Our Prince William Board of County Supervisors can hire consultants and plan behind closed doors to decimate the rural crescent, but in the end, the harm they are bringing is not only to the residents of this county, from west to east, but also statewide, and, in light of climate change, to the entire planet. The path the county is on is unsustainable, which is reflected in their disjointed develop-everywhere land-use agenda.
The county board adopted an arts and agriculture overlay district, and yet it plans to ruin its integrity with data centers, their required energy infrastructure and high-density housing development. The board’s polices are in direct conflict with each other.
The board signaled its intent to adopt a purchase of development rights program, but its land-use policies are inviting the sell-off of large parcels of land for data center development and high-density housing. Our surrounding sister counties must be laughing at us.
I recognize that no one intentionally works their butt off to get elected to cause harm, but the majority of this board’s gamesmanship and lack of transparency to “win” is antithetical to good governance. Because in this game, the only winners will be the developers who will walk away with millions while leaving the rest of us to live with the consequences.
The strategy to develop the rural crescent will not benefit the eastern part of Prince William County but will throw our most critical land-use tool out the window: smart-growth strategies.
I am open to a credible explanation of how redirecting our infrastructure dollars to our remaining green spaces will provide affordable housing that aligns with regional goals that strongly recommend new development to create affordable housing in “activity centers” near transit, employment and redevelopment opportunities, which the rural crescent has none of.
I am open to explanations about how this plan of sprawl will mitigate carbon emissions as you build new roads through the rural crescent that turn Va. 234 into a New Jersey turnpike, starting in Woodbridge and carving a path through the county — all to benefit Loudoun County.
How will you get Metro to extend into eastern Prince William if you redirect all the growth to the opposite end of the county?
These are not hyperbolic questions, and they deserve serious discussion not gamesmanship.
How does your agenda support what makes us uniquely special in the entire state of Virginia? What I see happening in the board’s actions does not capitalize on these assets.
Elena Schlossberg
Haymarket