on the south and Wolf Run Lane on the east. The project would contain 12 affordable housing units in addition to 50 market-priced townhomes and 150 single-family homes. The project would be fully encompassed by the Independent Hill Small Area Plan (SAP) recently adopted by the Board of County Supervisors (BOCS).
In the discussion following Jacobs’ presentation, Joe Fontanella, Planning Commissioner for the Coles District, noted that the maximum number of homes approved in the Small Area Plan for the property earlier by the BOCS was at least 30 less than Jacobs was proposing, but thanked Jacobs for coming to the meeting to discuss it (the range approved in the Small Area Plan for the area was from 44 units to 200, including existing homes). Jacobs said that affordable housing units were being placed in each of the housing areas rather than being concentrated in one building. He asserted that Code of Virginia 15.2-2305.1 required that the density of the project be calculated excluding the affordable units, although he acknowledged that the law was only applicable if a jurisdiction had adopted affordable housing rules, which Prince William has not.
Asked whether existing trees in the buffer on the Bristow Road side of the development would be preserved, Jacobs said they would be, but given that the widths of the buffers on both Route 234 and Bristow Road were a minimum of 50 feet, there were no plans to build a sound wall. He said that the townhouses would sell for about $400 thousand and the single family homes for $550-$620 thousand.
In answer to a question regarding the adequacy of parking in the project, Jacobs noted that some retail businesses required more parking space than others (e.g., restaurants vs. cleaners), so, by agreement with the home owners association, townhome residents could use the parking lot in the retail center for guest parking. Some of the single family homes would have pipe stem driveways with side load garages. In addition, parking would be permitted on both sides of the street, except on the street by the park.
Next was the Purcell Road Project. David Fehr, owner of Fehr Engineering, represented the developer in discussing the most recent developments in their housing project south of Purcell Road just east of its intersection with Kahns Road. He said that in response to community input, the developer had come up with a proposal to build only 22 instead of 32 homes- reducing the density to conform with Semi-Rural Residential recommendations- eliminated one incursion into the Resource Protection Area, and moved the access point to Purcell Road. However, the project has now encountered opposition from county staff, who are concerned with the access point on Purcell Road, citing county requirements for interparcel access, which dictate that the access be from Silent Wolf Drive. He indicated that one recourse for the developer is to obtain a waiver of the county’s Design and Construction Standards Manual (DCSM) requirements regarding the Silent Wolf Drive access.
Jeter asked whether the developer would go back to the 32-home version of the project if the access by Purcell Road is denied and noted that doing so would increase the density of the project above the 2.5-acres per home recommended for SRR (Semi-Rural Residential) zoning. The answer was yes. It was also pointed out that the Silent Wolf access would require two stream crossings.
George Phillips of the Prince William County Transportation Department then had the floor, and addressed the issues related to the access to the project. He said that he had met with county Watershed Management staff about the Silent Wolf Road access, and the county now agrees that in light of the additional incursion on the stream required by the Silent Wolf access, the best solution is for the applicant to submit data justifying an environmental waiver of the DCSM standards to allow access from Purcell Road, and that the county would support it. Mr. Phillips offered to the community that they could petition the county to eliminate the requirement for an inter-parcel connection on Silent Wolf Drive.
Jeter noted the safety issues on Purcell Road and urged the staff and the developer to work together to make the entrance to the project as safe as possible. Everyone agreed that the utmost care would be taken in the design requirements of the entrance to ensure the safety of the community.
Updates:
Kline Farm Project--Proposals to develop this 100-acre property at the intersection of Prince William Parkway and Liberia Avenue have been discussed for at least ten years, the first two under the name of the Pyramid Project. It has not been approved so far due to overwhelming community opposition to the housing density and overall intensity of the proposal. Jeter noted that, if the recently proposed change in the long-term land use classification of the property in the Comprehensive Plan (CP) to Community Mixed Use (CMU) is approved, it could have 8-story buildings, density as high as 24 homes per acre, and the total number of dwelling units over 400. These proposed changes are obviously much more intense and basically make it more of an urban design in a semi-rural area. The change in the property’s designation in the CP does not constitute a rezoning, but it does make a future rezoning to a much higher density and intensity much easier. This makes it very important for the community to be involved in the public hearings for the proposed CP changes.
Occoquan Reservoir Protection Overlay District--Some years ago, Fairfax County contributed to protecting the Occoquan by down-planning 41,000 acres of land and purchasing thousands more for parkland adjoining the reservoir. While it is too late for Prince William County to do the same, it can help prevent future harm to the reservoir by restricting development and implementing other protections in the watershed.
International Central Gospel Church--D. T. Naylor reported that VDOT had sold its property at 5451 Davis Ford Road to the church in May. Jeter noted that this did not mean that the application to build a new church had been approved, but will clear the way for the applicant to move forward.
MIDCO Meeting Recap From 8/19/21:
First up was the Occoquan Reservoir Protection Overlay District. Tom Smith began his talk with a brief description of his 37 years of service as an environmental engineer, mostly with the county’s Solid Waste Division where he rose to the position of Chief. He is now the Director of Public Works for PWC.
Due to a directive initiated by Yesli Vega, County Supervisor for the Coles District, and unanimously approved by the BOCS, he and his staff are studying the implementation of the Occoquan Reservoir Protection Overlay District.
A MIDCO committee issued a report on an overlay district in 2011. Focused on protecting one of the major public water sources in northern Virginia, the report recommended a number of measures to achieve that goal, including regulations to reduce pollution, enhanced buffers to prevent pollutants from entering streams and the reservoir, leaving slopes natural to limit erosion, leaving wetlands undisturbed, and limiting the density of development within the overlay district. The committee proposed that the overlay district itself consist, at a minimum, of the area in Prince William County within a mile of the midpoint of the reservoir from the dam in Occoquan to Route 234 on the Occoquan River and to the City of Manassas Park on Bull Run. (Fairfax County acted years ago to reduce pollutants in the reservoir by down-planning 41,000 acres of land and purchasing thousands more as parkland adjacent to the reservoir.) Martin Jeter presented a brief slide show on the committee report, emphasizing that the new regulations regarding Resource Protection Areas don't cover most of what the committee decided should be part of the overlay. He also recommended that the county look at what other jurisdictions have done as a guide, and that after the concept being in the Comprehensive Plan since 1998, the overlay is way overdue. He stated that MIDCO wants to work with the county, other civic groups and citizens to make the overlay a reality during the Comprehensive Plan Update. The PowerPoint presentation on the committee report is below.
The Department of Public Works is working with the U. S. Geological Survey on a study of ground water in the county and is guided by the goals for water quality and storm water management in the county’s recently updated Strategic Plan. One of the issues that is receiving increased attention is the increase in salt in the reservoir, which is a problem for treatment plants. The department is working on the salt issue with Virginia Tech, which received a grant to study it. As of now, the source of the salt increase is unknown. Salt on roads in the winter is one source, but salt runoff is increasing in the summer as well as in the winter. The department is working with the Occoquan Watershed Lab on this question.
Next up was the Greater Prince William Aspirational Trails Map presentation by Eileen Sheridan of the Greater Prince William Trails Coalition, which consists of a number of governmental and non-governmental organizations. Working with a grant from the National Park Service, the coalition has been gathering information on recreational and transportation trails for use in updating the county’s Comprehensive Plan. Sheridan presented one product of this data gathering, the Greater Prince William Aspirational Trails Map, which shows existing trails in brown, currently planned trails in orange, and aspirational trails--which exist only as possibilities in the minds of county residents--in red. An example of the latter is a proposed bike trail along Yates Ford Road. The coalition is soliciting input on additional aspirational trails- the map is available here: GPWTrails Aspirational Trails Map
In the discussion following Sheridan’s presentation, One attendee asked whether the large number of data centers being built affected the creation of trails in the county. Sheridan responded that there are areas where the land proffered by data centers for trails is surrounded by security fences. Other centers have proffered steep slopes and stream valleys not suitable for trails. But, in some cases, it is possible to build trails on the proffered land; for example, where gas lines run next to the road. The county has shown a preference for multi-use trails usable by bikes and horses as well as pedestrians.
Raising Cane’s Chicken Fingers Fast Food Restaurant was next. Jonelle Cameron and Brian Prater represented the Baton Rouge, Louisiana chain seeking to build this proposed new restaurant on the site of the recently closed Bar Louie restaurant on Liberia Avenue. Prater described the project, which would entail demolishing the existing building and replacing it with a smaller 3,000 square foot fast food restaurant that would have three drive-through lanes. Existing plant buffers would be retained. The primary food items offered would be chicken fingers and Texas toast, and the company prides itself on quick service, with a service time said to average 2.5 minutes.
The primary issues raised in the discussion of the proposed restaurant were related to traffic. One comment was that the location next to the Wawa service station was a “turbulent spot” and that other problems were likely to result from the three drive-through lanes going in a counter-clockwise direction. Other issues were the lack of direct access to the restaurant from Liberia Avenue or Signal Hill Road, and that cars coming from the north would access the restaurant through the crowded Walmart parking lot. Cameron responded that access would be similar to that of the existing restaurant, that a traffic study indicated the new restaurant would add only about 40 trips per hour at peak times and 26 at non-peak times, and that cars from the north would get to the restaurant by turning left at the driveway to Walmart. Prater noted that the project had been accepted by county staff for review in July, while Cameron said that no dates for the proposal to go the Planning Commission (PC) or the Board of County Supervisors (BOCS) for public hearings had been scheduled yet. Jeter recommended that residents stay involved with the process and make their concerns known.
Updates:
Purcell Road Project--Jeter noted that the applicant for this proposal for a new residential development south of Purcell Road and east of its intersection with Kahns Road has responded to a number of resident concerns, including by reducing the housing density, increasing the stream buffers and eliminating a public sewer line through along Silent Wolf Drive among other things. In response to community input at MIDCO meetings, the developer has redesigned their project for direct access to the development from Purcell Road. However, county staff are now insisting that it be accessed only from Silent Wolf Drive, citing requirements in the county Design and Construction Standards Manual (DCSM) for interparcel connections and safety concerns. The DCSM does allow for waivers to its requirements, in this case it would be an exception to the interparcel connection requirement. There are 58 homes on Silent Wolf Drive and its side roads that would be impacted by the increased traffic from making it the access route. Neither solution (Purcell Road or Silent Wolf access) is ideal, as Purcell Road in this area is curvy with limited sight-lines. Jeter noted that the project still had to go to the PC and BOCS to be approved and that residents of the area can be heard at the public hearings on the project. No dates for those meetings have been set at meeting time.
Kline Farm Project--Jeter observed that the developer’s proposal for a Comprehensive Plan map change to designate most of the 100-acre property at the intersection of Prince William Parkway and Liberia Avenue as CMU (Community Mixed Use) divided into transects with different levels of density has the potential to raise the permissible density of the project substantially. If approved, it could allow as many as 400-500 homes or more, 8-story buildings and up to 24 dwelling units per acre on the property. Many people thought the 250 homes proposed in the last version of the project that was deferred by the BOCS were already too many. If the map change is approved, the applicant would only need a simple rezoning to what the Comprehensive Plan would then recommend, and this would be hard to deny. Commissioner Fontanella noted that the designations sought by the developer were designed for Small Area Plans where high densities are considered desirable. He questioned whether it was allowable under the state proffer legislation.
| midco_august_powerpoint_v2.pptx |
MIDCO Meeting Recap From 7/15/21:
First up was a presentation on the new PWCSA Facility on Site of English Gardens Nursery. Don Pannell led off with a brief description of the history and role of the SA. After its beginnings as the Greater Manassas Sanitary District in 1964, the SA was chartered as an independent agency in 1983 to provide clean water and sewer services to the entire county. It is funded by rates and fees charged to its customers, not by taxes. It operates 2,200 miles of pipeline, using 22 storage tanks and 16 booster pumps. Based out of its auxiliary building at the County Complex, it has about 60 full-time employees. The major activities conducted at the 34-year old building include fleet maintenance, equipment repair, gravity sewer relining, emergency response, and equipment storage. With the rapid growth experienced by the county in recent decades, it has become necessary to increase the space needed for the SA’s activities, especially maintenance, and this would be better suited for an industrial area. Other criteria are that the new space should have an area of at least 10 acres, be centrally located, and access a major road. The English Gardens property, on Route 234 just south of Colgan High School, satisfies these criteria. After its previous owner rezoned 5.7 acres to O(F) (Office/Flex) and 6.2 acres to M-T (Industrial/Transportation) in 2018, it was acquired by the SA in 2019. Since then a home on the property has been demolished, fencing and lighting have been installed, and some pipe is being stored there. Construction of a new building on the property is planned to start in two years. As of now, there are no definite plans for the front of the property, which may be used for office space sometime in the future.
In the discussion that followed Pannell’s presentation, a number of issues were raised, including whether the SA was involved in storm water management (it is not; that is the responsibility of the county’s Public Works Department), whether an existing pond on the property will be retained (it will, as it had been proffered when the property was rezoned), whether extensions of sewers to new developments were paid for by taxpayers (no, they are paid for by developers), and whether there would be mitigation of light for nearby residential areas (yes, even though the property does not directly abut any residential properties).
Then, David Cuff, historian with the private non-profit Historic Prince William organization gave a presentation on The Keys and Kindsloe Farms. David has done extensive research on the farms, families, and cemeteries in Prince William County. He spoke about the Keys Farm that the county recently acquired and the historic farm next to it, both bordering the county landfill. In 1901, James Kindsloe purchased the 99-acre property (now 55 acres) from the Lynn family, who had previously purchased it from the Bacher family. Born in 1878, Kindsloe died in 1905. His grave, in a cemetery about 150 feet behind the farmhouse, is marked by a bronze grave marker manufactured by a company that closed in 1914 whose products were at one time sold by Sears and ranged in price from ten dollars to several thousand dollars. Stanley Keys, who purchased part of the property after James Kindsloe’s death, died on September 9, 1911.
In the discussion following Cuff’s talk, Jack Kooyoomjian noted that a 1901 map showing the Kindsloe property also showed the Barnes family farm discussed at last month’s MIDCO meeting and praised local historian and activist Bill Olson for his many years of identifying and helping to preserve cemeteries in Prince William County. Jeter noted that the county was in negotiations to buy the Kindsloe Farm next to the Keys Farm and said that it would be great to establish a park and/or historic area comprising both farms. He responded favorably to a suggestion by Lori Fenn that it be used for a farm museum and added his praise for the “incredible job” done by Bill Olson in preserving the county’s history.
Next we discussed a Proposed Comprehensive Plan Map Change in Comprehensive Plan for Kline Farm Project. Jeter described a recent request for a change in the long-range land use designation of the property in the Kline Farm project. In the most recent development proposal to go to the Board of County Supervisors (BOCS), approval of which had been recommended by the Planning Commission (PC) in 2019, 55 acres of the 100+ acre property were to remain designated CEC (Community Employment Center) and 45 acres were to remain designated SRR (Semi-Rural Residential). Action on the proposal was deferred on November 17, 2020 because work had begun on updating the Comprehensive Plan (CP). Then, on May 11, 2021, the applicant submitted to the Prince William Planning Office an “Application for Long-Range Land Use Map Changes During the Comprehensive Plan Update”. The application calls for changing the long-range land use classification of the roughly three-quarters of the property on the western end to CMU (Community Mixed Use) and that of the roughly one quarter of the property on the eastern end to PL (Public Land) and POSA (Public Open Space Active). It also calls for dividing the CMU area into transects indicated by the symbols T1 through T4 indicating the allowable density within the transect. For example, T2 would allow the same density as the SRL (Suburban Residential Low) designation and T4 would allow 8-24 dwellings per acre and five story buildings. The rationale for this change in long-range land use designations is that it would enable a better transition than the current CEC to SRR. An alternate change that would fit with the surrounding community better would be to simply change the CEC to SRL, which would mean 1-4 homes per acre on the western portion of the project.
Joe Fontanella, Planning Commissioner for the Coles District, led off the discussion by reporting that he and Supervisor Yesli Vega both thought the density resulting from the proposal would be too high. Jeter agreed and noted that, given the low percentage of people using public transit, the increased traffic resulting from higher density would overload Liberia Avenue, Yates Ford Road, the Parkway, Davis Ford Road and Old Bridge Road. He found it perplexing that, after years in which the successive proposals for developing the Kline Farm property at lower density were panned by the community, the developer would now propose much higher density.
Updates:
Updating The County’s Comprehensive Plan--It is not known when updating will be completed, but all chapters, including affordable housing, the Transportation Chapter, the CR (Conservation Residential) land use designation, and the Transfer of Development Rights (TDR) program, and the Sewer Chapter are to be done at the same time. A poll revealed the proportions of respondents placing high priority on specific aspects of CP: preserving rural areas, 25%; protecting trees and forests, 14%; preserving history, 11%; parks and recreation, 11%; environment, 8%; safety, 7%; mixed use areas, 5%; local jobs, 4%; other issues, 15%.
Data Centers--More than 500 additional acres for data centers are being sought in CP update. All use a lot of electricity and water, but the water is recycled. A typical data center offers around 50 jobs. In Prince William, overall taxes on data centers are about 50 percent lower than those in Loudoun County.
Geisler Property--Developers are seeking a change in the long-range land use designation for this part of this property from SRR to SRH (10-15 housing units per acre), but have not requested any change to their existing overall plan to construct housing for seniors.
Godwin Enclave--Developers of this property near the fairgrounds are also seeking an SRH long-term land use designation.
MIDCO Meeting Recap From 6/17/21:
First up was a presentation on the Barnes Family and Farm by Bill Backus, preservationist for the county. According to Backus, the Barnes house was constructed in 1797 and 1798 in Independent Hill within the path of today’s Route 234. In 1834 it was purchased by Moses and Nancy Copen, a wealthy family. Nancy and her daughter Permilia owned seven slaves in 1860, including Jane Barnes and her three children, one of which was Eppa. At the end of the Civil War in 1865, Eppa Barnes left Prince William County for West Virginia in search of better employment, although his mother remained. The Copens continued to live in the house for some time, after which they left and Amanda Lambert, a free African-American woman, moved into the house. Eppa Barnes, who had been successful in finding employment, returned to the farm to marry Amanda and eventually bought the property in 1899. This was one of the few known cases in which a former slave purchased the home of his former owner in Virginia. Despite widespread efforts to disenfranchise Blacks by enacting poll taxes and literacy requirements, Eppa remained a voter into the 1920s, dying in 1930.
Farmers did well during World War I and used their profits to buy land and equipment. Backus believes that the Barnes family may have owned as much as 300-400 acres at one time. However, when commodity prices fell sharply after the war, they were hurt badly. By the 1920s, the Barnes family was trying to get loans, for which their only collateral was the farm. They were unable to pay off the loans and Backus speculates that the farm was probably auctioned off. Some members of the Barnes family lived in the house until 1940. In 2004 when Route 234 was widened, the county purchased the house for $3 and moved it about 200 yards to the county landfill. In 2014 it was moved to its present location at the Montclair Community Library. It was restored in 2016 and opened to the public in 2019 on an appointment only basis.
In the discussion that followed Backus’ formal presentation, additional details of the Barnes family’s remarkable history were brought out. In response to several questions from Jeter, Backus said that some members of the Barnes family still lived in the area, mostly along Joplin Road, that the Barnes family is believed to have owned as much as 300-400 acres of land, including much of the 162-acre parcel that is partially planned for public facility/office in the Independent Hill Small Area Plan. In response to another question, Backus said that the Copen family had a cemetery near the Barnes house that is reported to have had four graves. Jeter noted that there had been a poor house/poor farm near the cemetery from the 1700's up until 1928.
Next was a presentation on the County Landfill. Bernie Osilka, an environmental compliance engineer with the Prince William County Solid Waste Management Division, described the massive effort, begun in 2015, to transform the Prince William County Landfill into a community resource designed both to guide the landfill in following the best practices in managing solid waste disposal and educating the public on the importance of the landfill’s programs. Covering about 1,000 acres of land, of which 383 acres consist of a permanent, largely forested, buffer, the landfill processes about 430,000 tons of waste per year (roughly 1,200 tons per day), of which about 30 percent is recycled. The currently used area is expected to be adequate until the 2030s, when Phase IV of the landfill’s development plan will be implemented. Part of that plan includes moving the main fill operation to the western portion of the property.
In order to protect groundwater in the surrounding area, several levels, including compacted soil at the bottom, a layer of synthetic clay, a plastic liner, and a soil protection layer are laid down before any waste is deposited in the landfill. The waste is then covered with an infiltration soil layer and another liner. To make certain that groundwater is being protected, the landfill has a groundwater monitoring program, including 19 monitoring wells, and an assessment monitoring program that analyzes water for 280 chemicals. Outside the landfill, water is sampled from Lake Montclair and nine stormwater basins. Finally, the wetland project at the landfill has involved stream location, the creation of five acres of wetlands, a 55 acre conservation easement, and the planting of 20,000 native trees and shrubs.
The landfill helps to protect air quality by monitoring and collecting landfill gas (largely methane) and either selling it to outside firms and other organizations or using it to produce electricity, part of which is consumed at the landfill. A power plant at the landfill produces 6.8 megawatts of electricity, enough to service 6,000 homes, most of which is used for heating and lighting buildings at the landfill. Some of the landfill gas is used to heat county facilities, including the fleet maintenance shop, the school bus garage, and the animal shelter. There are plans to install solar photovoltaic panels on capped sections of the landfill to generate additional electricity.
The educational projects underway at the landfill comprise a wide-ranging group of activities. Among these are an outdoor discovery trail that provides outdoor learning opportunities for students; the STEM (Science-Technology-Engineering-Mathematics) Education Center near the water tower that focuses on environmental protection; and partnerships with Catholic University, George Mason University, and Virginia Tech to collaborate on building design, programming, and research. They also include an organics project in conjunction with Freestate Farms at the Balls Ford Road Composting Facility, where composting has been conducted since the early 1990s.
A number of interesting features of the landfill were brought to light in the question-and-answer session that followed Osilka’s presentation, among them the fact that, because the landfill at present is unable to process all the methane collected, some of it must be flared; that the neighboring junkyard, though subject to some regulations, drains into the landfill, potentially causing issues; and that glass, because it cannot be easily separated from other recycled materials and there is no local facility to process it, is now collected in separate bins for shipment to North Carolina. In response to a question regarding smells from the landfill, newly appointed head of the Solid Waste Management Division Monica Gorman noted that efforts were made to control smells by covering trash daily, but did not totally eliminate them, especially on warm days. Asked whether broken glass was a problem, she said that it did not matter, as glass was crushed for use in building materials or melted down. While Osilka said that planting trees was not feasible on the mounds in the landfill because they have roots that would puncture the cap, Gorman noted that there were other options, including parks. Asked which materials were most economical to recycle, she said that cans and cardboard were most valuable, while plastics fluctuated greatly, and glass had little value.
Updates:
Thoroughfare community—At its June 15 meeting, the BOCS approved spending $765,000 for historical preservation and interpretation, initiated amendments to the Zoning Ordinance and Design and Constructions Standards Manual to protect historic and cultural resources. Outreach to the community is planned. Historic District designation primarily protects buildings- not land.
Data Centers-- County is requesting recommended changes to the Comprehensive Plan. Village Place in Gainesville was approved for a change from mixed-use to a data center.
Prince William County Strategic Plan—The Board of County Supervisors (BOCS) was scheduled to discuss the Strategic Plan on June 22.
MIDCO Meeting Recap From 5/20/21:
First up was the Elm Street Company Independent Hill Project. The development, which would occupy about 60 acres on the southeast corner of the intersection of Dumfries Road and Independent Hill Drive, would include much of the area within the Independent Hill Small Area Plan recently approved by the BOCS. The part of the property immediately adjacent to the intersection would contain a retail center, office space, parking, and a small linear park. To the east would be another linear park, a stormwater retention pond, some open space, as many as 225 townhomes and single family homes, and 220,000 square feet of commercial space. The Small Area Plan has a range of 44 housing units to 200, with a median of 122, so the project has significantly more density than what the BOCS and county staff decided made sense there. There would be four entrances to the property, the two on Dumfries Road being right-in, right-out and the other two on Independent Hill Drive. Buffers would be 50 feet wide except for along the retail center, where they would be only about 20 feet. The plan would retain only 1.9 percent of the hardwood forest now on the property.
Kim Hosen, Executive Director of the Prince William Conservation Alliance, spoke briefly about a proposal to locate a data center on the nearby 162 acres that is part of the Small Area Plan. She noted that the property across the road from that heavily forested property was in the Data Center Overlay District and would be a better location for the data center. Jeter agreed, noting that the 162 acre property also could contain some of the land owned by the Barnes family, former slaves who eventually acquired some 300 acres in the area and whose home was in the way of Rt. 234 and was later moved to Montclair Library. He expressed the hope that since the county had designated 120 acres of the land for parkland, we could return the Barnes home to its original location, and open a north entrance to PWFP.
Next we discussed Davis Ford Park. The land for this proposed park near the intersection of Davis Ford Road and River Forest Drive was the site of the Occoquan Forest sewage treatment facility and has been undergoing remediation by the Prince William County Service Authority (PWCSA) in order to be turned over to the county on June 15. A county committee appointed a number of years ago to study its potential uses recommended that it be made into a passive use park. Occoquan District Supervisor Kenny Boddye is planning to again engage area residents for input for the formulation of a master plan for the park. It will probably be more than a year before the park will be open for public use.
Then we reviewed the Prince William County Strategic Plan. Every four years the county prepares a Strategic Plan, which is intended to provide guidance at the highest level for service delivery and resource allocation decisions. Jeter, who is the Coles District’s member of the Strategic Plan development team discussed some of the objectives, action strategies, and key performance measures that the team deemed important in achieving its seven broad goals for the county over the years 2021-2024. The goals are: (1) Health, Wellbeing & Human Services; (2) Safe & Secure Community; (3) Resilient Economy; (4) Quality Education & Workforce Development; (5) Environmental Conservation; (6) Sustainable Growth; and (7) Transportation & Mobility. He said that his biggest contributions had been in the environmental conservation and sustainable growth goals in the plan. He indicated that the committee worked well as a team and even became friends. The plan includes strong action strategies to protect and enhance tree cover, for stream and watershed protection and to mitigate and prevent flooding issues. Other objectives within the sustainable growth goal are access to transit, protection of rural areas, and protecting and studying history. He added that a committee would be formed to monitor progress on the goals of the strategic plan.
There was a discussion on the county continuing with road construction as the primary way to move people in the future. Basically, the question is can we ever build our way out of continuing congestion if we continue the current paradigm of constructing thousands of new housing units in the outer suburbs each year and trying to keep up with additional lane miles? Will transit ever be viable? Will significant telework endure? What effect will autonomous cars have on commuting? The Strategic Plan recommends that the BOCS have staff study these trends and issues as we move forward with mobility planning.
Then we looked into the Rural Area Plan. In recent months, the county has been again reviewing the recommendations of the 2014 Rural Preservation Study At its March 17, 2021 meeting, it approved the use of a Purchase of Development Rights (PDR) program as a tool to protect land in the Rural Area (RA), while sending proposals for Transfers of Development Rights (TDR), Conservation Residential zoning, an interconnected open space vision, funding for an agribusiness staff position, preserving burial grounds, the possible selection of areas outside the RA for the PDR program, a funding mechanism for the PDR program, the choice of sending areas for a TDR program, and a rural cluster ordinance back to staff for further consideration. Jeter said that copies of the directives were not yet available. He noted that, depending on where they were, TDR sending areas could increase density in the mid-county area. Kim Hosen said that clustering, which is already an option in mid-county, would be good if it doesn’t increase density, but density and access to public sewer remain major issues in the RA.
On to Data Centers. Over the past decade, Prince William County, like other localities, has sought to attract data centers, largely as a source of tax revenue. Recently, however, skepticism has arisen regarding the net benefits of such facilities, particularly in the long run. Jeter reported on a tour of the Iron Mountain Data Center of Northern Virginia in Manassas taken the previous week at the invitation of the PWCA. The center employs a closed water circulation system for cooling, unlike some other data centers that have open systems that use vast quantities of water. It has a detention pond to collect run-off from the roof and parking lot and hold the water until it returns to the ground. They plan for solar panels on the roof to provide at least some of the electricity required. The tour guide indicated that the facility has a useful life of about 15 years. Jeter also noted that, because the walls of the data center he visited are made of concrete round two feet thick, it would be expensive to demolish for re-use of the property. Another negative feature of data centers discussed at the meeting was the noise arising from running diesel generators periodically and the continuous humming from power lines. Because of these concerns and because the increase in jobs from attracting data centers to the county is largely associated with their construction rather than their operation, most of those participating in the discussion appeared to feel that the BOCS should carefully weigh the costs and benefits before expanding the overlay district within which data centers can be established by right and avoid placing them in environmentally sensitive areas.
MIDCO Meeting Recap From 4/15/21:
First up was the Word of Faith Ministries International Church. In seeking a Special Use Permit (SUP) to establish the church, the applicant has separated the project into two phases. The first involves planting a buffer around three sides of the 1.2 acre property to meet county requirements and upgrading the existing 2,800 square foot structure, currently a veterinary hospital, to accommodate a 60-person congregation. The second phase, to be completed at some indefinite time in the future, would involve replacing the existing structure with a 9,100 square foot facility and enlarging parking to accommodate the projected congregation of 160. Among the factors delaying the second phase is the need to connect to public water and sewer, neither of which is now available at the site.
In response to questions from those in attendance, the applicant said that the property lies between the 7-11 store and an existing two-story brick building, which may have been used in the past as a pre-school facility. The landscaping of the property will be laid out in the site plan. A transportation plan worked on by the applicant indicates that 100-foot deceleration and turn lanes on Route 234 will be required for the first phase of the project, to be enlarged to 200 feet in the second phase. No traffic light will be required at the site-the entrance will be right-in-right-out. A suggestion was made to have an inter-property connection with a neighboring church so that they can share parking space, which would be a cost-saving measure.
Next was the re-introduction of the Prince William Parks Foundation. Ruth Anderson, formerly a member of the Prince William County Historical Commission and County Supervisor for the Occoquan District and now chair of the Prince William Parks Foundation (PWPF), presented a brief overview of the Foundation’s history and ongoing activities. She was accompanied by Seth Hendler-Voss, Director of the Department of Parks, Recreation, and Trails (DPRT), who has worked with her frequently in the past in promoting parks in the county. Started in January 2010, PWPF was reorganized with a new board in 2020 and updated its Memorandum of Understanding in 2021. It now serves as a fund-raising arm for the DPRT, with the mission of inspiring and advocating for the use and sustainability of Prince William County’s parks, recreation, and trails programs. Its guiding principle is that everyone should have opportunities to play, recreate, and experience nature. Its primary goal is to establish itself as a resource and support system for parks and recreation, which involves fund-raising, developing a process to select projects to support, and developing programs and activities to educate the public about the benefits of parks. A recent example of such efforts was the grant obtained by director Carolyn Custard for fellowships to enable children to participate in park educational programs, which led to the PWPF’s Count-Me-In scholarship program. The PWPF is now in the process of developing more specific goals, performance measures, and a website. Questions and suggestions can be submitted to [email protected].
MIDCO President Jeter warmly praised Anderson’s presentation and pledged MIDCO’s willingness to help establish new parks and improve access to them. Lori Fenn also praised the goals of PWPF but asked why funding for parks has not risen proportionately with population. Hendler-Voss responded that DPRT’s new Level of Service strategy was a shift in emphasis from parks per capita to meeting the needs of specific neighborhoods and was designed to achieve the equity goal of providing all with parks within a 10-minute walk. The focus is now more on quality than quantity and on caring for existing parks as well as adding new acreage. He said that he was excited that the recent bond referendum had passed, noting that more people use Prince William parks than any other recreational provider. Jeter asked whether PWPF would acquire land and turn it over to the county. Anderson said that PWPF wanted to be able to receive land, while Hendler-Voss noted that it would not be a holder of easements or land but could turn it over to the county. In response to a comment about Doves landing park, Hendler-Voss said that funding was now available for the DovesLanding additional land and improvements, and that there were plans to connect Doves Landing with the new Sinclair Mill Park, eventually with a bridge over the Occoquan. However, opening Davis Ford Park will require some basic improvements, including parking, comfort stations, and trails, at a cost of about $250,000. Funding is not yet provided for in the county’s Capital Improvement Plan.
Jeter pointed out that a "Poor House" existed in Independent Hill near or on the 162-acre parcel under consideration for commercial or office use. This facility was used from the 1700's to the 1930's as a place where old or indigent residents with no place to live would go to work in return for room and board. More research needs to be done on the exact location of the facility.
Then we discussed concerns about heavy equipment at the northern area of the landfill on Rt. 234. Jeter looked into this and found that the equipment is being used for drilling in connection with groundwater monitoring.
Updates:
Rural Preservation Study--At its March 17 meeting, the PC recommended the use of Purchases of Development Rights (PDRs), but not Transfers of Development Rights (TDRs). It also opposed cluster developments with public sewers in the Rural Crescent (CR-1). The three items go to the BOCS for a Public Hearing on May 4th.
First up was the Word of Faith Ministries International Church. In seeking a Special Use Permit (SUP) to establish the church, the applicant has separated the project into two phases. The first involves planting a buffer around three sides of the 1.2 acre property to meet county requirements and upgrading the existing 2,800 square foot structure, currently a veterinary hospital, to accommodate a 60-person congregation. The second phase, to be completed at some indefinite time in the future, would involve replacing the existing structure with a 9,100 square foot facility and enlarging parking to accommodate the projected congregation of 160. Among the factors delaying the second phase is the need to connect to public water and sewer, neither of which is now available at the site.
In response to questions from those in attendance, the applicant said that the property lies between the 7-11 store and an existing two-story brick building, which may have been used in the past as a pre-school facility. The landscaping of the property will be laid out in the site plan. A transportation plan worked on by the applicant indicates that 100-foot deceleration and turn lanes on Route 234 will be required for the first phase of the project, to be enlarged to 200 feet in the second phase. No traffic light will be required at the site-the entrance will be right-in-right-out. A suggestion was made to have an inter-property connection with a neighboring church so that they can share parking space, which would be a cost-saving measure.
Next was the re-introduction of the Prince William Parks Foundation. Ruth Anderson, formerly a member of the Prince William County Historical Commission and County Supervisor for the Occoquan District and now chair of the Prince William Parks Foundation (PWPF), presented a brief overview of the Foundation’s history and ongoing activities. She was accompanied by Seth Hendler-Voss, Director of the Department of Parks, Recreation, and Trails (DPRT), who has worked with her frequently in the past in promoting parks in the county. Started in January 2010, PWPF was reorganized with a new board in 2020 and updated its Memorandum of Understanding in 2021. It now serves as a fund-raising arm for the DPRT, with the mission of inspiring and advocating for the use and sustainability of Prince William County’s parks, recreation, and trails programs. Its guiding principle is that everyone should have opportunities to play, recreate, and experience nature. Its primary goal is to establish itself as a resource and support system for parks and recreation, which involves fund-raising, developing a process to select projects to support, and developing programs and activities to educate the public about the benefits of parks. A recent example of such efforts was the grant obtained by director Carolyn Custard for fellowships to enable children to participate in park educational programs, which led to the PWPF’s Count-Me-In scholarship program. The PWPF is now in the process of developing more specific goals, performance measures, and a website. Questions and suggestions can be submitted to [email protected].
MIDCO President Jeter warmly praised Anderson’s presentation and pledged MIDCO’s willingness to help establish new parks and improve access to them. Lori Fenn also praised the goals of PWPF but asked why funding for parks has not risen proportionately with population. Hendler-Voss responded that DPRT’s new Level of Service strategy was a shift in emphasis from parks per capita to meeting the needs of specific neighborhoods and was designed to achieve the equity goal of providing all with parks within a 10-minute walk. The focus is now more on quality than quantity and on caring for existing parks as well as adding new acreage. He said that he was excited that the recent bond referendum had passed, noting that more people use Prince William parks than any other recreational provider. Jeter asked whether PWPF would acquire land and turn it over to the county. Anderson said that PWPF wanted to be able to receive land, while Hendler-Voss noted that it would not be a holder of easements or land but could turn it over to the county. In response to a comment about Doves landing park, Hendler-Voss said that funding was now available for the DovesLanding additional land and improvements, and that there were plans to connect Doves Landing with the new Sinclair Mill Park, eventually with a bridge over the Occoquan. However, opening Davis Ford Park will require some basic improvements, including parking, comfort stations, and trails, at a cost of about $250,000. Funding is not yet provided for in the county’s Capital Improvement Plan.
Jeter pointed out that a "Poor House" existed in Independent Hill near or on the 162-acre parcel under consideration for commercial or office use. This facility was used from the 1700's to the 1930's as a place where old or indigent residents with no place to live would go to work in return for room and board. More research needs to be done on the exact location of the facility.
Then we discussed concerns about heavy equipment at the northern area of the landfill on Rt. 234. Jeter looked into this and found that the equipment is being used for drilling in connection with groundwater monitoring.
Updates:
Rural Preservation Study--At its March 17 meeting, the PC recommended the use of Purchases of Development Rights (PDRs), but not Transfers of Development Rights (TDRs). It also opposed cluster developments with public sewers in the Rural Crescent (CR-1). The three items go to the BOCS for a Public Hearing on May 4th.
MIDCO Meeting Recap From 3/18/21:
First we had a presentation on the Purcell Road Project. The applicant began by noting that the proposal had undergone substantial revisions since he presented the original version to MIDCO in February 2019. The number of homes had been reduced from 52 to 22, the plan no longer calls for bringing public water and sewer along Silent Wolf Drive, and the entrance to the community would now be onto Purcell Road rather than Kahns Road. Each house would have its own well and septic field and there would be a backup reserve field in case one or more of them failed, as required by code. The amount of open space was increased and would be owned by the homeowners association. There would be a minimum 50-foot treed buffer around the entire project. Most of those in attendance gave the revised proposal a warm reception, although some expressed concerns about the traffic and sightlines for the entrance along Purcell Road. The applicant noted that the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) would weigh in on the safety issues of the entrance before the application was approved.
Next we had a presentation on the Update of the Land Use Chapter of the Comprehensive Plan. Alex Vanegas, planner and former member of the Prince William County Planning Commission, described the ongoing process of updating the county’s Comprehensive Plan (CP). The CP, which is being updated for the first time since 2008, is a blueprint for future growth and development in the county that is designed to guide land use and economic development decisions. In addition to Land Use, it contains chapters on Development, Housing, Mobility, Safe and Secure Communities (including fire and police protection), Utilities, Community Education, Conservation and Preservation, and Parks, Recreation, and Tourism. The Land Use chapter includes the long-range land use designations reflecting current judgements of the best feasible uses of land over the next several decades and avoiding as much as possible the location of incompatible uses next to one another. It also includes more detailed plans for specific areas, such as the Yorkshire Small Area Plan, the Fairgrounds Sector Plan, and the Bethlehem Road Sector Plan. One of the important issues is how to align Land Use and Transportation in activity centers such as Potomac Mills, Route 234, the Sudley Road Corridor, and Route 1 from Marumsco Plaza down to Neabsco. Others are affordability of housing, accommodations for seniors, maintaining the ambiance of communities like Yorkshire, environmental justice, community design strategies, and sustainability.
Currently, county planning staff are reviewing existing conditions within the county, having met with the Board of County Supervisors (BOCS) and Planning Commission (PC). Next will be meetings to introduce the CP update process to the public. These will be followed by a second community engagement in June, public review, and work sessions to iron out the details. The process is complicated by ongoing change, including population growth from 467,000 in 2020 to a projected 569,300 in 2040, technological change that could make currently favored data centers obsolete within a decade, changes in legislation like the proffer laws, and the impact of COVID-19 on the office market. The meetings to introduce the update process to the public will be held on March 23 for the eastern part of the county, March 24 for the central part, and March 25 for the western part. Based on data from those meetings—as well as interviews, surveys, and polls—materials will be prepared and coordinated for the second round of community engagement meetings. Comments may be sent to [email protected]. An overview of the update process can be found at [email protected]. Vanegas estimated that a draft of the CP Update might be available by June or July.
A question arising during the discussion of the CP Update was whether a data center proposed for the southwestern part of the county along Route 234 was incompatible with the Prince William Forest Park, Vanegas replied that there were many things to be considered, including history, environmental effects, and other factors beyond tax dollars. Asked whether the county consulted with the City of Manassas on projects near the city's boundary, he replied that it did. He also said that the county was working with Manassas Park on issues affecting Yorkshire and with Dumfries on a Small Area Plan. In response to a question regarding the meaning of environmental justice, he said that it was left to the community to decide. Asked where data centers could be located, he said within the Data Center Opportunity Overlay District and possibly by Special Use Permit outside the district, although such uses are usually not approved. There was discussion emphasizing the importance of protecting Prince William Forest Park, including an area within the boundary established by Congress but not yet acquired, from incompatible uses. For example, Jack Kooyoomjian cited the park’s function in protecting Quantico Creek, its exotic plants, and its large stand of Piedmont forest, while Jeter noted that it had been founded as a demonstration area to let poor children from the city experience nature. A number of those in attendance also favored the establishment of a north entrance to the park to make it more accessible for the rest of the county.
