Have you ever heard the old adage,” if you believe this, I’ve got some swampland in the desert to sell you ” !

Classic Concepts Developer, Mark Granville-Smith is trying to sell us some swampland in the desert.  He will be asking tomorrow, March 20th, to initiate a full study into trading his 306 acre parcel in the Rural Crescent for high density housing.  He would request that 30 homes be turned into 102 homes.  And what, I know you are asking, is he willing to exchange for this quadrupling of homes?  A “park” that he can’t build on anyway!

Exhibit A clearly shows, in green, the high density housing in the middle of the parcel of land.  Surrounding this area is a creek with various streams running through the edge of the proposed deveopment area.  This area is called an RPA(resource protection area) and you cannot legally build on an RPA.  He is “giving” us land that he can’t use.

This proposal includes running a major road plus a lengthy and hazardous alternative sewer system through not only an extremely environmentally sensitive area, but through multiple streams and a large creek which create the headwaters to the Occoquan Reservoir watershed and your drinking water supply.

However, what taxpayers WILL be able to do is pay for the degradation that is sure to come when this area is disturbed by a road and over a hundred houses.  Why will taxpayers be footing the bill?

PRINCE WILLIAM COUNTY, Va. —

Prince William County is preparing to play its part in the cleanup of the Chesapeake Bay Watershed.
The problem is, officials don’t know exactly how to prepare due to a lack of guidance from the federal and state governments, Prince William Watershed Management branch chief Marc Aveni stated.

The state has placed a Feb. 1 deadline on how the county will tackle this issue, which also includes reducing impervious sub­stances (i.e. parking lots) and deciding who will foot the bill.  There is also a potential financial impact to the county should it not comply. Penal­ties could be several thousands of dollars per day, per violation, Aveni said.

Several homebuilders active in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed have been hit with penalties in the last few years. The Ryland Group Inc. was fined $625,000 to resolve alleged Clean Water Act violations at its construction sites, including those in the watershed.
“The county is looking what it can reasonably do with its resources towards [meeting] this goal,” Aveni said. “…We are doing everything we possibly can, and at the same time, not bankrupting our citizens.”

 

I have an idea how to prepare, DON’T approve projects like Mid County Parks and Estates as a starting point!

Chairman Stewart made a comment back in November that must be clarified.

Board Chairman Corey A. Stewart (R-At Large) said in an interview with The Washington Post that he plans to introduce a policy next year on the concept of  “clustering,”a new approach to managing the county’s rural area.

Stewart said having a hodgepodge of 10-acre lots doesn’t make sense. Better, he said, to have a development on 100 acres, and “cluster” 30 acres of development together while preserving the other 70 acres as open space.

Does Corey know that a clustering ordinance for the Rural Crescent exists already?

http://library.municode.com/HTML/14114/level3/CH32ZO_ARTIIIAGREDI_PT300GERE.html

So as not to torture anyone with the reading the entire ordinance.  The summation is that you can cluster in the Rural Area and you CAN put land into an open space easement.  Mark Granville-Smith could still cluster his 30 homes into 3-5 acre lots and put the remaing land into an open space easement that would be intended for the new community as an amenity.

I am suggesting that there be a level playing field in this county.  We have a Comprehensive Plan in place that has served us well and ordinances on the books that can be utilized for changes that apply to everyone.

This application is BAD for the immediate residents who surround this proposed high density development and it is BAD for the rest of tax paying residents.

The Rural Crescent has proven to be an effective Urban Growth Boundary that helps the County control sprawl and maximize the benefits of taxpayer-funded infrastructure investments.

Anyone can look around and see that tax dollars are better investd in areas designated for Development, not rural areas that require extensive and unnesseary infrastructure.

 E-mail the county supervisors and ask them to protect your tax dollars and vote NO on Midcounty Parks/Estates
 
 
[email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected]

 

 

 

 

29 Thoughts to “Rural Crescent on the Chopping Block for Faux Parkland!”

  1. Elena

    My new nickname for Corey is Captain Obvious 😉

  2. Censored bybvbl

    I thought that years ago the properties on the western side of Rt. 234 in that area were included in the rural crescent. Since water lines jumped Rt. 234, that designation apparently has changed and you can see carved out areas which are now semi-rural residential. The residential areas on the eastern side are more compact.

    I’m familiar with the area since I’ve walked it for the past ten years. A development with that density would not be compatible with surrounding developments unless the lots were about three acres. The streams are generally rough to walk near – the land is hilly (it’s called Independent HILL for a reason). What’s proposed for this park?

