PRESS RELEASE
Haymarket, Virginia (August 30, 2018) – The Rural Crescent is facing its most serious – and secretive – threat since its creation. A proposal that will remove thousands of acres from the Rural Crescent is being crafted by the PWC Planning Office. Supervisor Pete Candland and State Delegate Tim Hugo, as vigorous advocates for the Rural Crescent, have jointly organized a community meeting on September 10 at 7 PM at Battlefield High School to get your feedback on the proposals. See the announcement here.
“Regarding the Rural Crescent, Supervisor Candland has urged his colleagues to ‘have the integrity to stand by the rules that we all live by.’ (Candland July 5, 2017 letter) Pete is right, it is all about integrity,” Coalition executive director Elena Schlossberg said. “The citizens of this county expect, and look to their elected officials to act with integrity. That means doing the right thing, and in the right way.”
“Not only is busting open the Rural Crescent wrong, it’s being done in the wrong way,” Schlossberg added. “Planning sessions and public meetings have been cancelled because critical documents and definitions don’t exist – or are being hidden. This non-transparent process threatens the most successful fiscal and developmental policy our County has ever enacted. We deserve better.”
Schlossberg continued, “Pete and every one of his colleagues voted unanimously in 2015 to ‘Reaffirm and renew’ their commitment to ‘protect private property and preserve the County’s distinctive cultural and historic inheritance … including the county’s designated Rural Crescent urban growth boundary.’ Let me repeat: every Supervisor voted unanimously to protect what we have.” Resolution
“What all of us know,” Schlossberg continued, “is that jamming more houses into the rural area is simply the wrong thing to do. All county residents will pay higher taxes. Critical infrastructure funds needed for re-investment in the current development areas will be lost to creating sprawl in the rural area. Roads will be clogged with more traffic. And schools will stuff more students into more trailers. About the only thing we will have less of is open space and trees. Everyone loses, unless you’re a land developer or speculator – or getting paid by them.”
Kim Hosen, Executive Director of the Prince William Conservation Alliance has said: “Our county spans from the Potomac tidal shoreline to the Bull Run Mountain. We are unique, with rich natural resources which must be protected.” PWCA
As Supervisor Candland most recently said: “The attacks on the Rural Crescent are constant and persistent. Those that want to use this issue as a political tool for their own purposes will only weaken us. No matter the political party, upcoming or current campaigns, protecting the Rural Crescent is a constant battle and one that will take all of us working together – united in our common cause to protect our natural resources, our history, and our quality of life.”
Our voices make a difference – Just look at how we impacted Amazon’s extension cord! We certainly didn’t protect our countryside to see it forever altered by higher density housing! Show up and speak up to oppose this disastrous change to the Rural Crescent policy:
Rural Crescent Town Hall
September 10, 7 PM
Battlefield High School
Hosted by Supervisor Pete Candland and Delegate Tim Hugo
You can also impact the Board of Supervisors by signing the petition To Protect the Rural Crescent: Ensure Transparency here.
If you can’t come to the meeting on the 10th at Battlefield HS, show up at the next Rural Crescent Town Hall (announcement) in Nokesville:
September 18
7 – 9 PM
The Nokesville School
12375 Aden Road, Nokesville
Sponsored by the Nokesville Civic Association
Check out all the recent updates to the Coalition’s website: www.protectpwc.org