Updates:
Strategic Plan--Jeter, who is the Coles District representative on the team updating the county’s Strategic Plan, said that a draft had been completed and would be ready to go public in a month or two. He said that it would contain strong language on environmental protection and sustainable growth and agreed with a questioner that it needed tight and concise language.
Independent Hill Small Area Plan--Jeter observed that while it was not what most residents had hoped for, the latest version of the plan was better than the original, with the number of housing units reduced from over 600, including five-story buildings, to a range of 45 to 200, with no more than 180 new single family homes. He expressed optimism that there might be a north entrance to Prince William Forest Park within the area of the plan.
He also pointed out that, although it was disappointing that some recent projects like the Reserve at Long Branch were approved, citizen input made them better than they would have been. He urged folks to not become disillusioned and to keep taking part in their government.
Purchases of Development Rights (PDRs) in the Rural Crescent (RC)--The PC recommended that PDRs, overseen by the county, be used as a tool to protect land in the RC. However, it recommended against the use of Transfer of Development Rights program (TDRs), in part because they are so complicated and unruly. It also recommended against the approval of cluster developments with sewers in the RC (Conservation Residential).
Distribution Centers--These are large buildings of various sizes ranging from 5,000 square feet to 50.000 square feet or more that companies like Amazon use to temporarily house products for delivery within the local area. There is a proposal to expand the overlay area within which they are permitted to include an area on Route 234 including the Parsons Business Park. (They are already permitted in some of the Parsons area because of existing zoning.) No hearings on the proposal have been set as of now.
International Central Gospel Church--There is nothing new on this project other than the fact that the county has abandoned the strip of property needed by the church for its parking lot and the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) has said that it would sell it only to the contiguous property owner behind the property in question (i.e., the church).
Kline Farm Project--Nothing new; applicant waiting for CP Update.
First we had a presentation on the Purcell Road Project. The applicant began by noting that the proposal had undergone substantial revisions since he presented the original version to MIDCO in February 2019. The number of homes had been reduced from 52 to 22, the plan no longer calls for bringing public water and sewer along Silent Wolf Drive, and the entrance to the community would now be onto Purcell Road rather than Kahns Road. Each house would have its own well and septic field and there would be a backup reserve field in case one or more of them failed, as required by code. The amount of open space was increased and would be owned by the homeowners association. There would be a minimum 50-foot treed buffer around the entire project. Most of those in attendance gave the revised proposal a warm reception, although some expressed concerns about the traffic and sightlines for the entrance along Purcell Road. The applicant noted that the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) would weigh in on the safety issues of the entrance before the application was approved.
Next we had a presentation on the Update of the Land Use Chapter of the Comprehensive Plan. Alex Vanegas, planner and former member of the Prince William County Planning Commission, described the ongoing process of updating the county’s Comprehensive Plan (CP). The CP, which is being updated for the first time since 2008, is a blueprint for future growth and development in the county that is designed to guide land use and economic development decisions. In addition to Land Use, it contains chapters on Development, Housing, Mobility, Safe and Secure Communities (including fire and police protection), Utilities, Community Education, Conservation and Preservation, and Parks, Recreation, and Tourism. The Land Use chapter includes the long-range land use designations reflecting current judgements of the best feasible uses of land over the next several decades and avoiding as much as possible the location of incompatible uses next to one another. It also includes more detailed plans for specific areas, such as the Yorkshire Small Area Plan, the Fairgrounds Sector Plan, and the Bethlehem Road Sector Plan. One of the important issues is how to align Land Use and Transportation in activity centers such as Potomac Mills, Route 234, the Sudley Road Corridor, and Route 1 from Marumsco Plaza down to Neabsco. Others are affordability of housing, accommodations for seniors, maintaining the ambiance of communities like Yorkshire, environmental justice, community design strategies, and sustainability.
Currently, county planning staff are reviewing existing conditions within the county, having met with the Board of County Supervisors (BOCS) and Planning Commission (PC). Next will be meetings to introduce the CP update process to the public. These will be followed by a second community engagement in June, public review, and work sessions to iron out the details. The process is complicated by ongoing change, including population growth from 467,000 in 2020 to a projected 569,300 in 2040, technological change that could make currently favored data centers obsolete within a decade, changes in legislation like the proffer laws, and the impact of COVID-19 on the office market. The meetings to introduce the update process to the public will be held on March 23 for the eastern part of the county, March 24 for the central part, and March 25 for the western part. Based on data from those meetings—as well as interviews, surveys, and polls—materials will be prepared and coordinated for the second round of community engagement meetings. Comments may be sent to [email protected]. An overview of the update process can be found at [email protected]. Vanegas estimated that a draft of the CP Update might be available by June or July.
A question arising during the discussion of the CP Update was whether a data center proposed for the southwestern part of the county along Route 234 was incompatible with the Prince William Forest Park, Vanegas replied that there were many things to be considered, including history, environmental effects, and other factors beyond tax dollars. Asked whether the county consulted with the City of Manassas on projects near the city's boundary, he replied that it did. He also said that the county was working with Manassas Park on issues affecting Yorkshire and with Dumfries on a Small Area Plan. In response to a question regarding the meaning of environmental justice, he said that it was left to the community to decide. Asked where data centers could be located, he said within the Data Center Opportunity Overlay District and possibly by Special Use Permit outside the district, although such uses are usually not approved. There was discussion emphasizing the importance of protecting Prince William Forest Park, including an area within the boundary established by Congress but not yet acquired, from incompatible uses. For example, Jack Kooyoomjian cited the park’s function in protecting Quantico Creek, its exotic plants, and its large stand of Piedmont forest, while Jeter noted that it had been founded as a demonstration area to let poor children from the city experience nature. A number of those in attendance also favored the establishment of a north entrance to the park to make it more accessible for the rest of the county.
Updates:
Strategic Plan--Jeter, who is the Coles District representative on the team updating the county’s Strategic Plan, said that a draft had been completed and would be ready to go public in a month or two. He said that it would contain strong language on environmental protection and sustainable growth and agreed with a questioner that it needed tight and concise language.
Independent Hill Small Area Plan--Jeter observed that while it was not what most residents had hoped for, the latest version of the plan was better than the original, with the number of housing units reduced from over 600, including five-story buildings, to a range of 45 to 200, with no more than 180 new single family homes. He expressed optimism that there might be a north entrance to Prince William Forest Park within the area of the plan.
He also pointed out that, although it was disappointing that some recent projects like the Reserve at Long Branch were approved, citizen input made them better than they would have been. He urged folks to not become disillusioned and to keep taking part in their government.
Purchases of Development Rights (PDRs) in the Rural Crescent (RC)--The PC recommended that PDRs, overseen by the county, be used as a tool to protect land in the RC. However, it recommended against the use of Transfer of Development Rights program (TDRs), in part because they are so complicated and unruly. It also recommended against the approval of cluster developments with sewers in the RC (Conservation Residential).
Distribution Centers--These are large buildings of various sizes ranging from 5,000 square feet to 50.000 square feet or more that companies like Amazon use to temporarily house products for delivery within the local area. There is a proposal to expand the overlay area within which they are permitted to include an area on Route 234 including the Parsons Business Park. (They are already permitted in some of the Parsons area because of existing zoning.) No hearings on the proposal have been set as of now.
International Central Gospel Church--There is nothing new on this project other than the fact that the county has abandoned the strip of property needed by the church for its parking lot and the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) has said that it would sell it only to the contiguous property owner behind the property in question (i.e., the church).
Kline Farm Project--Nothing new; applicant waiting for CP Update.
MIDCO Meeting Recap From 2/18/21:
First up was the Sikh Center of Virginia, scheduled to be a presentation by Gursharan Sidhu, president of the Sikh Center of Virginia, of a proposal for a special use permit (SUP) to expand their church, currently an 8,800 square foot facility on 11.60 acres at 8015 Buckhall Road, to around 20,000 square feet. Because of an emergency, Sidhu was unable to attend, so President Martin Jeter presented the basic details of the proposed expansion. The additions would include a main prayer hall, a dining hall, several bathrooms, three priest apartments and three Sunday school rooms. According to an e-mail received after the meeting, the number of parking spaces would increase from 60 to 148 and a vegetable garden would be planted to support the existing kitchen. The occupancy would increase from 245 to 300. More than six acres would be left as open space and a children’s play area. The project would be on well and septic.
Next was a brief introduction to a proffer amendment for Word of Faith Ministries International. This is to convert a veterinary hospital to a 9,100 square foot religious institution on 1.19 acres. The property is located at 12105 and 12107 Dumfries Road, a short distance north of its intersection with Purcell Road.
Then we had a discussion on the Environmental Impacts of Recent BOCS Actions. The BOCS has taken a number of actions over the past year whose cumulative effects on the environment may be substantial, but have never been adequately addressed. Jeter opened a wide-ranging discussion of these effects by enumerating the most important of these actions. They include the passage at its February 16 meeting of the Agritourism and Arts Overlay District (AAOD) affecting A-1 (Agriculture) zoned properties of two acres or more in the Rural Area (RA) and 20 acres or more in the Development Area (DA), allowing cattle on properties less than 10 acres, the expansion of the Domestic Fowl Overlay District (DFOD), and development of an Occoquan Reservoir Protective Overlay District (ORPOD). The PowerPoint presentation is available under the "Current Projects" tab.
The main purpose of the AAOD is to help maintain the rural character of the RA, in part by providing land owners with economic opportunities other than selling their land to developers. It both adds some activities not previously permissible on the affected properties and provides more flexibility to engage in activities already permissible. For example, it allows joint commercial activities and living quarters in the same structure, retail sales of agriculture-related products, teaching of agriculture-related skills, ice cream stores, bakeries, flower shops, hayrides, and special events. (The county also encourages wineries and breweries, but they are governed by a separate set of regulations.) On the arts side, it allows art galleries and schools, culinary classes, jewelry making, and bookstores. Among the issues raised by the adoption of the AAOD is whether the new activities it would permit in the DA would adversely affect the primarily residential areas that surround the covered areas and whether they would pose a competitive threat to the agritourism activities in the RA the AAOD was intended to encourage.
The DFOD has been in existence since 2011; the proposed expansion will extend its boundaries to include 3,900 more acres between Minneville Road and Hoadly Road and the Bacon Race area. However, MIDCO has suggested that there are potential problems related to the number and type of domestic fowl concerned and how much use is likely to be made of the allowable alternatives. For example, roosters, peacocks, and guinea fowl are relatively noisy. The existing regulations would allow 150 chickens and five roosters on five acres and unlimited numbers on 10 acres or more. Among the many ways the AAOD, DFOD, Cattle, and other regulations governing agricultural activities and the number of animals could affect the environment are by increasing carbon impacts from tree removal, run-off from animal waste, congestion, vehicle pollution, and ground water depletion or contamination.
Several courses of action to prevent undesirable environmental effects from the recent actions of the BOCS were suggested at the meeting. One was to push for a groundwater study as part of the ongoing process of updating the county’s Comprehensive Plan (CP), as most of the area involved is on wells and septic fields. Another is to push for adoption of the ORPOD, which could offset some of the problems potentially arising from the DFOD expansion and passage of the AAOD. Jeter urged those at the meeting to advocate for the ORPOD as a means of protecting our drinking water source and protecting quality of life.
Next was a discussion on the Updating of the Strategic Plan. Every four years since 1992 the county has developed a Strategic Plan (SP) whose purpose is to reflect the community’s vision and desired outcomes and provide key policy guidance for service delivery and resource allocation decisions. The goals and priorities it establishes are an important driver of the county’s Capital Improvement Plan, which governs how county resources are distributed among the many competing purposes, including education, transportation, public safety, health, environmental protection, and parks. The SP is drafted by the SP Team, which consists of eight residents, one from each ministerial district, and seven county staff members representing the major governmental departments, including parks, police, and transportation. It must then be voted on by the BOCS. MIDCO president Martin Jeter, who serves as the Coles District representative on the team, urged residents to get their ideas to the SP team soon, as they are expected to have a draft completed by the end of March. He is focused on the goals of sustainable growth and environmental protection.
Updates:
Dar Al Noor Mosque Expansion--This project was approved by the BOCS on February 3. There is still concern that the traffic and parking issues associated with the project have not been fully addressed and that the county lacks the funding to install the traffic light needed at the intersection of Hoadly Road and Queen Chapel Road.
14th High School Site on Prince William Parkway--This site is now a dead issue, as the Prince William County School Board has purchased a location near the intersection of Minneville Road and Telegraph Road.
International Central Gospel Church-- The church needs to acquire a small strip of land owned by VDOT for its parking lot. In addition to the church, adjacent property owners may have the right to buy the property. As of now, it is not clear how the sale will proceed. There were concerns regarding the adequacy of the septic field and holding tank proposed for the site, which is projected to have 250 parishioners.
Comprehensive Plan Update--County staff have been working for some time to update the county’s Comprehensive Plan (CP), which is required by law to be reviewed every five years. There are major changes expected this year. Alex Vanegas, a County Planner, will discuss the status of the Land Use Chapter of the CP at an upcoming meeting of MIDCO.
First up was the Sikh Center of Virginia, scheduled to be a presentation by Gursharan Sidhu, president of the Sikh Center of Virginia, of a proposal for a special use permit (SUP) to expand their church, currently an 8,800 square foot facility on 11.60 acres at 8015 Buckhall Road, to around 20,000 square feet. Because of an emergency, Sidhu was unable to attend, so President Martin Jeter presented the basic details of the proposed expansion. The additions would include a main prayer hall, a dining hall, several bathrooms, three priest apartments and three Sunday school rooms. According to an e-mail received after the meeting, the number of parking spaces would increase from 60 to 148 and a vegetable garden would be planted to support the existing kitchen. The occupancy would increase from 245 to 300. More than six acres would be left as open space and a children’s play area. The project would be on well and septic.
Next was a brief introduction to a proffer amendment for Word of Faith Ministries International. This is to convert a veterinary hospital to a 9,100 square foot religious institution on 1.19 acres. The property is located at 12105 and 12107 Dumfries Road, a short distance north of its intersection with Purcell Road.
Then we had a discussion on the Environmental Impacts of Recent BOCS Actions. The BOCS has taken a number of actions over the past year whose cumulative effects on the environment may be substantial, but have never been adequately addressed. Jeter opened a wide-ranging discussion of these effects by enumerating the most important of these actions. They include the passage at its February 16 meeting of the Agritourism and Arts Overlay District (AAOD) affecting A-1 (Agriculture) zoned properties of two acres or more in the Rural Area (RA) and 20 acres or more in the Development Area (DA), allowing cattle on properties less than 10 acres, the expansion of the Domestic Fowl Overlay District (DFOD), and development of an Occoquan Reservoir Protective Overlay District (ORPOD). The PowerPoint presentation is available under the "Current Projects" tab.
The main purpose of the AAOD is to help maintain the rural character of the RA, in part by providing land owners with economic opportunities other than selling their land to developers. It both adds some activities not previously permissible on the affected properties and provides more flexibility to engage in activities already permissible. For example, it allows joint commercial activities and living quarters in the same structure, retail sales of agriculture-related products, teaching of agriculture-related skills, ice cream stores, bakeries, flower shops, hayrides, and special events. (The county also encourages wineries and breweries, but they are governed by a separate set of regulations.) On the arts side, it allows art galleries and schools, culinary classes, jewelry making, and bookstores. Among the issues raised by the adoption of the AAOD is whether the new activities it would permit in the DA would adversely affect the primarily residential areas that surround the covered areas and whether they would pose a competitive threat to the agritourism activities in the RA the AAOD was intended to encourage.
The DFOD has been in existence since 2011; the proposed expansion will extend its boundaries to include 3,900 more acres between Minneville Road and Hoadly Road and the Bacon Race area. However, MIDCO has suggested that there are potential problems related to the number and type of domestic fowl concerned and how much use is likely to be made of the allowable alternatives. For example, roosters, peacocks, and guinea fowl are relatively noisy. The existing regulations would allow 150 chickens and five roosters on five acres and unlimited numbers on 10 acres or more. Among the many ways the AAOD, DFOD, Cattle, and other regulations governing agricultural activities and the number of animals could affect the environment are by increasing carbon impacts from tree removal, run-off from animal waste, congestion, vehicle pollution, and ground water depletion or contamination.
Several courses of action to prevent undesirable environmental effects from the recent actions of the BOCS were suggested at the meeting. One was to push for a groundwater study as part of the ongoing process of updating the county’s Comprehensive Plan (CP), as most of the area involved is on wells and septic fields. Another is to push for adoption of the ORPOD, which could offset some of the problems potentially arising from the DFOD expansion and passage of the AAOD. Jeter urged those at the meeting to advocate for the ORPOD as a means of protecting our drinking water source and protecting quality of life.
Next was a discussion on the Updating of the Strategic Plan. Every four years since 1992 the county has developed a Strategic Plan (SP) whose purpose is to reflect the community’s vision and desired outcomes and provide key policy guidance for service delivery and resource allocation decisions. The goals and priorities it establishes are an important driver of the county’s Capital Improvement Plan, which governs how county resources are distributed among the many competing purposes, including education, transportation, public safety, health, environmental protection, and parks. The SP is drafted by the SP Team, which consists of eight residents, one from each ministerial district, and seven county staff members representing the major governmental departments, including parks, police, and transportation. It must then be voted on by the BOCS. MIDCO president Martin Jeter, who serves as the Coles District representative on the team, urged residents to get their ideas to the SP team soon, as they are expected to have a draft completed by the end of March. He is focused on the goals of sustainable growth and environmental protection.
Updates:
Dar Al Noor Mosque Expansion--This project was approved by the BOCS on February 3. There is still concern that the traffic and parking issues associated with the project have not been fully addressed and that the county lacks the funding to install the traffic light needed at the intersection of Hoadly Road and Queen Chapel Road.
14th High School Site on Prince William Parkway--This site is now a dead issue, as the Prince William County School Board has purchased a location near the intersection of Minneville Road and Telegraph Road.
International Central Gospel Church-- The church needs to acquire a small strip of land owned by VDOT for its parking lot. In addition to the church, adjacent property owners may have the right to buy the property. As of now, it is not clear how the sale will proceed. There were concerns regarding the adequacy of the septic field and holding tank proposed for the site, which is projected to have 250 parishioners.
Comprehensive Plan Update--County staff have been working for some time to update the county’s Comprehensive Plan (CP), which is required by law to be reviewed every five years. There are major changes expected this year. Alex Vanegas, a County Planner, will discuss the status of the Land Use Chapter of the CP at an upcoming meeting of MIDCO.
MIDCO Meeting Recap From 1/21/21:
We started with an acknowledgement of the BOCS approval of the Preserve At Long Branch project, thus endorsing the Conservation Residential concept that will bring more housing density to our rural area of the county. The 5-3 decision, which ignored the recommendations of county staff and the Planning Commission (PC), is the most recent example of the majority of the BOCS ignoring the desires of constituents and district supervisors, like the approvals of the Devlin Road project and the Route 28 bypass Alternative 2B. The Allan Meyers asphalt plant application was a similar case, although it deadlocked at 4-4. These cases illustrate a troubling trend where residents consistently aren't being heard or acknowledged by some board members.
Then we had a final review of the Dar Al Noor Expansion application. This project, which has been presented at several MIDCO meetings over the past two years, is scheduled to go to the BOCS on February 2. It would involve an increase in the size of the mosque on Hoadly Road from 12,000 to 88,000 square feet and a large increase in the number of parking spaces to accommodate an expansion of its activities to include a medical clinic, a school, and a day care center. Although the community has generally welcomed the mosque, its immediate neighbors have been concerned by several problems associated with its growth that they believe will be exacerbated by the planned expansion. These include increased traffic, already leading to backups during rush hours; unsafe driving conditions associated with the current need to make U-turns on Hoadly Road; parking problems in adjacent neighborhoods during prayer services and special events at the mosque; and concerns about storm water management, given the projected increase in impermeable surfaces resulting from the expansion.
Residents of adjacent neighborhoods present at the meeting stressed that their concerns about the expansion were not in any way related to religion and that they supported the project if the major issues, primarily traffic safety and parking, were satisfactorily resolved. They did express concern that the BOCS might feel that it had to approve everything without conditions to avoid the appearance of prejudice. A resident noted that she had researched other similar cases and found that many churches had conditions attached to their building approvals. A resident noted that the issues being argued had been part of the discussions about the expansion from the very beginning. He questioned why they were being brought up at this late date. Jeter acknowledged that the concerns were old, but noted that the latest proffers had not addressed them to the satisfaction of the residents. For example, there was not yet enough funding for the traffic light. It was noted that there was still inadequate traffic control by police on days other than Fridays and special events.
Then we updated on the International Central Gospel Church. In order for this proposal to build a church at 5451 Davis Ford Road to proceed, the church would have to acquire a small parcel of land now owned by the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) for use as part of the church’s parking lot. the county has announced that it would be willing to abandon the parcel, and a hearing on the proposal will be held on February 16 at the McCoart Building. Contiguous landowners have the right to contest the transaction. At least one resident did that, and the abandonment will now have a public hearing on February 16th.
Next we examined some proposed changes to land-use policy in Prince William:
SRR Language Update—the meaning of the zoning designation Semi-Rural Residential (SRR) has been interpreted to allow greater density than an accurate reading of its language would permit. SRR allows for one house per 1-5 acre lot, so long as the average acreage per house is 2.5 or more. Developers and now staff try to ignore the 2.5 acre average part of the designation. A recent example was the Pennington Lane development near Russell Road, where county staff recommended approval of 6 houses on a 7-acre plot for an average density of 1.14. SRR is the only land use classification for which the land in Environmental Resource areas, which may not be developed in any case, is not taken out before the average density is calculated. He suggested that residents carefully monitor the process of updating the Comprehensive Plan to prevent language that would increase the density recommended in SRR areas. MIDCO will be recommending that the ER be removed before the housing density calculation is made. We will also recommend that the minimum average lot size be either 5 acres or 3 acres.
Accessory Dwelling Units--The Virginia Assembly recently voted down legislation to permit property owners to construct small dwelling units on existing home lots with few restrictions. Originally designed to accommodate family members, like mother-in-law suites, these units have morphed into rental units, often with inadequate heating, cooling, fresh water and septic systems. Despite their defeat this time around, they are likely to come back to the legislature.
Domestic Fowl Overlay District Expansion--Already in existence, this mid-county area within which it would be permitted to keep domestic fowl, including chickens, guinea fowl, and peacocks, would be expanded to the Bacon Race Road area and an area east of Hoadly Road. The proposal resulted in a closer look at the underlying rules, which led to concerns about numerous issues, from noise to unclear housing requirements to large numbers of birds allowed on properties. MIDCO is advocating for the Overlay District rules to go back to the Planning Commission for a review.
Cattle on Two Acres--This proposal would make county rules for keeping cattle the same as those for horses. That is, a minimum of two acres to keep one horse and one additional horse for each additional acre. Joe Fontanella, Planning Commissioner for the Coles District, said that the BOCS had told the PC to consider expansion of the Overlay Districts, but not the regulations themselves. Despite that, the PC recommended expansion with conditions. Some members of the PC favored the same boundary for both fowl and horses.
CR-1 (Conservation Residential) Designation for Rural Area--This proposed new land use designation would allow greater housing density and the extension of public water and sewer in parts of the Rural Crescent. A result of the Rural Preservation Study, it has not been officially adopted as county policy because of widespread opposition.
We started with an acknowledgement of the BOCS approval of the Preserve At Long Branch project, thus endorsing the Conservation Residential concept that will bring more housing density to our rural area of the county. The 5-3 decision, which ignored the recommendations of county staff and the Planning Commission (PC), is the most recent example of the majority of the BOCS ignoring the desires of constituents and district supervisors, like the approvals of the Devlin Road project and the Route 28 bypass Alternative 2B. The Allan Meyers asphalt plant application was a similar case, although it deadlocked at 4-4. These cases illustrate a troubling trend where residents consistently aren't being heard or acknowledged by some board members.
Then we had a final review of the Dar Al Noor Expansion application. This project, which has been presented at several MIDCO meetings over the past two years, is scheduled to go to the BOCS on February 2. It would involve an increase in the size of the mosque on Hoadly Road from 12,000 to 88,000 square feet and a large increase in the number of parking spaces to accommodate an expansion of its activities to include a medical clinic, a school, and a day care center. Although the community has generally welcomed the mosque, its immediate neighbors have been concerned by several problems associated with its growth that they believe will be exacerbated by the planned expansion. These include increased traffic, already leading to backups during rush hours; unsafe driving conditions associated with the current need to make U-turns on Hoadly Road; parking problems in adjacent neighborhoods during prayer services and special events at the mosque; and concerns about storm water management, given the projected increase in impermeable surfaces resulting from the expansion.
Residents of adjacent neighborhoods present at the meeting stressed that their concerns about the expansion were not in any way related to religion and that they supported the project if the major issues, primarily traffic safety and parking, were satisfactorily resolved. They did express concern that the BOCS might feel that it had to approve everything without conditions to avoid the appearance of prejudice. A resident noted that she had researched other similar cases and found that many churches had conditions attached to their building approvals. A resident noted that the issues being argued had been part of the discussions about the expansion from the very beginning. He questioned why they were being brought up at this late date. Jeter acknowledged that the concerns were old, but noted that the latest proffers had not addressed them to the satisfaction of the residents. For example, there was not yet enough funding for the traffic light. It was noted that there was still inadequate traffic control by police on days other than Fridays and special events.
Then we updated on the International Central Gospel Church. In order for this proposal to build a church at 5451 Davis Ford Road to proceed, the church would have to acquire a small parcel of land now owned by the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) for use as part of the church’s parking lot. the county has announced that it would be willing to abandon the parcel, and a hearing on the proposal will be held on February 16 at the McCoart Building. Contiguous landowners have the right to contest the transaction. At least one resident did that, and the abandonment will now have a public hearing on February 16th.
Next we examined some proposed changes to land-use policy in Prince William:
SRR Language Update—the meaning of the zoning designation Semi-Rural Residential (SRR) has been interpreted to allow greater density than an accurate reading of its language would permit. SRR allows for one house per 1-5 acre lot, so long as the average acreage per house is 2.5 or more. Developers and now staff try to ignore the 2.5 acre average part of the designation. A recent example was the Pennington Lane development near Russell Road, where county staff recommended approval of 6 houses on a 7-acre plot for an average density of 1.14. SRR is the only land use classification for which the land in Environmental Resource areas, which may not be developed in any case, is not taken out before the average density is calculated. He suggested that residents carefully monitor the process of updating the Comprehensive Plan to prevent language that would increase the density recommended in SRR areas. MIDCO will be recommending that the ER be removed before the housing density calculation is made. We will also recommend that the minimum average lot size be either 5 acres or 3 acres.
Accessory Dwelling Units--The Virginia Assembly recently voted down legislation to permit property owners to construct small dwelling units on existing home lots with few restrictions. Originally designed to accommodate family members, like mother-in-law suites, these units have morphed into rental units, often with inadequate heating, cooling, fresh water and septic systems. Despite their defeat this time around, they are likely to come back to the legislature.
Domestic Fowl Overlay District Expansion--Already in existence, this mid-county area within which it would be permitted to keep domestic fowl, including chickens, guinea fowl, and peacocks, would be expanded to the Bacon Race Road area and an area east of Hoadly Road. The proposal resulted in a closer look at the underlying rules, which led to concerns about numerous issues, from noise to unclear housing requirements to large numbers of birds allowed on properties. MIDCO is advocating for the Overlay District rules to go back to the Planning Commission for a review.
Cattle on Two Acres--This proposal would make county rules for keeping cattle the same as those for horses. That is, a minimum of two acres to keep one horse and one additional horse for each additional acre. Joe Fontanella, Planning Commissioner for the Coles District, said that the BOCS had told the PC to consider expansion of the Overlay Districts, but not the regulations themselves. Despite that, the PC recommended expansion with conditions. Some members of the PC favored the same boundary for both fowl and horses.
CR-1 (Conservation Residential) Designation for Rural Area--This proposed new land use designation would allow greater housing density and the extension of public water and sewer in parts of the Rural Crescent. A result of the Rural Preservation Study, it has not been officially adopted as county policy because of widespread opposition.
MIDCO Meeting Recap From 12/17/20:
First up was the Geisler Property proposed CPA and Rezoning. This property is on Rt. 234 just south of the intersection with Hoadly Road. Jessica Pfeiffer, representative for the applicant, began the presentation with a brief overview of the Franklin Johnston Group, noting that they had been in the real estate development and management business for 30 years, mostly in Virginia but also in several other east coast states. They have developed 40 properties with more than 6,500 housing units and manage 115 properties with more than 19,000 housing units. Most of these properties, like those in this proposed development, are three-story buildings with one and two-bedroom apartments for residents 62 years or over who are independent and do not require assisted living. The plan here is for two buildings with a total of 192 units. The amenities supplied to residents would include one parking place per unit, libraries and exercise rooms, a buffer of plantings on the perimeter of the entire property, and van service to shopping and other destinations. The applicant is seeking a Comprehensive Plan Amendment to change the SRR part of the property to B-2. The traffic impacts would be greatly reduced from the project for the land that is already approved. The details of that older project can be found under "More" on the menu above.
A number of questions were raised during the discussion of the project. One concerned the rents on the apartments ($1,300 to $1,800 per month), whether elevators were provided (yes, and with auxiliary generators), whether there were any entrances to the buildings other than the two shown (no, but the applicant agreed to keep an open mind to make it as easy as possible for the residents). A question as to whether the buildings could be two-story resulted in the applicant replying that two-story buildings would not be feasible economically since they need a minimum number of units to make the project work. There was a discussion about a perimeter fence for the property to prevent students cutting through from the high school to Hoadly Road and to provide security for the residents. The applicant committed to a fence. This proposal is still in the very early stages, and has not yet been submitted to the county.
The second major presentation of the evening was on the Primeland Retail Project, a proposed development on the western side of Prince William Parkway just south of Hoffman Drive and directly across the road from Joe’s American Diner. The project would occupy 2.53 acres of a 24.5 acre office/retail park that had been approved in 1990 but never built. The applicant, Primeland LLC, is seeking a Proffer Amendment to modify the original proffer for the 2.53 acres to allow for 16 residential units instead of office units. The primary justification is that the demand for office space in the county had been greatly overestimated and there is little need for the office park now. Details are available under "Current Projects".
The applicant indicated that they have been assured that the NC (Neighborhood Commercial) uses proposed, which include residences above ground level retail stores, are compatible with the Dale City Small Area Plan. They noted that the revised application increased the size of the green buffer around the property, which would include some large deciduous trees, smaller conifers, and grasses. Answering a question regarding access to the property, the applicant said that it would not share an entrance with the large commercial development planned for the area further south on the Parkway, which will have its own entrance, but there will be interconnecting roads. He also pointed out that a 30 percent reduction in traffic impact was expected from the change in uses from offices to retail and residential. In response to a question, the applicant said that parking for residents would be at ground level next to the retail stores and that the average size of the apartments would be about 1,000 square feet. Answering questions regarding the nature of the retail businesses and whether the applicant would be flexible with respect to the architecture of the buildings, the applicant said that the stores would probably include a grocery and a hair salon, among others, and that the applicant was amenable to reasonable suggestions regarding their design.
The Distribution Center Overlay District was discussed. This is a plan to designate areas of the county where distribution centers (aka fulfillment centers) would be incentivized to be located. Independent Hill would be one of those areas, mostly on the Parsons Business Park area. These distribution areas would bring increased truck traffic along with them.
Updates:
Preserve at Long Branch--This proposal will be going to the BOCS for a public hearing on January 12, 2021.
Independent Hill Small Area Plan--This proposal to guide development in the Independent Hill area goes to the BOCS for a public hearing on January 19, 2021. The Planning Commission recommended denial.
Dar Al Noor Islamic Center Expansion--This project will go to the BOCS for a public hearing on February 2, 2021. Although the Planning Commission has recommended approval of this project if several conditions are met, it's not clear that the applicant is willing to meet those conditions. Among other issues, the mosque has not committed to paying for more than a small part of the estimated $1 million cost of installing a traffic light at the intersection of Hoadly Road and Queen Chapel Road; producing a viable plan to alleviate parking problems in adjacent neighborhoods, and to produce a viable traffic control plan. A resident of the neighboring Bren Forest community expressed concern that a waiver of some requirements for religious institutions contained in Provisions 2(a) and 2(b) of the requested Special Use Permit might give the applicant carte blanche to expand activities in the future.
International Central Gospel Church--Residents expressed that this proposal to build a church on Davis Ford Road has a number of issues, including whether the church can purchase from the Virginia Department of Transportation a part of the Davis Ford Road right-of-way needed to build a parking lot on the property; whether the 3.66-acre property is large enough to support the sanctuary, future gym, parking lot, and septic field for the projected 250-member congregation envisioned for the church; and whether the additional traffic generated by the project will seriously exacerbate traffic problems on Davis Ford Road. The county has advertised a desire to abandon the VDOT property, which is the first step before the church could purchase the property. Abutting landowners can challenge the abandonment of the VDOT property.
Rural Preservation Study-- PC work session 12/2- Commissioners indicated issues with the CR-1 land use classification and the Transfer of Development Rights.
Cows on 2 acres and the Fowl Overlay District Expansion were both sent back to the PC for further study.
Utility Bill Relief
Jack Kooyoomjian, Chairman of the Prince William County Service Authority Board of Directors, encouraged people having unpaid water and sewer bills who have lost income due to COVID-19 to apply for financial assistance from the federal Coronavirus Relief Fund. They can apply through www.pwcsa.org/relief-funds.
MIDCO Meeting Recap From 11/11/20:
First up was a presentation on the Elm Street Independent Hill Project by Joe Jacobs.
He noted that the original application for the mixed retail and housing development on the property owned by Ken Parsons had been filed in 2017 and since then a number of things have changed. In 2019 the Board of County Supervisors (BOCS) approved rezoning one of the two sites in that application, the Northside Business Park, from A-1 (Agriculture) to FEC (Flexible Employment Center), after the applicant agreed to eliminate some commercial and industrial uses that were deemed inconsistent with the county’s Comprehensive Plan (CP). The proposal now under discussion involves only Parsons South, the 60-acre site that includes most of the area bounded by Route 234 on the north, Independent Hill Drive on the west, Bristow Road on the south, and Wolf Run Lane on the east and is currently zoned A-1. It would be fully encompassed by the Independent Hill Small Area Plan (SAP) now under review by the County.
The current version of the application calls for rezoning 34.9 acres to PMD (Planned Mixed District) and 25.1 acres to PMR (Planned Mixed Residential). The PMD-zoned area at the corner of Route 234 and Independent Hill Drive would include a 12-acre commercial center with a 30,000 square foot office building, a 10,000 square foot day care center, and space for a number of stores and restaurants, the latter with outdoor seating to alleviate COVID-19 concerns. A part of the PMD-zoned area and all of the PMR-zoned area would be devoted to residential uses, specifically 190 single family detached (SFD) homes on lots of about one-quarter acre, roads, and pocket parks. Other versions of the application still under consideration by the developer include varying numbers of SFDs, townhouses, and live-work units. Among the features of the project that Jacobs felt were desirable were that its entrances would be from Route 234 and Independent Hill Drive rather than Bristow Road, that the lowest densities would be near the boundary of the Rural Area (RA), that the existing community on Hamowell Street would be protected, and that there would be trails and road crossings connecting the project to the Kelly Leadership Center and George Hellwig Park.
Jeter led off the question and answer session following Jacobs’ presentation by asking how many vehicle trips per day the project would generate. Jacobs indicated that he didn't know, but would follow-up with the figure. In response to a question from Dan Leahy about the capacity of schools, he said that, according to the School Board, there was some capacity available at Coles Elementary and Benton Middle School but not at Colgan High School. A number of folks commented that the housing density didn't match the surrounding area. In response to a question whether Elm Street could build the project with a density closer to the surrounding area, which is approximately 1-2 acres per home, he answered “No,” citing the estimated infrastructure costs of $8 million for both this project and the business park across Rt. 234. This project's contribution to that figure is not clear.
Next up was the Bradley Square project. Sherman Patrick, Director of Zoning and Entitlements at the Compton & Duling law firm, discussed the proposal by Stanley Martin Homes to rezone two areas that would become Sections 11 and 12 of the Bradley Square housing development on the site of the old Dominion Speedway just off of Dumfries Road. The homes in one area would be townhouses and would be located just across Old Dominion Drive from Bennett Elementary School. The other area, denoted the Grant Avenue Assemblage, would consist of 54 SFDs similar to surrounding homes. Patrick said that the developers had modified the original plan to address several issues raised at meetings with members of the community. Among these were the need for more guest parking and open space; improvements to Old Dominion Drive, including curbs, gutters, and a crosswalk to the school; and additional trails and fitness stations in the Resource Protection Area (RPA). He noted that the plan was scheduled to go to the PC at its next meeting.
In answer to comments that sidewalks were needed on Dumfries Road and that residents were unhappy with the use of trailers for classrooms at the school, Patrick replied that the developers were responsible only for the turn lanes on Dumfries Road and that the trailers were temporary and would be removed when school construction was completed. Answering a question about the capacity of area schools to serve students from the project, he said that additions already planned would add sufficient capacity at the elementary and middle schools and that Osbourn High School has extra space. Asked whether there were only two streets out of the development, he said that was true but each street allowed access to both Dumfries Road and Grant Avenue. Kim Brace, President of the Historical Commission, suggested placing signage on the property to convey the historical significance of Old Dominion Speedway, which had operated there for 65 years. Jeter agreed, noting that the Speedway had once been on the NASCAR circuit and that Richard Petty had raced there. Patrick indicated that such a sign already existed. To a question regarding whether there was adequate parking space for a townhouse development, Patrick said that there would be room for one car in each garage, one in each driveway, and an additional 53 spaces in a guest parking area.
Updates:
Starbucks Drive-Through on Hoadly--Jeter said that several people had suggested that the facility have more outdoor seating than is now in the plan, and the applicant has taken that into consideration.
Dunkin Donuts at Woodbine Shopping Center--MIDCO has sent a letter to the BOCS supporting the application but asking that there be more screening for the dumpster, a commitment to outdoor seating, and a facade that harmonizes better with the shopping center. The applicant has agreed to all three conditions.
Kline Farm Project--Consideration of the project has been deferred, at the initiative of the applicant, until the Comprehensive Plan is updated, probably by late spring or early summer. LOCCA-PELT argued for reducing the permissible density on the Kline property, stating that the current proposal doesn’t respect the rural character of the mid-county area and would bring in suburban sprawl.
Land Use Chapter of the Comprehensive Plan--Jeter urged County residents to get involved in updating this chapter, as it may target additional areas in the county for Small Area Plans and higher density, possibly including the Government Center. MIDCO will keep residents updated as the plan progresses, and will be involved to advocate for the community.
Rural Preservation Study--The 2014 study commissioned by the BOCS to study policy toward the Rural Crescent is scheduled to be reviewed by the Planning Commission on December 2. The topics to be considered include the use of PDRs (Purchase of Development Rights) and TDRs (Transfer of Development Rights), higher housing density and extensions of public sewer. Only the audibles of the work sessions are accessible to the public.
Preserve at Long Branch--This proposal has been deferred indefinitely by the developer.
International Central Gospel Church--Consideration of this proposed new church on Davis Ford Road has been suspended because of the lapse of time since the applicant last submitted required information.
Occoquan Reservoir Protection Overlay District--Ten years ago, a MIDCO committee prepared a plan for an Occoquan Reservoir Protection Overlay District recommending restrictions on density and certain activities within the Occoquan watershed in order to protect the water supply. The Comprehensive Plan includes a recommendation for an overlay district. MIDCO continues to work with the BOCS to amend the Zoning Ordinance to implement the overlay district.
Agriculture and Arts Overlay District--This proposal to encourage arts and agriculture-related businesses within the RC and selected other areas will go to the PC on December 16.
Domestic Fowl Overlay District Expansion--The PC has recommended approval of this expansion of the area within which it will be permissible to keep chickens and other domestic fowl, but with limits on roosters and peacocks to lots of five acres or larger.
