Dear Neighbor –
We just found out that the developer, Classic Concepts, has pulled the Preserve at Long Branch application….for now. Deferral just means “to be continued” – until such time that he thinks he can get it to pass.
This Prince William community is amazing. We stood together countywide, and in an unrelenting and continued push, refused to give in to defeat. Hundreds of emails were sent from multiple civic organizations. Signs covered the landscape from the Occoquan District all the way to the most western reaches of the Bull Run Mountain. We were ready to pack the house to fight for our Rural Crescent, both in person and virtually.
A special thank you to Supervisor Kenny Boddye for keeping his word on ensuring that the best land use tool in the entire DMV region was protected. We all understand that developing the Rural Crescent is the antithesis of smart growth. Every dollar spent on providing infrastructure for developing the Rural Crescent is a dollar not invested in our areas with the most significant needs.
And of course, to Kim Hosen, Executive Director for the Prince William Conservation Alliance, for her steadfast leadership and expertise on land use and true open space preservation.
So – while we can take a breather for now, we must and will remain vigilant because our hard work is not done. For sustainable open space to occur, we must work towards adopting a robust PDR (Purchase of Development Rights) program. The Comprehensive Plan update is around the corner and thus we must pay close attention to the rural “preservation” study and its use, or rather misuse.
Thank you for your participation. We are one county and together we all rise or fall.