    Rt. 234 is damn near impossible to enter during rush hour as it is. The cross traffic at several intersections is dangerous and a couple lights are probably already needed. Without looking at a larger map, this proposal will probably dump traffic out on Canova and then onto Dumfries Road. Those residents won’t have to contend with cross traffic but those of us who live in subdivisions off Dumfries Road will have to contend with the extra traffic as we sit and wait, wait, wait for a break in traffic and then sit in the median and wait, wait, wait again for a break in the other direction.

    Mid-county is not really convenient to either I-66 or I-95. I’m wondering if there is even a demand for more housing in that area. One site has been sub-divided but unbuilt for years now.

  3. Elena

    All GREAT points Censored. Only one person benefits from this proposal, the developer.

  4. That area cannot take additional cars. Period. Once again, some scum bag is going to build more residences and leave us with more traffic, and roads and schools to build. The teachers haven’t have raises and our roads are congested and in a bad way.

    Why do people always think there is an exception? Does Corey want to wear the developer hat as he prepares to head out to Richmond? WE can make sure he wears it.

  5. Elena

    What happened to the Republican mantra of “small government”. Why should the taxpayer subsidize this applicatiaon to ensure the greatest profit windfall for the developer? I thought it was up to the business owner to assess their risk and not up to government to “bail”them out?

  6. Fed up!

    The Republican mantra is “get out of the way of business.” Let the rich get richer (Granville-Smith) and screw the little guy (the residents).

  7. Pi

    Why would the taxpayers of Prince William County want to have a swamp as a park. Would this public land even be open to everyone or just the residents of that community?

    No means no. Why does this person think he is above the rules? Why should things change for him?

    Adherence to the Comprehensive Plan saves us all money.

    Granville-Smith needs to go crap up some other area that isn’t protected. He is doing no one any favors but himself.

  8. @Elena

    Why are these same jokers allowed to keep coming back? Wasn’t he told no once?

    Perhaps I have him confused with someone else.

  9. Elena

    He was told no once and withdrew it the following time.

  10. So, No isn’t good enough for him. What does he think has changed?

    Where is that great pic of the rural crescent?

  11. Elena

    “The plan also included two Land Use Policies restricting access to public sewer in the Rural Residential Areas, establishing the first distinction between a “development area,” where the full range of public services would be provided, and a “rural area” where public infrastructure would be limited. ”

    Hmmm, sounds like fiscal sanity to me!

  12. Elena will be addressing the BOCS today. This is really a matter of fiscal responsibilty. May the force be with her!!!

    2 pm or shortly thereafter.

  13. Lafayette

    Forgot about the meeting. Just tuned and Elena just started!!!

  14. Lafayette

    Really, Rainbow Riding in the middle of all of this, and he’s from Fairfax County to boot. I feel sick!

    1. Can you believe someone has the nads to come to OUR BOCS and ask us to support something for Fairfax County residents?
      Frank, why didn’t you send him packing?

  15. Lafayette

    Gooo, Ms. Collins!!! Corey STFU!!

  16. Lafayette

    Oh Corey does support a specific group, Ms. Rollins. It’s the developers and screw the citizens

  17. Mom

    In my best Seinfeld voice, “Lubeley”

  18. Lafayette

    Mom :In my best Seinfeld voice, “Lubeley”

    Thought of you as soon as I heard him and now we have the “man(not) of the hour”.

  19. Mom

    Somebody really needs to get a new speechwriter for Granville-Smith or he should just tape his presentations and insert the project names. Its the same speech every time, every project is the new gold standard, every project benefits the county more than his own interests, etc., etc., etc.

  20. Lafayette

    We can’t address all of the questions without this initiation to get a study. blah, blah, blah

    Gold standard is that the same as world-class___________?

  21. Mom

    The Queen must have forgotten to take her meds this morning, her verbal comprehension skills seem a bit off.

  22. Lafayette

    Let’s not forget her seeming concerned about the number of new homes along the LHC.
    Moon has a new thread. Check it out.

  23. Mom

    Candland’s waffling, I wonder if he knows how many dump trucks will be used to build the property and where they will dump the debris.

  24. Lafayette

    Yeah. sounds like he needs to talk to his constituents in Heritage Hunt and how they like or did like that 55+ age restriction. He doesn’t have to travel far since the new office is in HH. Remember all the crap Frank Principi took for renovation of his new office. Yet Mr. Candland has snubbed county property for his office opting for HH.

    1. And also he has snubbed the ‘city folks’ of Gainesville. Laf, have you moved so it is easier for you to get to HH rather than Sudley North?

  25. Lafayette

    No, I have not. Mr. Lafayette says he’ll never get me out here!! lol

  26. He is probably correct. You would have to change your name.

    So, once again, in town folks don’t matter.

    I am still waiting to hear the talking Parrot.

    Right now I am listening to Captain Sound-byte. I am behind. Phone keeps ringing.

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