MIDCO Meeting Recap From 10/15/20
First up was a presentation on the Preserve at Long Branch project. Several earlier versions of this proposal for a housing development largely in the Rural Crescent (RC) just west of Woodbine Woods had been presented at MIDCO meetings over the past few years. The current proposal has been changed in a number of ways, including a request for a Comprehensive Plan Amendment to remove 146 acres from the Rural Area (RA) and rezone them from A-1 (Agriculture) to SRR (Semi-Rural Residential), leaving the remainder of the 339 acre parcel in the RA. The latest proposal enlarges the natural area from 169 to 190 acres and increases from 1.8 miles to 2.5 miles a set of trails along the stream valley and the Occoquan River from 1.8 miles to 2.5 miles. Both of these would be open to the public and protected by a third-party conservation easement. The revised proposal also reduces the number of homes from 118 to 99, lowering the overall density of the project from 2.87 acres per home to 3.43 acres and increases the number of parking spaces in the trailhead parking lot from 10 to 20.
In response to a question the applicant said that he can’t supply the name of the party that would hold the conservation easement on the natural area because the County would help select the holder only after the rezoning was complete. He did say that a representative of the Land Trust of Virginia had visited the property and said that there were significant features worthy of conservation. He explained that a third-party conservation easement holder held rights over the property to ensure that the natural area would be preserved and noted that the PWCA website had information on the subject. Other issues raised about the proposal concerned the route that would carry construction-related traffic (Classic Springs Drive) and whether the planned sewer line would run through a 100-year flood plain (not answered). A few days after the meeting, Jeter notified MIDCO members and others that the applicant had requested that the proposal be deferred and not heard at the next meeting of the Board of County Supervisors (BOCS).
Next was a presentation for a request for a Dunkin Donuts drive-thru at the Woodbine Shopping Center. The applicant briefly described the proposal to open a drive-through Dunkin Donuts store in the Woodbine Shopping Center at the intersection of Route 234 and Counselor Road. It would be a combination Dunkin Donuts and Baskin-Robbins ice cream store. In response to questions raised by those in attendance, the applicant said that a traffic study found that it would have no significant effect on traffic, that there would be indoor seating and potentially some outdoor seating, that parking for the facility would be shared by agreement with other stores in the shopping center, that most of the building would use the structure of the bank previously occupying the site, and that it would be open seven days a week, 24 hours a day. There were questions regarding screening of the dumpster, tree placement along Rt. 234, the building façade, and additional outdoor seating. The applicant was asked to commit to outdoor seating, additional screening for the dumpster and to match the building facade to the existing shopping center architecture as much as possible. The proposal is expected to go to the BOCS on December 15 and, if approved, would probably open in 2022.
Updates:
Historical Marker for Village of Hoadly:
Jeter indicated that he was working to erect a historical marker commemorating the Village of Hoadly, which existed near the current intersection of Hoadly Road and Prince William Parkway roughly between 1840 and 1950. With the help of Bill Olson and approval by the Prince William Historical Commission, the project now requires only final approval by the BOCS. Jeter noted that the marker will stand where the Hoadly post office was in front of the current McCoart Building.
International Central Gospel Church:
No date has yet been set for consideration of this project either by the Planning Commission or the BOCS. A revised proposal was presented at a recent meeting of the Lake Ridge-Occoquan Civic Association /Planning, Environment, Land-Use, and Transportation Committee (LOCCA/PELT), that would involve postponing Phase II of the project, which included building a gym and conference center, increasing the number of parishioners to 250 rather than 150 persons, and adding a holding tank to avoid overloading the septic system. Among the concerns raised at the meeting were that the property (3.66 acres) is not large enough to accommodate a septic field adequate to serve that many people, that a building the size and design of that proposed does not fit into the rural area along Davis Ford Road, and that the added traffic will exacerbate the already serious congestion on the road. More immediately, the church needs to acquire some land from the Virginia Department of Transportation to build its parking lot before moving forward.
Kline Farm Proposal:
This project, on which final action has been deferred four times in the past, is now scheduled to go to the BOCS on November 17. Jeter observed that, because it is not known whether any changes have been made since the BOCS last held a public meeting on the proposal, he would like to invite the applicant to a MIDCO meeting before that date; however, the next monthly meeting of MIDCO is scheduled for November 19, so some other means may be necessary.
Domestic Fowl Overlay District Extension:
This proposal, which would extend the area within the County in which residents with small lots could keep chickens and other poultry, is scheduled to go to the PC on November 4. Jeter expressed concern that the proposal would go forward at this time, because of some language problems in the existing Overlay District provision and the need to consider noise problems associated with roosters, peacocks, emus, etc. A related proposal to allow cows on lots as small as two acres goes to the PC on October 21.
Joe Fontanella, Planning Commissioner for the Coles District, said that the PC recently had a work session at which the staff came up with some proposals. He noted that at present, horses and equines are permitted in both A-1 (Agricultural) and SRR (Semi-Rural Residential) areas. On 10 acres or more, you can have as many horses as you want; on two acres only one horse. Cows can be kept on lots of 10 acres or more, including those constructed by combining neighboring plots owned by family members. Fontanella noted that there were two sides of the issue that pitted those wanting to do agricultural things against those seeking privacy and quiet. Jeter pointed out that part of the problem was that many residential areas zoned A-1 had not been rezoned to SRR despite being in subdivisions- essentially stale zoning. Fontanella noted that homeowners associations were able to prohibit agricultural activities even in A-1 areas.
MIDCO Meeting Recap From 9/17/20:
First we had a presentation on the proposed Agritourism And Arts Overlay District (AAOD) by Hal Moore of the Protect The Occoquan Watershed organization. Hal talked about the organization's purpose and goals- basically to deal with Farm Winery, Brewery and Distillery (FWBD) legislation and the "Boneta Bill" protections of "Event Centers." They are concerned with impacts from the commercial operations on well water quality and quantity, building code issues, protective covenants and conservation easements, traffic noise and drunk driving.
He pointed out that Prince William is already subject to FWBD legislation regarding wineries, etc. This legislation limits the restrictions that localities can place on these operations. He feels that the AAOD would allow certain types of agritainment/event centers without special exceptions. He said that with or without enacting the AAOD, these "farm" type of uses are governed by the Right To Farm Act (the Boneta Bill). Hal gave some examples of issues with these uses: The Martella Winery in Fauquier County where HOA covenants were not useful, and Whitehall Farms in Fairfax County where limits on number of events and attendees aren't enforced. Hal noted lax enforcement of parking restrictions generally, sewage overflows at a winery near the Occoquan Reservoir, and ongoing traffic issues.
Next we discussed the proposed expansion of the Domestic Fowl Overlay District. This would add the Bacon Race area and an area east of Hoadly Road to the area where you can keep chickens, geese, emus, etc. There are some issues with the language of the existing rules, as outlined under "Current Projects."
Then we looked at the proposed Zoning Text Amendment to expand the keeping of cows to parcels of two acres or more (the minimum is now 10 acres). Details under "Current Projects."
Updates:
Chinn Park signage and stream restoration-- Supervisor Boddye's office initiated a meeting at Chinn with MIDCO, PWCA, HOA and the Parks Department to discuss additional signage for the park nature trail after the issue came up at the August MIDCO meeting. Signage will be provided in two locations on Old Bridge Road and one location on Prince William Parkway in addition to a sign near the library entrance.
In addition, Kim Hosen, Executive Director of the Prince William Conservation Alliance, said that the County had committed to restoration of the eroded areas of the park. She noted that soccer field number three, which was built on wetlands, was a major source of problems.
Preserve At Long Branch-- the revised plan increases the park acreage to 190 acres, reduced units from 118 to 102, lowered density from 2.87 to 3.32, and revised the access. It is now billed as a 339 acre conservation community. It goes to the BOCS for a public hearing on October 20th.
Independent Hill Small Area Plan-- Deferred indefinitely by the Planning Commission.
International Central Gospel Church-- the applicant is working on gaining control of the VDOT property at the front of the parcel before moving forward.
Dar Al Noor Expansion-- several residents expressed their ongoing concerns with traffic and parking impacts that they feel have not been addressed yet.
Route 28 By-pass-- the BOCS recently voted to endorse alignment 4 (the widening of existing Rt.28 in the Yorkshire area), then reversed that vote at their next meeting and endorsed alignment 2B (a new 4-lane road along Flat Branch between Godwin Drive and Rt. 28). There was no public notice or agenda item prior to the meeting. Public comment wasn't allowed until after the vote.
Kline Project-- BOCS public hearing in November.
MIDCO Meeting Recap From 8/20/20:
First up was a presentation on an application for a drive-thru window for a coffee shop at the new Ridgefield Village Retail Center
The proposed facility would be constructed on 1.42 acres of land zoned B-1 (General Business) adjacent to the Prince William County Employees Credit Union and near Earl Cunard Park on Ridgefield Village Drive. In addition to the drive-in facility, there would be walk-in access from the sidewalk along Ridgefield Village Drive and several tables inside the building. The building would eventually house two or three other tenants, including 3,000 square feet of office space and a restaurant. The project was specifically designed to avoid traffic stacking off the property, which has been a problem at other coffee shops during the pandemic.
Those attending the meeting raised several concerns about the proposed facility, including where cars would exit the drive-in window and whether they would add to traffic problems during the morning and evening rush hours. A member of the PWCA and Prince William Wildflower Society asked if the applicant would commit to using only native plants in the facility’s landscaping, and specifically plants from nurseries within 25 or 50 miles of the site. The response was that they would commit to using native plants for 80-90 percent of their plantings but was not sure they could commit to obtaining them all from local sources. The answer to whether the applicant had a stormwater management plan was that it was underground. Kim Hosen asked where the water would be directed and Patrick said that some of it would go north toward the Occoquan River and some south to Neabsco Creek. It was noted that 300 square feet of the site would be a patio planned for outdoor seating.
Next was a conversation with Occoquan District Supervisor Boddye. Boddye thanked MIDCO members for taking part in their community and expressed his appreciation for what MIDCO does. He encouraged folks to stay engaged since he considers their input crucial to good government (paraphrasing here). He noted that, in the months since he took office in January, he had been largely engaged in issues related to the pandemic, the economic downturn, efforts to keep businesses afloat, and racial unrest. At present, his focus was on education, in particular getting students back to school safely. Beyond these immediate issues, he said he wanted to make sure the county made the right investments to foster economic development. Right now, 75 percent of workers in the county work in areas outside Prince William County, so transportation remains an important issue. Boddye said that he was talking about multiple modes of transportation, including the proposals to widen Route 28 or build a bypass, extending the VRE (Virginia Rail Express) service, and other alternatives. He is looking for ways to incentivize teleworking and other ways of working at home and making it attractive for companies to bring jobs to the county. He noted that Apple Federal Credit Union and a food processing plant had recently opened facilities here. Given the wide range of opinions on spending, he acknowledged the necessity to balance competing interests. On the one hand, he wants to protect the county’s AAA bond rating. He also wants to protect open space and the Rural Crescent (RC). He noted that decisions on the Reserve at Long Branch and Kline Farm proposals are coming soon, as is a revision of the county’s Strategic Plan. He urged MIDCO to keep advocating, as he felt the county was at an inflexion point.
At this point, Jeter opened the floor to questions and led off by asking a written question from a member about what his vision was for the RC. He responded that he believed the RC should be preserved, in large part by prioritizing investment in the Development Area. In particular, given his belief that the climate crisis is real, he opposes clear-cutting the land in the RC. Boddye said that he agreed that sustainability should be among the goals in the Strategic Plan and said that he and other Supervisors were in the process of forming a Sustainability Committee. Boddye indicated support for the Occoquan Overlay District Plan concept to protect the drinking water source for much if the county. Jeter noted that MIDCO had formed a committee several years ago that formulated a plan to protect the Occoquan watershed and submitted it to the county. Jeter said that the concept was already in the Comprehensive Plan but had never been implemented.
Then we discussed stream issues at Chinn Park with Kim Hosen of the PWCA and Rob Carswell, president of the adjacent HOA. Chinn Park is located near the intersection of Prince William Parkway and Old Bridge Road and contains trails, soccer fields, a library, and an aquatic center. The basic problem is that storm water drains into the park from land cleared for soccer fields and other uses in the park and the new Jenkins Elementary School. Due to the increased flow, creek banks are being eroded and sediment is being deposited in the stream. Carswell said that the damage was accelerated by construction of a third soccer field just north of the trail area near the aquatic center a number of years ago and the construction of the school more recently. Asked whether some of the water could be retained near the new field, Hosen said it would be desirable to keep the area natural. Boddye said that he was planning a meeting to look at these issues. Jeter noted that MIDCO and PWCA had worked with Carswell to change the location of the new Jenkins Elementary School from its originally planned location in the park to an area just outside the park and closer to the Parkway. He said that MIDCO would be happy to work with him again to help solve the stream issues.
During the discussion a number of attendees indicated that signage identifying the park was insufficient and even folks nearby often don't know about it.
Updates:
International Central Gospel Church--An updated version of the proposal to construct a church at 5451 Davis Ford Road was recently presented at a meeting of LOCCA/PELT (Lake Ridge Occoquan Coles Civic Association/Planning, Environment, Land-Use, and Transportation Committee). The revised proposal changes the color of the church from white to brown and contains only Phase I of the project, which includes the sanctuary and parking lot, but not the school and gym envisioned in Phase II. However, the capacity of the sanctuary has been increased from 150 to 250 and a holding tank system has been added to the proposal to prevent overloading of the septic system. The size of the project relative to the size of the property (3.66 acres) remains a concern of residents worried that the project will result in increased traffic congestion and septic field failure.
Dar Alnoor Islamic Community Center Expansion--The major issues associated with the planned expansion of this facility on Hoadly Road from 12,000 square feet to 88,000 square feet are its potential effects on traffic congestion and groundwater management. The center currently has 330 parking spaces; under the expansion plan it would have 781. Some neighbors already complain about having their driveways blocked during prayer services, while others say they experience severe driving delays, especially on Fridays. The new traffic light planned for the intersection of Hoadly Road and Queen Chapel Road is estimated to cost about $1 million, of which the mosque has offered to pay $18,000. The relatively modest contribution is based on the fact that the light had been planned before the mosque was erected and that it will only be activated when needed. Although the Prince William County Planning Commission recommended approval of the planned expansion on November 7, 2019, it attached seven conditions to its recommendation, mostly related to traffic management, that many residents of the neighboring area do not believe have been—or even can be—fulfilled.
MIDCO Meeting Recap From 7/16/20:
First we had an update on the International Central Gospel Church. Staff is awaiting the second submittal that would presumably address staff concerns which include the acquisition of the property owned by VDOT needed for parking at the front of the parcel, septic capacity, various waivers including ingress/egress that will be needed, etc. In addition, the impacts of the future expansion aren't addressed in the application despite the applicant requesting approval for the future expansion.
We reviewed the Independent Hill Small Area Plan with Planning Commissioner Joe Fontanella. There are still issues with the 5-story buildings, the residential housing density, the commercial square footage and the proposed removal of land from the rural area in order to construct office buildings.
We then reviewed the Preserve at Long Branch project, also with Commissioner Fontanella. This project now includes land that would be devoted to a park- more info under the Current Projects tab above.
Next Kim Hosen discussed the proposed BOCS resolution that would stop work on the Independent Hill, Route 29 and Small Area Plans and reassess the situation given changing overall conditions, negative community input and the desires of the new board.
Then we discussed briefly the VDOT study on the Old Bridge Road/Prince William Parkway intersection. More information available under the Current Projects tab above.
MIDCO Meeting Recap From 6/18/20:
Our feature presentation was on the proposed International Central Gospel Church. Project details are available under the "Current Projects" tab above. The proposal is for 5606 Davis Ford Road. The plan is to connect to public water but have septic fields. Church services would be on Friday at 7pm and Sunday at 10am. The facility would be 28,356 square feet total with seating capacity of 200. The facility (gymnasium, daycare and fellowship hall) would be available to the community. The school would be an evening adult bible school. The church currently has 150 members. The applicant feels that the church would benefit and improve the community.
There were concerns expressed from the participants regarding the size of the facility, stormwater run-off, the parcel's physical suitability for the project, traffic impacts and the need to stop traffic on Davis Ford Road to allow congregants to leave, tree removal, well water and general compatibility with the community. A number of folks expressed that they respected and endorsed the church's intentions and mission but felt that another site would serve the community better.
Next up we had a "meet and greet" with Occoquan Planning Commissioner Robert Perry. Parks will be one focus of Mr. Perry on the commission.
Then we had an update on the Preserve At Long Branch (aka Mid County Park and Estates) project. They will have a Planning Commission public hearing on July 22nd. The latest updates to the project are available under the "Current Projects" tab above.
We discussed the Accessory Dwelling Unit concept and legislation. These are dwelling units (similar to tiny houses) that could be placed on current properties that already have a dwelling on them. They could be in-law suites, rental properties, etc. Legislation in the Virginia legislature that would allow them by-right throughout Virginia failed to pass last session.
The status of the Rt. 28 By-pass project was then gone over. The NVTA voted against $50,000,000 in funding recently. The BOCS on July 14th will vote on endorsing route option 2A or 2B. The major difference in these two options is where they re-connect to Rt. 28 near the Fairfax County line, and one option crosses Bull Run while the other doesn't. More info: http://route28study.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/Route-28-FINAL-Report-11x17.pdf
Finally, we discussed the Strategic Plan Committee and process. There will be outreach to residents in each magisterial district. We're advocating that the Strategic Plan be completed before moving forward with the Comprehensive Plan update, since the Strategic Plan is the "big picture" document that drives much of the process.
MIDCO Meeting Recap From 5/21/20:
MIDCO had its first Zoom teleconference. The featured presentation was on the history of Davis Ford Road. A condensed version of the presentation is available under the "Mid County History" tab above.
MIDCO Meeting Recap From March and April: There was no meeting due to the coronavirus pandemic.
MIDCO Meeting Recap From 2/17/20:
We were joined by Coles Supervisor Yesli Vega and Planning Commissioner Joe Fontanella, who discussed their vision and plans for the Coles District and the county in general. The overall message was one of teamwork, openness and listening to residents. Some residents expressed consternation with the development process and transparency. Supervisor Vega discussed new signage announcing development projects that she had initiated. They discussed various projects under consideration, including the Kline Project, the Dar Al Noor expansion, the proposed 14th high school site, the Independent Hill Small Area Plan, and the Mid County Park and Estates project. They indicated that the Independent Hill Plan was likely to be reduced to under 200 housing units from what was initially proposed in the Small Area Plan- up to 800. During the question and answer period that followed, one attendee recommended that a holistic approach should be taken with land development, looking at how a project would fit in considering not only the immediate area and existing development, but the area in its entirety and what's planned for the future. That was agreed to be the ideal approach.
Then we took a first look at the Estates At Bren Landing project. This is a plan for 20 homes on 48 acres on the banks of the Occoquan. More detail under "Current Projects." It was observed that although this project did meet the 2.5 acre per home recommendation, it would still result in 20 more septic fields on the banks of the Occoquan Reservoir, and built on all of the non-ER land area. It was stated that if the SRR land-use classification was treated like every other classification, the ER land area would have to be removed before the density calculation was made, and the density would be considerably higher- approximately 1.5 acres per home.
Next was an update on the Purcell Road Project. A new lay-out was presented with 22 homes instead of 33, and the sole access point on Purcell Road. The reception was generally positive, with some concern for the impacts on Purcell Road, the well impacts on groundwater and the proximity of the lots to the streams and steep slopes on the property.
Then we looked at one proposed design for the Prince William Parkway/ Brentsville Road intersection and how that relates to the overall area, including the Fairgrounds property. The cost would be around $55,000,000. There was general agreement that the Fairgrounds property should be preserved if at all possible. A joint effort with the City Of Manassas and Prince William County or a public-private partnership could be a strategy to preserve the history of the Fair and showcase various agricultural strategies to preserve the Rural Crescent. Various programs from scouting organizations, 4H, quilters, flower societies, to various shows, etc, could also help support the property.
Updates:
Dar Al Noor expansion- BOCS Public Hearing in April at the earliest, more likely May.
Kline Project- A BOCS Public Hearing date of April 7th is likely.
Mid County Park and Estates- Now called the "Preserve At Long Branch." No firm date for a Planning Commission Public Hearing, but it'll likely be in the spring.
Davis Ford Park- Will be turned over to the county in March, 2021.
14th High School proposed site- Still unclear when and if the school planning staff will bring it to the Planning Commission.
MIDCO Meeting Recap From 1/16/20:
To begin we had a presentation on the revised Purcell Road Project. This is a project to develop 53 acres on Purcell Road with 32 single-family homes. The land area is very environmentally sensitive featuring a stream through it and steep slopes, erodible soils and mature trees. More info is available under "Current Projects." The applicant originally planned the sole access to be on Purcell Road, but after conversations with staff changed it to Silent Wolf Drive. The current plan involves a new public sewer line along Silent Wolf Drive to be provided to service the homes. This would be a pressure sewer system with grinder pumps and pressure stations at each home. The average home price point would be around $700,000. The discussion included concerns on access to the project, housing density, lot sizes, possible effects on existing wells, stream buffers, stormwater flows and collection, specimen tree preservation and septic service. Most of the nearby residents in attendance preferred an entrance for the project on Purcell Road and not through the neighboring community. It was agreed that many community concerns such as increased traffic, stormwater runoff, tree preservation, groundwater capacity, flooding, etc. could be addressed at least to some extent by reducing the housing density to adhere more closely to the 2.5 acre per home average recommended in the Comprehensive Plan. The applicant agreed to work on reducing housing density and a connection to Purcell Road as the only access.
We had an introduction to the community of a 39 acre parcel of land on Prince William Parkway currently for sale that MIDCO is recommending to be considered for a park. The site was planned for a church, but is now for sale for $1,500,000. It is very environmentally sensitive, with only about 15 acres available for development, which makes it perfect for a park. Location info is under "Current Projects."
Then we discussed the process for the Strategic Plan review that was recently proposed by county staff. The staff has devised a plan that, unlike the previous process, would have only staff involved in actually drafting the plan. There would be outreach to the community, but residents wouldn't be at the table when the plan is formulated. At a recent BOCS meeting, some of the Supervisors expressed their desire that county residents be part of the group devising the draft plan as they had been in the past. Staff will meet with individual supervisors to discuss. A key goal of the current plan is to increase the commercial tax contribution to the general fund from the current 15% to 35%. This goal will affect many other decisions made in the future, such as residential housing density, conversion of planned commercial land to residential, promotion of commercial investment, etc.
Kim Hosen presented a new program from the Prince William Conservation Alliance (PWCA) that is designed to explore the underrepresentation of African-Americans and Hispanics/Latinos as visitors and participants in outdoor programs. The PWCA and partners will hold an event on March 21st featuring Dudley Edmondson- an author, photographer and public speaker who promotes engagement of minority populations in nature.
Project updates:
Dar Al Noor Expansion-- Expected to go to public hearing at the BOCS in February.
Kline Project-- Will possibly go to public hearing at the BOCS in February.
The Mid County Park and Estates, the 14th High School Proposed Site, the Independent Hill Small Area Plan and the Rural Preservation Study Implementation were all briefly discussed for those in attendance who weren't familiar with them, but no new information was available.
The Davis Ford Park on the site of the decommissioned Service Authority sewage treatment plant on Davis Ford Road was outlined for new members and it was mentioned that PWCA has been working with the new Occoquan District Supervisor's office to get a "park coming soon" sign put up on the property.
MIDCO Meeting Recap From 11/21/19:
First up was a presentation on the Mid-County Park and Estate Homes Project.
Mark Granville-Smith, presented the proposed project- a 346-acre parcel within the Rural Crescent (RC) just west of Woodbine Woods. Although current zoning would permit only one home per ten acres of land, the proposal calls for the construction of 118 homes, or one home per 2.93 acres. The project would be a clustered development with the homes concentrated on one-acre lots served by public sewer and water, leaving 208 acres, or 60 percent of the property, as protected open space. It would include 2.5 miles of trails with a possible connection to Doves Landing Park, 80 percent of the trees on the property would be protected, and it would contain 1.8 miles of stream valley corridor. The applicant proposes to proffer parkland near the project that would become Sinclair Mill Park.
In the question-and-answer session that followed Granville-Smith’s presentation there were issues raised regarding the compatibility of the project with the goal of maintaining the RC. There were concerns from people in the neighboring community regarding traffic through their community to the proposed Sinclair Mill Park. The applicant stated that there would be a gate on Sinclair Mill Park Road to prevent use of the park after hours and the Park Police would deal with any problems that arose. Martin Jeter noted that, at the meeting of the Board of County Supervisors (BOCS) on Tuesday, Chairman Corey Stewart had suggested waiving the usual procedures and voting on a Comprehensive Plan Amendment (CPA) study for the proposal that evening. However, there had been objections and, following a closed session, he indicated that the BOCS would vote on the CPA study at its November 26 meeting (The BOCS moved the study forward at the 11/26 meeting). In response to a final question regarding the proposal’s infringement on the RC, Smith noted that his property was a very small part of the RC and asked why there was so much concern about it and why it was taking so long to get approved. A resident responded that the proposal was an example of precisely what she and other opponents feared—that developers would devour the RC one bite at a time.
Next was the Shops at County Center presentation from the applicant's representative. This is an application for a Special Use Permit to allow for an increase from 8,000 to 12,000 square foot maximum to allow a fitness facility to be built in the Shops at County Center Shopping Center on Galveston Court near the intersection of Hoadly Road and the Prince William Parkway. It would not involve building a whole new structure, but would require several of the businesses in the center to move to other spaces in the shopping center. The application also requests elimination of the proffered restriction preventing drive-thru facilities in the shopping center, although such facilities would not be constructed in connection with the fitness center and would still need a Special Use Permit. There was discussion on the drive-thru use changes and what businesses would be moved where. The ABC Store would move to the right side of the Harris Teeter and the Escape Spa will move to a new free-standing building under a separate application. The proposal is scheduled to go to the Planning Commission (PC) on December 18 and to the BOCS in January. After the meeting the applicant dropped the request for the elimination of the proffer preventing drive-thru uses.
Updates:
Kline Farm Project--The PC voted 5-3 to recommend approval of the project at its November 20 meeting. Jeter said that it would be going to the BOCS on December 10, along with the Sweet Ladies Bakery application, the Dar Al Noor expansion application, the Dale City Small Area Plan, the Auto Trademark application, the new Signs Regulations and the Gainesville Crossing development! (Jeter announced three days after the meeting that the BOCS had deferred further consideration of both the Kline Farm project and the Dar Al Noor expansion until next year.)
Expansion of Dar Alnoor Islamic Community Center on Hoadly Road--The PC voted 5-3 to recommend approval of the 76,000 square foot expansion of the center with seven conditions including a draft of a parking management plan, a plan for special event traffic management, a minimum of six police officers to handle traffic and an updated study for a traffic light at Queens Chapel Road. Five officers are already used and have stated that they can't control the existing situation, but the PC did not ask for a traffic management plan. Since the proposal involves paving most of the property, it poses some unresolved questions concerning well water recharge rates. Shortly after the meeting the application was deferred by the applicant to allow more time to address community issues and revise the project to raise the school capacity from 200 to 500 students.
14th High School--Jeter said that he had no new information on this project, although he thought the county was leaning toward a different site in the eastern part of the County. A resident in attendance stated that the proposed site on the Prince William Parkway was now dead.
Rural Preservation Study--The PC recently held a work session on this issue. There will be no more work on this until next year.
Davis Ford Park--Although remediation of the 47-acre former sewage treatment site for development as a passive use park appears to have been completed, the Prince William County Service Authority has not yet turned it over to the County. It is expected to be turned over in 2020. MIDCO will work with incoming Supervisors Boddye and Vega to make the park a reality next year.
MIDCO Meeting Recap From 10/15/19:
The applicant for the Dar Al Noor expansion asked to present the project after previously declining to attend MIDCO, so we led off with that application. There's more info on the project under the "Current Projects" tab. The MIDCO letter posted under that tab captures the community input and concerns from the meeting.
Next up was the Road Bond Issue. The bond is for $355 million and includes improvements to Rt. 28 among other intersections and roads. One intersection project in particular, Minnieville Road/ Prince William Parkway, would benefit the proposed Quartz District Project and cost about $70 million. The specific issue discussed was whether it's a good idea for the county to continue to issue road bonds that increase taxes for county residents, or if we should concentrate more on requiring the state government to provide more funding. It was discussed that Northern Virginia generally gets a return of 60 cents for every tax dollar sent to Richmond, and in effect the road bonds result in double taxation.
Recaps were next:
Rural Preservation Resolution: This was being considered by the Board Of County Supervisors (BOCS) as MIDCO was meeting. The resolution failed, and the implementation process for the Rural Preservation Study has since had one more work session by the Planning Commission (PC), with another scheduled for November 13th at 6pm. It is not known if the study recommendations will be voted on by the PC this year.
Independent Hill Small Area Plan: The Planning Commission has deferred this project indefinitely to give county staff time to deal with the scope of the changes requested by the PC, such as reducing the overall intensity and density considerably.
Parsons Business Park: Passed by the BOCS and can be constructed.
14th High School Site: No new information.
Kline Project: Projected late November PC public hearing date if the road bond passes.
Geisler Project: Passed by BOCS and can be constructed. The commercial portion of the project was not removed as recommended by the PC.
Mid County Park And Estates: Deferred indefinitely by the PC. Potentially affected by the outcome of the Rural Preservation Study Implementation. If the Conservation Residential concept fails to be approved, the project would presumably need a Comprehensive Plan Amendment to gain approval.
MIDCO Meeting Recap from 9/19/19:
We began with a presentation on the expansion of the Dar Al Noor mosque. There were a number of nearby residents at the meeting and there were a number of concerns. Areas of concern included traffic (including being held for up to five minutes from leaving area neighborhoods at certain times), flood lights, amplified call to prayer, stormwater runoff onto adjoining properties, dangerous pedestrian crossings, additional school traffic, the proposed 8 foot 8 inch tall electronic sign, etc. This list of questions from the meeting was sent to the applicant:
1. Will stormwater ponds or other stormwater controls be necessary?
2. Will the new parking areas be impermeable surface?
3. Will a crosswalk on Hoadly be proffered?
4. Will a traffic light on Hoadly be proffered?
5. Will busses be used for the school?
6. What is the student capacity of the new school?
7. Will the call to prayer be amplified? How many times per day?
8. Is there/ will there be a prohibition on parking in the surrounding neighborhoods?
9. Will there be offsets for stormwater impacts?
10. What is the reason for the floodlights? (There was a lot of concern on this issue).
Next we discussed the history and future possibility of another Occoquan River crossing in the mid-county area. This was first proposed in the 1990's (more info: https://protectow.com/traffic-and-drunk-driving). The current Ridgefield Road is on the path that the road would have taken from Rt. 234 across the Occoquan Reservoir and connecting to the Fairfax County Parkway. It was prevented by Fairfax County residents who didn't want their preserved section of the county to be impacted by a major highway passing through the Clifton area. More recently, the idea of another crossing has been part of discussions on ways to reduce congestion on Route 28 and Yates Ford Road.
Updates:
Rural Preservation Study- Planning Commission work session on 9/24. New staff recommendations available on county website- google "Rural Preservation Study Implementation."
Independent Hill Small Area Plan- Planning staff still recommending up to 400 housing units. Now 3 stories maximum instead of 5. Planning Commission deferred application to a November meeting, asking for significant reduction in density and intensity.
Parsons Business Park- BOCS Public Hearing on 10/8/19.
Proposed 14th High School- School Board will vote on the issue in November.
Kline Project- Tentative late November BOCS Public Hearing dependent on bond issue.
Geisler Project- BOCS deferred until October. Supervisors wanted more traffic and sidewalk information.
Reserve At Long Forest- Approved by BOCS and can move forward to construction.
MIDCO Meeting Recap from 8/13/19:
First up we had a presentation from Truett Young on the Kline Project, which had been revised after the Planning Commission (PC) meeting. Young noted that Stanley Martin hoped that, in responding to the Planning Commission recommendations, it could achieve a “happy medium” that would satisfy both the concerns of the community and the owners of the Kline Farm property. He said that the primary changes in the revised proposal were a reduction in the number of two-over-two condominium units from 190 to 120, a reduction in the number of single-family townhouses from 84 to 74, and an increase in the number of single-family detached homes from 36 to 57. He also said that Stanley Martin would not return to the PC until after November 5, when it would be known whether the transportation bond issue proposed by the Board of County Supervisors (BOCS) had been approved or not. He felt that if approved, this would make the project more palatable.
Jeter inquired whether Stanley Martin had considered the other issue raised by the PC, the possibility of a park instead of a school on the property proffered by the applicant to be transferred to the BOCS. Truett said no, and Jeter noted that a decision on that issue would have to be made by the BOCS unless Stanley Martin retained the property and made it a park. Jeter then asked what would happen to the $4.2 million in unpaid school proffers in the event that the School Board rejected the proffered site for a school. Truett didn't know. Jeter observed that it seemed that either the $1.5 million in parks proffers or the $4.2 million in schools proffers should be paid depending on whether a park or school is built on the proffered land. School Board member Willie Deutsch said that, if the site were accepted, the school would be built by 2028, but he could not guarantee that the site would be accepted.
A question raised at the meeting concerned the prices at which the new housing units on the property would be offered for sale. Young said that the cheapest units would cost $339,000, while the largest houses would be around $600,000. One resident asserted that $383,000 was the minimum price that would enable the County to break even in providing services to a home versus tax contributions and that the majority of houses in the project did not cover costs. Young questioned the validity of those figures. A number of questions concerned the effects of the project on traffic. In response to a question as to whether new traffic lights would be required at the points of access to the development, Young said that there would be only one new light, at the intersection of Hynson Drive and the Parkway. Several residents recommended that, until and unless the congestion on Route 28 through Manassas was relieved by the proposed Route 28 bypass, the traffic generated by the project would make a bad situation worse. They suggested that the project be postponed until that was done. It was also noted that even the Rt. 28 improvements, if completed, would not affect overcrowding on Yates Ford Road, Davis Ford Road, Prince William Parkway and other area roads. One resident stated that the current proposal was a big improvement over those offered over the past several years.
At the conclusion of the discussion, Jeter noted that the changes in the proposal offered by the applicant only addressed the issues raised by the PC in July and asked if any other changes were being contemplated. Young responded that Stanley Martin intended to take the current plan back to the PC. Jeter also noted that he had hoped that Stanley Martin would have taken the opportunity to make additional changes that addressed some of the issues raised at the meeting.
Updates:
Expansion of Dar Alnoor Islamic Community Center on Hoadly Road--
The mosque proposes a 76,000 square foot five story expansion of the existing building, including a school, increased parking, and an 8-foot 8-inch electronic sign. The majority of the property not used for the structure would be converted into parking. The proposal is still in its early stages.
Reserve at Long Forest--The PC has recommended approval of this project and it goes to the BOCS on September 17. Although its density of 2.1 acres per housing unit is over the recommended SRR density, it is mitigated by the large amount of protected open space guaranteed by a third party conservation easement. It is a good example of SRR cluster.
Geisler Property Project--The PC directed the applicant to have a meeting with residents of neighboring communities on August 22. The PC has also recommended removing the commercial space from the project. The proposal is scheduled to go to the BOCS on September 17.
Parsons Business Park--Discussions between the community and the applicant are ongoing. Jeter urged residents to continue the dialogue. He said that no date had been set for the proposal to go to the BOCS.
Independent Hill Small Area Plan-- County staff have recommended adding up to 800 housing units, including five-story buildings, in the area across Route 234 from the proposed Parsons Business Park even though the applicant for the property has only applied for about 200. The consultant that formulated the plan for the county is redoing the plan based on negative PC input regarding density and intensity.
Rural Preservation Study--The Prince William County Planning Office held a public meeting to showcase proposed changes to the Rural Crescent (RC) on July 30. Among the ideas discussed were proposals for purchase of development rights (PDR), transfer of development rights (TDR) and bringing water and sewer and vastly increased housing density to the Rural Crescent. A TDR plan (Option B) supposedly designed to preserve open space in the Rural Crescent would allow development rights to be transferred from some areas of the RC to transitional ribbons that are themselves within the RC, rather than to land within the Development Area with infrastructure already in place. This would mean thousands of additional homes on lots of as small as 1/2 acre, and would drive up density in the SRR buffers outside the rural area that are already in place. The plan is not yet on the County website.
14thHigh School--The School Board is scheduled to vote on the proposed site of this school on Prince William Parkway west of its intersection with Davis Ford Road in September.
MIDCO Meeting Recap from 7/18/19:
First up was a presentation by Coles District Supervisor Marty Nohe on the road and parks bond referendum. Nohe noted that the referendum will be held in conjunction with the general election on November 5, 2019. The bond proposal was initiated with the Board’s adoption of a Strategic Plan in January 2017 that established several priorities for the County, of which improvements in mobility ranked very high. In January 2019, the BOCS directed County staff to investigate the possibility of a mobility and parks bond. A list of potential projects was presented in February 2019. This list was pared down by retaining only those projects that were already included in the County’s Comprehensive Plan or are consistent with the mobility goal in the Strategic Plan and that would improve the level of service (LOS), are multimodal, improve safety, and show geographical diversity. It was further reduced to those offering the greatest Congestion Relief to Cost (CRC) ratios. On June 25, after public input, the BOCS voted to reduce the amount of bonds to be sold to $396 million, including $355 million for transportation projects and $41 million for parks improvements, considerably less than the $600 million proposed just weeks earlier. The reduction in the amount of bonds to be issued for parks was achieved largely by eliminating proposals for several large indoor sports and aquatics facilities.
The transportation projects on the referendum include the following:
Devlin Road Widening--This project would widen Devlin Road to four lanes between Linton Hall Road and Wellington Road, improving access to the Balls Ford Interchange and I-66. Estimated cost: $50 million. Completion time: 4-6 years.
Route 28 Bypass--Deemed by Nohe “the 800-pound gorilla” on the list, this project would extend Godwin Drive up to Flat Branch around Yorkshire and reconnect to Route 28 at Compton Road or Old Centreville Road and would greatly reduce commuter traffic through Old Town Manassas as well as on Route 28 north of Liberia Avenue. Estimated to cost $300 million and take 8-10 years to complete, it would be financed by up to $200 million from the bond issue, the remainder coming from other sources. It first has to have the environmental impact assessment approved and acquire considerable private property.
Minnieville Road at Prince William Parkway Intersection--This project, designed to relieve congestion at one of the busiest intersections in the County, would entail raising Minnieville Road to pass over the Parkway, thereby eliminating a traffic light and improving regional traffic flow, safety, LOS, and capacity. Estimated cost: $70 million. Completion time: 4-6 years. MIDCO president Jeter indicated that the Quartz District Project would benefit greatly from this taxpayer expenditure, it generally being agreed that it is unbuildable without it.
Old Bridge Road at Gordon Boulevard Intersection--This project would involve building a flyover lane that would allow traffic exiting from I-95 and turning on Old Bridge to stay to the right with no traffic light rather than moving two or three lanes to the left to get onto westbound Old Bridge Road, improving traffic flow and safety. Estimated cost: $15 million. Completion time: 3-5 years.
Summit School Road Extension--This project would extend Summit School Road to Caton Hill Road, providing better access to the Homer Road commuter lot. Estimated cost: $20 million. Completion time: 3-4 years.
The list of parks projects to be funded by the $41 million parks bonds include the following:
Howison Park Improvements--These would consist of new trails, spectator seating, fitness equipment, a comfort station, parking, and improved access for the disabled and would cost $6 million.
Neabsco Park--This new park would include a dynamic playground with a climbing wall, hill slides, a skating ribbon, a pedal-powered monorail, and an amphitheater. Estimated cost: $6 million. Completion time: 3 years.
Fuller Heights Park Expansion--This project would add two new athletic fields and enlarged parking at this park near Triangle. Estimated cost: $6 million. Completion time: 3 years.
Hellwig Park--Two new artificial turf fields would be installed at this park in Independence Hill. Estimated cost: $3 million.
Trails and Open Space--$20 million would be allocated to improvements on the Broad Run Trail, the Neabsco Greenway, the Potomac Heritage National Scenic Trail, and the Occoquan Greenway.
During his presentation on the bond referendum, Nohe answered a number of questions regarding the projects to be financed and why they were needed. In response to a question as to whether project costs had been underestimated in previous bond issues, he said that very few projects had exceeded budget in the past. He asserted that Prince William County had been a leader in design/build at a fixed price and that no bond referendum has failed since at least 1988. To a question as to whether bond funds could be used for purposes other than those approved in a referendum, he said that they could not, although funds could be shifted from one approved use to another. The referendum, if approved by voters, does not require that the County borrow the amounts approved, it only permits the County to do so; indeed, the County is not required to build any or all of the approved projects. In response to a question as to why development has continued along Route 28 despite the growing congestion and need for road widening, he asserted that much of it had been approved decades earlier and that there had been no new projects in Yorkshire for 15 years. Attendees expressed concern with artificial turf fields, citing studies that indicated a link to health issues with children. They were advised to pursue the issue with the county and that the artificial fields don't have to be installed even if the bond is approved.
