Rural Crescent Study
The Rural Crescent was enacted as part of the 1998 Comprehensive Plan. It set aside a large area of the county for large lot (minimum 10 acre lots) development and agriculture. The reasoning was that the taxpayers could save money by targeting areas for development that had available roads and services and at the same time preserve part of Prince William County's rural heritage and open space.
A study was commissioned in 2013 by the Board Of County Supervisors to explore the idea of making changes to the rural area. A consultant held public meetings where surveys revealed that most residents felt that the rural crescent was working well in achieving its original goals. A report was released in 2014 that had a number of recommendations, including a "Transitional Ribbon" area on parts of the border of the Rural Crescent that would allow more housing density and public water and sewer, a doubling of housing density in cluster developments, and more housing density in other selected parts of the rural area.
More info: http://www.pwcgov.org/government/dept/planning/Pages/Rural-Area-Plan.aspx
Here's the schedule for the Rural Crescent Study and other Comprehensive Plan Projects such as the Small Area Plans:
A study was commissioned in 2013 by the Board Of County Supervisors to explore the idea of making changes to the rural area. A consultant held public meetings where surveys revealed that most residents felt that the rural crescent was working well in achieving its original goals. A report was released in 2014 that had a number of recommendations, including a "Transitional Ribbon" area on parts of the border of the Rural Crescent that would allow more housing density and public water and sewer, a doubling of housing density in cluster developments, and more housing density in other selected parts of the rural area.
More info: http://www.pwcgov.org/government/dept/planning/Pages/Rural-Area-Plan.aspx
Here's the schedule for the Rural Crescent Study and other Comprehensive Plan Projects such as the Small Area Plans:
| schedule_2019.pdf |
8-19-19 Update: At a July 30 public meeting, staff revealed a plan to vastly increase the recommended housing density in the Transition Ribbon areas mentioned above. Under the new proposal, the average density would be as high as .5 acre, which would mean thousands of new homes built in the border areas of the Rural Crescent than even the study called for. This would also be over twenty times more homes than the current Comprehensive Plan allows.
Basically, staff proposes a Transfer Of Development Rights (TDR) program where landowners could give up the right to develop in one part of the rural area and, after an exchange of money, transfer those rights to another landowner in the rural area whose property is in the Transition Ribbon along the border of the rural area and mid-county, for example. In mid-county, areas that abut the rural area for the most part are Semi-Rural Residential (SRR), which is recommended to have an average 2.5 acre lot size. The proposed plan would allow .5 acre average lot size and result in more housing density inside the rural area than outside, along with public water and sewer. Needless to say, this would drive housing density up on both sides of the rural area line.
For comments to the county staff: https://www.pwcgov.org/government/dept/planning/pages/submit-a-comment.aspx
Basically, staff proposes a Transfer Of Development Rights (TDR) program where landowners could give up the right to develop in one part of the rural area and, after an exchange of money, transfer those rights to another landowner in the rural area whose property is in the Transition Ribbon along the border of the rural area and mid-county, for example. In mid-county, areas that abut the rural area for the most part are Semi-Rural Residential (SRR), which is recommended to have an average 2.5 acre lot size. The proposed plan would allow .5 acre average lot size and result in more housing density inside the rural area than outside, along with public water and sewer. Needless to say, this would drive housing density up on both sides of the rural area line.
For comments to the county staff: https://www.pwcgov.org/government/dept/planning/pages/submit-a-comment.aspx