Updates:
Kline Farm Project--President Jeter noted that, at its most recent meeting on July 10, the Planning Commission (PC) deferred action on the proposal, directing the applicant to consider proffering a park rather than a school site, consider housing density, eliminate 30-40% of the two-over-two condominiums from the proposal, and meet with MIDCO before the PC meeting on October 2nd.
McCoart atrium TV monitors--due to an effort by MIDCO and Chairman Milne, the monitors in the atrium of the McCoart Board Chambers will be on from now on during PC meetings, showing the same thing as the monitors in the Board Chambers.
Reserve at Long Forest--This project goes to the BOCS on July 24. Jeter cited it as a case of successful collaboration between the applicant and the community that resulted in reduced density, an acceptable SRR cluster project, and open space guaranteed by a conservation easement held by a third party.
Geisler Property Project--The PC will consider this project for a 200-bed convalescent care facility and retail center on Route 234 south of its intersection with Hoadly Road again on July 24. Though much improved, the proposal still elicited traffic flow concerns by residents.
14thHigh School--The School Board is scheduled to vote on the proposed site of this school on Prince William Parkway west of its intersection with Davis Ford Road in September. Residents were urged to contact the school board members with any concerns.
Independent Hill Small Area Plan--Mike Garcia has agreed not to have a diesel truck refueling facility on the site of the Parsons Business Park and will provide a sidewalk from the site to Colgan High School. A car wash is also planned. The application has a PC public hearing on August 7. The PC will also have a work session on the Independent Hill Small Area Plan on August 7th at 5:30 pm in the Board Chambers at the McCoart Building.
Rural Crescent Meeting--The Prince William County Planning Office will conduct a meeting on policy for the Rural Crescent at 5:30 p.m. on July 30 at the Hylton Performing Arts Center.
MIDCO Meeting Recap from 6/20/19:
In attendance were Occoquan District Supervisor Ruth Anderson, Planning Commission Chairman Bill Milne, School Board member Willie Deutsch and PWCA Executive Director Kim Hosen. This was a joint meeting for PWCA and MIDCO regarding the 14th high school site.
First up was the discussion on the proposed 14th high school site, which is an approximately 100-acre parcel on the west side of Prince William Parkway a short distance north of its intersection with Davis Ford Road. Kim Hosen started the conversation by stating that the site would have one exit and entrance at an existing cut in the median and would likely require a new traffic light on the Parkway. Among a number of environmental issues with the school is the fact that it would create a large area of impervious surfaces, clear-cutting and leveling on environmentally sensitive land that includes a perennial stream, steep slopes and erodible soil. This area drains into the Occoquan Reservoir, the drinking water source for many Prince William and Fairfax County residents.
Jeter noted that the school would result in building a lot of infrastructure in a small area and that the greatest need for more capacity was in the eastern part of the County. As in the case of the Davis Ford Middle School that was rejected by the Planning Commission over 13 years ago, the new school would necessitate adjusting school districts westward since the need for more capacity is on the eastern side of the county. He also noted that the land for the school was to be acquired by the County using a “quick-take” eminent domain procedure that would involve taking the land from the landowner in a court proceeding after a judge sets the value of the property.
A resident of the Hunters Ridge community on Peaks Mill Drive adjacent to the proposed site said that just 36 hours after the proposed site was announced, there was a huge turnout for a meeting of the community’s homeowners association. He said that residents had many issues with the proposed school, including the fact that the site had been under consideration since 2016 but had been made public only recently. Other issues included the lack of infrastructure in the area, which will require city water and sewage, and the fact that many students will be attending school far from home, which is a disadvantage educationally.
At this point in the discussion, Jeter introduced Occoquan Supervisor Ruth Anderson and School Board member Willie Deutsch to provide their perspectives on the school site. Anderson noted that, although the site was in the Coles District, it was so close to the Occoquan District that it would have serious effects on its residents. She said her work on the Chinn Park/John Jenkins Elementary School had led her to propose a joint committee of County Supervisors and School Board members to find school sites among other issues. Although she knew from the joint meetings that a Prince William Parkway site was on a list of possibilities, she first learned of the proposed high school site from a newspaper in early May. She said she dislikes the site because of its expected effect on traffic, difficulties of access, potential damage to the Resource Protection Area on the property, and the necessity to bus students from the eastern to the western part of the County. She also questioned the accuracy of the School Board’s projections of future enrollments. Jeter noted that the same issue regarding projections came up years ago during the debate over the proposed Davis Ford Middle School, when projections of the number of new middle schools needed in the County were drastically reduced from one year to the next after the middle school was denied. He agreed that there was a need for more accurate numbers and applauded Supervisor Anderson, Commissioner Milne and Occoquan District staff for their efforts in this direction.
It was suggested that efforts should be concentrated on finding high school sites closer to where they are needed in the eastern part of the County. Deutsch agreed that the greatest overcrowding was in the Route 1 corridor and said that one of the major effects of building new schools in mid-county would be the creation of weirdly elongated oblong-shaped school districts. While there wouldn't be students commuting directly from the Route 1 corridor to the new school, there would indeed be movement in the form of “leapfrogging,” with students moving to the closest existing school west of their current school.
Residents continued to criticize the proposed school site, stating that the County lacked a comprehensive plan guiding the location of new schools and asserting that logic did not prevail in the existing process. Deutsch acknowledged that neither the proposed 14th high school nor Colgan High School was ideally located, but argued that it was essential to address existing overcrowding by building a new school, but preferably closer to the targeted student population. He said that there was some possibility of building upward to economize on land use, but that it was limited by the need to provide space for sports fields and other facilities and cost. Jeter asked whether the “quick-take” procedure used to acquire the land for the new school could be completed before the decision on building it was made in September. Milne responded that his understanding was that the PC had to approve the project before the School Board could finalize the acquisition of the land. He added that the cost of building the school was irrelevant to the PC, which limits its review to factors such as location, character and extent.
Next was a discussion on the Kline Farm Project--The most recent iteration of this proposal is scheduled to go to the PC on July 10. Jeter stated that Stanley-Martin representatives were invited but have declined to further engage with the community through citizen groups and have set up a website gather comments and to presumably better control the conversation. Recent changes include dropping the self-storage facility, a service station, and all but one drive-through business; and rezoning the entire property to PMR (Planned Mixed Residential). Jeter stated that the PMR designation was problematic in that it was not implemented by SRR and was therefore not consistent with the Comprehensive Plan. In going around the room, there were concerns with the 2-over-2 townhouses and the 9200 vehicle per day traffic count. There was concern that the project still didn't fit with SRR or the surrounding community. There was an opinion that there was some consistency with the development in the City Of Manassas across the Parkway.
Updates:
Geisler Property Project--The BOCS deferred action on this proposal for a 200-bed nursing home and retail center on Route 234 south of its intersection with Hoadly Road until July 24 to give time for Commissioner Haynes to meet with nearby residents to work out issues.
Independent Hill Small Area Plan--MIDCO has asked the County to postpone consideration of any active applications in Small Area Plan areas until the Small Area Plan for those areas is completed.
Transportation and Parks Bond Referendum--County Supervisors are currently deliberating on a proposed $600 million bond issue to raise $400 million for roads and other transportation improvements and $200 million for parks and indoor sports facilities. Some Supervisors suggest breaking the bond issue into several parts for purposes of the referendum.
Reserve at Long Forest--This residential development on Birmingham Road near Signal Hill Elementary School is scheduled to go to the BOCS on July 24. Jeter noted that the improvement of the proposal since it was originally proposed demonstrates that residents can have a positive impact on development in the County.
Rural Crescent Meeting--A consultant hired by the County will conduct a meeting on policy for the Rural Crescent in the atrium of the Development Services Building from 5-8 p.m. on June 24.
MIDCO Meeting Recap from 5/16/19:
First up was a presentation by the applicant's representative on the Reserve At Long Forest project. He detailed the changes that had been made since 2017 to meet community issues with the proposed 135-acre development on Birmingham Drive near Signal Hill Elementary School. Over that period the number of building lots had been reduced from 120 to 62, the average area per housing unit had been increased from 1.13 acres to 2.03 acres, and 55 acres had been proffered as open space protected by a conservation easement held by a third party. The applicant has also proffered riparian reforestation on part of the property and road improvements on Birmingham Road, including possibly an additional entrance to Signal Hill Elementary School. The revised proposal (available under "Current Projects") is scheduled to go to the Planning Commission in July. Jeter and other community members praised the project as an example of the community and the developer working together.
The Parsons Business Park was up next-it is a proposed industrial park on the site presently occupied by Parsons Farm, a business on the eastern side of Route 234 (Dumfries Road) south of its intersection with Six Towers Road. Kenneth F. Parsons, the owner of the farm would like to rezone 4.40 acres of land there from A-1 (Agricultural) to B-1 (General Business) and 86.47 acres from A-1 to M-T (Industrial, Transportation) in order to construct several buildings on the property to house a diversified range of businesses, including a fueling station for large trucks. For the benefit of those not familiar with the County development process, Jeter provided a brief overview. He noted that the Planning Commission (PC) holds a public hearing on each proposal submitted to the County, and the PC either recommends approval or denial of the project or defers it to a future date to allow the applicant to modify the plan and/or submit additional information. Once the PC has recommended approval or denial, the proposal goes to the Board of County Supervisors (BOCS), which makes the final decision. Jeter noted that the process for vetting the Parsons Business Park proposal was complicated by the fact that the County is in the process of adopting a “Small Area Plan” for part of the area in Independent Hill, including the site of the proposed business park. Such plans are designed to create walkable, compact, transit-friendly communities (more info here: http://www.pwcgov.org/government/dept/planning/Pages/IndependentHillSAP.aspx). Since the Independent Hill plan is still a work in progress, it's unclear how the County can evaluate individual applications without knowing the details of the Small Area Plan.
A lively discussion between local residents and the representatives of the project followed. It was noted that the construction would be done by Mike Garcia Construction and would be similar in many ways to Hornbaker Industrial Park near the Rt.234 By-pass in Manassas. There were community concerns with the proposed diesel refueling station, the M-T industrial uses, additional traffic on Rt.234, pedestrian safety, clear-cutting of trees, groundwater issues, size of treed buffers on Rt.234, and building design. Project representatives asserted that the industrial uses were needed for reasons such as overnight heavy vehicle parking, etc. It was noted that Parsons had proffered out a number of uses that residents viewed as undesirable, such as a concrete plant, an asphalt plant, and a commercial bus terminal. Mr. Parsons said that he wanted to hear what members of the community wanted for the site. He also indicated that he is open to working with the County on something like an indoor sports facility.
Next was the discussion on the 14th high school site. The County School Board has chosen the preferred site, which is on part of the 600-acre "Delaney Tract" along both sides of Prince William Parkway starting about a 1/4 mile west of the intersection with Davis Ford Road. The Board would like to acquire about 100 acres of that tract on the south side of the Parkway (Harris Teeter side) for the school and is reported to be moving toward a “quick-take” procedure for acquiring the property that involves condemnation. It is expected that most students would come from the eastern part of the county to the school. The site is environmentally challenging and would likely access the school from the Parkway.
The BOCS is planning to vote on whether or not to have a referendum on a $600 million bond issue to finance transportation improvements and several recreational projects. More info here: http://www.pwcgov.org/government/bocs/Pages/Bond-Referendum.aspx
Updates:
Removal of Six-Lane Route 234 from Comprehensive Plan--When the Bi-County Parkway was removed from the County’s Comprehensive Plan several years ago, it was assumed that the widening of Route 234 to six lanes was removed as well, since it was on the Planning Commission public hearing agenda and was recommended by them to be removed along with the Bi-County Parkway. However, despite the Planning Commission recommendation, it appears that it was not part of the agenda item for the BOCS vote. This will be further investigated and discussed at a future meeting.
Geisler Property Project--This project will go to the PC on June 19.
Kline Farm Project—This project will go to the PC on July 10.
Changes in Rural Crescent—Postponed indefinitely.
MIDCO Meeting Recap from 4/16/19:
First, we had a roundtable discussion on the future use of the McCoart Center area. We captured lots of great ideas that are available under "Current Projects." We will use this meeting as a springboard to a dialogue with elected officials, county staff and other stakeholders.
Then we went "around the table" to elicit any issues or concerns that MIDCO members have regarding the county. Some issues that came up: Protection for the historic Buckhall School, the commercial use of residential properties along Davis Ford and resulting problems for neighbors, the desire for the area near the intersection of Davis Ford Road to remain rural as one entrance to mid-county, the importance of good buffers for new projects, and when Davis Ford Road will be repaved (it is tentatively planned for 2019).
We updated on the Parsons Business Center, since it's going to public hearing at the Planning Commission on May 1st. It's still essentially the same plan presented to MIDCO and described under "Current Projects."
We discussed the status of the police station reforestation that MIDCO initiated on Davis Ford Road. The planted areas need additional care, and a group was initiated to look into this. We'll let everyone know when we have volunteer opportunities up there.
We showed the answers to various questions that came up during the Reserve At Long Forest presentation. Those answers are available under "Current Projects."
The need to compare the Apollo Project site plans to the construction to see if they're conforming was discussed. MIDCO will do that and report back.
MIDCO Meeting Recap from 3/21/19:
The Reserve at Long Forest:
Attorney John McBride described the updated project, which would be located on a 135-acre site on Birmingham Drive near Signal Hill Elementary School. The previous version, which would have included 104 building lots, has been remanded to the Planning Commission (PC) for reconsideration, largely because of concerns over the density of 1.3 acres per home. McBride said that the revised proposal would contain 65 lots with an average size of about 2 acres over the entire land area and an individual lot size range from 1/2 acre to 2.75 acres. He said that, under the revised plan three homes at most would be built in the 60-acre part of the site east of the stream bisecting the property and the remainder of that area could be protected by a conservation easement. He indicated that a second option for that area would be to leave it all as protected open space.
A question was raised regarding previously proffered improvements to Birmingham Drive and Mr. McBride said that they were still possibilities. Other questions raised during the discussion included whether the open space on the eastern area would be open to the public (it would be), what the lot sizes would be on the western part of the project (about one-half to three-quarter acres per lot), and what price the homes would be sold for ($700,000 or more). A concern was raised that the western part of the project was still very similar to the previous version and still appeared more dense than most of the surrounding area. It was pointed out that this project is considered a cluster project with most or all homes on the western portion. This makes it imperative that the open area on the eastern portion be permanently protected from future development.
School Impact Statements on Land Use:
Alyson Satterwhite and Willie Deutsch of the Prince William County School Board (SB) discussed the impacts of development on the County’s schools. Deutsch led off, saying that the school enrollment had been trending down recently and if the trend continues the school capacity could catch up to enrollment in the future. To deal with recent growth, new schools are being built “like crazy” and there have been additions to many existing schools. The SB hopes to get rid of 35-40 trailers, about 60 percent by the end of the year. Deutsch said that he had worked on SB comments on proposed developments and that the SB was now opposing any proposals that would lead to student enrollments in excess of 100 percent of capacity.
Satterwhite said that they also opposed efforts to change school district boundaries solely in response to new developments. This is unpopular with parents since the boundaries are very carefully drawn in the first place. The County Planning Department’s Staff Report, wasn't accurately incorporating the SB’s statement. including only a portion of the SB’s impact statement. In the future the statement will be included in its entirety.
In the discussion following the SB members’ presentation, a number of questions were asked, including whether there was a cut-off in the SB’s projections of growth (ten years is the limit; five year estimates are more accurate), whether school capacity numbers are actual or projected (they are based on five-year projections), and whether any of the new schools in congested areas would be multi-story (the Potomac Town Center school will be three stories). Jeter and others expressed their appreciation for Satterwhite’s and Deutsch’s work toward responsible and sustainable growth.
Updates:
SRR Language--New proposed language for the Semi-Rural Residential (SRR) designation in the County’s Comprehensive Plan is on the MIDCO website and folks are encouraged to comment on it.
Family Land Transfer--This law permitting land with A-1 (Agricultural) zoning to be broken up into one-acre lots for family members has been used to undercut zoning and planning. Updates to the law to address this are underway.
Ray’s Regarde--This residential project near the intersection of the Prince William Parkway and I-95 has been approved by the BOCS.
McCoart Proposal--This proposal on the site of Pfitzner Stadium and surrounding land near the intersection of the Prince William Parkway and Davis Ford Road would include residential and commercial development on public land. It was in response to a Request For Information from the county to the business community. MIDCO, LOCCA, PWCA, and WPCCA have sent a joint letter to the BOCS suggesting that it would be desirable to invite the public to express its desires for the property on the front end of the planning process and before further engaging the business community..
Quartz District Project--The Quartz District Official Website can be used to offer comments on this mixed residential/commercial project west of the Prince William Parkway north of its intersection with Minnieville Road.
Transportation Issues in the Route 28 Corridor--In response to a question raised near the end of the meeting, Delegate Danica Roem discussed the ongoing efforts to deal with the traffic congestion on Route 28. She said that a $300 million project was required to rework the I66-Route 28 interchange and described in great detail the many legislative and economic hurdles that had to be overcome to obtain final approval and funding for the project.
MIDCO Meeting Recap from 2/21/19:
Kline Farm Project:
After the previous iteration of the proposal to build a mixed commercial/residential development on the Kline Farm property was recommended for denial by the Planning Commission in 2017, Stanley Martin Companies, LLC submitted a revised proposal that was reviewed by MIDCO in August 2018 and is scheduled to be heard by the Planning Commission (PC) on March 6. The acreage included in the proposal was reduced from 100.45 acres to 92.19 acres by eliminating the parcel west of the Parkway, the number of square feet devoted to commercial uses was reduced from 400,000 to 145,000, the number of residential units was reduced from 392 to 310, and the self-storage center, motor vehicle fuel station, and drive-up restaurant in the previous proposal were eliminated. A traffic study estimated that these changes would result in a reduction in total average daily trips associated with the proposal from 15,400 to 9,414. Applicant also proposed to donate 24 acres on the eastern part of the property to the County, which the BOCS could use for a new school or park. Although Jeter acknowledged that the most recent proposal was an improvement over the previous version, he was concerned by the applicant’s proposal to rezone the 40 acres currently designated SRR (Semi-Rural Residential) in the Comprehensive Plan (CP) to PMR (Planned Mixed Residential District). These uses are incompatible in the Comprehensive Plan (the PMR district encompasses much higher housing density, etc.) and he said that this would set a bad precedent that could affect other SRR parcels in the future. An image of the two-over-two townhomes planned (four and a half stories tall) was shown that most attendees felt was a bad fit with the surrounding community.
In the discussion that followed, Henry Bibber, former head of the Planning Department for the County, asserted that the proposal to rezone without a CP Amendment was an effort to obtain higher density. Kim Hosen, Executive Director of the Prince William Conservation Alliance (PWCA) and a past Planning Commissioner, said that the application had not addressed the preservation of environmental features, including wetlands and a perennial stream, that the BOCS was responsible for considering in its decisions. She also indicated that there was no requirement for phased build-out with the commercial constructed first, which is often employed in projects like this. A resident on Lake Jackson Drive asserted that even the existing level of development in the area resulted in stormwater run-off that flooded her property and threatened her well, and that this project would exacerbate the problem. Jeter noted that county Watershed Management staff had numerous issues with buffer waivers, specimen trees and limits of clearing on the project. Jeter urged those concerned by the potential effects of the development to attend the PC public hearing. Barbara Deegan of Riverview Estates suggested that those planning to speak at the meeting coordinate what they would say to avoid repetition.
Quartz District:
This proposed commercial/residential development on 145 acres northwest of the intersection of Prince William Parkway and Minnieville Road is still in the early planning stages. However, it would include as many as 1,000 housing units, mostly townhouses or condominiums in multi-unit buildings, and a commercial area concentrated near the intersection, with parking behind it and further from the roads. A major concern expressed at the meeting was that the developer planned to seek several new median cuts on the Parkway, possibly a violation of the conditions of the bond issue used to finance its construction.
McCoart Center Project:
This proposed plan would be built on much of the McCoart area enclosed by Davis Ford Road, Prince William Parkway, Greatbridge Road, and Asdee Road except for the Prince William County Government Center area and the new police and fire department sites on Davis Ford Road. Proposed in response to a request by the County for suggestions regarding possible uses of the Pfitzner Stadium property after the Potomac Nationals move to Fredericksburg, it would be a commercial/retail/housing project built largely, but not entirely, on County land. Jeter questioned why the county was reaching out to the business community without first consulting with county residents to see what they thought the property should be used for.
Meetings on the Rural Crescent:
Kim Hosen reminded those present that the PWCA was holding a program on the Rural Crescent from 7 to 9 p.m. on March 7 at the Colgan Theatre at Northern Virginia Community College, 6901 Sudley Road, Manassas. Speakers will include Tom Eitler, Senior Vice President for the Urban Land Institute, and Mike May, former Occoquan District Supervisor. Jeter noted that the Prince William County Committee of 100 will hold another program on the Rural Crescent in April.
Updates:
Ray’s Regarde--The BOCS deferred action on this proposal at its January 22 meeting. It would rezone 55.59 acres northeast of the intersection of Prince William Parkway and I-95 to allow construction of up to 325 housing units, including townhouses and two over two stacked townhouses. Local groups have opposed it because of its projected effects on school crowding and traffic. One person at the meeting said that the site also contained considerable amounts of pollutants, including asbestos, which would have to be cleaned up.
Reserve at Long Forest--No new public hearing dates have been set for this residential project that was discussed at earlier MIDCO meetings.
Davis Ford Park--Henry Bibber asked about progress on the park. The answer was that it would be some time before the park was completed, because the Prince William County Service Authority had to remediate pollution on the site before turning it over to the County. It is planned to be turned over to the county in 2020.
MIDCO Meeting Recap from 1/24/19 (Thanks to Larry Mote):
Independent Hill Elm Street Project
Joseph M. Jacobs, Vice President of Elm Street Development, presented the proposal of Parsons Farm LLP to build a mixed industrial/residential development on land near the intersection of Dumfries Road (Route 234) and Independent Hill Drive. The 60 acre parcel discussed is the residential and retail component on the opposite side of Rt. 234 from the commercial/warehouse component of the Parsons Business Park proposal that was presented at a previous meeting. At present, the use planned for the land in the County’s Comprehensive Plan (CP) is FEC (Flexible Employment Center) and it is currently zoned A-1. The proposal is to re-zone the property to 35 acres of Planned Mixed Use Residential and 25 acres of Planned Mixed Use District Commercial. Single family homes would occupy most of the land, with townhomes and retail along Rt. 234. More info is available under "Current Projects." Several issues were raised in the discussion that followed Jacobs’ formal presentation. In response to a question regarding the number of townhomes in the residential part of the project, he noted that of the many counties in which his company operates, only Prince William County has no affordable housing program, forcing some local workers to commute from as far away as Culpeper. The applicant is considering an affordable housing component in the townhouse area. President Jeter asked whether it made sense to initiate county Small Area Plans with intense development in such areas as Dale City and Independent Hill near the Rural Crescent, or should the County concentrate on locating such uses in areas such as the Rt. 1 corridor where infrastructure is already in place. Another question raised was where children from the new residences would go to high school, as the new Colgan High School was already overcrowded. Jacobs noted that the project would take 8-9 years to complete, allowing time to solve such problems. He asked those present to make their concerns known, so that they could be addressed.
Quartz District Project
Jeter briefly described this proposed project, which is in its early stages and for which little information is now available. What is known is that it would be a mixed-use development on roughly 148 acres of land on the northwest quadrant of Prince William Parkway and Minnieville Road. The applicant, Southern Knolls, LLC has requested a rezoning of 143.1168 acres of the property from A-1 (Agriculture), O(H) (Office High-Rise), and R-2 (Suburban Residential), to PMR (Planned Mixed Residential) and PMD (Planned Mixed Use District). If approved as now proposed, the project would include a commercial center with about 300,000 square feet of retail, commercial, and office uses and up to 1,000 residential units (single-family, townhouses and multi-family). It is estimated that the project would add 12-13 thousand car trips per day to the already heavy traffic in the area. More info under the "Current Projects" tab. The project will be presented at a future MIDCO meeting.
Rural Study Timeline
The Rural Crescent (RC) was established in 1998 when the Board of County Supervisors (BOCS) amended the CP to establish the boundary between the Development Area (DA), within which industrial and residential development would be encouraged, and the Rural Area (RA), where development and population density would be limited. In 2013 the BOCS commissioned the Rural Preservation Study to consider changes in policy toward the RC. Although none of the study’s recommendations has been adopted yet, several of them are now under consideration. Jeter noted that some of them would allow more housing density and public water and sewer in “transition ribbons” at the boundary between the RA and the DA and smaller lots within various sections of the RA. They would also double the housing density in clustered projects. Kim Hosen, Executive Director of the Prince William Conservation Alliance (PWCA) observed that one result would be “little pockmarks” of development throughout the RC. She noted that the target date for County staff to come up with their recommendations is the first Thursday in March and that no public meetings have yet been scheduled by the county. PWCA will have a program on the Rural Crescent on March 7th and the Committee Of 100 will have a forum in April. Jeter said that a vote on the proposal by the Planning Commission was scheduled for September.
SRR Language Revision
According to Jeter, the County is contemplating a revision of the language defining SRR (Semi-Rural Residential) in the Comprehensive Plan to reduce confusion and improve clarity. Most of the mid-county area is designated SRR. Details are available under "Current Projects."
Fairgrounds
Jeter reported that the fairgrounds on Business Route 234 are now up for sale. Contrary to many people’s belief, they do not belong to the County. The land is designated for commercial use in the CP. Noting that the current owners have experienced difficulties recently making the property work finacially, he expressed hope that that Manassas City and Prince William County could get together to purchase it and keep it open as an events center for county residents.
Updates:
Reserve At Long Forest Project—Jeter noted that because of significant public involvement including outreach by MIDCO members, the number of housing units in this project has been significantly reduced, the homes may be larger, and more land will be devoted to open space. He cited these changes as proof that citizens can affect the outcome of proposals in the County and change the projects for the better. The revised project will be returned to the Planning Commission for a public hearing and will be presented at a future MIDCO meeting prior to that.
Proffers—In response to a question about the current status of proposed changes in the law governing the proffers offered by developers to compensate for the costs to the County of services provided to new residential communities, Jeter said that, although there was considerable talk about such changes, he had not seen any proposed legislation. He noted that, without changes in the 2016 law that drastically limited the use of proffers, continued development would seriously impair the ability of the County to keep up with services needed for the new residents.
Candidates for the Board of County Supervisors
At the end of the meeting, LaTonsha (LT) Pridgen announced that she was a candidate for the office of County Supervisor for the Coles District. Donald E. Scoggins, an urban planner and architect, announced that he was running as an independent for the office of Chairman of the BOCS.
The December meeting was a holiday party at Los Tolteco's Restaurant.
Much fun was had by all!
MIDCO Meeting Recap from 11/15/18:
MIDCO Combines November Meeting with Committee of 100 Forum on Rural Crescent
By Larry Mote
Because of the importance of the ongoing public discussion of future policy toward Prince William County’s Rural Crescent, the Mid-County Civic Association (MIDCO) decided to combine its regularly scheduled meeting for November with the Rural Crescent Forum organized by the Prince William Committee of 100 and held at Bristow Manor Golf Club on Thursday, November 15. Committee of 100 president Clancy McQuigg opened the meeting by introducing the forum’s moderator, Richard Anderson, former representative to the Virginia House of Delegates for the 51stDistrict. Anderson noted that he was one of many who wished to preserve the Rural Crescent and that the choice of the best policy to achieve that end was an enduring question. He then opened the forum, introducing each of the four speakers on the panel just before their presentations.
Charlie Grymes, Chairman of the Board of Directors, Prince William Conservation Alliance
Opening his statement with the old adage that “any road will take you there if you don’t know where you are going,” Grymes asserted that Prince William County (PWC) had a definite plan and knew where it was going. He said that the plan was embodied in the Comprehensive Plan (CP) amendments of 1998, which established the boundary between the Development Area (DA), within which new industrial and residential development would be encouraged, and the Rural Area (RA), often referred to as the Rural Crescent (RC) because of its shape, where development and population density would be limited. Before 1998, the County soaked taxpayers to foster growth. Since then, Grymes said, the CP has provided a plan to shape our growth and we need to follow it. Part of the strategy to preserve open space in the RA was to foster agricultural development. This could have been done by taxing agricultural land at a lower rate or otherwise subsidizing agricultural development. Another option was to purchase development rights on land, as is done in Fauquier County. However, PWC has not pursued either of these ways of investing in agriculture in the RA, planting only homes there, a continuation of the policy followed in the 1970s. This, according to Grymes, is not the path forward. Noting that it is not the job of the Board of County Supervisors to fatten the retirements of rural landowners through rezonings, he urged that homebuilding be concentrated in the DA to foster the efficient use of infrastructure. Grymes closed his remarks by urging citizens to consider who benefits and who pays when the rules are changed.
Mark Granville-Smith, President of Classic Concept Builders
Granville-Smith said that he had lived in PWC for 25 years and built environmentally sensitive developments. He said he had helped organize the Rural Crescent Preservation Coalition, a citizens group with 100 members owning some 8,000 acres in the RC with the mission of moving beyond adversarial fighting over policy toward the RC and finding real solutions. He introduced a website, preservetheruralcrescent.org, devoted to issues regarding the RC. Noting that the effect of the 1998 CP amendments was to “downplan” 47,000 acres of rural land, he said that the 2013Rural Preservation Studyhad concluded that several changes in policy were needed to prevent development of the RC in 10-acre parcels. It suggested using transfers of development rights (TDRs), purchases of development rights (PDRs), conservation easements, and other tools. Granville-Smith said that such measures could result in 60 percent of the land being open space with the remaining 40 percent in cluster developments. He also suggested encouraging agri-tourism, citing Yankey Farm, Burnside Farm, Effingham Family Winery, and Windy Knoll Farm as examples. He closed his statement with a plea for interested citizens to come together to search for answers to the issues.
Wade House, Dairy Farmer in Rural Crescent
House said that he owned 600 acres in the RC on Vint Hill Road and leased another 1,400 acres and was the last dairy farmer in PWC. His family had started the farm in the late 1800s and his kids would have liked to stay there. But conditions have changed so much that he thinks his days as a farmer are numbered. He said that milk prices are now at 1985 levels, there no longer is a feed store or tractor dealer in Nokesville, he must travel three or four hours to find a repair facility, and he can no longer afford hired farm workers. He acknowledged that he has enjoyed a good life but said that it is not as much fun as it used to be. He no longer wants to wake up and feed 800 cows and milk 400 of them; he would like time to enjoy his family. But he hates the idea of breaking up the farm into 10-acre lots, as there isn’t any place on it that he hasn’t walked in the last 65 years. House said that he hopes there is some solution that would enable him to enjoy his retirement, while keeping the farm as open space.
Sharon Pandak, Partner in law firm Greehan, Taves & Pandak
Pandak emphasized at the outset of her remarks that the opinions she was expressing were her own and not those of the firm with which she was associated or of Tom Eitler, Senior Vice President of the Urban Land Institute, for whom she was standing in. She suggested that it was instructional in judging the merits of the RC to review the history of its adoption and implementation. In 1982 PWC amended its zoning law by raising from one acre to 10 acres the minimum size lot for homes in areas zoned agricultural, thereby downzoning 132,000 acres of land. There was no negative reaction to this for many years. The CP was amended in 1990 to encourage adequate public facilities to serve new residential developments, but this change was implemented slowly because of developer opposition. Late in 1990, the Citizens Advisory Committee and County Executive Bern Evert recommended reducing the land available for residential development. Ed Kelly, Superintendent of Schools, recommended increasing cash proffers for schools and Evert proposed increasing the share of other capital costs paid by residential development. The County estimated that, with these changes, there would be 2.500 new housing units built each year for the following 20 years and that the County’s built-out population would decrease from 475,000 to 391,000, with substantial savings to taxpayers. The 1998 CP changes divided the County into the RA (or RC) and the DA. They were adopted both to protect the environment and to manage the flood of development for which there was no infrastructure. Pandak noted that no successful legal challenge has been mounted against the revised CP and it remains a fulcrum for actions to protect the RA. However, the restrictive 2016 Virginia proffer law prevents a reasonable solution to several problems, and the BOCS has weakened the CP further by flip-flopping and approving “just this project.” Pandak closed her remarks with a quote from Pogo Possum: “We have met the enemy, and he is us.”
MIDCO Meeting Recap from 10/18/18:
We took a tour around the county website concentrating on land-use related activities and notifications. We navigated the interactive map to get details on individual projects. We also had updates- no new action on the Kline Project and no set public hearing dates for the Geisler Project.
MIDCO Meeting Recap from 9/27/18:
First up was the Geisler Property just south of the intersection of Hoadly Road and Route 234. This proposal is the latest of several plans for development of the property put forth by the applicant over the past decade. In the current plan the free-standing drive-in restaurant, convenience store, and 12-pump gas station have been eliminated. In their place will be a retail center with two buildings, one with 7,500 square feet of retail space and the other with 5,400 square feet. A 50-foot easement is required along Route 234 for utilities. On the eastern part of the property, furthest from Route 234, the applicant still plans to build a nursing and convalescent care facility with 200 beds. Project representative Mike Vanderpool said that the changes would reduce the number of daily traffic trips that residents feared the drive-in restaurant might generate, given the proximity of the project to Colgan High School. He noted that a study had been conducted on how best to preserve wetlands on the property and that the applicant was working with residents of the Woodbine community to resolve other issues related to the project. The current plan layout is available under "Current Projects."
In the discussion that followed Mr. Vanderpool’s presentation, it was pointed out that there was only one way into and out of the property. It was also noted that the applicant had been granted a waiver regarding the distance of their entrance from the intersection of RT. 234 and Hoadly Road and that the state had not yet approved the nursing home's one entrance. Other questions raised during the discussion included how many accidents had occurred at the intersection since Colgan High School opened, what types of business might locate in the retail center, how many parking spaces would be provided for the nursing home, and whether something other than a nursing home might be built there if VDOT insisted on another entrance. No one at the meeting knew about the number of accidents since the high school was opened, but it was suggested that VDOT would have the information. Mr. Vanderpool said that possible retail businesses included realtors and a sit-down restaurant like Starbucks or Chick-fil-A and that the nursing facility would include 100 parking spaces. Regarding a suggestion that the nursing home use could be changed, Jeter said that since the applicant was proffering that only a nursing home would be built on part of the property, a proffer amendment with public hearings would be needed to change the use. The project's Planning Commission public hearing date is TBD.
Updates:
Kline Farm Project--The applicant for this proposal for a mixed-use development near the intersection of Prince William Parkway and Liberia Avenue has not asked for new dates for public hearings with the PC and Board of County Supervisors (BOCS).
Reserve at Long Forest--The applicant has removed a few lots from this residential project near Signal Hill Elementary School but has not yet asked for a new hearing date with the PC. However, the applicant does have a hearing date for a related project, Roseberry II. [Note: This project now has a November 20th BOCS public hearing date.]
WaWa--This is a proposal to build a WaWa filling station on the northeast corner of the intersection of Prince William Parkway and Greatbridge Road. Reportedly, at a neighborhood meeting for the River Falls community the majority of folks were against the project. For the moment, it has apparently been put on hold.
Davis Ford Park--Supervisor Anderson's Chief of Staff Alex Stanley said that remediation work on the 55-acre former waste treatment site is being planned, but the site is not expected to be turned over to the County for use as a park until 2020-21. He said that his office is taking input on possible uses and is aware of the committee for reuse that was commissioned by the BOCS and recommended passive use.
Rural Crescent--Jeter said that consideration of the Prince William County Rural Preservation Study Report, prepared for the Prince William Board of County Supervisors and completed in May 2014, was now on hold. The county's stated reasoning is that they're waiting to see what's going to happen with proffer legislation before moving forward. A group of civic associations including MIDCO has sent two letters to the county on process issues but has not received a response. He said the group would push to work with the county to implement policies helping agriculture and protecting open space and green space using Purchase of Development Rights (PDR) and other tools. Jeter noted that the previous system had ostensibly required developers to proffer for schools, roads, and other contributions to get projects approved. There were alleged abuses, but they were never documented. In any case, the legislature passed a law banning proffers for residential projects except for those specific to the particular project. Jeter said that developers want to double the permissible density in the Rural Crescent and even more in the “Transitional Ribbons” on its borders.
MIDCO Meeting Recap from 8/16/18:
First we had an update from Stanley-Martin representatives on the Kline Project. The new proposal would involve only the 92.19 acres south of the Parkway, excluding the 8.26 acres north of the Parkway that were part of the earlier proposals. Unlike earlier proposals, which would have involved a Comprehensive Plan Amendment (CPA) changing the property’s designation from CEC (Community Employment Center) and SRR (Semi-Rural Residential) to all CEC, the new proposal calls for no CPA, but a rezoning of the entire property to PMR (Planned Mixed Residential). The number of acres devoted to commercial uses has now been reduced from 25.57 to 20.10 and the number devoted to residential uses from 74.88 to 72.09, while the number of square feet devoted to commercial uses had been reduced even more sharply, from 400,000 to 145,000. The total number of dwellings in the project has been reduced from 392 to 310. Plans for the commercial area no longer include a self-storage center, a motor vehicle fuel station, or a restaurant. However, they still include a pharmacy, a grocery store, a daycare center, and other retail and office uses. Some of the multi-family residential units would be configured as “two over two stacked townhouses” in which single-floor condominiums would be housed in buildings resembling conventional two-story townhouses.
Buffers and landscaping would be unchanged from earlier proposals, and a community space of 24 acres is still present on the eastern part of the property for use as a school, soccer fields, or both. Representatives stated that the reduction in the density of residential and commercial units would result in an estimated 40 percent reduction in daily trips, including reductions in both commercial and residential trips, only minimally offset by an increase in public use trips from zero to 877.
Reaction to the revised Kline Farm proposal by those at the meeting was mixed but generally negative. A couple whose home is on Lake Jackson Drive asserted that the proposal would result in filling in a stream channel, increasing storm water runoff that already runs onto their property. There was concern that the stacked townhouses were not a good fit for the community and would tower over the other homes. Others objected to building on ¼ acre lots in an area designed for 2-½ acre lots. Many of those present were concerned that the necessary infrastructure, in terms of both schools and roads, was not in place to serve the new project. One pointed out that the environmental assessment of the Route 28 Bypass project was not completed and that all the funding was not yet in place. Some of those in attendance were also concerned that the rezoning to PMR without a CPA, which Martin Jeter said “throws a curveball into the whole project,” could open the door to changes in the SRR area in the future.
Next up was Noah B. Klein, an attorney with Odin Feldman Pittleman, PC, to present the Reserve At Long Forest and Roseberry II projects, both of which are proposed residential developments on Birmingham Drive between Signal Hill Elementary School and the Fairfax Rod & Gun Club that had been heard by the Planning Commission (PC) on May 16. Citing excessive housing density among other issues, the PC had deferred making recommendations regarding the proposals to the Board of County Supervisors (BOCS) until July 25, later deferring further consideration at the applicant’s request until September 5. Klein acknowledged that density was the “big ticket” issue with the projects, followed by tree preservation and access to Birmingham Drive. He said that, in order to make their proposal more acceptable, they had reduced the number of lots from 89 to 82 and moved the center of Birmingham Drive, enabling them to save eight specimen trees rather than four; to do so they got a sidewalk waiver for that side of the street. The Comprehensive Plan designation of the property will remain SRR (Semi-Rural Residential) and, even though the recommended average lot size for that designation is 2.5 acres per home, he argued that higher density was warranted for that area based on the density of the Roseberry project across Birmingham Drive. He said that the required 1-5 acres per home for that designation was a “shall” as opposed to the recommended 2.5 acres, which is a “should”, and noted that a CPA to another classification would result in even higher density. He said when the PC hears the proposal on September 5, there would be a public hearing on the Reserve at Long Forest, but that public input on Roseberry II was closed.
In the discussion that followed Klein’s presentation, Jeter agreed that a CPA to change the SRR designation of the project would increase the density even more, but asserted that such a CPA would likely not be approved, and that the R-2 classification they're asking for isn't recommended under the SRR classification because it's too dense. He said that the developer was trying to justify a density twice the recommended level using the density of one small area of the overall surrounding properties. Concerns were voiced regarding the proposed density-that it doesn't fit with the community, and with the effect on congestion on Liberia Avenue. There was concern that county infrastructure needed to be upgraded before such developments were approved. Regarding a question on what the revenue-neutral level of housing cost in the County was; Jeter responded that it had been estimated to be around $480,000 seven or eight years ago but no up-to-date estimate was available.
Updates:
Wawa Gas Station at Greatbridge Road and Prince William Parkway—Jeter said that an unscientific NextDoor poll of nearby residents showed 155 against the proposal and 145 in favor of it, but there was no way to determine where the respondents lived. He noted that it would be counter to the county Comprehensive Plan for that area.
Rural Preservation Study—Jeter announced that the study was available on the MIDCO or the county website. He said that a meeting on it had taken place at the Waters End Brewery on August 20 and that others would be held at Colgan High School on September 17, Battlefield High School on September 24, and Nokesville School on September 25. Note: these meetings and the county evaluation of the study have been indefinitely postponed.
MIDCO Meeting Recap from 7/19/18:
Our first topic was the Rural Preservation Study that was completed in 2014 and is now being evaluated by county staff. Kim Hosen from the Prince William Conservation Alliance and Martin Jeter presented. This study was contracted by the BOCS and the recommendations contained within will be voted on by them in the fall. The observation was made that mid-county, the rural area and the parkland in Fairfax County along the Occoquan Reservoir all work together to provide greenspace, protection for the reservoir, wildlife corridors and low-density housing. Changes to any of the areas affect all of them and all residents in the county. The rural area and mid-county also serve to keep taxes lower due to less need for public services.
The study has many recommendations within but two were focused on: a "density ribbon" area and the doubling of housing density when using the cluster option. The density ribbon would allow for up to four times the housing density and public water and sewer in ribbon areas along the border of the rural area and other areas in the rural area that have older existing subdivisions that pre-date the adoption of the Rural Crescent. The "density bonus" would allow for an average of one home per five acres on a given project instead of the current ten acre average density. In other words, a given 100 acre parcel could have 20 homes on instead of 10, as long as they set aside 60% of the parcel as open space.
Potential issues with these proposals include density creep and the domino effect from the transitional ribbon areas, uncontrolled density increases with the introduction of public water and sewer and establishing precedent that could be exploited. Additionally, allowing higher density in the Rural Crescent border area defeats the purpose of the SRR-areas on the border and would lead to pressure for higher housing densities in the mid-county area on the other side of that border. The doubled density for projects that use cluster, or group the homes on a project in one area and leave the other area open, could lead to less open area, less interconnection of open areas between projects and more housing in general in the rural area. Both proposals would likely lead to higher taxes due to the additional infrastructure and services costs, particularly since proffers are mostly illegal now.
Other recommendations in the study include a Transfer and/or Purchase Of Development Rights program. The Transfer program would allow developers more density in one area in return for less density in another. The Purchase program would allow a public or private entity to purchase development rights for a parcel so that parcel would remain undeveloped. The survey that was part of the study showed that 68% of respondents were willing to pay higher taxes for land preservation. 61% indicated that ten acre lots were a good way to protect rural character, and 23% said it was an inefficient way to preserve land. No real effort has been made in the 20 years that the Rural Crescent has been in existence to incentivize farming or open space.
Next steps: staff report available 7/27, county public meetings on 9/10/18 at Colgan H.S., 9/17/18 at Patriot H.S. and 9/24/18 at Battlefield H.S., and later in the year there will be public hearings at the Planning Commission and BOCS. More info and the study are available at: pwcgov.org, key words "Rural Preservation Study".
Next up was new groundwater legislation and the need for a groundwater study presented by Kim Hosen. The legislation allows for: “The designation of areas for the implementation of reasonable measures to provide for the continued availability, quality, and sustainability of groundwater and surface water." Dr. Elizabeth Ward has a petition asking Prince William County to assess above and below ground supplies and assure citizens that whatever development is allowed can be provided for now and in the future.
An update on the Kline Project: now 306 vs 356 housing units, the storage facility has been removed and that land area will not be part of the project, and now Planned Mixed Residential (PMR) zoning is being requested for the entire 100 acres. The PMR zoning is normally used with housing densities greater than SRR and would presumably need a Comprehensive Plan Amendment for the SRR area of the project. The project will be presented at the August MIDCO meeting.
The Reserve At Long Forest project will have a Planning Commission public hearing in September. We have invited them to present at the August MIDCO meeting.
The Mid County Park and Estates project will have public hearings after the Rural Preservation Study is voted on in the fall.
MIDCO Meeting Recap from 6/21/18:
The first presenter was transportation professional Randy Boice with the latest plans for the Rt. 28 Bypass in Manassas. After considering various routes Prince William County has identified the route that follows the current Godwin Drive from the Rt. 234 Bypass and connects to the existing Rt. 28 near the Fairfax County line as the highest ranked alternative. This route requires the least amount of property acquisition and environmental impact. They are deciding now whether a basic or more comprehensive environmental study is required. Funding has been secured for planning, the environmental study and part of the construction costs, estimated to be over $200,000,000. If the environmental study is approved, land acquisition would be the next step along with securing the rest of the funding. More info available here: http://www.route28study.com
Next was Occoquan District Chief Of Staff Alex Stanley presenting possible changes to Old Bridge Road with the goal of smoothing the traffic flow and reducing accidents. He presented slides on each intersection that was re-engineered by Parsons Corporation. One of the goals for some of the intersection designs is to encourage drivers to use Prince William Parkway instead of Old Bridge. On that same theme, part of the overall plan is to improve the traffic flow on I-95 southbound between Old Bridge and P. W. Parkway so drivers will continue on to the Parkway instead of getting off on Old Bridge. There are no plans to add lanes to Old Bridge or significantly improve capacity due to resident concerns regarding traffic in that corridor. According to VDOT, the traffic lights are already set on Old Bridge with priority for the through lanes over the side streets. None of the designs are planned or recommended to be built at this time- they're just ideas for consideration.
More info and intersection designs are available here: https://supervisorruthanderson.com/old-bridge-road-corridor-study/
Martin gave an update on the meeting of the combined citizens groups with Planning Director Horner on, among other issues, project applications submitted without a CPA that change the Comp Plan designation of the property, and whether staff urged the applicant for the Kline Project to file for a CPA to convert the SRR area to CEC in order to use a Center Of Community overlay on the whole 100 acres.
She indicated in a follow-up e-mail that staff did not recommend that the applicant file to change the SRR to CEC on Kline, and that staff is required to accept applications for rezoning regardless of Comprehensive Plan compatibility under Virginia Code Section 15.2-2286(A)(7). We're working with Ms. Horner to have more info added to the staff report in these cases such as a clear indication that a CPA would normally be required, why a CPA wasn't submitted and what effect that could have on the Comp Plan.
An update was provided on the English Gardens Project- it goes to the BOCS for a public hearing on 7/17/18.
The Reserve At Long Forest/ Roseberry II applicant has requested a deferral to September for a return to the Planning Commission.
MIDCO Meeting Recap from 5/17/18:
First up was a presentation from Chief McGee and Ass't. Chief Forgo on the Tanker Study done to determine where water tankers should be stationed in PWC. Three tankers in rotation are necessary to fight many structure fires in mid-county. There are currently tanker units at Buckhall, Coles, and Lake Jackson stations. Each tanker has 3,000 gallons of water and engines have 750 gallons, which lasts 2-4 minutes. The tanker units utilize a drop tank that is set up at the site and kept supplied by the tankers, ensuring a constant supply of water. Multiple engines can supply water for smaller fires or until the tanker unit arrives on scene. In response to Supervisor Anderson’s request to look into a tanker unit for Station 26, the Fire Department conducted a tanker deployment study with the Deccan Hypercube Apparatus Deployment Analysis Module. The study was based on 2,093 incidents in which tankers were used, of which 54 were in the area now served by Station 26. According to Chief McGee, the results of the study did not support relocation of any of the existing tankers to Station 26. Martin Jeter inquired about an apparent "hot spot" of tanker activity in the Bacon Race corridor that was identified in the study and would appear to support the need for a tanker unit at 26. He also observed that none of the six scenarios that were studied resulted in a reduction in tanker response time to the Bacon Race area. He noted that according to Chief Forgo's written response to submitted questions, tanker response time to the Bacon Race area would be reduced by five minutes with a tanker unit at Station 26.
Those in attendance at the meeting asked a number of questions following the formal presentation. Among them was how far a pumper or engine could be located from a structure; the answer was about 1,000 feet. To be effective, a hydrant should be within 500 feet of the house. Another question was whether the Department was required to get permission to draw water from a neighbor’s swimming pool; the answer was yes, but this is done by prearrangement and only in a few locations.
Next we had a presentation on a new proposal for a commercial project on the English Gardens property on Rt. 234 in the Independent Hill area. The property is currently a landscaping business on the front portion and a home behind that. The proposal features an office building on the front portion and a landscaping business and storage on the rear portion.
The property is just south of the new high school. Its owner, Pete Field, said that he purchased the property in 2001 and operated it until recently as a nursery and landscaping service. He closed the nursery when he found it increasingly difficult to compete with Lowes and other companies selling plants. Mr. Sherman Patrick, Jr., a land use planner with the law firm Compton & Duling, presented the proposal for redevelopment of the property. Currently zoned A-1 (agricultural), it is designated Flexible Employment Center in the County’s Comprehensive Plan. It is proposed to rezone the front of the property O-F (Office/Flex) and use it for retail, offices, and start-up businesses. The back of the property would be zoned M-T (Industrial, Transportation) and would be used for Field’s contract landscaping business. Patrick presented a sketch of the proposed development showing the roads, buildings, and other features. He noted that the location of the entrance was dictated by VDOT and that regulations prohibited locating a road or planting trees on the dam at the storm water retention pond on the property. Also, the County insists on landscaping to conceal the power lines on the front of the property. The proposal is expected to go to the Planning Commission on June 20 and to the Board of County Supervisors in July. The site plan should be completed within a year and construction the following year. Although water is available at the site now, sewage may be a challenge, as apparently the sewer line now goes only as far south as the high school.
Updates:
Reserve At Long Forest- deferred until July 25 by Planning Commission- they had concerns with the precedent of a rezoning without a CPA and the high housing density- they directed the applicant to address the issues and come back with a plan that fits within the SRR density levels.
Liberia Avenue project- Planning Commission recommended approval.
Rural Crescent – Jeter noted that a group of civic associations, including MIDCO, LOCCA/PELT, WPCCA, Nokesville Civic Association, PWCA and others periodically get together to discuss major issues affecting the whole county. He said that at such a meeting recently they agreed on the need to find ways to incentivize farming in the Rural Crescent in order to limit future housing development there. He suggested that they would look closely at strategies developed in Pennsylvania and other areas having a similar purpose.
MIDCO Meeting Recap from 4/19/18:
First we had a report on the April Commercial Development Committee (CDC) meeting. The committee was formed to advise the BOCS on ways to increase commercial development in the county. Current CDC issues include streamlining the approval process for big-box stores, changing signage regulations, self certification for proffered architectural features and buffers, new rules for mixed-use districts, and a focus on economic development in every Comprehensive Plan chapter versus a separate economic development chapter. MIDCO, PWCA, LOCCA and others are observing and commenting on committee work, so far affecting the proposed buffer changes and self-certification.
We discussed the proposed increase to the Fire Levy. This would raise the average homeowner's tax bill by about $400.00 in FY19. The Fire Levy is a tax that is based on residential home values, similar to the property tax. The volunteer firefighters have stated that the plan will eliminate them in the future. MIDCO is opposed to any additional tax until the volunteers and career leaders come together and agree on a path forward.
A new school tax proposed by Supervisor Candland was discussed. This would be a separate tax to raise about $9,000,000 extra for schools (in addition to the percentage of the property tax already taken by schools). MIDCO is on record as being opposed to this tax until the county acts to get residential growth under control.
We announced that fire department staff would attend the May MIDCO meeting to go over the Tanker Study and discuss the need for a tanker unit at Station 26 (Davis Ford Road).
The first presentation was on the Reserve At Long Forest project (see below and under "Current Projects"). Additional information: 113 housing units- 24 SR-1C and 89 R-2C. Price range average $6-700,000 per home. Questions included stormwater capacity, transportation issues (1100 more vehicle trips per day) and housing density. There was an observation that the area is a cut-thru between Liberia and the Parkway and there are already issues at the 4-way stop sign on Signal Hill. A resident stated that the transition to semi-rural was planned to be on the west side of Birmingham Drive, but this project would result in higher density in the SRR area. The effect of stormwater run-off on the neighboring properties was discussed. The precedent issue of going from SRR to R-2 without a Comprehensive Plan Amendment was discussed. This is unusual and would be a large increase in housing density. The applicant stated that they have reached out to the surrounding community and made changes to the project to reflect some local concerns. MIDCO has sent a letter to staff in opposition to the project (available under "Current Projects"). The project has a Planning Commission public hearing date of 5/16/18.
Next was a presentation on the Liberia Avenue (Aksoylu) project. This project is part of a larger plan that includes assisted living, alzheimer's and independent living centers. More info is available under "Current Projects." There were questions on outreach to the surrounding community, ingress and egress, green roofs, solar power production and parking capacity. The retail uses on the property will feature front and rear customer entrances for the convenience of the building residents. There will be an earthen berm between the project and the adjoining community with a six-foot fence on top in addition to trees. The applicant stated they have been in contact with the neighboring community and heard no issues. They could not commit to solar or green roof technology at the meeting. The lack of a planned deceleration lane for the two right-in-right-out entrances was discussed but is not planned.
Updates were presented on the Kline Project and the Apollo Project courtesy review. The review will be on May 22nd at 7pm at the offices of Walsh Colucci Lubeley, 4310 Prince William Parkway, 4th Floor Conference Room, Woodbridge, VA. There were no new developments to report on the Kline Project.
MIDCO Meeting Recap from 3/14/18:
There was a preview of items on the April meeting agenda: The Reserve At Long Forest project on Birmingham Drive, right next to Signal Hill Elementary. The application is for 123 lots on 135 acres and to convert SRR (Semi-Rural Residential where average lot size is 2.5 acres) to R2 without a Comprehensive Plan Amendment. Also a 16 acre parcel across the street from the Kline project (at the corner of Liberia Avenue and Prince William Parkway) proposing 138,000 square feet of commercial space, a bank drive thru and a drugstore.
The main agenda item was a presentation on the latest changes to the Kline Project. The major changes are the rescinding of the application for a Comprehensive Plan Amendment for the SRR area, the removal of the gas station and fast food components in the commercial area and the proffering to the county of approximately 30 acres in the SRR area for public use. There is still a storage facility, a drive thru CVS, and 356 residential units.The breakdown of the residential units is being proposed as follows: 180 condominiums (stacked townhouses), 1500-2400 square feet per unit; 140 townhouses, 2000-2400 square feet per unit– 90 on main parcel and 50 on smaller parcel across the Parkway; 36 single family homes, 3000-5000 square feet – 18 will be in the SRR Comprehensive Plan designated area and 18 will be in the CEC Comprehensive Plan designated area. All units will be on public water and sewer.
The PWC Director of Parks and Recreation has indicated a need for soccer and lacrosse fields and there is also a need for another school according to Prince William County Schools. Delegate Roem discussed various proposed Rt. 28 improvements. It was acknowledged that even if funding is secured, a functioning bypass is 7-10 years out. Traffic light improvements are also being considered.
There were concerns expressed regarding transportation, the number of townhomes and condominiums, stormwater runoff, groundwater supply and contamination, public land in lieu of proffer money, and parking. The Powerpoint from the meeting is available under "Current Projects."
Update: The Mid County Park and Estate Home project proposed initiation of a Comprehensive Plan Amendment (CPA) to remove approximately 325 acres from the Rural Crescent was postponed by the BOCS. They directed staff to evaluate the Rural Area Study completed by a contractor in 2014 and bring any recommendations from that study to the board for a vote in approximately six months. The CPA will be brought back for a vote after that.
MIDCO Meeting Recap from 2/14/18:
First we had a presentation on the proposed MGM office building on Prince William Parkway near Hoffman Drive. More details are available under "Current Projects." There were questions on the buffer areas, stormwater management, vehicular access, building materials, set-backs, and building height. On the buffers between the development and the neighboring residences, it was noted that it would be better to have more than the 25 feet buffer planned, although parcel limitations were acknowledged. There were questions on how well the neighboring properties would be protected from flooding in the event that the capacity of the stormwater containment area is exceeded. The stormwater facility would be built to 100 year storm standards. It was acknowledged that the proposed building height is taller that nearby commercial buildings, but is within county recommendations. The building facade would be masonry and metal facing. Due to HCOD requirements, the building would be approximately 100 feet from the parkway. Access to the parcel would be right-in right-out with the necessity to travel to Elm Farm Road and make a U-turn to travel westbound on the parkway in peak hours.
Next was a discussion on the Reserve at Long Forest project in the Signal Hill area. (More info under "Current Projects"). The applicant wants to rezone the property to SRR and R-2. The entire property is designated SRR in the Comprehensive Plan. Normally one would need to apply for a Comprehensive Plan Amendment (CPA) before rezoning from A-1 to R-2 in this situation, and this applicant is not doing that. Under SRR the recommended housing density is one home per 2.5 acres, and under R-2 it is one home per 1/2 acre, resulting in five times the number of homes on part of this parcel if the rezoning goes through. This unusual approach that skips an important step would set a bad precedent if approved, in effect minimizing the importance of the Comprehensive Plan. MIDCO will have a full presentation in March or April.
Then we discussed the Mid County Park and Estates project near Woodbine Woods and Rt. 234/ Hoadly Road. This project is similar to the one above in that they want considerably more housing density than the Comprehensive Plan calls for. In this case, however, the applicant is applying for a CPA to change the parcel from Agricultural Estate to presumably SRR, although the paperwork isn't available online yet. This would result in approximately 100 homes on 326 acres rather than 32. There was discussion on the applicant's referencing of the Rural Crescent Study as supporting his case for more housing density and public water and sewer in the Rural Crescent. This study is about eight years old and has not been adopted as policy by the county. There was discussion about more housing density inside the Rural Crescent such as this plan calls for being used as a driver for more density in the SRR areas outside the Rural Crescent line. The application for a CPA goes to the Board of County Supervisors on March 6th.
An update on the Kline Project was given, basically that the applicant is moving forward and incorporating some changes reflecting concerns expressed at the BOCS public hearing. The revised plan is still in flux. There will now be no Comprehensive Plan Amendment application for the SRR area. The applicant's representatives will present the new plan at the March MIDCO meeting.
Finally, the Red House on Bacon Race Road (picture at the top of this page) was updated-efforts to move the house failed because the county doesn't consider the house historically significant enough to move, and the private owner who was willing to place the house on their property wouldn't pay for the move. The house has been documented as having been built between 1883-84. The house will be torn down as soon as the permits are issued. Some building materials may be salvaged for use in other historical buildings.
MIDCO Meeting Recap from 1/18/18:
The first topic was Mike Garcia's proposed project for the Parson's Farm property on Rt. 234 in Independent Hill. He is proposing an industrial park with a diesel service station for the 90.9 acre property. The property borders the landfill and two schools. Phase 1 includes developing 27.4 acres; Phase 2: 37.7 acres; and Phase 3: 25.8 acres for a total of 90.9 acres.
We'll have more information when the project is closer to public hearing. Mr. Garcia also discussed a 48 acre parcel right across the street from this proposed site that is also being considered for development.
Next we went over the Zoning Text Amendments for buffers that were proposed by the Commercial Development Committee and were approved by the BOCS on January 16th. This will allow for a 25% reduction of the buffer area on commercial properties under 3 acres to make room for stormwater or utility infrastructure. This reduction will only be available on commercial properties contiguous to commercial properties. As described in our November recap below, joint CDC/civic group meetings (2) were held. General consensus was obtained on everything but the inclusion of utilities in the buffer reduction area, which was added after the joint meetings. Additional info here: http://www.pwcgov.org/government/dept/planning/zoning/Pages/Zoning-Text-Amendments.aspx
Updates:
Kline Project- There is a new preliminary plan that was revealed after the meeting. It would not require a Comprehensive Plan Amendment. It would include 30 acres of open space along Buckhall Road and Prince William Parkway. Two of the existing silo's would be retained. The SRR area would include the open space and about 15 homes. To the west would be about 300 townhouses and 2-over-2 condo's. To the west of that would be the commercial area, with a CVS with a drive-thru and a Cube Smart storage facility. No gas station is proposed.
Parkway Elementary Buffers- The area along Trowbridge Drive where the 100 foot buffer had been removed will be partially replaced (about 50').
The Red House on Bacon Race Road will be torn down shortly. We hope to at least salvage some of the materials and date a slice of one of the floor joists.
The Carter's Grove project was passed by the BOCS.
There are no public hearing dates yet for the Mid County Parks and Estates project.
The MIDCO Holiday Party was in December, so there's no recap.
MIDCO Meeting Recap from 11/20/17:
First up was a Site Plan Review for Parkway Elementary School. Prince William County Schools’ staff presented the site for the new elementary school next to the Chinn Complex. They indicated that it will include 45 classrooms, a 924 student capacity, and a soccer field added at the request of the county, specifically Supervisor Ruth Anderson. The area is designate as neighborhood commercial on the Comprehensive Plan.
There were concerns about the need for another soccer field when there are already three within walking distance that are not being properly maintained by the county, and concerns with clearing the forested area to accommodate this field. Some members of the homeowner’s association closest to the school, Sycamore Ridge, were present and expressed frustration with current plans showing a substantial reduction in the promised 100 foot undisturbed buffer between the school and the adjoining residential community. Staff indicated that the addition of the softball field caused the incurrence into the 100 foot undisturbed buffer agreed to in writing during the Public Facility Review process. Martin Jeter asked staff if the underground stormwater infrastructure could be placed under the softball field to free up space for the buffer. Staff said the stormwater could be placed under the softball field, but that whether this would result in enough space to restore the buffer would be a question for their Civil Engineer. MIDCO will follow up with the Civil Engineer. Comment review period ends on December 12.
Next we discussed the Carter’s Grove project. Holly Forest HOA and other neighbors were present and are still not on board with the current plan, which has an average density of 1.2 acres per lot. Their concerns are with density, runoff already present and how this project could make this worse, as well as possible use of their park by new residents. The HOA have asked the developer to provide a park of their own. In addition, the Applicant has not met with the community to continue discussions. MIDCO is recommending denial and our letter to the BOCS is available under "Current Projects, Carter's Grove."
The Kline Project update was next. The Planning Commission voted 6-2 against this project. A letter issued afterwords by Supervisor Marty Nohe assured the community that he advised the applicant to pull this application in its current form, and was firmly against a Comprehensive Plan Amendment. If the applicant wants to move forward with the project they need to make significant changes to address community concerns. Over 220 people attended the Planning Commission hearing held on November 15, with all but about 3-5 people against the proposal.
The Independent Hill Small Area Plan was introduced. This area is near the County Landfill and the new PWCS headquarters. Mike Garcia is planning to build an industrial park similar to the one%2
First up was the Geisler Property proposed CPA and Rezoning. This property is on Rt. 234 just south of the intersection with Hoadly Road. Jessica Pfeiffer, representative for the applicant, began the presentation with a brief overview of the Franklin Johnston Group, noting that they had been in the real estate development and management business for 30 years, mostly in Virginia but also in several other east coast states. They have developed 40 properties with more than 6,500 housing units and manage 115 properties with more than 19,000 housing units. Most of these properties, like those in this proposed development, are three-story buildings with one and two-bedroom apartments for residents 62 years or over who are independent and do not require assisted living. The plan here is for two buildings with a total of 192 units. The amenities supplied to residents would include one parking place per unit, libraries and exercise rooms, a buffer of plantings on the perimeter of the entire property, and van service to shopping and other destinations. The applicant is seeking a Comprehensive Plan Amendment to change the SRR part of the property to B-2. The traffic impacts would be greatly reduced from the project for the land that is already approved. The details of that older project can be found under "More" on the menu above.
A number of questions were raised during the discussion of the project. One concerned the rents on the apartments ($1,300 to $1,800 per month), whether elevators were provided (yes, and with auxiliary generators), whether there were any entrances to the buildings other than the two shown (no, but the applicant agreed to keep an open mind to make it as easy as possible for the residents). A question as to whether the buildings could be two-story resulted in the applicant replying that two-story buildings would not be feasible economically since they need a minimum number of units to make the project work. There was a discussion about a perimeter fence for the property to prevent students cutting through from the high school to Hoadly Road and to provide security for the residents. The applicant committed to a fence. This proposal is still in the very early stages, and has not yet been submitted to the county.
The second major presentation of the evening was on the Primeland Retail Project, a proposed development on the western side of Prince William Parkway just south of Hoffman Drive and directly across the road from Joe’s American Diner. The project would occupy 2.53 acres of a 24.5 acre office/retail park that had been approved in 1990 but never built. The applicant, Primeland LLC, is seeking a Proffer Amendment to modify the original proffer for the 2.53 acres to allow for 16 residential units instead of office units. The primary justification is that the demand for office space in the county had been greatly overestimated and there is little need for the office park now. Details are available under "Current Projects".
The applicant indicated that they have been assured that the NC (Neighborhood Commercial) uses proposed, which include residences above ground level retail stores, are compatible with the Dale City Small Area Plan. They noted that the revised application increased the size of the green buffer around the property, which would include some large deciduous trees, smaller conifers, and grasses. Answering a question regarding access to the property, the applicant said that it would not share an entrance with the large commercial development planned for the area further south on the Parkway, which will have its own entrance, but there will be interconnecting roads. He also pointed out that a 30 percent reduction in traffic impact was expected from the change in uses from offices to retail and residential. In response to a question, the applicant said that parking for residents would be at ground level next to the retail stores and that the average size of the apartments would be about 1,000 square feet. Answering questions regarding the nature of the retail businesses and whether the applicant would be flexible with respect to the architecture of the buildings, the applicant said that the stores would probably include a grocery and a hair salon, among others, and that the applicant was amenable to reasonable suggestions regarding their design.
The Distribution Center Overlay District was discussed. This is a plan to designate areas of the county where distribution centers (aka fulfillment centers) would be incentivized to be located. Independent Hill would be one of those areas, mostly on the Parsons Business Park area. These distribution areas would bring increased truck traffic along with them.
Updates:
Preserve at Long Branch--This proposal will be going to the BOCS for a public hearing on January 12, 2021.
Independent Hill Small Area Plan--This proposal to guide development in the Independent Hill area goes to the BOCS for a public hearing on January 19, 2021. The Planning Commission recommended denial.
Dar Al Noor Islamic Center Expansion--This project will go to the BOCS for a public hearing on February 2, 2021. Although the Planning Commission has recommended approval of this project if several conditions are met, it's not clear that the applicant is willing to meet those conditions. Among other issues, the mosque has not committed to paying for more than a small part of the estimated $1 million cost of installing a traffic light at the intersection of Hoadly Road and Queen Chapel Road; producing a viable plan to alleviate parking problems in adjacent neighborhoods, and to produce a viable traffic control plan. A resident of the neighboring Bren Forest community expressed concern that a waiver of some requirements for religious institutions contained in Provisions 2(a) and 2(b) of the requested Special Use Permit might give the applicant carte blanche to expand activities in the future.
International Central Gospel Church--Residents expressed that this proposal to build a church on Davis Ford Road has a number of issues, including whether the church can purchase from the Virginia Department of Transportation a part of the Davis Ford Road right-of-way needed to build a parking lot on the property; whether the 3.66-acre property is large enough to support the sanctuary, future gym, parking lot, and septic field for the projected 250-member congregation envisioned for the church; and whether the additional traffic generated by the project will seriously exacerbate traffic problems on Davis Ford Road. The county has advertised a desire to abandon the VDOT property, which is the first step before the church could purchase the property. Abutting landowners can challenge the abandonment of the VDOT property.
Rural Preservation Study-- PC work session 12/2- Commissioners indicated issues with the CR-1 land use classification and the Transfer of Development Rights.
Cows on 2 acres and the Fowl Overlay District Expansion were both sent back to the PC for further study.
Utility Bill Relief
Jack Kooyoomjian, Chairman of the Prince William County Service Authority Board of Directors, encouraged people having unpaid water and sewer bills who have lost income due to COVID-19 to apply for financial assistance from the federal Coronavirus Relief Fund. They can apply through www.pwcsa.org/relief-funds.
MIDCO Meeting Recap From 11/11/20:
First up was a presentation on the Elm Street Independent Hill Project by Joe Jacobs.
He noted that the original application for the mixed retail and housing development on the property owned by Ken Parsons had been filed in 2017 and since then a number of things have changed. In 2019 the Board of County Supervisors (BOCS) approved rezoning one of the two sites in that application, the Northside Business Park, from A-1 (Agriculture) to FEC (Flexible Employment Center), after the applicant agreed to eliminate some commercial and industrial uses that were deemed inconsistent with the county’s Comprehensive Plan (CP). The proposal now under discussion involves only Parsons South, the 60-acre site that includes most of the area bounded by Route 234 on the north, Independent Hill Drive on the west, Bristow Road on the south, and Wolf Run Lane on the east and is currently zoned A-1. It would be fully encompassed by the Independent Hill Small Area Plan (SAP) now under review by the County.
The current version of the application calls for rezoning 34.9 acres to PMD (Planned Mixed District) and 25.1 acres to PMR (Planned Mixed Residential). The PMD-zoned area at the corner of Route 234 and Independent Hill Drive would include a 12-acre commercial center with a 30,000 square foot office building, a 10,000 square foot day care center, and space for a number of stores and restaurants, the latter with outdoor seating to alleviate COVID-19 concerns. A part of the PMD-zoned area and all of the PMR-zoned area would be devoted to residential uses, specifically 190 single family detached (SFD) homes on lots of about one-quarter acre, roads, and pocket parks. Other versions of the application still under consideration by the developer include varying numbers of SFDs, townhouses, and live-work units. Among the features of the project that Jacobs felt were desirable were that its entrances would be from Route 234 and Independent Hill Drive rather than Bristow Road, that the lowest densities would be near the boundary of the Rural Area (RA), that the existing community on Hamowell Street would be protected, and that there would be trails and road crossings connecting the project to the Kelly Leadership Center and George Hellwig Park.
Jeter led off the question and answer session following Jacobs’ presentation by asking how many vehicle trips per day the project would generate. Jacobs indicated that he didn't know, but would follow-up with the figure. In response to a question from Dan Leahy about the capacity of schools, he said that, according to the School Board, there was some capacity available at Coles Elementary and Benton Middle School but not at Colgan High School. A number of folks commented that the housing density didn't match the surrounding area. In response to a question whether Elm Street could build the project with a density closer to the surrounding area, which is approximately 1-2 acres per home, he answered “No,” citing the estimated infrastructure costs of $8 million for both this project and the business park across Rt. 234. This project's contribution to that figure is not clear.
Next up was the Bradley Square project. Sherman Patrick, Director of Zoning and Entitlements at the Compton & Duling law firm, discussed the proposal by Stanley Martin Homes to rezone two areas that would become Sections 11 and 12 of the Bradley Square housing development on the site of the old Dominion Speedway just off of Dumfries Road. The homes in one area would be townhouses and would be located just across Old Dominion Drive from Bennett Elementary School. The other area, denoted the Grant Avenue Assemblage, would consist of 54 SFDs similar to surrounding homes. Patrick said that the developers had modified the original plan to address several issues raised at meetings with members of the community. Among these were the need for more guest parking and open space; improvements to Old Dominion Drive, including curbs, gutters, and a crosswalk to the school; and additional trails and fitness stations in the Resource Protection Area (RPA). He noted that the plan was scheduled to go to the PC at its next meeting.
In answer to comments that sidewalks were needed on Dumfries Road and that residents were unhappy with the use of trailers for classrooms at the school, Patrick replied that the developers were responsible only for the turn lanes on Dumfries Road and that the trailers were temporary and would be removed when school construction was completed. Answering a question about the capacity of area schools to serve students from the project, he said that additions already planned would add sufficient capacity at the elementary and middle schools and that Osbourn High School has extra space. Asked whether there were only two streets out of the development, he said that was true but each street allowed access to both Dumfries Road and Grant Avenue. Kim Brace, President of the Historical Commission, suggested placing signage on the property to convey the historical significance of Old Dominion Speedway, which had operated there for 65 years. Jeter agreed, noting that the Speedway had once been on the NASCAR circuit and that Richard Petty had raced there. Patrick indicated that such a sign already existed. To a question regarding whether there was adequate parking space for a townhouse development, Patrick said that there would be room for one car in each garage, one in each driveway, and an additional 53 spaces in a guest parking area.
Updates:
Starbucks Drive-Through on Hoadly--Jeter said that several people had suggested that the facility have more outdoor seating than is now in the plan, and the applicant has taken that into consideration.
Dunkin Donuts at Woodbine Shopping Center--MIDCO has sent a letter to the BOCS supporting the application but asking that there be more screening for the dumpster, a commitment to outdoor seating, and a facade that harmonizes better with the shopping center. The applicant has agreed to all three conditions.
Kline Farm Project--Consideration of the project has been deferred, at the initiative of the applicant, until the Comprehensive Plan is updated, probably by late spring or early summer. LOCCA-PELT argued for reducing the permissible density on the Kline property, stating that the current proposal doesn’t respect the rural character of the mid-county area and would bring in suburban sprawl.
Land Use Chapter of the Comprehensive Plan--Jeter urged County residents to get involved in updating this chapter, as it may target additional areas in the county for Small Area Plans and higher density, possibly including the Government Center. MIDCO will keep residents updated as the plan progresses, and will be involved to advocate for the community.
Rural Preservation Study--The 2014 study commissioned by the BOCS to study policy toward the Rural Crescent is scheduled to be reviewed by the Planning Commission on December 2. The topics to be considered include the use of PDRs (Purchase of Development Rights) and TDRs (Transfer of Development Rights), higher housing density and extensions of public sewer. Only the audibles of the work sessions are accessible to the public.
Preserve at Long Branch--This proposal has been deferred indefinitely by the developer.
International Central Gospel Church--Consideration of this proposed new church on Davis Ford Road has been suspended because of the lapse of time since the applicant last submitted required information.
Occoquan Reservoir Protection Overlay District--Ten years ago, a MIDCO committee prepared a plan for an Occoquan Reservoir Protection Overlay District recommending restrictions on density and certain activities within the Occoquan watershed in order to protect the water supply. The Comprehensive Plan includes a recommendation for an overlay district. MIDCO continues to work with the BOCS to amend the Zoning Ordinance to implement the overlay district.
Agriculture and Arts Overlay District--This proposal to encourage arts and agriculture-related businesses within the RC and selected other areas will go to the PC on December 16.
Domestic Fowl Overlay District Expansion--The PC has recommended approval of this expansion of the area within which it will be permissible to keep chickens and other domestic fowl, but with limits on roosters and peacocks to lots of five acres or larger.
MIDCO Meeting Recap From 10/15/20
First up was a presentation on the Preserve at Long Branch project. Several earlier versions of this proposal for a housing development largely in the Rural Crescent (RC) just west of Woodbine Woods had been presented at MIDCO meetings over the past few years. The current proposal has been changed in a number of ways, including a request for a Comprehensive Plan Amendment to remove 146 acres from the Rural Area (RA) and rezone them from A-1 (Agriculture) to SRR (Semi-Rural Residential), leaving the remainder of the 339 acre parcel in the RA. The latest proposal enlarges the natural area from 169 to 190 acres and increases from 1.8 miles to 2.5 miles a set of trails along the stream valley and the Occoquan River from 1.8 miles to 2.5 miles. Both of these would be open to the public and protected by a third-party conservation easement. The revised proposal also reduces the number of homes from 118 to 99, lowering the overall density of the project from 2.87 acres per home to 3.43 acres and increases the number of parking spaces in the trailhead parking lot from 10 to 20.
In response to a question the applicant said that he can’t supply the name of the party that would hold the conservation easement on the natural area because the County would help select the holder only after the rezoning was complete. He did say that a representative of the Land Trust of Virginia had visited the property and said that there were significant features worthy of conservation. He explained that a third-party conservation easement holder held rights over the property to ensure that the natural area would be preserved and noted that the PWCA website had information on the subject. Other issues raised about the proposal concerned the route that would carry construction-related traffic (Classic Springs Drive) and whether the planned sewer line would run through a 100-year flood plain (not answered). A few days after the meeting, Jeter notified MIDCO members and others that the applicant had requested that the proposal be deferred and not heard at the next meeting of the Board of County Supervisors (BOCS).
Next was a presentation for a request for a Dunkin Donuts drive-thru at the Woodbine Shopping Center. The applicant briefly described the proposal to open a drive-through Dunkin Donuts store in the Woodbine Shopping Center at the intersection of Route 234 and Counselor Road. It would be a combination Dunkin Donuts and Baskin-Robbins ice cream store. In response to questions raised by those in attendance, the applicant said that a traffic study found that it would have no significant effect on traffic, that there would be indoor seating and potentially some outdoor seating, that parking for the facility would be shared by agreement with other stores in the shopping center, that most of the building would use the structure of the bank previously occupying the site, and that it would be open seven days a week, 24 hours a day. There were questions regarding screening of the dumpster, tree placement along Rt. 234, the building façade, and additional outdoor seating. The applicant was asked to commit to outdoor seating, additional screening for the dumpster and to match the building facade to the existing shopping center architecture as much as possible. The proposal is expected to go to the BOCS on December 15 and, if approved, would probably open in 2022.
Updates:
Historical Marker for Village of Hoadly:
Jeter indicated that he was working to erect a historical marker commemorating the Village of Hoadly, which existed near the current intersection of Hoadly Road and Prince William Parkway roughly between 1840 and 1950. With the help of Bill Olson and approval by the Prince William Historical Commission, the project now requires only final approval by the BOCS. Jeter noted that the marker will stand where the Hoadly post office was in front of the current McCoart Building.
International Central Gospel Church:
No date has yet been set for consideration of this project either by the Planning Commission or the BOCS. A revised proposal was presented at a recent meeting of the Lake Ridge-Occoquan Civic Association /Planning, Environment, Land-Use, and Transportation Committee (LOCCA/PELT), that would involve postponing Phase II of the project, which included building a gym and conference center, increasing the number of parishioners to 250 rather than 150 persons, and adding a holding tank to avoid overloading the septic system. Among the concerns raised at the meeting were that the property (3.66 acres) is not large enough to accommodate a septic field adequate to serve that many people, that a building the size and design of that proposed does not fit into the rural area along Davis Ford Road, and that the added traffic will exacerbate the already serious congestion on the road. More immediately, the church needs to acquire some land from the Virginia Department of Transportation to build its parking lot before moving forward.
Kline Farm Proposal:
This project, on which final action has been deferred four times in the past, is now scheduled to go to the BOCS on November 17. Jeter observed that, because it is not known whether any changes have been made since the BOCS last held a public meeting on the proposal, he would like to invite the applicant to a MIDCO meeting before that date; however, the next monthly meeting of MIDCO is scheduled for November 19, so some other means may be necessary.
Domestic Fowl Overlay District Extension:
This proposal, which would extend the area within the County in which residents with small lots could keep chickens and other poultry, is scheduled to go to the PC on November 4. Jeter expressed concern that the proposal would go forward at this time, because of some language problems in the existing Overlay District provision and the need to consider noise problems associated with roosters, peacocks, emus, etc. A related proposal to allow cows on lots as small as two acres goes to the PC on October 21.
Joe Fontanella, Planning Commissioner for the Coles District, said that the PC recently had a work session at which the staff came up with some proposals. He noted that at present, horses and equines are permitted in both A-1 (Agricultural) and SRR (Semi-Rural Residential) areas. On 10 acres or more, you can have as many horses as you want; on two acres only one horse. Cows can be kept on lots of 10 acres or more, including those constructed by combining neighboring plots owned by family members. Fontanella noted that there were two sides of the issue that pitted those wanting to do agricultural things against those seeking privacy and quiet. Jeter pointed out that part of the problem was that many residential areas zoned A-1 had not been rezoned to SRR despite being in subdivisions- essentially stale zoning. Fontanella noted that homeowners associations were able to prohibit agricultural activities even in A-1 areas.
MIDCO Meeting Recap From 9/17/20:
First we had a presentation on the proposed Agritourism And Arts Overlay District (AAOD) by Hal Moore of the Protect The Occoquan Watershed organization. Hal talked about the organization's purpose and goals- basically to deal with Farm Winery, Brewery and Distillery (FWBD) legislation and the "Boneta Bill" protections of "Event Centers." They are concerned with impacts from the commercial operations on well water quality and quantity, building code issues, protective covenants and conservation easements, traffic noise and drunk driving.
He pointed out that Prince William is already subject to FWBD legislation regarding wineries, etc. This legislation limits the restrictions that localities can place on these operations. He feels that the AAOD would allow certain types of agritainment/event centers without special exceptions. He said that with or without enacting the AAOD, these "farm" type of uses are governed by the Right To Farm Act (the Boneta Bill). Hal gave some examples of issues with these uses: The Martella Winery in Fauquier County where HOA covenants were not useful, and Whitehall Farms in Fairfax County where limits on number of events and attendees aren't enforced. Hal noted lax enforcement of parking restrictions generally, sewage overflows at a winery near the Occoquan Reservoir, and ongoing traffic issues.
Next we discussed the proposed expansion of the Domestic Fowl Overlay District. This would add the Bacon Race area and an area east of Hoadly Road to the area where you can keep chickens, geese, emus, etc. There are some issues with the language of the existing rules, as outlined under "Current Projects."
Then we looked at the proposed Zoning Text Amendment to expand the keeping of cows to parcels of two acres or more (the minimum is now 10 acres). Details under "Current Projects."
Updates:
Chinn Park signage and stream restoration-- Supervisor Boddye's office initiated a meeting at Chinn with MIDCO, PWCA, HOA and the Parks Department to discuss additional signage for the park nature trail after the issue came up at the August MIDCO meeting. Signage will be provided in two locations on Old Bridge Road and one location on Prince William Parkway in addition to a sign near the library entrance.
In addition, Kim Hosen, Executive Director of the Prince William Conservation Alliance, said that the County had committed to restoration of the eroded areas of the park. She noted that soccer field number three, which was built on wetlands, was a major source of problems.
Preserve At Long Branch-- the revised plan increases the park acreage to 190 acres, reduced units from 118 to 102, lowered density from 2.87 to 3.32, and revised the access. It is now billed as a 339 acre conservation community. It goes to the BOCS for a public hearing on October 20th.
Independent Hill Small Area Plan-- Deferred indefinitely by the Planning Commission.
International Central Gospel Church-- the applicant is working on gaining control of the VDOT property at the front of the parcel before moving forward.
Dar Al Noor Expansion-- several residents expressed their ongoing concerns with traffic and parking impacts that they feel have not been addressed yet.
Route 28 By-pass-- the BOCS recently voted to endorse alignment 4 (the widening of existing Rt.28 in the Yorkshire area), then reversed that vote at their next meeting and endorsed alignment 2B (a new 4-lane road along Flat Branch between Godwin Drive and Rt. 28). There was no public notice or agenda item prior to the meeting. Public comment wasn't allowed until after the vote.
Kline Project-- BOCS public hearing in November.
MIDCO Meeting Recap From 8/20/20:
First up was a presentation on an application for a drive-thru window for a coffee shop at the new Ridgefield Village Retail Center
The proposed facility would be constructed on 1.42 acres of land zoned B-1 (General Business) adjacent to the Prince William County Employees Credit Union and near Earl Cunard Park on Ridgefield Village Drive. In addition to the drive-in facility, there would be walk-in access from the sidewalk along Ridgefield Village Drive and several tables inside the building. The building would eventually house two or three other tenants, including 3,000 square feet of office space and a restaurant. The project was specifically designed to avoid traffic stacking off the property, which has been a problem at other coffee shops during the pandemic.
Those attending the meeting raised several concerns about the proposed facility, including where cars would exit the drive-in window and whether they would add to traffic problems during the morning and evening rush hours. A member of the PWCA and Prince William Wildflower Society asked if the applicant would commit to using only native plants in the facility’s landscaping, and specifically plants from nurseries within 25 or 50 miles of the site. The response was that they would commit to using native plants for 80-90 percent of their plantings but was not sure they could commit to obtaining them all from local sources. The answer to whether the applicant had a stormwater management plan was that it was underground. Kim Hosen asked where the water would be directed and Patrick said that some of it would go north toward the Occoquan River and some south to Neabsco Creek. It was noted that 300 square feet of the site would be a patio planned for outdoor seating.
Next was a conversation with Occoquan District Supervisor Boddye. Boddye thanked MIDCO members for taking part in their community and expressed his appreciation for what MIDCO does. He encouraged folks to stay engaged since he considers their input crucial to good government (paraphrasing here). He noted that, in the months since he took office in January, he had been largely engaged in issues related to the pandemic, the economic downturn, efforts to keep businesses afloat, and racial unrest. At present, his focus was on education, in particular getting students back to school safely. Beyond these immediate issues, he said he wanted to make sure the county made the right investments to foster economic development. Right now, 75 percent of workers in the county work in areas outside Prince William County, so transportation remains an important issue. Boddye said that he was talking about multiple modes of transportation, including the proposals to widen Route 28 or build a bypass, extending the VRE (Virginia Rail Express) service, and other alternatives. He is looking for ways to incentivize teleworking and other ways of working at home and making it attractive for companies to bring jobs to the county. He noted that Apple Federal Credit Union and a food processing plant had recently opened facilities here. Given the wide range of opinions on spending, he acknowledged the necessity to balance competing interests. On the one hand, he wants to protect the county’s AAA bond rating. He also wants to protect open space and the Rural Crescent (RC). He noted that decisions on the Reserve at Long Branch and Kline Farm proposals are coming soon, as is a revision of the county’s Strategic Plan. He urged MIDCO to keep advocating, as he felt the county was at an inflexion point.
At this point, Jeter opened the floor to questions and led off by asking a written question from a member about what his vision was for the RC. He responded that he believed the RC should be preserved, in large part by prioritizing investment in the Development Area. In particular, given his belief that the climate crisis is real, he opposes clear-cutting the land in the RC. Boddye said that he agreed that sustainability should be among the goals in the Strategic Plan and said that he and other Supervisors were in the process of forming a Sustainability Committee. Boddye indicated support for the Occoquan Overlay District Plan concept to protect the drinking water source for much if the county. Jeter noted that MIDCO had formed a committee several years ago that formulated a plan to protect the Occoquan watershed and submitted it to the county. Jeter said that the concept was already in the Comprehensive Plan but had never been implemented.
Then we discussed stream issues at Chinn Park with Kim Hosen of the PWCA and Rob Carswell, president of the adjacent HOA. Chinn Park is located near the intersection of Prince William Parkway and Old Bridge Road and contains trails, soccer fields, a library, and an aquatic center. The basic problem is that storm water drains into the park from land cleared for soccer fields and other uses in the park and the new Jenkins Elementary School. Due to the increased flow, creek banks are being eroded and sediment is being deposited in the stream. Carswell said that the damage was accelerated by construction of a third soccer field just north of the trail area near the aquatic center a number of years ago and the construction of the school more recently. Asked whether some of the water could be retained near the new field, Hosen said it would be desirable to keep the area natural. Boddye said that he was planning a meeting to look at these issues. Jeter noted that MIDCO and PWCA had worked with Carswell to change the location of the new Jenkins Elementary School from its originally planned location in the park to an area just outside the park and closer to the Parkway. He said that MIDCO would be happy to work with him again to help solve the stream issues.
During the discussion a number of attendees indicated that signage identifying the park was insufficient and even folks nearby often don't know about it.
Updates:
International Central Gospel Church--An updated version of the proposal to construct a church at 5451 Davis Ford Road was recently presented at a meeting of LOCCA/PELT (Lake Ridge Occoquan Coles Civic Association/Planning, Environment, Land-Use, and Transportation Committee). The revised proposal changes the color of the church from white to brown and contains only Phase I of the project, which includes the sanctuary and parking lot, but not the school and gym envisioned in Phase II. However, the capacity of the sanctuary has been increased from 150 to 250 and a holding tank system has been added to the proposal to prevent overloading of the septic system. The size of the project relative to the size of the property (3.66 acres) remains a concern of residents worried that the project will result in increased traffic congestion and septic field failure.
Dar Alnoor Islamic Community Center Expansion--The major issues associated with the planned expansion of this facility on Hoadly Road from 12,000 square feet to 88,000 square feet are its potential effects on traffic congestion and groundwater management. The center currently has 330 parking spaces; under the expansion plan it would have 781. Some neighbors already complain about having their driveways blocked during prayer services, while others say they experience severe driving delays, especially on Fridays. The new traffic light planned for the intersection of Hoadly Road and Queen Chapel Road is estimated to cost about $1 million, of which the mosque has offered to pay $18,000. The relatively modest contribution is based on the fact that the light had been planned before the mosque was erected and that it will only be activated when needed. Although the Prince William County Planning Commission recommended approval of the planned expansion on November 7, 2019, it attached seven conditions to its recommendation, mostly related to traffic management, that many residents of the neighboring area do not believe have been—or even can be—fulfilled.
MIDCO Meeting Recap From 7/16/20:
First we had an update on the International Central Gospel Church. Staff is awaiting the second submittal that would presumably address staff concerns which include the acquisition of the property owned by VDOT needed for parking at the front of the parcel, septic capacity, various waivers including ingress/egress that will be needed, etc. In addition, the impacts of the future expansion aren't addressed in the application despite the applicant requesting approval for the future expansion.
We reviewed the Independent Hill Small Area Plan with Planning Commissioner Joe Fontanella. There are still issues with the 5-story buildings, the residential housing density, the commercial square footage and the proposed removal of land from the rural area in order to construct office buildings.
We then reviewed the Preserve at Long Branch project, also with Commissioner Fontanella. This project now includes land that would be devoted to a park- more info under the Current Projects tab above.
Next Kim Hosen discussed the proposed BOCS resolution that would stop work on the Independent Hill, Route 29 and Small Area Plans and reassess the situation given changing overall conditions, negative community input and the desires of the new board.
Then we discussed briefly the VDOT study on the Old Bridge Road/Prince William Parkway intersection. More information available under the Current Projects tab above.
MIDCO Meeting Recap From 6/18/20:
Our feature presentation was on the proposed International Central Gospel Church. Project details are available under the "Current Projects" tab above. The proposal is for 5606 Davis Ford Road. The plan is to connect to public water but have septic fields. Church services would be on Friday at 7pm and Sunday at 10am. The facility would be 28,356 square feet total with seating capacity of 200. The facility (gymnasium, daycare and fellowship hall) would be available to the community. The school would be an evening adult bible school. The church currently has 150 members. The applicant feels that the church would benefit and improve the community.
There were concerns expressed from the participants regarding the size of the facility, stormwater run-off, the parcel's physical suitability for the project, traffic impacts and the need to stop traffic on Davis Ford Road to allow congregants to leave, tree removal, well water and general compatibility with the community. A number of folks expressed that they respected and endorsed the church's intentions and mission but felt that another site would serve the community better.
Next up we had a "meet and greet" with Occoquan Planning Commissioner Robert Perry. Parks will be one focus of Mr. Perry on the commission.
Then we had an update on the Preserve At Long Branch (aka Mid County Park and Estates) project. They will have a Planning Commission public hearing on July 22nd. The latest updates to the project are available under the "Current Projects" tab above.
We discussed the Accessory Dwelling Unit concept and legislation. These are dwelling units (similar to tiny houses) that could be placed on current properties that already have a dwelling on them. They could be in-law suites, rental properties, etc. Legislation in the Virginia legislature that would allow them by-right throughout Virginia failed to pass last session.
The status of the Rt. 28 By-pass project was then gone over. The NVTA voted against $50,000,000 in funding recently. The BOCS on July 14th will vote on endorsing route option 2A or 2B. The major difference in these two options is where they re-connect to Rt. 28 near the Fairfax County line, and one option crosses Bull Run while the other doesn't. More info: http://route28study.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/Route-28-FINAL-Report-11x17.pdf
Finally, we discussed the Strategic Plan Committee and process. There will be outreach to residents in each magisterial district. We're advocating that the Strategic Plan be completed before moving forward with the Comprehensive Plan update, since the Strategic Plan is the "big picture" document that drives much of the process.
MIDCO Meeting Recap From 5/21/20:
MIDCO had its first Zoom teleconference. The featured presentation was on the history of Davis Ford Road. A condensed version of the presentation is available under the "Mid County History" tab above.
MIDCO Meeting Recap From March and April: There was no meeting due to the coronavirus pandemic.
MIDCO Meeting Recap From 2/17/20:
We were joined by Coles Supervisor Yesli Vega and Planning Commissioner Joe Fontanella, who discussed their vision and plans for the Coles District and the county in general. The overall message was one of teamwork, openness and listening to residents. Some residents expressed consternation with the development process and transparency. Supervisor Vega discussed new signage announcing development projects that she had initiated. They discussed various projects under consideration, including the Kline Project, the Dar Al Noor expansion, the proposed 14th high school site, the Independent Hill Small Area Plan, and the Mid County Park and Estates project. They indicated that the Independent Hill Plan was likely to be reduced to under 200 housing units from what was initially proposed in the Small Area Plan- up to 800. During the question and answer period that followed, one attendee recommended that a holistic approach should be taken with land development, looking at how a project would fit in considering not only the immediate area and existing development, but the area in its entirety and what's planned for the future. That was agreed to be the ideal approach.
Then we took a first look at the Estates At Bren Landing project. This is a plan for 20 homes on 48 acres on the banks of the Occoquan. More detail under "Current Projects." It was observed that although this project did meet the 2.5 acre per home recommendation, it would still result in 20 more septic fields on the banks of the Occoquan Reservoir, and built on all of the non-ER land area. It was stated that if the SRR land-use classification was treated like every other classification, the ER land area would have to be removed before the density calculation was made, and the density would be considerably higher- approximately 1.5 acres per home.
Next was an update on the Purcell Road Project. A new lay-out was presented with 22 homes instead of 33, and the sole access point on Purcell Road. The reception was generally positive, with some concern for the impacts on Purcell Road, the well impacts on groundwater and the proximity of the lots to the streams and steep slopes on the property.
Then we looked at one proposed design for the Prince William Parkway/ Brentsville Road intersection and how that relates to the overall area, including the Fairgrounds property. The cost would be around $55,000,000. There was general agreement that the Fairgrounds property should be preserved if at all possible. A joint effort with the City Of Manassas and Prince William County or a public-private partnership could be a strategy to preserve the history of the Fair and showcase various agricultural strategies to preserve the Rural Crescent. Various programs from scouting organizations, 4H, quilters, flower societies, to various shows, etc, could also help support the property.
Updates:
Dar Al Noor expansion- BOCS Public Hearing in April at the earliest, more likely May.
Kline Project- A BOCS Public Hearing date of April 7th is likely.
Mid County Park and Estates- Now called the "Preserve At Long Branch." No firm date for a Planning Commission Public Hearing, but it'll likely be in the spring.
Davis Ford Park- Will be turned over to the county in March, 2021.
14th High School proposed site- Still unclear when and if the school planning staff will bring it to the Planning Commission.
MIDCO Meeting Recap From 1/16/20:
To begin we had a presentation on the revised Purcell Road Project. This is a project to develop 53 acres on Purcell Road with 32 single-family homes. The land area is very environmentally sensitive featuring a stream through it and steep slopes, erodible soils and mature trees. More info is available under "Current Projects." The applicant originally planned the sole access to be on Purcell Road, but after conversations with staff changed it to Silent Wolf Drive. The current plan involves a new public sewer line along Silent Wolf Drive to be provided to service the homes. This would be a pressure sewer system with grinder pumps and pressure stations at each home. The average home price point would be around $700,000. The discussion included concerns on access to the project, housing density, lot sizes, possible effects on existing wells, stream buffers, stormwater flows and collection, specimen tree preservation and septic service. Most of the nearby residents in attendance preferred an entrance for the project on Purcell Road and not through the neighboring community. It was agreed that many community concerns such as increased traffic, stormwater runoff, tree preservation, groundwater capacity, flooding, etc. could be addressed at least to some extent by reducing the housing density to adhere more closely to the 2.5 acre per home average recommended in the Comprehensive Plan. The applicant agreed to work on reducing housing density and a connection to Purcell Road as the only access.
We had an introduction to the community of a 39 acre parcel of land on Prince William Parkway currently for sale that MIDCO is recommending to be considered for a park. The site was planned for a church, but is now for sale for $1,500,000. It is very environmentally sensitive, with only about 15 acres available for development, which makes it perfect for a park. Location info is under "Current Projects."
Then we discussed the process for the Strategic Plan review that was recently proposed by county staff. The staff has devised a plan that, unlike the previous process, would have only staff involved in actually drafting the plan. There would be outreach to the community, but residents wouldn't be at the table when the plan is formulated. At a recent BOCS meeting, some of the Supervisors expressed their desire that county residents be part of the group devising the draft plan as they had been in the past. Staff will meet with individual supervisors to discuss. A key goal of the current plan is to increase the commercial tax contribution to the general fund from the current 15% to 35%. This goal will affect many other decisions made in the future, such as residential housing density, conversion of planned commercial land to residential, promotion of commercial investment, etc.
Kim Hosen presented a new program from the Prince William Conservation Alliance (PWCA) that is designed to explore the underrepresentation of African-Americans and Hispanics/Latinos as visitors and participants in outdoor programs. The PWCA and partners will hold an event on March 21st featuring Dudley Edmondson- an author, photographer and public speaker who promotes engagement of minority populations in nature.
Project updates:
Dar Al Noor Expansion-- Expected to go to public hearing at the BOCS in February.
Kline Project-- Will possibly go to public hearing at the BOCS in February.
The Mid County Park and Estates, the 14th High School Proposed Site, the Independent Hill Small Area Plan and the Rural Preservation Study Implementation were all briefly discussed for those in attendance who weren't familiar with them, but no new information was available.
The Davis Ford Park on the site of the decommissioned Service Authority sewage treatment plant on Davis Ford Road was outlined for new members and it was mentioned that PWCA has been working with the new Occoquan District Supervisor's office to get a "park coming soon" sign put up on the property.
MIDCO Meeting Recap From 11/21/19:
First up was a presentation on the Mid-County Park and Estate Homes Project.
Mark Granville-Smith, presented the proposed project- a 346-acre parcel within the Rural Crescent (RC) just west of Woodbine Woods. Although current zoning would permit only one home per ten acres of land, the proposal calls for the construction of 118 homes, or one home per 2.93 acres. The project would be a clustered development with the homes concentrated on one-acre lots served by public sewer and water, leaving 208 acres, or 60 percent of the property, as protected open space. It would include 2.5 miles of trails with a possible connection to Doves Landing Park, 80 percent of the trees on the property would be protected, and it would contain 1.8 miles of stream valley corridor. The applicant proposes to proffer parkland near the project that would become Sinclair Mill Park.
In the question-and-answer session that followed Granville-Smith’s presentation there were issues raised regarding the compatibility of the project with the goal of maintaining the RC. There were concerns from people in the neighboring community regarding traffic through their community to the proposed Sinclair Mill Park. The applicant stated that there would be a gate on Sinclair Mill Park Road to prevent use of the park after hours and the Park Police would deal with any problems that arose. Martin Jeter noted that, at the meeting of the Board of County Supervisors (BOCS) on Tuesday, Chairman Corey Stewart had suggested waiving the usual procedures and voting on a Comprehensive Plan Amendment (CPA) study for the proposal that evening. However, there had been objections and, following a closed session, he indicated that the BOCS would vote on the CPA study at its November 26 meeting (The BOCS moved the study forward at the 11/26 meeting). In response to a final question regarding the proposal’s infringement on the RC, Smith noted that his property was a very small part of the RC and asked why there was so much concern about it and why it was taking so long to get approved. A resident responded that the proposal was an example of precisely what she and other opponents feared—that developers would devour the RC one bite at a time.
Next was the Shops at County Center presentation from the applicant's representative. This is an application for a Special Use Permit to allow for an increase from 8,000 to 12,000 square foot maximum to allow a fitness facility to be built in the Shops at County Center Shopping Center on Galveston Court near the intersection of Hoadly Road and the Prince William Parkway. It would not involve building a whole new structure, but would require several of the businesses in the center to move to other spaces in the shopping center. The application also requests elimination of the proffered restriction preventing drive-thru facilities in the shopping center, although such facilities would not be constructed in connection with the fitness center and would still need a Special Use Permit. There was discussion on the drive-thru use changes and what businesses would be moved where. The ABC Store would move to the right side of the Harris Teeter and the Escape Spa will move to a new free-standing building under a separate application. The proposal is scheduled to go to the Planning Commission (PC) on December 18 and to the BOCS in January. After the meeting the applicant dropped the request for the elimination of the proffer preventing drive-thru uses.
Updates:
Kline Farm Project--The PC voted 5-3 to recommend approval of the project at its November 20 meeting. Jeter said that it would be going to the BOCS on December 10, along with the Sweet Ladies Bakery application, the Dar Al Noor expansion application, the Dale City Small Area Plan, the Auto Trademark application, the new Signs Regulations and the Gainesville Crossing development! (Jeter announced three days after the meeting that the BOCS had deferred further consideration of both the Kline Farm project and the Dar Al Noor expansion until next year.)
Expansion of Dar Alnoor Islamic Community Center on Hoadly Road--The PC voted 5-3 to recommend approval of the 76,000 square foot expansion of the center with seven conditions including a draft of a parking management plan, a plan for special event traffic management, a minimum of six police officers to handle traffic and an updated study for a traffic light at Queens Chapel Road. Five officers are already used and have stated that they can't control the existing situation, but the PC did not ask for a traffic management plan. Since the proposal involves paving most of the property, it poses some unresolved questions concerning well water recharge rates. Shortly after the meeting the application was deferred by the applicant to allow more time to address community issues and revise the project to raise the school capacity from 200 to 500 students.
14th High School--Jeter said that he had no new information on this project, although he thought the county was leaning toward a different site in the eastern part of the County. A resident in attendance stated that the proposed site on the Prince William Parkway was now dead.
Rural Preservation Study--The PC recently held a work session on this issue. There will be no more work on this until next year.
Davis Ford Park--Although remediation of the 47-acre former sewage treatment site for development as a passive use park appears to have been completed, the Prince William County Service Authority has not yet turned it over to the County. It is expected to be turned over in 2020. MIDCO will work with incoming Supervisors Boddye and Vega to make the park a reality next year.
MIDCO Meeting Recap From 10/15/19:
The applicant for the Dar Al Noor expansion asked to present the project after previously declining to attend MIDCO, so we led off with that application. There's more info on the project under the "Current Projects" tab. The MIDCO letter posted under that tab captures the community input and concerns from the meeting.
Next up was the Road Bond Issue. The bond is for $355 million and includes improvements to Rt. 28 among other intersections and roads. One intersection project in particular, Minnieville Road/ Prince William Parkway, would benefit the proposed Quartz District Project and cost about $70 million. The specific issue discussed was whether it's a good idea for the county to continue to issue road bonds that increase taxes for county residents, or if we should concentrate more on requiring the state government to provide more funding. It was discussed that Northern Virginia generally gets a return of 60 cents for every tax dollar sent to Richmond, and in effect the road bonds result in double taxation.
Recaps were next:
Rural Preservation Resolution: This was being considered by the Board Of County Supervisors (BOCS) as MIDCO was meeting. The resolution failed, and the implementation process for the Rural Preservation Study has since had one more work session by the Planning Commission (PC), with another scheduled for November 13th at 6pm. It is not known if the study recommendations will be voted on by the PC this year.
Independent Hill Small Area Plan: The Planning Commission has deferred this project indefinitely to give county staff time to deal with the scope of the changes requested by the PC, such as reducing the overall intensity and density considerably.
Parsons Business Park: Passed by the BOCS and can be constructed.
14th High School Site: No new information.
Kline Project: Projected late November PC public hearing date if the road bond passes.
Geisler Project: Passed by BOCS and can be constructed. The commercial portion of the project was not removed as recommended by the PC.
Mid County Park And Estates: Deferred indefinitely by the PC. Potentially affected by the outcome of the Rural Preservation Study Implementation. If the Conservation Residential concept fails to be approved, the project would presumably need a Comprehensive Plan Amendment to gain approval.
MIDCO Meeting Recap from 9/19/19:
We began with a presentation on the expansion of the Dar Al Noor mosque. There were a number of nearby residents at the meeting and there were a number of concerns. Areas of concern included traffic (including being held for up to five minutes from leaving area neighborhoods at certain times), flood lights, amplified call to prayer, stormwater runoff onto adjoining properties, dangerous pedestrian crossings, additional school traffic, the proposed 8 foot 8 inch tall electronic sign, etc. This list of questions from the meeting was sent to the applicant:
1. Will stormwater ponds or other stormwater controls be necessary?
2. Will the new parking areas be impermeable surface?
3. Will a crosswalk on Hoadly be proffered?
4. Will a traffic light on Hoadly be proffered?
5. Will busses be used for the school?
6. What is the student capacity of the new school?
7. Will the call to prayer be amplified? How many times per day?
8. Is there/ will there be a prohibition on parking in the surrounding neighborhoods?
9. Will there be offsets for stormwater impacts?
10. What is the reason for the floodlights? (There was a lot of concern on this issue).
Next we discussed the history and future possibility of another Occoquan River crossing in the mid-county area. This was first proposed in the 1990's (more info: https://protectow.com/traffic-and-drunk-driving). The current Ridgefield Road is on the path that the road would have taken from Rt. 234 across the Occoquan Reservoir and connecting to the Fairfax County Parkway. It was prevented by Fairfax County residents who didn't want their preserved section of the county to be impacted by a major highway passing through the Clifton area. More recently, the idea of another crossing has been part of discussions on ways to reduce congestion on Route 28 and Yates Ford Road.
Updates:
Rural Preservation Study- Planning Commission work session on 9/24. New staff recommendations available on county website- google "Rural Preservation Study Implementation."
Independent Hill Small Area Plan- Planning staff still recommending up to 400 housing units. Now 3 stories maximum instead of 5. Planning Commission deferred application to a November meeting, asking for significant reduction in density and intensity.
Parsons Business Park- BOCS Public Hearing on 10/8/19.
Proposed 14th High School- School Board will vote on the issue in November.
Kline Project- Tentative late November BOCS Public Hearing dependent on bond issue.
Geisler Project- BOCS deferred until October. Supervisors wanted more traffic and sidewalk information.
Reserve At Long Forest- Approved by BOCS and can move forward to construction.
MIDCO Meeting Recap from 8/13/19:
First up we had a presentation from Truett Young on the Kline Project, which had been revised after the Planning Commission (PC) meeting. Young noted that Stanley Martin hoped that, in responding to the Planning Commission recommendations, it could achieve a “happy medium” that would satisfy both the concerns of the community and the owners of the Kline Farm property. He said that the primary changes in the revised proposal were a reduction in the number of two-over-two condominium units from 190 to 120, a reduction in the number of single-family townhouses from 84 to 74, and an increase in the number of single-family detached homes from 36 to 57. He also said that Stanley Martin would not return to the PC until after November 5, when it would be known whether the transportation bond issue proposed by the Board of County Supervisors (BOCS) had been approved or not. He felt that if approved, this would make the project more palatable.
Jeter inquired whether Stanley Martin had considered the other issue raised by the PC, the possibility of a park instead of a school on the property proffered by the applicant to be transferred to the BOCS. Truett said no, and Jeter noted that a decision on that issue would have to be made by the BOCS unless Stanley Martin retained the property and made it a park. Jeter then asked what would happen to the $4.2 million in unpaid school proffers in the event that the School Board rejected the proffered site for a school. Truett didn't know. Jeter observed that it seemed that either the $1.5 million in parks proffers or the $4.2 million in schools proffers should be paid depending on whether a park or school is built on the proffered land. School Board member Willie Deutsch said that, if the site were accepted, the school would be built by 2028, but he could not guarantee that the site would be accepted.
A question raised at the meeting concerned the prices at which the new housing units on the property would be offered for sale. Young said that the cheapest units would cost $339,000, while the largest houses would be around $600,000. One resident asserted that $383,000 was the minimum price that would enable the County to break even in providing services to a home versus tax contributions and that the majority of houses in the project did not cover costs. Young questioned the validity of those figures. A number of questions concerned the effects of the project on traffic. In response to a question as to whether new traffic lights would be required at the points of access to the development, Young said that there would be only one new light, at the intersection of Hynson Drive and the Parkway. Several residents recommended that, until and unless the congestion on Route 28 through Manassas was relieved by the proposed Route 28 bypass, the traffic generated by the project would make a bad situation worse. They suggested that the project be postponed until that was done. It was also noted that even the Rt. 28 improvements, if completed, would not affect overcrowding on Yates Ford Road, Davis Ford Road, Prince William Parkway and other area roads. One resident stated that the current proposal was a big improvement over those offered over the past several years.
At the conclusion of the discussion, Jeter noted that the changes in the proposal offered by the applicant only addressed the issues raised by the PC in July and asked if any other changes were being contemplated. Young responded that Stanley Martin intended to take the current plan back to the PC. Jeter also noted that he had hoped that Stanley Martin would have taken the opportunity to make additional changes that addressed some of the issues raised at the meeting.
Updates:
Expansion of Dar Alnoor Islamic Community Center on Hoadly Road--
The mosque proposes a 76,000 square foot five story expansion of the existing building, including a school, increased parking, and an 8-foot 8-inch electronic sign. The majority of the property not used for the structure would be converted into parking. The proposal is still in its early stages.
Reserve at Long Forest--The PC has recommended approval of this project and it goes to the BOCS on September 17. Although its density of 2.1 acres per housing unit is over the recommended SRR density, it is mitigated by the large amount of protected open space guaranteed by a third party conservation easement. It is a good example of SRR cluster.
Geisler Property Project--The PC directed the applicant to have a meeting with residents of neighboring communities on August 22. The PC has also recommended removing the commercial space from the project. The proposal is scheduled to go to the BOCS on September 17.
Parsons Business Park--Discussions between the community and the applicant are ongoing. Jeter urged residents to continue the dialogue. He said that no date had been set for the proposal to go to the BOCS.
Independent Hill Small Area Plan-- County staff have recommended adding up to 800 housing units, including five-story buildings, in the area across Route 234 from the proposed Parsons Business Park even though the applicant for the property has only applied for about 200. The consultant that formulated the plan for the county is redoing the plan based on negative PC input regarding density and intensity.
Rural Preservation Study--The Prince William County Planning Office held a public meeting to showcase proposed changes to the Rural Crescent (RC) on July 30. Among the ideas discussed were proposals for purchase of development rights (PDR), transfer of development rights (TDR) and bringing water and sewer and vastly increased housing density to the Rural Crescent. A TDR plan (Option B) supposedly designed to preserve open space in the Rural Crescent would allow development rights to be transferred from some areas of the RC to transitional ribbons that are themselves within the RC, rather than to land within the Development Area with infrastructure already in place. This would mean thousands of additional homes on lots of as small as 1/2 acre, and would drive up density in the SRR buffers outside the rural area that are already in place. The plan is not yet on the County website.
14thHigh School--The School Board is scheduled to vote on the proposed site of this school on Prince William Parkway west of its intersection with Davis Ford Road in September.
MIDCO Meeting Recap from 7/18/19:
First up was a presentation by Coles District Supervisor Marty Nohe on the road and parks bond referendum. Nohe noted that the referendum will be held in conjunction with the general election on November 5, 2019. The bond proposal was initiated with the Board’s adoption of a Strategic Plan in January 2017 that established several priorities for the County, of which improvements in mobility ranked very high. In January 2019, the BOCS directed County staff to investigate the possibility of a mobility and parks bond. A list of potential projects was presented in February 2019. This list was pared down by retaining only those projects that were already included in the County’s Comprehensive Plan or are consistent with the mobility goal in the Strategic Plan and that would improve the level of service (LOS), are multimodal, improve safety, and show geographical diversity. It was further reduced to those offering the greatest Congestion Relief to Cost (CRC) ratios. On June 25, after public input, the BOCS voted to reduce the amount of bonds to be sold to $396 million, including $355 million for transportation projects and $41 million for parks improvements, considerably less than the $600 million proposed just weeks earlier. The reduction in the amount of bonds to be issued for parks was achieved largely by eliminating proposals for several large indoor sports and aquatics facilities.
The transportation projects on the referendum include the following:
Devlin Road Widening--This project would widen Devlin Road to four lanes between Linton Hall Road and Wellington Road, improving access to the Balls Ford Interchange and I-66. Estimated cost: $50 million. Completion time: 4-6 years.
Route 28 Bypass--Deemed by Nohe “the 800-pound gorilla” on the list, this project would extend Godwin Drive up to Flat Branch around Yorkshire and reconnect to Route 28 at Compton Road or Old Centreville Road and would greatly reduce commuter traffic through Old Town Manassas as well as on Route 28 north of Liberia Avenue. Estimated to cost $300 million and take 8-10 years to complete, it would be financed by up to $200 million from the bond issue, the remainder coming from other sources. It first has to have the environmental impact assessment approved and acquire considerable private property.
Minnieville Road at Prince William Parkway Intersection--This project, designed to relieve congestion at one of the busiest intersections in the County, would entail raising Minnieville Road to pass over the Parkway, thereby eliminating a traffic light and improving regional traffic flow, safety, LOS, and capacity. Estimated cost: $70 million. Completion time: 4-6 years. MIDCO president Jeter indicated that the Quartz District Project would benefit greatly from this taxpayer expenditure, it generally being agreed that it is unbuildable without it.
Old Bridge Road at Gordon Boulevard Intersection--This project would involve building a flyover lane that would allow traffic exiting from I-95 and turning on Old Bridge to stay to the right with no traffic light rather than moving two or three lanes to the left to get onto westbound Old Bridge Road, improving traffic flow and safety. Estimated cost: $15 million. Completion time: 3-5 years.
Summit School Road Extension--This project would extend Summit School Road to Caton Hill Road, providing better access to the Homer Road commuter lot. Estimated cost: $20 million. Completion time: 3-4 years.
The list of parks projects to be funded by the $41 million parks bonds include the following:
Howison Park Improvements--These would consist of new trails, spectator seating, fitness equipment, a comfort station, parking, and improved access for the disabled and would cost $6 million.
Neabsco Park--This new park would include a dynamic playground with a climbing wall, hill slides, a skating ribbon, a pedal-powered monorail, and an amphitheater. Estimated cost: $6 million. Completion time: 3 years.
Fuller Heights Park Expansion--This project would add two new athletic fields and enlarged parking at this park near Triangle. Estimated cost: $6 million. Completion time: 3 years.
Hellwig Park--Two new artificial turf fields would be installed at this park in Independence Hill. Estimated cost: $3 million.
Trails and Open Space--$20 million would be allocated to improvements on the Broad Run Trail, the Neabsco Greenway, the Potomac Heritage National Scenic Trail, and the Occoquan Greenway.
During his presentation on the bond referendum, Nohe answered a number of questions regarding the projects to be financed and why they were needed. In response to a question as to whether project costs had been underestimated in previous bond issues, he said that very few projects had exceeded budget in the past. He asserted that Prince William County had been a leader in design/build at a fixed price and that no bond referendum has failed since at least 1988. To a question as to whether bond funds could be used for purposes other than those approved in a referendum, he said that they could not, although funds could be shifted from one approved use to another. The referendum, if approved by voters, does not require that the County borrow the amounts approved, it only permits the County to do so; indeed, the County is not required to build any or all of the approved projects. In response to a question as to why development has continued along Route 28 despite the growing congestion and need for road widening, he asserted that much of it had been approved decades earlier and that there had been no new projects in Yorkshire for 15 years. Attendees expressed concern with artificial turf fields, citing studies that indicated a link to health issues with children. They were advised to pursue the issue with the county and that the artificial fields don't have to be installed even if the bond is approved.
Updates:
Kline Farm Project--President Jeter noted that, at its most recent meeting on July 10, the Planning Commission (PC) deferred action on the proposal, directing the applicant to consider proffering a park rather than a school site, consider housing density, eliminate 30-40% of the two-over-two condominiums from the proposal, and meet with MIDCO before the PC meeting on October 2nd.
McCoart atrium TV monitors--due to an effort by MIDCO and Chairman Milne, the monitors in the atrium of the McCoart Board Chambers will be on from now on during PC meetings, showing the same thing as the monitors in the Board Chambers.
Reserve at Long Forest--This project goes to the BOCS on July 24. Jeter cited it as a case of successful collaboration between the applicant and the community that resulted in reduced density, an acceptable SRR cluster project, and open space guaranteed by a conservation easement held by a third party.
Geisler Property Project--The PC will consider this project for a 200-bed convalescent care facility and retail center on Route 234 south of its intersection with Hoadly Road again on July 24. Though much improved, the proposal still elicited traffic flow concerns by residents.
14thHigh School--The School Board is scheduled to vote on the proposed site of this school on Prince William Parkway west of its intersection with Davis Ford Road in September. Residents were urged to contact the school board members with any concerns.
Independent Hill Small Area Plan--Mike Garcia has agreed not to have a diesel truck refueling facility on the site of the Parsons Business Park and will provide a sidewalk from the site to Colgan High School. A car wash is also planned. The application has a PC public hearing on August 7. The PC will also have a work session on the Independent Hill Small Area Plan on August 7th at 5:30 pm in the Board Chambers at the McCoart Building.
Rural Crescent Meeting--The Prince William County Planning Office will conduct a meeting on policy for the Rural Crescent at 5:30 p.m. on July 30 at the Hylton Performing Arts Center.
MIDCO Meeting Recap from 6/20/19:
In attendance were Occoquan District Supervisor Ruth Anderson, Planning Commission Chairman Bill Milne, School Board member Willie Deutsch and PWCA Executive Director Kim Hosen. This was a joint meeting for PWCA and MIDCO regarding the 14th high school site.
First up was the discussion on the proposed 14th high school site, which is an approximately 100-acre parcel on the west side of Prince William Parkway a short distance north of its intersection with Davis Ford Road. Kim Hosen started the conversation by stating that the site would have one exit and entrance at an existing cut in the median and would likely require a new traffic light on the Parkway. Among a number of environmental issues with the school is the fact that it would create a large area of impervious surfaces, clear-cutting and leveling on environmentally sensitive land that includes a perennial stream, steep slopes and erodible soil. This area drains into the Occoquan Reservoir, the drinking water source for many Prince William and Fairfax County residents.
Jeter noted that the school would result in building a lot of infrastructure in a small area and that the greatest need for more capacity was in the eastern part of the County. As in the case of the Davis Ford Middle School that was rejected by the Planning Commission over 13 years ago, the new school would necessitate adjusting school districts westward since the need for more capacity is on the eastern side of the county. He also noted that the land for the school was to be acquired by the County using a “quick-take” eminent domain procedure that would involve taking the land from the landowner in a court proceeding after a judge sets the value of the property.
A resident of the Hunters Ridge community on Peaks Mill Drive adjacent to the proposed site said that just 36 hours after the proposed site was announced, there was a huge turnout for a meeting of the community’s homeowners association. He said that residents had many issues with the proposed school, including the fact that the site had been under consideration since 2016 but had been made public only recently. Other issues included the lack of infrastructure in the area, which will require city water and sewage, and the fact that many students will be attending school far from home, which is a disadvantage educationally.
At this point in the discussion, Jeter introduced Occoquan Supervisor Ruth Anderson and School Board member Willie Deutsch to provide their perspectives on the school site. Anderson noted that, although the site was in the Coles District, it was so close to the Occoquan District that it would have serious effects on its residents. She said her work on the Chinn Park/John Jenkins Elementary School had led her to propose a joint committee of County Supervisors and School Board members to find school sites among other issues. Although she knew from the joint meetings that a Prince William Parkway site was on a list of possibilities, she first learned of the proposed high school site from a newspaper in early May. She said she dislikes the site because of its expected effect on traffic, difficulties of access, potential damage to the Resource Protection Area on the property, and the necessity to bus students from the eastern to the western part of the County. She also questioned the accuracy of the School Board’s projections of future enrollments. Jeter noted that the same issue regarding projections came up years ago during the debate over the proposed Davis Ford Middle School, when projections of the number of new middle schools needed in the County were drastically reduced from one year to the next after the middle school was denied. He agreed that there was a need for more accurate numbers and applauded Supervisor Anderson, Commissioner Milne and Occoquan District staff for their efforts in this direction.
It was suggested that efforts should be concentrated on finding high school sites closer to where they are needed in the eastern part of the County. Deutsch agreed that the greatest overcrowding was in the Route 1 corridor and said that one of the major effects of building new schools in mid-county would be the creation of weirdly elongated oblong-shaped school districts. While there wouldn't be students commuting directly from the Route 1 corridor to the new school, there would indeed be movement in the form of “leapfrogging,” with students moving to the closest existing school west of their current school.
Residents continued to criticize the proposed school site, stating that the County lacked a comprehensive plan guiding the location of new schools and asserting that logic did not prevail in the existing process. Deutsch acknowledged that neither the proposed 14th high school nor Colgan High School was ideally located, but argued that it was essential to address existing overcrowding by building a new school, but preferably closer to the targeted student population. He said that there was some possibility of building upward to economize on land use, but that it was limited by the need to provide space for sports fields and other facilities and cost. Jeter asked whether the “quick-take” procedure used to acquire the land for the new school could be completed before the decision on building it was made in September. Milne responded that his understanding was that the PC had to approve the project before the School Board could finalize the acquisition of the land. He added that the cost of building the school was irrelevant to the PC, which limits its review to factors such as location, character and extent.
Next was a discussion on the Kline Farm Project--The most recent iteration of this proposal is scheduled to go to the PC on July 10. Jeter stated that Stanley-Martin representatives were invited but have declined to further engage with the community through citizen groups and have set up a website gather comments and to presumably better control the conversation. Recent changes include dropping the self-storage facility, a service station, and all but one drive-through business; and rezoning the entire property to PMR (Planned Mixed Residential). Jeter stated that the PMR designation was problematic in that it was not implemented by SRR and was therefore not consistent with the Comprehensive Plan. In going around the room, there were concerns with the 2-over-2 townhouses and the 9200 vehicle per day traffic count. There was concern that the project still didn't fit with SRR or the surrounding community. There was an opinion that there was some consistency with the development in the City Of Manassas across the Parkway.
Updates:
Geisler Property Project--The BOCS deferred action on this proposal for a 200-bed nursing home and retail center on Route 234 south of its intersection with Hoadly Road until July 24 to give time for Commissioner Haynes to meet with nearby residents to work out issues.
Independent Hill Small Area Plan--MIDCO has asked the County to postpone consideration of any active applications in Small Area Plan areas until the Small Area Plan for those areas is completed.
Transportation and Parks Bond Referendum--County Supervisors are currently deliberating on a proposed $600 million bond issue to raise $400 million for roads and other transportation improvements and $200 million for parks and indoor sports facilities. Some Supervisors suggest breaking the bond issue into several parts for purposes of the referendum.
Reserve at Long Forest--This residential development on Birmingham Road near Signal Hill Elementary School is scheduled to go to the BOCS on July 24. Jeter noted that the improvement of the proposal since it was originally proposed demonstrates that residents can have a positive impact on development in the County.
Rural Crescent Meeting--A consultant hired by the County will conduct a meeting on policy for the Rural Crescent in the atrium of the Development Services Building from 5-8 p.m. on June 24.
MIDCO Meeting Recap from 5/16/19:
First up was a presentation by the applicant's representative on the Reserve At Long Forest project. He detailed the changes that had been made since 2017 to meet community issues with the proposed 135-acre development on Birmingham Drive near Signal Hill Elementary School. Over that period the number of building lots had been reduced from 120 to 62, the average area per housing unit had been increased from 1.13 acres to 2.03 acres, and 55 acres had been proffered as open space protected by a conservation easement held by a third party. The applicant has also proffered riparian reforestation on part of the property and road improvements on Birmingham Road, including possibly an additional entrance to Signal Hill Elementary School. The revised proposal (available under "Current Projects") is scheduled to go to the Planning Commission in July. Jeter and other community members praised the project as an example of the community and the developer working together.
The Parsons Business Park was up next-it is a proposed industrial park on the site presently occupied by Parsons Farm, a business on the eastern side of Route 234 (Dumfries Road) south of its intersection with Six Towers Road. Kenneth F. Parsons, the owner of the farm would like to rezone 4.40 acres of land there from A-1 (Agricultural) to B-1 (General Business) and 86.47 acres from A-1 to M-T (Industrial, Transportation) in order to construct several buildings on the property to house a diversified range of businesses, including a fueling station for large trucks. For the benefit of those not familiar with the County development process, Jeter provided a brief overview. He noted that the Planning Commission (PC) holds a public hearing on each proposal submitted to the County, and the PC either recommends approval or denial of the project or defers it to a future date to allow the applicant to modify the plan and/or submit additional information. Once the PC has recommended approval or denial, the proposal goes to the Board of County Supervisors (BOCS), which makes the final decision. Jeter noted that the process for vetting the Parsons Business Park proposal was complicated by the fact that the County is in the process of adopting a “Small Area Plan” for part of the area in Independent Hill, including the site of the proposed business park. Such plans are designed to create walkable, compact, transit-friendly communities (more info here: http://www.pwcgov.org/government/dept/planning/Pages/IndependentHillSAP.aspx). Since the Independent Hill plan is still a work in progress, it's unclear how the County can evaluate individual applications without knowing the details of the Small Area Plan.
A lively discussion between local residents and the representatives of the project followed. It was noted that the construction would be done by Mike Garcia Construction and would be similar in many ways to Hornbaker Industrial Park near the Rt.234 By-pass in Manassas. There were community concerns with the proposed diesel refueling station, the M-T industrial uses, additional traffic on Rt.234, pedestrian safety, clear-cutting of trees, groundwater issues, size of treed buffers on Rt.234, and building design. Project representatives asserted that the industrial uses were needed for reasons such as overnight heavy vehicle parking, etc. It was noted that Parsons had proffered out a number of uses that residents viewed as undesirable, such as a concrete plant, an asphalt plant, and a commercial bus terminal. Mr. Parsons said that he wanted to hear what members of the community wanted for the site. He also indicated that he is open to working with the County on something like an indoor sports facility.
Next was the discussion on the 14th high school site. The County School Board has chosen the preferred site, which is on part of the 600-acre "Delaney Tract" along both sides of Prince William Parkway starting about a 1/4 mile west of the intersection with Davis Ford Road. The Board would like to acquire about 100 acres of that tract on the south side of the Parkway (Harris Teeter side) for the school and is reported to be moving toward a “quick-take” procedure for acquiring the property that involves condemnation. It is expected that most students would come from the eastern part of the county to the school. The site is environmentally challenging and would likely access the school from the Parkway.
The BOCS is planning to vote on whether or not to have a referendum on a $600 million bond issue to finance transportation improvements and several recreational projects. More info here: http://www.pwcgov.org/government/bocs/Pages/Bond-Referendum.aspx
Updates:
Removal of Six-Lane Route 234 from Comprehensive Plan--When the Bi-County Parkway was removed from the County’s Comprehensive Plan several years ago, it was assumed that the widening of Route 234 to six lanes was removed as well, since it was on the Planning Commission public hearing agenda and was recommended by them to be removed along with the Bi-County Parkway. However, despite the Planning Commission recommendation, it appears that it was not part of the agenda item for the BOCS vote. This will be further investigated and discussed at a future meeting.
Geisler Property Project--This project will go to the PC on June 19.
Kline Farm Project—This project will go to the PC on July 10.
Changes in Rural Crescent—Postponed indefinitely.
MIDCO Meeting Recap from 4/16/19:
First, we had a roundtable discussion on the future use of the McCoart Center area. We captured lots of great ideas that are available under "Current Projects." We will use this meeting as a springboard to a dialogue with elected officials, county staff and other stakeholders.
Then we went "around the table" to elicit any issues or concerns that MIDCO members have regarding the county. Some issues that came up: Protection for the historic Buckhall School, the commercial use of residential properties along Davis Ford and resulting problems for neighbors, the desire for the area near the intersection of Davis Ford Road to remain rural as one entrance to mid-county, the importance of good buffers for new projects, and when Davis Ford Road will be repaved (it is tentatively planned for 2019).
We updated on the Parsons Business Center, since it's going to public hearing at the Planning Commission on May 1st. It's still essentially the same plan presented to MIDCO and described under "Current Projects."
We discussed the status of the police station reforestation that MIDCO initiated on Davis Ford Road. The planted areas need additional care, and a group was initiated to look into this. We'll let everyone know when we have volunteer opportunities up there.
We showed the answers to various questions that came up during the Reserve At Long Forest presentation. Those answers are available under "Current Projects."
The need to compare the Apollo Project site plans to the construction to see if they're conforming was discussed. MIDCO will do that and report back.
MIDCO Meeting Recap from 3/21/19:
The Reserve at Long Forest:
Attorney John McBride described the updated project, which would be located on a 135-acre site on Birmingham Drive near Signal Hill Elementary School. The previous version, which would have included 104 building lots, has been remanded to the Planning Commission (PC) for reconsideration, largely because of concerns over the density of 1.3 acres per home. McBride said that the revised proposal would contain 65 lots with an average size of about 2 acres over the entire land area and an individual lot size range from 1/2 acre to 2.75 acres. He said that, under the revised plan three homes at most would be built in the 60-acre part of the site east of the stream bisecting the property and the remainder of that area could be protected by a conservation easement. He indicated that a second option for that area would be to leave it all as protected open space.
A question was raised regarding previously proffered improvements to Birmingham Drive and Mr. McBride said that they were still possibilities. Other questions raised during the discussion included whether the open space on the eastern area would be open to the public (it would be), what the lot sizes would be on the western part of the project (about one-half to three-quarter acres per lot), and what price the homes would be sold for ($700,000 or more). A concern was raised that the western part of the project was still very similar to the previous version and still appeared more dense than most of the surrounding area. It was pointed out that this project is considered a cluster project with most or all homes on the western portion. This makes it imperative that the open area on the eastern portion be permanently protected from future development.
School Impact Statements on Land Use:
Alyson Satterwhite and Willie Deutsch of the Prince William County School Board (SB) discussed the impacts of development on the County’s schools. Deutsch led off, saying that the school enrollment had been trending down recently and if the trend continues the school capacity could catch up to enrollment in the future. To deal with recent growth, new schools are being built “like crazy” and there have been additions to many existing schools. The SB hopes to get rid of 35-40 trailers, about 60 percent by the end of the year. Deutsch said that he had worked on SB comments on proposed developments and that the SB was now opposing any proposals that would lead to student enrollments in excess of 100 percent of capacity.
Satterwhite said that they also opposed efforts to change school district boundaries solely in response to new developments. This is unpopular with parents since the boundaries are very carefully drawn in the first place. The County Planning Department’s Staff Report, wasn't accurately incorporating the SB’s statement. including only a portion of the SB’s impact statement. In the future the statement will be included in its entirety.
In the discussion following the SB members’ presentation, a number of questions were asked, including whether there was a cut-off in the SB’s projections of growth (ten years is the limit; five year estimates are more accurate), whether school capacity numbers are actual or projected (they are based on five-year projections), and whether any of the new schools in congested areas would be multi-story (the Potomac Town Center school will be three stories). Jeter and others expressed their appreciation for Satterwhite’s and Deutsch’s work toward responsible and sustainable growth.
Updates:
SRR Language--New proposed language for the Semi-Rural Residential (SRR) designation in the County’s Comprehensive Plan is on the MIDCO website and folks are encouraged to comment on it.
Family Land Transfer--This law permitting land with A-1 (Agricultural) zoning to be broken up into one-acre lots for family members has been used to undercut zoning and planning. Updates to the law to address this are underway.
Ray’s Regarde--This residential project near the intersection of the Prince William Parkway and I-95 has been approved by the BOCS.
McCoart Proposal--This proposal on the site of Pfitzner Stadium and surrounding land near the intersection of the Prince William Parkway and Davis Ford Road would include residential and commercial development on public land. It was in response to a Request For Information from the county to the business community. MIDCO, LOCCA, PWCA, and WPCCA have sent a joint letter to the BOCS suggesting that it would be desirable to invite the public to express its desires for the property on the front end of the planning process and before further engaging the business community..
Quartz District Project--The Quartz District Official Website can be used to offer comments on this mixed residential/commercial project west of the Prince William Parkway north of its intersection with Minnieville Road.
Transportation Issues in the Route 28 Corridor--In response to a question raised near the end of the meeting, Delegate Danica Roem discussed the ongoing efforts to deal with the traffic congestion on Route 28. She said that a $300 million project was required to rework the I66-Route 28 interchange and described in great detail the many legislative and economic hurdles that had to be overcome to obtain final approval and funding for the project.
MIDCO Meeting Recap from 2/21/19:
Kline Farm Project:
After the previous iteration of the proposal to build a mixed commercial/residential development on the Kline Farm property was recommended for denial by the Planning Commission in 2017, Stanley Martin Companies, LLC submitted a revised proposal that was reviewed by MIDCO in August 2018 and is scheduled to be heard by the Planning Commission (PC) on March 6. The acreage included in the proposal was reduced from 100.45 acres to 92.19 acres by eliminating the parcel west of the Parkway, the number of square feet devoted to commercial uses was reduced from 400,000 to 145,000, the number of residential units was reduced from 392 to 310, and the self-storage center, motor vehicle fuel station, and drive-up restaurant in the previous proposal were eliminated. A traffic study estimated that these changes would result in a reduction in total average daily trips associated with the proposal from 15,400 to 9,414. Applicant also proposed to donate 24 acres on the eastern part of the property to the County, which the BOCS could use for a new school or park. Although Jeter acknowledged that the most recent proposal was an improvement over the previous version, he was concerned by the applicant’s proposal to rezone the 40 acres currently designated SRR (Semi-Rural Residential) in the Comprehensive Plan (CP) to PMR (Planned Mixed Residential District). These uses are incompatible in the Comprehensive Plan (the PMR district encompasses much higher housing density, etc.) and he said that this would set a bad precedent that could affect other SRR parcels in the future. An image of the two-over-two townhomes planned (four and a half stories tall) was shown that most attendees felt was a bad fit with the surrounding community.
In the discussion that followed, Henry Bibber, former head of the Planning Department for the County, asserted that the proposal to rezone without a CP Amendment was an effort to obtain higher density. Kim Hosen, Executive Director of the Prince William Conservation Alliance (PWCA) and a past Planning Commissioner, said that the application had not addressed the preservation of environmental features, including wetlands and a perennial stream, that the BOCS was responsible for considering in its decisions. She also indicated that there was no requirement for phased build-out with the commercial constructed first, which is often employed in projects like this. A resident on Lake Jackson Drive asserted that even the existing level of development in the area resulted in stormwater run-off that flooded her property and threatened her well, and that this project would exacerbate the problem. Jeter noted that county Watershed Management staff had numerous issues with buffer waivers, specimen trees and limits of clearing on the project. Jeter urged those concerned by the potential effects of the development to attend the PC public hearing. Barbara Deegan of Riverview Estates suggested that those planning to speak at the meeting coordinate what they would say to avoid repetition.
Quartz District:
This proposed commercial/residential development on 145 acres northwest of the intersection of Prince William Parkway and Minnieville Road is still in the early planning stages. However, it would include as many as 1,000 housing units, mostly townhouses or condominiums in multi-unit buildings, and a commercial area concentrated near the intersection, with parking behind it and further from the roads. A major concern expressed at the meeting was that the developer planned to seek several new median cuts on the Parkway, possibly a violation of the conditions of the bond issue used to finance its construction.
McCoart Center Project:
This proposed plan would be built on much of the McCoart area enclosed by Davis Ford Road, Prince William Parkway, Greatbridge Road, and Asdee Road except for the Prince William County Government Center area and the new police and fire department sites on Davis Ford Road. Proposed in response to a request by the County for suggestions regarding possible uses of the Pfitzner Stadium property after the Potomac Nationals move to Fredericksburg, it would be a commercial/retail/housing project built largely, but not entirely, on County land. Jeter questioned why the county was reaching out to the business community without first consulting with county residents to see what they thought the property should be used for.
Meetings on the Rural Crescent:
Kim Hosen reminded those present that the PWCA was holding a program on the Rural Crescent from 7 to 9 p.m. on March 7 at the Colgan Theatre at Northern Virginia Community College, 6901 Sudley Road, Manassas. Speakers will include Tom Eitler, Senior Vice President for the Urban Land Institute, and Mike May, former Occoquan District Supervisor. Jeter noted that the Prince William County Committee of 100 will hold another program on the Rural Crescent in April.
Updates:
Ray’s Regarde--The BOCS deferred action on this proposal at its January 22 meeting. It would rezone 55.59 acres northeast of the intersection of Prince William Parkway and I-95 to allow construction of up to 325 housing units, including townhouses and two over two stacked townhouses. Local groups have opposed it because of its projected effects on school crowding and traffic. One person at the meeting said that the site also contained considerable amounts of pollutants, including asbestos, which would have to be cleaned up.
Reserve at Long Forest--No new public hearing dates have been set for this residential project that was discussed at earlier MIDCO meetings.
Davis Ford Park--Henry Bibber asked about progress on the park. The answer was that it would be some time before the park was completed, because the Prince William County Service Authority had to remediate pollution on the site before turning it over to the County. It is planned to be turned over to the county in 2020.
MIDCO Meeting Recap from 1/24/19 (Thanks to Larry Mote):
Independent Hill Elm Street Project
Joseph M. Jacobs, Vice President of Elm Street Development, presented the proposal of Parsons Farm LLP to build a mixed industrial/residential development on land near the intersection of Dumfries Road (Route 234) and Independent Hill Drive. The 60 acre parcel discussed is the residential and retail component on the opposite side of Rt. 234 from the commercial/warehouse component of the Parsons Business Park proposal that was presented at a previous meeting. At present, the use planned for the land in the County’s Comprehensive Plan (CP) is FEC (Flexible Employment Center) and it is currently zoned A-1. The proposal is to re-zone the property to 35 acres of Planned Mixed Use Residential and 25 acres of Planned Mixed Use District Commercial. Single family homes would occupy most of the land, with townhomes and retail along Rt. 234. More info is available under "Current Projects." Several issues were raised in the discussion that followed Jacobs’ formal presentation. In response to a question regarding the number of townhomes in the residential part of the project, he noted that of the many counties in which his company operates, only Prince William County has no affordable housing program, forcing some local workers to commute from as far away as Culpeper. The applicant is considering an affordable housing component in the townhouse area. President Jeter asked whether it made sense to initiate county Small Area Plans with intense development in such areas as Dale City and Independent Hill near the Rural Crescent, or should the County concentrate on locating such uses in areas such as the Rt. 1 corridor where infrastructure is already in place. Another question raised was where children from the new residences would go to high school, as the new Colgan High School was already overcrowded. Jacobs noted that the project would take 8-9 years to complete, allowing time to solve such problems. He asked those present to make their concerns known, so that they could be addressed.
Quartz District Project
Jeter briefly described this proposed project, which is in its early stages and for which little information is now available. What is known is that it would be a mixed-use development on roughly 148 acres of land on the northwest quadrant of Prince William Parkway and Minnieville Road. The applicant, Southern Knolls, LLC has requested a rezoning of 143.1168 acres of the property from A-1 (Agriculture), O(H) (Office High-Rise), and R-2 (Suburban Residential), to PMR (Planned Mixed Residential) and PMD (Planned Mixed Use District). If approved as now proposed, the project would include a commercial center with about 300,000 square feet of retail, commercial, and office uses and up to 1,000 residential units (single-family, townhouses and multi-family). It is estimated that the project would add 12-13 thousand car trips per day to the already heavy traffic in the area. More info under the "Current Projects" tab. The project will be presented at a future MIDCO meeting.
Rural Study Timeline
The Rural Crescent (RC) was established in 1998 when the Board of County Supervisors (BOCS) amended the CP to establish the boundary between the Development Area (DA), within which industrial and residential development would be encouraged, and the Rural Area (RA), where development and population density would be limited. In 2013 the BOCS commissioned the Rural Preservation Study to consider changes in policy toward the RC. Although none of the study’s recommendations has been adopted yet, several of them are now under consideration. Jeter noted that some of them would allow more housing density and public water and sewer in “transition ribbons” at the boundary between the RA and the DA and smaller lots within various sections of the RA. They would also double the housing density in clustered projects. Kim Hosen, Executive Director of the Prince William Conservation Alliance (PWCA) observed that one result would be “little pockmarks” of development throughout the RC. She noted that the target date for County staff to come up with their recommendations is the first Thursday in March and that no public meetings have yet been scheduled by the county. PWCA will have a program on the Rural Crescent on March 7th and the Committee Of 100 will have a forum in April. Jeter said that a vote on the proposal by the Planning Commission was scheduled for September.
SRR Language Revision
According to Jeter, the County is contemplating a revision of the language defining SRR (Semi-Rural Residential) in the Comprehensive Plan to reduce confusion and improve clarity. Most of the mid-county area is designated SRR. Details are available under "Current Projects."
Fairgrounds
Jeter reported that the fairgrounds on Business Route 234 are now up for sale. Contrary to many people’s belief, they do not belong to the County. The land is designated for commercial use in the CP. Noting that the current owners have experienced difficulties recently making the property work finacially, he expressed hope that that Manassas City and Prince William County could get together to purchase it and keep it open as an events center for county residents.
Updates:
Reserve At Long Forest Project—Jeter noted that because of significant public involvement including outreach by MIDCO members, the number of housing units in this project has been significantly reduced, the homes may be larger, and more land will be devoted to open space. He cited these changes as proof that citizens can affect the outcome of proposals in the County and change the projects for the better. The revised project will be returned to the Planning Commission for a public hearing and will be presented at a future MIDCO meeting prior to that.
Proffers—In response to a question about the current status of proposed changes in the law governing the proffers offered by developers to compensate for the costs to the County of services provided to new residential communities, Jeter said that, although there was considerable talk about such changes, he had not seen any proposed legislation. He noted that, without changes in the 2016 law that drastically limited the use of proffers, continued development would seriously impair the ability of the County to keep up with services needed for the new residents.
Candidates for the Board of County Supervisors
At the end of the meeting, LaTonsha (LT) Pridgen announced that she was a candidate for the office of County Supervisor for the Coles District. Donald E. Scoggins, an urban planner and architect, announced that he was running as an independent for the office of Chairman of the BOCS.
The December meeting was a holiday party at Los Tolteco's Restaurant.
Much fun was had by all!
MIDCO Meeting Recap from 11/15/18:
MIDCO Combines November Meeting with Committee of 100 Forum on Rural Crescent
By Larry Mote
Because of the importance of the ongoing public discussion of future policy toward Prince William County’s Rural Crescent, the Mid-County Civic Association (MIDCO) decided to combine its regularly scheduled meeting for November with the Rural Crescent Forum organized by the Prince William Committee of 100 and held at Bristow Manor Golf Club on Thursday, November 15. Committee of 100 president Clancy McQuigg opened the meeting by introducing the forum’s moderator, Richard Anderson, former representative to the Virginia House of Delegates for the 51stDistrict. Anderson noted that he was one of many who wished to preserve the Rural Crescent and that the choice of the best policy to achieve that end was an enduring question. He then opened the forum, introducing each of the four speakers on the panel just before their presentations.
Charlie Grymes, Chairman of the Board of Directors, Prince William Conservation Alliance
Opening his statement with the old adage that “any road will take you there if you don’t know where you are going,” Grymes asserted that Prince William County (PWC) had a definite plan and knew where it was going. He said that the plan was embodied in the Comprehensive Plan (CP) amendments of 1998, which established the boundary between the Development Area (DA), within which new industrial and residential development would be encouraged, and the Rural Area (RA), often referred to as the Rural Crescent (RC) because of its shape, where development and population density would be limited. Before 1998, the County soaked taxpayers to foster growth. Since then, Grymes said, the CP has provided a plan to shape our growth and we need to follow it. Part of the strategy to preserve open space in the RA was to foster agricultural development. This could have been done by taxing agricultural land at a lower rate or otherwise subsidizing agricultural development. Another option was to purchase development rights on land, as is done in Fauquier County. However, PWC has not pursued either of these ways of investing in agriculture in the RA, planting only homes there, a continuation of the policy followed in the 1970s. This, according to Grymes, is not the path forward. Noting that it is not the job of the Board of County Supervisors to fatten the retirements of rural landowners through rezonings, he urged that homebuilding be concentrated in the DA to foster the efficient use of infrastructure. Grymes closed his remarks by urging citizens to consider who benefits and who pays when the rules are changed.
Mark Granville-Smith, President of Classic Concept Builders
Granville-Smith said that he had lived in PWC for 25 years and built environmentally sensitive developments. He said he had helped organize the Rural Crescent Preservation Coalition, a citizens group with 100 members owning some 8,000 acres in the RC with the mission of moving beyond adversarial fighting over policy toward the RC and finding real solutions. He introduced a website, preservetheruralcrescent.org, devoted to issues regarding the RC. Noting that the effect of the 1998 CP amendments was to “downplan” 47,000 acres of rural land, he said that the 2013Rural Preservation Studyhad concluded that several changes in policy were needed to prevent development of the RC in 10-acre parcels. It suggested using transfers of development rights (TDRs), purchases of development rights (PDRs), conservation easements, and other tools. Granville-Smith said that such measures could result in 60 percent of the land being open space with the remaining 40 percent in cluster developments. He also suggested encouraging agri-tourism, citing Yankey Farm, Burnside Farm, Effingham Family Winery, and Windy Knoll Farm as examples. He closed his statement with a plea for interested citizens to come together to search for answers to the issues.
Wade House, Dairy Farmer in Rural Crescent
House said that he owned 600 acres in the RC on Vint Hill Road and leased another 1,400 acres and was the last dairy farmer in PWC. His family had started the farm in the late 1800s and his kids would have liked to stay there. But conditions have changed so much that he thinks his days as a farmer are numbered. He said that milk prices are now at 1985 levels, there no longer is a feed store or tractor dealer in Nokesville, he must travel three or four hours to find a repair facility, and he can no longer afford hired farm workers. He acknowledged that he has enjoyed a good life but said that it is not as much fun as it used to be. He no longer wants to wake up and feed 800 cows and milk 400 of them; he would like time to enjoy his family. But he hates the idea of breaking up the farm into 10-acre lots, as there isn’t any place on it that he hasn’t walked in the last 65 years. House said that he hopes there is some solution that would enable him to enjoy his retirement, while keeping the farm as open space.
Sharon Pandak, Partner in law firm Greehan, Taves & Pandak
Pandak emphasized at the outset of her remarks that the opinions she was expressing were her own and not those of the firm with which she was associated or of Tom Eitler, Senior Vice President of the Urban Land Institute, for whom she was standing in. She suggested that it was instructional in judging the merits of the RC to review the history of its adoption and implementation. In 1982 PWC amended its zoning law by raising from one acre to 10 acres the minimum size lot for homes in areas zoned agricultural, thereby downzoning 132,000 acres of land. There was no negative reaction to this for many years. The CP was amended in 1990 to encourage adequate public facilities to serve new residential developments, but this change was implemented slowly because of developer opposition. Late in 1990, the Citizens Advisory Committee and County Executive Bern Evert recommended reducing the land available for residential development. Ed Kelly, Superintendent of Schools, recommended increasing cash proffers for schools and Evert proposed increasing the share of other capital costs paid by residential development. The County estimated that, with these changes, there would be 2.500 new housing units built each year for the following 20 years and that the County’s built-out population would decrease from 475,000 to 391,000, with substantial savings to taxpayers. The 1998 CP changes divided the County into the RA (or RC) and the DA. They were adopted both to protect the environment and to manage the flood of development for which there was no infrastructure. Pandak noted that no successful legal challenge has been mounted against the revised CP and it remains a fulcrum for actions to protect the RA. However, the restrictive 2016 Virginia proffer law prevents a reasonable solution to several problems, and the BOCS has weakened the CP further by flip-flopping and approving “just this project.” Pandak closed her remarks with a quote from Pogo Possum: “We have met the enemy, and he is us.”
MIDCO Meeting Recap from 10/18/18:
We took a tour around the county website concentrating on land-use related activities and notifications. We navigated the interactive map to get details on individual projects. We also had updates- no new action on the Kline Project and no set public hearing dates for the Geisler Project.
MIDCO Meeting Recap from 9/27/18:
First up was the Geisler Property just south of the intersection of Hoadly Road and Route 234. This proposal is the latest of several plans for development of the property put forth by the applicant over the past decade. In the current plan the free-standing drive-in restaurant, convenience store, and 12-pump gas station have been eliminated. In their place will be a retail center with two buildings, one with 7,500 square feet of retail space and the other with 5,400 square feet. A 50-foot easement is required along Route 234 for utilities. On the eastern part of the property, furthest from Route 234, the applicant still plans to build a nursing and convalescent care facility with 200 beds. Project representative Mike Vanderpool said that the changes would reduce the number of daily traffic trips that residents feared the drive-in restaurant might generate, given the proximity of the project to Colgan High School. He noted that a study had been conducted on how best to preserve wetlands on the property and that the applicant was working with residents of the Woodbine community to resolve other issues related to the project. The current plan layout is available under "Current Projects."
In the discussion that followed Mr. Vanderpool’s presentation, it was pointed out that there was only one way into and out of the property. It was also noted that the applicant had been granted a waiver regarding the distance of their entrance from the intersection of RT. 234 and Hoadly Road and that the state had not yet approved the nursing home's one entrance. Other questions raised during the discussion included how many accidents had occurred at the intersection since Colgan High School opened, what types of business might locate in the retail center, how many parking spaces would be provided for the nursing home, and whether something other than a nursing home might be built there if VDOT insisted on another entrance. No one at the meeting knew about the number of accidents since the high school was opened, but it was suggested that VDOT would have the information. Mr. Vanderpool said that possible retail businesses included realtors and a sit-down restaurant like Starbucks or Chick-fil-A and that the nursing facility would include 100 parking spaces. Regarding a suggestion that the nursing home use could be changed, Jeter said that since the applicant was proffering that only a nursing home would be built on part of the property, a proffer amendment with public hearings would be needed to change the use. The project's Planning Commission public hearing date is TBD.
Updates:
Kline Farm Project--The applicant for this proposal for a mixed-use development near the intersection of Prince William Parkway and Liberia Avenue has not asked for new dates for public hearings with the PC and Board of County Supervisors (BOCS).
Reserve at Long Forest--The applicant has removed a few lots from this residential project near Signal Hill Elementary School but has not yet asked for a new hearing date with the PC. However, the applicant does have a hearing date for a related project, Roseberry II. [Note: This project now has a November 20th BOCS public hearing date.]
WaWa--This is a proposal to build a WaWa filling station on the northeast corner of the intersection of Prince William Parkway and Greatbridge Road. Reportedly, at a neighborhood meeting for the River Falls community the majority of folks were against the project. For the moment, it has apparently been put on hold.
Davis Ford Park--Supervisor Anderson's Chief of Staff Alex Stanley said that remediation work on the 55-acre former waste treatment site is being planned, but the site is not expected to be turned over to the County for use as a park until 2020-21. He said that his office is taking input on possible uses and is aware of the committee for reuse that was commissioned by the BOCS and recommended passive use.
Rural Crescent--Jeter said that consideration of the Prince William County Rural Preservation Study Report, prepared for the Prince William Board of County Supervisors and completed in May 2014, was now on hold. The county's stated reasoning is that they're waiting to see what's going to happen with proffer legislation before moving forward. A group of civic associations including MIDCO has sent two letters to the county on process issues but has not received a response. He said the group would push to work with the county to implement policies helping agriculture and protecting open space and green space using Purchase of Development Rights (PDR) and other tools. Jeter noted that the previous system had ostensibly required developers to proffer for schools, roads, and other contributions to get projects approved. There were alleged abuses, but they were never documented. In any case, the legislature passed a law banning proffers for residential projects except for those specific to the particular project. Jeter said that developers want to double the permissible density in the Rural Crescent and even more in the “Transitional Ribbons” on its borders.
MIDCO Meeting Recap from 8/16/18:
First we had an update from Stanley-Martin representatives on the Kline Project. The new proposal would involve only the 92.19 acres south of the Parkway, excluding the 8.26 acres north of the Parkway that were part of the earlier proposals. Unlike earlier proposals, which would have involved a Comprehensive Plan Amendment (CPA) changing the property’s designation from CEC (Community Employment Center) and SRR (Semi-Rural Residential) to all CEC, the new proposal calls for no CPA, but a rezoning of the entire property to PMR (Planned Mixed Residential). The number of acres devoted to commercial uses has now been reduced from 25.57 to 20.10 and the number devoted to residential uses from 74.88 to 72.09, while the number of square feet devoted to commercial uses had been reduced even more sharply, from 400,000 to 145,000. The total number of dwellings in the project has been reduced from 392 to 310. Plans for the commercial area no longer include a self-storage center, a motor vehicle fuel station, or a restaurant. However, they still include a pharmacy, a grocery store, a daycare center, and other retail and office uses. Some of the multi-family residential units would be configured as “two over two stacked townhouses” in which single-floor condominiums would be housed in buildings resembling conventional two-story townhouses.
Buffers and landscaping would be unchanged from earlier proposals, and a community space of 24 acres is still present on the eastern part of the property for use as a school, soccer fields, or both. Representatives stated that the reduction in the density of residential and commercial units would result in an estimated 40 percent reduction in daily trips, including reductions in both commercial and residential trips, only minimally offset by an increase in public use trips from zero to 877.
Reaction to the revised Kline Farm proposal by those at the meeting was mixed but generally negative. A couple whose home is on Lake Jackson Drive asserted that the proposal would result in filling in a stream channel, increasing storm water runoff that already runs onto their property. There was concern that the stacked townhouses were not a good fit for the community and would tower over the other homes. Others objected to building on ¼ acre lots in an area designed for 2-½ acre lots. Many of those present were concerned that the necessary infrastructure, in terms of both schools and roads, was not in place to serve the new project. One pointed out that the environmental assessment of the Route 28 Bypass project was not completed and that all the funding was not yet in place. Some of those in attendance were also concerned that the rezoning to PMR without a CPA, which Martin Jeter said “throws a curveball into the whole project,” could open the door to changes in the SRR area in the future.
Next up was Noah B. Klein, an attorney with Odin Feldman Pittleman, PC, to present the Reserve At Long Forest and Roseberry II projects, both of which are proposed residential developments on Birmingham Drive between Signal Hill Elementary School and the Fairfax Rod & Gun Club that had been heard by the Planning Commission (PC) on May 16. Citing excessive housing density among other issues, the PC had deferred making recommendations regarding the proposals to the Board of County Supervisors (BOCS) until July 25, later deferring further consideration at the applicant’s request until September 5. Klein acknowledged that density was the “big ticket” issue with the projects, followed by tree preservation and access to Birmingham Drive. He said that, in order to make their proposal more acceptable, they had reduced the number of lots from 89 to 82 and moved the center of Birmingham Drive, enabling them to save eight specimen trees rather than four; to do so they got a sidewalk waiver for that side of the street. The Comprehensive Plan designation of the property will remain SRR (Semi-Rural Residential) and, even though the recommended average lot size for that designation is 2.5 acres per home, he argued that higher density was warranted for that area based on the density of the Roseberry project across Birmingham Drive. He said that the required 1-5 acres per home for that designation was a “shall” as opposed to the recommended 2.5 acres, which is a “should”, and noted that a CPA to another classification would result in even higher density. He said when the PC hears the proposal on September 5, there would be a public hearing on the Reserve at Long Forest, but that public input on Roseberry II was closed.
In the discussion that followed Klein’s presentation, Jeter agreed that a CPA to change the SRR designation of the project would increase the density even more, but asserted that such a CPA would likely not be approved, and that the R-2 classification they're asking for isn't recommended under the SRR classification because it's too dense. He said that the developer was trying to justify a density twice the recommended level using the density of one small area of the overall surrounding properties. Concerns were voiced regarding the proposed density-that it doesn't fit with the community, and with the effect on congestion on Liberia Avenue. There was concern that county infrastructure needed to be upgraded before such developments were approved. Regarding a question on what the revenue-neutral level of housing cost in the County was; Jeter responded that it had been estimated to be around $480,000 seven or eight years ago but no up-to-date estimate was available.
Updates:
Wawa Gas Station at Greatbridge Road and Prince William Parkway—Jeter said that an unscientific NextDoor poll of nearby residents showed 155 against the proposal and 145 in favor of it, but there was no way to determine where the respondents lived. He noted that it would be counter to the county Comprehensive Plan for that area.
Rural Preservation Study—Jeter announced that the study was available on the MIDCO or the county website. He said that a meeting on it had taken place at the Waters End Brewery on August 20 and that others would be held at Colgan High School on September 17, Battlefield High School on September 24, and Nokesville School on September 25. Note: these meetings and the county evaluation of the study have been indefinitely postponed.
MIDCO Meeting Recap from 7/19/18:
Our first topic was the Rural Preservation Study that was completed in 2014 and is now being evaluated by county staff. Kim Hosen from the Prince William Conservation Alliance and Martin Jeter presented. This study was contracted by the BOCS and the recommendations contained within will be voted on by them in the fall. The observation was made that mid-county, the rural area and the parkland in Fairfax County along the Occoquan Reservoir all work together to provide greenspace, protection for the reservoir, wildlife corridors and low-density housing. Changes to any of the areas affect all of them and all residents in the county. The rural area and mid-county also serve to keep taxes lower due to less need for public services.
The study has many recommendations within but two were focused on: a "density ribbon" area and the doubling of housing density when using the cluster option. The density ribbon would allow for up to four times the housing density and public water and sewer in ribbon areas along the border of the rural area and other areas in the rural area that have older existing subdivisions that pre-date the adoption of the Rural Crescent. The "density bonus" would allow for an average of one home per five acres on a given project instead of the current ten acre average density. In other words, a given 100 acre parcel could have 20 homes on instead of 10, as long as they set aside 60% of the parcel as open space.
Potential issues with these proposals include density creep and the domino effect from the transitional ribbon areas, uncontrolled density increases with the introduction of public water and sewer and establishing precedent that could be exploited. Additionally, allowing higher density in the Rural Crescent border area defeats the purpose of the SRR-areas on the border and would lead to pressure for higher housing densities in the mid-county area on the other side of that border. The doubled density for projects that use cluster, or group the homes on a project in one area and leave the other area open, could lead to less open area, less interconnection of open areas between projects and more housing in general in the rural area. Both proposals would likely lead to higher taxes due to the additional infrastructure and services costs, particularly since proffers are mostly illegal now.
Other recommendations in the study include a Transfer and/or Purchase Of Development Rights program. The Transfer program would allow developers more density in one area in return for less density in another. The Purchase program would allow a public or private entity to purchase development rights for a parcel so that parcel would remain undeveloped. The survey that was part of the study showed that 68% of respondents were willing to pay higher taxes for land preservation. 61% indicated that ten acre lots were a good way to protect rural character, and 23% said it was an inefficient way to preserve land. No real effort has been made in the 20 years that the Rural Crescent has been in existence to incentivize farming or open space.
Next steps: staff report available 7/27, county public meetings on 9/10/18 at Colgan H.S., 9/17/18 at Patriot H.S. and 9/24/18 at Battlefield H.S., and later in the year there will be public hearings at the Planning Commission and BOCS. More info and the study are available at: pwcgov.org, key words "Rural Preservation Study".
Next up was new groundwater legislation and the need for a groundwater study presented by Kim Hosen. The legislation allows for: “The designation of areas for the implementation of reasonable measures to provide for the continued availability, quality, and sustainability of groundwater and surface water." Dr. Elizabeth Ward has a petition asking Prince William County to assess above and below ground supplies and assure citizens that whatever development is allowed can be provided for now and in the future.
An update on the Kline Project: now 306 vs 356 housing units, the storage facility has been removed and that land area will not be part of the project, and now Planned Mixed Residential (PMR) zoning is being requested for the entire 100 acres. The PMR zoning is normally used with housing densities greater than SRR and would presumably need a Comprehensive Plan Amendment for the SRR area of the project. The project will be presented at the August MIDCO meeting.
The Reserve At Long Forest project will have a Planning Commission public hearing in September. We have invited them to present at the August MIDCO meeting.
The Mid County Park and Estates project will have public hearings after the Rural Preservation Study is voted on in the fall.
MIDCO Meeting Recap from 6/21/18:
The first presenter was transportation professional Randy Boice with the latest plans for the Rt. 28 Bypass in Manassas. After considering various routes Prince William County has identified the route that follows the current Godwin Drive from the Rt. 234 Bypass and connects to the existing Rt. 28 near the Fairfax County line as the highest ranked alternative. This route requires the least amount of property acquisition and environmental impact. They are deciding now whether a basic or more comprehensive environmental study is required. Funding has been secured for planning, the environmental study and part of the construction costs, estimated to be over $200,000,000. If the environmental study is approved, land acquisition would be the next step along with securing the rest of the funding. More info available here: http://www.route28study.com
Next was Occoquan District Chief Of Staff Alex Stanley presenting possible changes to Old Bridge Road with the goal of smoothing the traffic flow and reducing accidents. He presented slides on each intersection that was re-engineered by Parsons Corporation. One of the goals for some of the intersection designs is to encourage drivers to use Prince William Parkway instead of Old Bridge. On that same theme, part of the overall plan is to improve the traffic flow on I-95 southbound between Old Bridge and P. W. Parkway so drivers will continue on to the Parkway instead of getting off on Old Bridge. There are no plans to add lanes to Old Bridge or significantly improve capacity due to resident concerns regarding traffic in that corridor. According to VDOT, the traffic lights are already set on Old Bridge with priority for the through lanes over the side streets. None of the designs are planned or recommended to be built at this time- they're just ideas for consideration.
More info and intersection designs are available here: https://supervisorruthanderson.com/old-bridge-road-corridor-study/
Martin gave an update on the meeting of the combined citizens groups with Planning Director Horner on, among other issues, project applications submitted without a CPA that change the Comp Plan designation of the property, and whether staff urged the applicant for the Kline Project to file for a CPA to convert the SRR area to CEC in order to use a Center Of Community overlay on the whole 100 acres.
She indicated in a follow-up e-mail that staff did not recommend that the applicant file to change the SRR to CEC on Kline, and that staff is required to accept applications for rezoning regardless of Comprehensive Plan compatibility under Virginia Code Section 15.2-2286(A)(7). We're working with Ms. Horner to have more info added to the staff report in these cases such as a clear indication that a CPA would normally be required, why a CPA wasn't submitted and what effect that could have on the Comp Plan.
An update was provided on the English Gardens Project- it goes to the BOCS for a public hearing on 7/17/18.
The Reserve At Long Forest/ Roseberry II applicant has requested a deferral to September for a return to the Planning Commission.
MIDCO Meeting Recap from 5/17/18:
First up was a presentation from Chief McGee and Ass't. Chief Forgo on the Tanker Study done to determine where water tankers should be stationed in PWC. Three tankers in rotation are necessary to fight many structure fires in mid-county. There are currently tanker units at Buckhall, Coles, and Lake Jackson stations. Each tanker has 3,000 gallons of water and engines have 750 gallons, which lasts 2-4 minutes. The tanker units utilize a drop tank that is set up at the site and kept supplied by the tankers, ensuring a constant supply of water. Multiple engines can supply water for smaller fires or until the tanker unit arrives on scene. In response to Supervisor Anderson’s request to look into a tanker unit for Station 26, the Fire Department conducted a tanker deployment study with the Deccan Hypercube Apparatus Deployment Analysis Module. The study was based on 2,093 incidents in which tankers were used, of which 54 were in the area now served by Station 26. According to Chief McGee, the results of the study did not support relocation of any of the existing tankers to Station 26. Martin Jeter inquired about an apparent "hot spot" of tanker activity in the Bacon Race corridor that was identified in the study and would appear to support the need for a tanker unit at 26. He also observed that none of the six scenarios that were studied resulted in a reduction in tanker response time to the Bacon Race area. He noted that according to Chief Forgo's written response to submitted questions, tanker response time to the Bacon Race area would be reduced by five minutes with a tanker unit at Station 26.
Those in attendance at the meeting asked a number of questions following the formal presentation. Among them was how far a pumper or engine could be located from a structure; the answer was about 1,000 feet. To be effective, a hydrant should be within 500 feet of the house. Another question was whether the Department was required to get permission to draw water from a neighbor’s swimming pool; the answer was yes, but this is done by prearrangement and only in a few locations.
Next we had a presentation on a new proposal for a commercial project on the English Gardens property on Rt. 234 in the Independent Hill area. The property is currently a landscaping business on the front portion and a home behind that. The proposal features an office building on the front portion and a landscaping business and storage on the rear portion.
The property is just south of the new high school. Its owner, Pete Field, said that he purchased the property in 2001 and operated it until recently as a nursery and landscaping service. He closed the nursery when he found it increasingly difficult to compete with Lowes and other companies selling plants. Mr. Sherman Patrick, Jr., a land use planner with the law firm Compton & Duling, presented the proposal for redevelopment of the property. Currently zoned A-1 (agricultural), it is designated Flexible Employment Center in the County’s Comprehensive Plan. It is proposed to rezone the front of the property O-F (Office/Flex) and use it for retail, offices, and start-up businesses. The back of the property would be zoned M-T (Industrial, Transportation) and would be used for Field’s contract landscaping business. Patrick presented a sketch of the proposed development showing the roads, buildings, and other features. He noted that the location of the entrance was dictated by VDOT and that regulations prohibited locating a road or planting trees on the dam at the storm water retention pond on the property. Also, the County insists on landscaping to conceal the power lines on the front of the property. The proposal is expected to go to the Planning Commission on June 20 and to the Board of County Supervisors in July. The site plan should be completed within a year and construction the following year. Although water is available at the site now, sewage may be a challenge, as apparently the sewer line now goes only as far south as the high school.
Updates:
Reserve At Long Forest- deferred until July 25 by Planning Commission- they had concerns with the precedent of a rezoning without a CPA and the high housing density- they directed the applicant to address the issues and come back with a plan that fits within the SRR density levels.
Liberia Avenue project- Planning Commission recommended approval.
Rural Crescent – Jeter noted that a group of civic associations, including MIDCO, LOCCA/PELT, WPCCA, Nokesville Civic Association, PWCA and others periodically get together to discuss major issues affecting the whole county. He said that at such a meeting recently they agreed on the need to find ways to incentivize farming in the Rural Crescent in order to limit future housing development there. He suggested that they would look closely at strategies developed in Pennsylvania and other areas having a similar purpose.
MIDCO Meeting Recap from 4/19/18:
First we had a report on the April Commercial Development Committee (CDC) meeting. The committee was formed to advise the BOCS on ways to increase commercial development in the county. Current CDC issues include streamlining the approval process for big-box stores, changing signage regulations, self certification for proffered architectural features and buffers, new rules for mixed-use districts, and a focus on economic development in every Comprehensive Plan chapter versus a separate economic development chapter. MIDCO, PWCA, LOCCA and others are observing and commenting on committee work, so far affecting the proposed buffer changes and self-certification.
We discussed the proposed increase to the Fire Levy. This would raise the average homeowner's tax bill by about $400.00 in FY19. The Fire Levy is a tax that is based on residential home values, similar to the property tax. The volunteer firefighters have stated that the plan will eliminate them in the future. MIDCO is opposed to any additional tax until the volunteers and career leaders come together and agree on a path forward.
A new school tax proposed by Supervisor Candland was discussed. This would be a separate tax to raise about $9,000,000 extra for schools (in addition to the percentage of the property tax already taken by schools). MIDCO is on record as being opposed to this tax until the county acts to get residential growth under control.
We announced that fire department staff would attend the May MIDCO meeting to go over the Tanker Study and discuss the need for a tanker unit at Station 26 (Davis Ford Road).
The first presentation was on the Reserve At Long Forest project (see below and under "Current Projects"). Additional information: 113 housing units- 24 SR-1C and 89 R-2C. Price range average $6-700,000 per home. Questions included stormwater capacity, transportation issues (1100 more vehicle trips per day) and housing density. There was an observation that the area is a cut-thru between Liberia and the Parkway and there are already issues at the 4-way stop sign on Signal Hill. A resident stated that the transition to semi-rural was planned to be on the west side of Birmingham Drive, but this project would result in higher density in the SRR area. The effect of stormwater run-off on the neighboring properties was discussed. The precedent issue of going from SRR to R-2 without a Comprehensive Plan Amendment was discussed. This is unusual and would be a large increase in housing density. The applicant stated that they have reached out to the surrounding community and made changes to the project to reflect some local concerns. MIDCO has sent a letter to staff in opposition to the project (available under "Current Projects"). The project has a Planning Commission public hearing date of 5/16/18.
Next was a presentation on the Liberia Avenue (Aksoylu) project. This project is part of a larger plan that includes assisted living, alzheimer's and independent living centers. More info is available under "Current Projects." There were questions on outreach to the surrounding community, ingress and egress, green roofs, solar power production and parking capacity. The retail uses on the property will feature front and rear customer entrances for the convenience of the building residents. There will be an earthen berm between the project and the adjoining community with a six-foot fence on top in addition to trees. The applicant stated they have been in contact with the neighboring community and heard no issues. They could not commit to solar or green roof technology at the meeting. The lack of a planned deceleration lane for the two right-in-right-out entrances was discussed but is not planned.
Updates were presented on the Kline Project and the Apollo Project courtesy review. The review will be on May 22nd at 7pm at the offices of Walsh Colucci Lubeley, 4310 Prince William Parkway, 4th Floor Conference Room, Woodbridge, VA. There were no new developments to report on the Kline Project.
MIDCO Meeting Recap from 3/14/18:
There was a preview of items on the April meeting agenda: The Reserve At Long Forest project on Birmingham Drive, right next to Signal Hill Elementary. The application is for 123 lots on 135 acres and to convert SRR (Semi-Rural Residential where average lot size is 2.5 acres) to R2 without a Comprehensive Plan Amendment. Also a 16 acre parcel across the street from the Kline project (at the corner of Liberia Avenue and Prince William Parkway) proposing 138,000 square feet of commercial space, a bank drive thru and a drugstore.
The main agenda item was a presentation on the latest changes to the Kline Project. The major changes are the rescinding of the application for a Comprehensive Plan Amendment for the SRR area, the removal of the gas station and fast food components in the commercial area and the proffering to the county of approximately 30 acres in the SRR area for public use. There is still a storage facility, a drive thru CVS, and 356 residential units.The breakdown of the residential units is being proposed as follows: 180 condominiums (stacked townhouses), 1500-2400 square feet per unit; 140 townhouses, 2000-2400 square feet per unit– 90 on main parcel and 50 on smaller parcel across the Parkway; 36 single family homes, 3000-5000 square feet – 18 will be in the SRR Comprehensive Plan designated area and 18 will be in the CEC Comprehensive Plan designated area. All units will be on public water and sewer.
The PWC Director of Parks and Recreation has indicated a need for soccer and lacrosse fields and there is also a need for another school according to Prince William County Schools. Delegate Roem discussed various proposed Rt. 28 improvements. It was acknowledged that even if funding is secured, a functioning bypass is 7-10 years out. Traffic light improvements are also being considered.
There were concerns expressed regarding transportation, the number of townhomes and condominiums, stormwater runoff, groundwater supply and contamination, public land in lieu of proffer money, and parking. The Powerpoint from the meeting is available under "Current Projects."
Update: The Mid County Park and Estate Home project proposed initiation of a Comprehensive Plan Amendment (CPA) to remove approximately 325 acres from the Rural Crescent was postponed by the BOCS. They directed staff to evaluate the Rural Area Study completed by a contractor in 2014 and bring any recommendations from that study to the board for a vote in approximately six months. The CPA will be brought back for a vote after that.
MIDCO Meeting Recap from 2/14/18:
First we had a presentation on the proposed MGM office building on Prince William Parkway near Hoffman Drive. More details are available under "Current Projects." There were questions on the buffer areas, stormwater management, vehicular access, building materials, set-backs, and building height. On the buffers between the development and the neighboring residences, it was noted that it would be better to have more than the 25 feet buffer planned, although parcel limitations were acknowledged. There were questions on how well the neighboring properties would be protected from flooding in the event that the capacity of the stormwater containment area is exceeded. The stormwater facility would be built to 100 year storm standards. It was acknowledged that the proposed building height is taller that nearby commercial buildings, but is within county recommendations. The building facade would be masonry and metal facing. Due to HCOD requirements, the building would be approximately 100 feet from the parkway. Access to the parcel would be right-in right-out with the necessity to travel to Elm Farm Road and make a U-turn to travel westbound on the parkway in peak hours.
Next was a discussion on the Reserve at Long Forest project in the Signal Hill area. (More info under "Current Projects"). The applicant wants to rezone the property to SRR and R-2. The entire property is designated SRR in the Comprehensive Plan. Normally one would need to apply for a Comprehensive Plan Amendment (CPA) before rezoning from A-1 to R-2 in this situation, and this applicant is not doing that. Under SRR the recommended housing density is one home per 2.5 acres, and under R-2 it is one home per 1/2 acre, resulting in five times the number of homes on part of this parcel if the rezoning goes through. This unusual approach that skips an important step would set a bad precedent if approved, in effect minimizing the importance of the Comprehensive Plan. MIDCO will have a full presentation in March or April.
Then we discussed the Mid County Park and Estates project near Woodbine Woods and Rt. 234/ Hoadly Road. This project is similar to the one above in that they want considerably more housing density than the Comprehensive Plan calls for. In this case, however, the applicant is applying for a CPA to change the parcel from Agricultural Estate to presumably SRR, although the paperwork isn't available online yet. This would result in approximately 100 homes on 326 acres rather than 32. There was discussion on the applicant's referencing of the Rural Crescent Study as supporting his case for more housing density and public water and sewer in the Rural Crescent. This study is about eight years old and has not been adopted as policy by the county. There was discussion about more housing density inside the Rural Crescent such as this plan calls for being used as a driver for more density in the SRR areas outside the Rural Crescent line. The application for a CPA goes to the Board of County Supervisors on March 6th.
An update on the Kline Project was given, basically that the applicant is moving forward and incorporating some changes reflecting concerns expressed at the BOCS public hearing. The revised plan is still in flux. There will now be no Comprehensive Plan Amendment application for the SRR area. The applicant's representatives will present the new plan at the March MIDCO meeting.
Finally, the Red House on Bacon Race Road (picture at the top of this page) was updated-efforts to move the house failed because the county doesn't consider the house historically significant enough to move, and the private owner who was willing to place the house on their property wouldn't pay for the move. The house has been documented as having been built between 1883-84. The house will be torn down as soon as the permits are issued. Some building materials may be salvaged for use in other historical buildings.
MIDCO Meeting Recap from 1/18/18:
The first topic was Mike Garcia's proposed project for the Parson's Farm property on Rt. 234 in Independent Hill. He is proposing an industrial park with a diesel service station for the 90.9 acre property. The property borders the landfill and two schools. Phase 1 includes developing 27.4 acres; Phase 2: 37.7 acres; and Phase 3: 25.8 acres for a total of 90.9 acres.
We'll have more information when the project is closer to public hearing. Mr. Garcia also discussed a 48 acre parcel right across the street from this proposed site that is also being considered for development.
Next we went over the Zoning Text Amendments for buffers that were proposed by the Commercial Development Committee and were approved by the BOCS on January 16th. This will allow for a 25% reduction of the buffer area on commercial properties under 3 acres to make room for stormwater or utility infrastructure. This reduction will only be available on commercial properties contiguous to commercial properties. As described in our November recap below, joint CDC/civic group meetings (2) were held. General consensus was obtained on everything but the inclusion of utilities in the buffer reduction area, which was added after the joint meetings. Additional info here: http://www.pwcgov.org/government/dept/planning/zoning/Pages/Zoning-Text-Amendments.aspx
Updates:
Kline Project- There is a new preliminary plan that was revealed after the meeting. It would not require a Comprehensive Plan Amendment. It would include 30 acres of open space along Buckhall Road and Prince William Parkway. Two of the existing silo's would be retained. The SRR area would include the open space and about 15 homes. To the west would be about 300 townhouses and 2-over-2 condo's. To the west of that would be the commercial area, with a CVS with a drive-thru and a Cube Smart storage facility. No gas station is proposed.
Parkway Elementary Buffers- The area along Trowbridge Drive where the 100 foot buffer had been removed will be partially replaced (about 50').
The Red House on Bacon Race Road will be torn down shortly. We hope to at least salvage some of the materials and date a slice of one of the floor joists.
The Carter's Grove project was passed by the BOCS.
There are no public hearing dates yet for the Mid County Parks and Estates project.
The MIDCO Holiday Party was in December, so there's no recap.
MIDCO Meeting Recap from 11/20/17:
First up was a Site Plan Review for Parkway Elementary School. Prince William County Schools’ staff presented the site for the new elementary school next to the Chinn Complex. They indicated that it will include 45 classrooms, a 924 student capacity, and a soccer field added at the request of the county, specifically Supervisor Ruth Anderson. The area is designate as neighborhood commercial on the Comprehensive Plan.
There were concerns about the need for another soccer field when there are already three within walking distance that are not being properly maintained by the county, and concerns with clearing the forested area to accommodate this field. Some members of the homeowner’s association closest to the school, Sycamore Ridge, were present and expressed frustration with current plans showing a substantial reduction in the promised 100 foot undisturbed buffer between the school and the adjoining residential community. Staff indicated that the addition of the softball field caused the incurrence into the 100 foot undisturbed buffer agreed to in writing during the Public Facility Review process. Martin Jeter asked staff if the underground stormwater infrastructure could be placed under the softball field to free up space for the buffer. Staff said the stormwater could be placed under the softball field, but that whether this would result in enough space to restore the buffer would be a question for their Civil Engineer. MIDCO will follow up with the Civil Engineer. Comment review period ends on December 12.
Next we discussed the Carter’s Grove project. Holly Forest HOA and other neighbors were present and are still not on board with the current plan, which has an average density of 1.2 acres per lot. Their concerns are with density, runoff already present and how this project could make this worse, as well as possible use of their park by new residents. The HOA have asked the developer to provide a park of their own. In addition, the Applicant has not met with the community to continue discussions. MIDCO is recommending denial and our letter to the BOCS is available under "Current Projects, Carter's Grove."
The Kline Project update was next. The Planning Commission voted 6-2 against this project. A letter issued afterwords by Supervisor Marty Nohe assured the community that he advised the applicant to pull this application in its current form, and was firmly against a Comprehensive Plan Amendment. If the applicant wants to move forward with the project they need to make significant changes to address community concerns. Over 220 people attended the Planning Commission hearing held on November 15, with all but about 3-5 people against the proposal.
The Independent Hill Small Area Plan was introduced. This area is near the County Landfill and the new PWCS headquarters. Mike Garcia is planning to build an industrial park similar to the one%2
MIDCO
Discussion of Potential Land Use Changes in Area Around
Prince William Parkway-Hoadly Road-Davis Ford Road Intersection
February 20, 2014
There was a small group of six or eight MIDCO members clustered around a map of the Prince William Parkway-Hoadly Road-Davis Ford Road intersection. Our objective was to discuss what we knew about pending or possible development proposals in the area, as well as what development we as members of MIDCO would like to see. Going clock-wise around the intersection:
1. Currently vacant County Land: Members had attended the briefings on the proposed locations of the new Bacon Race Fire Station and the new Central County Police Station. Members expressed a desire to see these facilities constructed closer to the intersection than was currently being proposed by the County. A suggestion was made that the northerly portion of this property be made into a park that would separate the County facilities to the south from Semi-Rural Residential uses that should begin immediately to the north of the County land.
2. The residential area immediately to the north should be developed as provided in the SR-1 district, with lower densities required approaching the intersection of Bacon Race Road.
3. The proposed park should extend to the east, over property (the May property?) yet to be obtained by the County, and connected to the existing stadium complex. It was assumed that the stadium complex would remain in some form, even if the Potomac Nationals move to a new stadium. It was noted that the property between the existing County properties, in this northerly area at least, is characterized by significant “environmental resource” areas that would lend themselves to inclusion in the park.
4. The group advocated that the County purchase the parcel (the May property?) that is located between the two large parcels now owned by the County. It was assumed that additional County facilities could be constructed, and that internal access roads across this property could facilitate traffic movement and entrances to serve existing and future County facilities.
5. The group discussed the current median break on Prince William Parkway identified as the “Branscom Crossover.” At least one member present recalled how, several years ago, the lanes for traffic turning left onto Hoadly Road were built shorter than required in order to accommodate this crossover. Traffic has increased to the point where the existing left turn lanes are clearly inadequate. In addition, drivers enter the left turn lane for Branscom thinking it is the left-turn lane for Hoadly Road. The group agreed that this crossover should be eliminated and the left turn lanes extended along the Parkway.
6. Continuing to the south side of the Parkway, several members recalled the major rezoning case of several years ago, Town Center on the Parkway, which was ultimately withdrawn. This proposal was to consolidate a number of parcels in this quadrant, extending to Apollo Drive, in order to build a large shopping center along the Parkway as well as several office buildings and to extend Ridgefield Village Drive to the Parkway. This proposal was opposed by some area residents, mainly because it would have destroyed wetlands and eliminated a significant environmental resource area located on a parcel now zoned A-1, located behind the strip commercial uses along the Parkway. The group seemed OK with rezoning this area to commercial/office uses as long as it would update current zoning, give full protection to the wetlands and environmental resource area in this quadrant and not involve a the large shopping center on the Parkway.
7. In the quadrant north of Hoadly Road and east of the Parkway, the group discussed SRR development at densities no greater than exist nearby in this quadrant (parcels off the end of Galveston Court and adjacent to the existing residential areas). This would include the existing horse farm, which the group assumed would be redeveloped, although continuation of the horse farm use would be welcome. An older subdivision of single-family homes on the west side of Galveston Court could remain intact.
8. A substantial buffer of natural and planted trees should extend along both sides of the Prince William Parkway as it goes westward from the intersection. This intersection is somewhat unique, in that it is located at the edge of the designated eastern Prince William urban area. To the north and west of this intersection, the area is designated Semi-rural residential. This transition should be made clear. A healthy buffer along the Parkway west of the intersection will contribute to this clarity.
9. The last quadrant reviewed is north of the Parkway and west of Davis Ford Road. It contains the existing Palm Pools business and a church. The group understood that the Palm Pools property is for sale. It is currently zoned M-2, an industrial category. As in other quadrants, it appeared that a consolidation effort would be necessary in order to provide for a significant new development on the parcels near the intersection, probably including the Palm Pools property. If this could be accomplished, a well planned, environmentally friendly commercial or office development could be acceptable. It was noted that some of these parcels may belong to the County, which could condition their sale on high quality development. The property between Palm Pools property and the existing church presents a problem, in that it is too narrow to make proper use of as SR-1 residential along a road extending back from Davis Ford Road. It was noted that this area is separated from the remainder of the property to the west by significant wetlands and environmental resource areas. If this area is made part of the commercial development to the south, there should be a strong buffer along its northern and western boundaries.
10. The group discussed the remainder of this quadrant being developed as semi-rural residential, provided the development respects environmental areas, includes a buffer along the Parkway, and has a density that is no greater than the nearby existing residential development in the SR-1 district.
Discussion of Potential Land Use Changes in Area Around
Prince William Parkway-Hoadly Road-Davis Ford Road Intersection
February 20, 2014
There was a small group of six or eight MIDCO members clustered around a map of the Prince William Parkway-Hoadly Road-Davis Ford Road intersection. Our objective was to discuss what we knew about pending or possible development proposals in the area, as well as what development we as members of MIDCO would like to see. Going clock-wise around the intersection:
1. Currently vacant County Land: Members had attended the briefings on the proposed locations of the new Bacon Race Fire Station and the new Central County Police Station. Members expressed a desire to see these facilities constructed closer to the intersection than was currently being proposed by the County. A suggestion was made that the northerly portion of this property be made into a park that would separate the County facilities to the south from Semi-Rural Residential uses that should begin immediately to the north of the County land.
2. The residential area immediately to the north should be developed as provided in the SR-1 district, with lower densities required approaching the intersection of Bacon Race Road.
3. The proposed park should extend to the east, over property (the May property?) yet to be obtained by the County, and connected to the existing stadium complex. It was assumed that the stadium complex would remain in some form, even if the Potomac Nationals move to a new stadium. It was noted that the property between the existing County properties, in this northerly area at least, is characterized by significant “environmental resource” areas that would lend themselves to inclusion in the park.
4. The group advocated that the County purchase the parcel (the May property?) that is located between the two large parcels now owned by the County. It was assumed that additional County facilities could be constructed, and that internal access roads across this property could facilitate traffic movement and entrances to serve existing and future County facilities.
5. The group discussed the current median break on Prince William Parkway identified as the “Branscom Crossover.” At least one member present recalled how, several years ago, the lanes for traffic turning left onto Hoadly Road were built shorter than required in order to accommodate this crossover. Traffic has increased to the point where the existing left turn lanes are clearly inadequate. In addition, drivers enter the left turn lane for Branscom thinking it is the left-turn lane for Hoadly Road. The group agreed that this crossover should be eliminated and the left turn lanes extended along the Parkway.
6. Continuing to the south side of the Parkway, several members recalled the major rezoning case of several years ago, Town Center on the Parkway, which was ultimately withdrawn. This proposal was to consolidate a number of parcels in this quadrant, extending to Apollo Drive, in order to build a large shopping center along the Parkway as well as several office buildings and to extend Ridgefield Village Drive to the Parkway. This proposal was opposed by some area residents, mainly because it would have destroyed wetlands and eliminated a significant environmental resource area located on a parcel now zoned A-1, located behind the strip commercial uses along the Parkway. The group seemed OK with rezoning this area to commercial/office uses as long as it would update current zoning, give full protection to the wetlands and environmental resource area in this quadrant and not involve a the large shopping center on the Parkway.
7. In the quadrant north of Hoadly Road and east of the Parkway, the group discussed SRR development at densities no greater than exist nearby in this quadrant (parcels off the end of Galveston Court and adjacent to the existing residential areas). This would include the existing horse farm, which the group assumed would be redeveloped, although continuation of the horse farm use would be welcome. An older subdivision of single-family homes on the west side of Galveston Court could remain intact.
8. A substantial buffer of natural and planted trees should extend along both sides of the Prince William Parkway as it goes westward from the intersection. This intersection is somewhat unique, in that it is located at the edge of the designated eastern Prince William urban area. To the north and west of this intersection, the area is designated Semi-rural residential. This transition should be made clear. A healthy buffer along the Parkway west of the intersection will contribute to this clarity.
9. The last quadrant reviewed is north of the Parkway and west of Davis Ford Road. It contains the existing Palm Pools business and a church. The group understood that the Palm Pools property is for sale. It is currently zoned M-2, an industrial category. As in other quadrants, it appeared that a consolidation effort would be necessary in order to provide for a significant new development on the parcels near the intersection, probably including the Palm Pools property. If this could be accomplished, a well planned, environmentally friendly commercial or office development could be acceptable. It was noted that some of these parcels may belong to the County, which could condition their sale on high quality development. The property between Palm Pools property and the existing church presents a problem, in that it is too narrow to make proper use of as SR-1 residential along a road extending back from Davis Ford Road. It was noted that this area is separated from the remainder of the property to the west by significant wetlands and environmental resource areas. If this area is made part of the commercial development to the south, there should be a strong buffer along its northern and western boundaries.
10. The group discussed the remainder of this quadrant being developed as semi-rural residential, provided the development respects environmental areas, includes a buffer along the Parkway, and has a density that is no greater than the nearby existing residential development in the SR-1 district.
MIDCO meeting recap for April, 2012:
We had a presentation on the AT&T communication tower at Grace Church, a presentation from Randy Boice on Purcell Road, and updates on ongoing projects.
MIDCO meeting recap for March, 2012:
We had a presentation on the county budget from Pat Thomas, and updates on Purcell Road from Henry Bibber.
MIDCO meeting recap for February, 2012:
No meeting- we attended a Planning Commission work session on Purcell Road.
MIDCO meeting recap for 1/19/2012
MIDCO heard presentations on Geisler Property, Emergency Preparedness.
The Geisler Project. The proposal described by Mr. Vanderpool was the third iteration in a rezoning and development effort that was first discussed at a MIDCO meeting well over a year ago. The original proposal would have involved the construction of a nursing home, gas station, and fast food restaurant on the property. Retail space was later added to the mix of proposed activities in the project and the gas station eliminated. Mr.Vanderpool reported that, in order to meet objections from local residents regarding potential traffic problems and a property line dispute with adjacent property owner, the project had been further modified. The latest version would replace the proposed fast food facility with a full-service sit-down restaurant, settle the boundary issue, and add left and right-turn lanes at the entrances to the driveway.
Despite the described modifications, area residents and MIDCO members had numerous questions and concerns about the proposal. In response to a question regarding the seating capacity of the restaurant, Mr. Vanderpool said that it would be about 8,000 square feet. He stated that the nursing home could not be built unless a second entrance for emergency vehicles was constructed somewhere; this response led to a comment that it wouldn’t make sense to have both entrances on the same road. There was concern that the proposed ingress and egress on Route 234 so close to the intersection with Hoadly Rd. would produce danger. It was stated that the entrance to the 7-11 was already jammed at times and that this would get worse following the construction of the high school. There followed a lengthy discussion of potential traffic problems resulting from the project. Mr.Vanderpool referred to a traffic study done under the supervision of the County Transportation Department which estimated that the project would add 2,800 trips per day to the traffic, but concluded that the new traffic light at the high school, in combination with the new turn lanes, would be adequate to deal with the traffic problem. Area residents continued to express considerable skepticism regarding that conclusion and the need for another gas station in addition to the three already in close proximity to the intersection of Hoadly and Rt. 234. President Jeter noted that the project was still in the planning process and that there would be public hearings on it by the Planning Commission and the Board of County Supervisors.
Emergency Preparedness. Mr. Patrick Collins, Emergency Services Manager for Prince William County, described emergency management as the “process of making officials think about things they didn’t want to, to spend money they didn’t have, etc.” He said that it constituted a cycle that included Mitigation, measures taken in advance to minimize the effects of disasters; Preparedness, largely consisting of training; Response, the actions taken by firefighters and police; and Recovery, the longest phase of the cycle. The day-to-day activities of emergency managers consist of identifying vulnerabilities, updating plans, taking inventories of resources, training participants, and conducting exercises. During an emergency event, the manager’s role shifts to coordinating actions, providing warnings and information, evacuating people from affected areas, providing health and medical care, managing resources, and conducting necessary finance and administration activities
Mr. Collins said that much of this activity was conducted at an Emergency Operations Center (EOC), which he described tongue-in-cheek as “an unfamiliar place where unfamiliar people came together during stressful times to do unfamiliar work.” He noted that it was the job of the emergency manager to assure that this description of the EOC was not accurate. His responsibility in Prince William County was to prepare 400,000 residents for disasters and to develop in advance an emergency operations plan of some 550 pages and keep it updated. He said that complacency was the big obstacle to preparedness. His advice to residents was to try to understand what sorts of disasters could happen, to understand that it is often best to stay where you are when disasters occur, and to create disaster plans with their families.
According to Mr. Collins, the previous administration had ordered the activation of Community Emergency Response Teams (CERTs), despite the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s judgement that this was unwise, given the cost of liability and background checks and the fact that it was an unfunded mandate. He said that, despite the high cost of training 30 people per year at $5,500 per person, his agency set up such a program. However, in 10 years they never needed the services of such a team and had now shifted their resources to training programs to help families to protect themselves. He said that anyone who was interested could contact him at: [email protected].
At this point, the resident who had suggested that MIDCO host the session on Emergency Preparedness, noted that, although Prince William County doesn’t fund CERTs, many other counties do. Mr. Collins acknowledged that this was true, but said that he did not believe that this would be advisable for Prince William County.
Updates. Ms. Candi Choi, Aide to Coles District Supervisor Martin Nohe, announced that Nohe’s Town Hall Meeting on February 6 would be open to discussion of the Purcell Road project. In addition, the work session of the Planning Commission on February 15 would also consider the project. Although the meeting is open to the public, it will not afford an opportunity for public comment. President Jeter suggested that residents address any concerns to Ernie Gonzales of the Planning Commission. He said that the Planning Commission would decide what to do next. Although everything is on hold for the time being, the County could downgrade Purcell Road to a secondary collector road on the Comprehensive Plan, in which case VDOT would redesign the intersection.
Jeter noted that the Bacon Race Police Station is back in the Capital Improvement Plan and is scheduled to be built by 2016. He said that the Board of County Supervisors has made changes in board procedures to meet the requests of MIDCO and other civic groups that no last minute changes be made without the public being given a chance to understand and comment on them. In the case of Earl Cunard Park, he said that we are still waiting for action on landscaping that had been agreed to earlier.
Our December 2011 MIDCO meeting was our annual Christmas party, this year held at the Bungalo Alehouse in Woodbridge.
MIDCO meeting recap for 11/17/2011
We attended the Planning Commission work session on the Occoquan Overlay District that was held on the same date as our regular third Thursday meeting. A number of MIDCO members spoke to the commissioners at citizen's time to recommend implementation of the district. The commission decided to not make a formal recommendation to the Board of County Supervisors (BOCS) to initiate the plan. The BOCS can initiate the plan for study at any time.
MIDCO meeting recap for 10/20/2011
First up- Meet and greet with Coles Supervisor candidates Marty Nohe and Anthony Arnold:
Five minute introduction each for candidates and then questions from the room were entertained.
During his time, Marty stated that the Purcell Road/ Rt. 234 intersection project is on hold until the county takes another look at the whole Purcell Road long-range plan and decides whether or not to keep it a 4-lane divided highway as it is now. If not, the intersection with Rt. 234 would need to be redesigned.
Second item- Consolidated Public Hearing Procedures:
Planning Director Chris Price gave an overview. Basically, there will be no presentation at BOCS hearing from county staff or the developer representative if approval is recommended by county staff and the Planning Commission and there are no outstanding issues. One issue brought up was how citizens could know how any previous issues were resolved if no presentation is given. MIDCO members recommended that a wider notification area for signs be instituted by the county to ensure that citizens are aware of projects as early as possible. Currently, a 200 foot radius from the project is in effect but a 1000 foot radius would reach more neighbors in a large-lot area such as mid-county.
Third up- Occoquan Overlay Committee:
Henry Bibber presented the draft report from the committee (available under the “Current Projects” tab on this website). The next step is to present the final report to the Planning Commission in November. Jack Kooyomjian, Jill Clauss, Barbara Deegan, Larry Mote and Al Alborn joined Henry on the committee.
It was noted that Cunard Park is going back to the drawing board with MIDCO, LOCCA-Pelt and the Dale City Civic Association working with the Park Authority on a new design for screening.
MIDCO Meeting Recap for 9/15/11:
Purcell Road Expansion: The planned expansion of Purcell Road to a four-lane divided highway that will connect Route 234 to the Prince William Parkway was discussed first due to the large number of community members present that were particularly interested in that subject. Martin gave an overview of the situation involving two distinct projects- the 234/Purcell intersection and the planned new section of Purcell that will connect to the Prince William Parkway, being interconnected. Henry Bibber explained the Comp Plan Amendment (CPA) process. The CPA to remove the expanded Purcell Road from the Comprehensive Plan will need to be initiated by the Board of County Supervisors, then the Planning Commission will hold a public hearing and finally the BOCS will hold a public hearing and vote on the issue.
Martin pointed out that numbers count if citizens want to be successful in removing Purcell Road from the county Comprehensive Plan. Christine Learman recommended an approach to divide the different aspects of the community concerns among different speakers for public meeting purposes.
The MIDCO Oct. 20 meeting is tentatively planned to bring together county staff, Supervisor Nohe’s office and the residents of the Purcell Road area to discuss the future of Purcell Road. Some questions for that meeting: can funding be allocated to eliminate the curves from Purcell without creating a 4 lane Purcell and related intersection expansions? (Funds allocated to date for the .6 mile 234/Purcell intersection expansion are 6.7 million with the county contributing $1.6 million). If the first step in the process is to remove the 4-lane Purcell from the comp plan, can the intersection design then be downgraded due to the fact that one of the major considerations for VDOT’s design has changed? All are questions for the Oct. 20 meeting.
Concern was expressed regarding a four lane Purcell resulting in more commercial projects in the community. Martin pointed out that the current Comprehensive Plan restricts that under the SRR designation, but the Plan could be changed in the future. Martin pointed out a discrepancy between the Comp. Plan and the Zoning Ordinance on the SRR designation (the 2.5 acre/home minimum only exists in the Comp. Plan).
Christine advised a combination of door knocking, contacting supervisors, online petitions and speaking at Citizens Time during BOCS meetings for residents to be effective on their issue.
Eugene Buckingham offered to be point on Purcell, and the group will coordinate through the Purcell Road Facebook page.
The Cunard Park project. The berm and plantings that the community, represented by MIDCO and LOCCA/PELT, had negotiated for with the developer, county staff and the Park Authority is not to be due to objections from Supervisor Jenkins’ office, whose district the park now resides in. The concerns from Supervisor Jenkins' office centered on funding and safety. The berm would have provided screening for the park from the industrial usage next door. There will be additional flowers and shrubs planted where the berm would have been. There will be a clean-up day at the park in the spring.
The Chipoltle project at the Glen Shopping Center was discussed to gauge interest in a full review. Opinions varied, but the general consensus was that our friends at LOCCA-PELT had done a good job with their recommendations for the building’s architecture, and that no involvement from MIDCO was needed.
Henry Bibber provided the Occoquan Overlay District Committee report. They have worked their way through the first team of experts. The Planning Commission has a meeting to discuss the overlay in November. The recommended area affected would be up to 1 mile from the reservoir. There’s a need for tighter controls over pollutants and housing density limits. Henry stated the overlay should have been completed 10 years ago and we need to do this ASAP- it’s really too late in some respects, We will only be able to hold the line. Business position via Al Alborn: My opinion is that restrictions based on sound science and research will be preferred by the Prince William Chamber of Commerce. Al is a member of the Chamber. Martin pointed out that once the MIDCO committee finishes their report, we need to interface with the county to get the improvements into the Zoning Ordinance and the Design and Construction Standards Manual.
The Laroche-German Property: This is another proposed development that was discussed to gauge community interest in a full review. It is a housing project on land between Hoadly Road and Websters Way near Lost Creek Court. It calls for 12 homes on approximately 5 acres. MIDCO will monitor the situation and try to engage the nearby residents to assess interest in a full review.
There was discussion of the median break on the Prince William Parkway just down from the 7-11 in front of the Branscome property. No U turn is allowed at that cut now- that eventuality was apparently not made clear during the planning process. Concerns were expressed on stacking issues for the left turn lanes at the break, creating an unsafe condition.
Five free historical maps of Prince William County were offered by MIDCO, with the request that takers donate to flood victims via the PWC web.
MIDCO Meeting Recap for 6/16/11:
The Purcell Road four-laning project was the first agenda item with Purcell-area residents and Rick Canizoles, head of the county transportation department in attendance. The project was broken down into two related parts for discussion, the Rt. 234 section that's currently funded and planned, and the remainder of current Purcell Road and the new section that will connect to Prince William Parkway. The path for the new road will start at the present Purcell near the corner that leads on to Hoadly and veering off from there to extend to Peaks Mill Road. It will then follow the path of current Peaks Mill Road to its end and continue on with a new section that will connect and cross Prince William Parkway at the existing median break in the parkway (the only one for miles). The new four-lane Purcell is designed serve the approximately 600 acre undeveloped parcel at this location on both sides of the parkway.
Area residents had a number of issues with the section of Purcell near Rt. 234 that's currently in the design phase, including the length of the four-lane section, the lack of sound walls, the alignment of the road in the right-of-way, and tree removal. Mr. Canizoles stated that the county will hold future meetings with the community to work to address these issues.
The consensus of the group was that the extension of Purcell Road to Prince William Parkway is unwarranted and should be removed from the county Comprehensive Plan. Supervisor Nohe has sent MIDCO a letter stating his intention to direct county staff and the Planning Commission to study the issue, take input from residents, and report a recommendation back to the Board Of County Supervisors.
Project Updates:
- Geisler Project- The Planning Commission hearing has been postponed until fall.
- Occoquan Overlay Area- The committee hosted Patty Dietz from the county Environmental Services department at their last meeting and had a very productive discussion. A report is expected later in the year.
MIDCO Meeting Recap for 3/17/2011:
The Occoquan Reservoir Protection Area was discussed and a committee was formed to formulate details as to what conditions should be included in the protection area. Henry Bibber will head up the committee, and Jill Claus, Al Alborn, Judy Sweet and Jack Koomoojian will participate. Jack will act as liaison to LOCCA. Supervisor May was in attendance and will inquire with the county regarding progress so far and what the procedure is going forward to move this idea from the Comprehensive Plan to the Zoning Ordinance. Updates were discussed for various ongoing projects:
- The Bacon Race Cell Tower- Still no application filed with the county. New technology may lessen the need for tall (125’) towers in the near future. One tower benefit cited is maintenance for cemetery property (around $2000.00 per year). It was suggested that burial plots could be sold to cover costs (one per year), or donations from current plot owners could be resumed to cover costs. A balloon test is to be held to gauge impact. Since the meeting, AT&T has proposed to purchase T-Mobile, possibly complicating this application.
- The Geisler Project- A new plan has been filed with the county with the gas station eliminated. The plan now shows a drive-thru fast food site, a small strip mall, and a retirement home at the rear of the property. There is still only one access shown for the retirement home use that requires two. The right in-right out access point from Rt. 234 brought questions from the group and will reportedly need a waiver from VDOT requirements. There were concerns expressed regarding the fact that students from the planned high school near the fast food site will need to exit the parcel, make a u-turn at the Hoadly/234 intersection, and make a left at the school if they want the fast food that will be available next door to the school.
- The Occoquan Forest Fire- This fire that burned over 100 acres was started by a downed power line and fed by 65 mph winds. All agreed that the fire department did a fantastic job limiting the damage from a fire that could have been much worse. Burying the power lines was discussed as one way to address the powerline issue, albeit an expensive one and one that Dominion Power does not consider a safety consideration. Powerline tree trimming methods were questioned, with a number of people indicating that even after trimming, many trees were left overhanging wires, and trees that didn’t even reach the lines were cut down to the ground. An effort will be made to encourage a unified approach for communities along the Davis Ford Corridor to engage Dominion Power on the tree trimming issue.
- Earl Cunard Park- A site meeting was held with LOCCA, MIDCO, the Park Authority and PWC representation. It was decided that a 4-6’ earthen berm on park property would be constructed with plantings on top to help screen the 4.5 story credit union building with drive-thru from the park. This would complement the additional plantings already agreed to by the credit union property owner on his side of the entrance road. The park identifying sign will also be upgraded and moved to the front of the park parcel.
- The upgrade of Purcell Road was discussed at citizen’s time, and MIDCO will have a special meeting on this subject in the near future.