On May 23, concerning land-use management behaviors were on full display at the Prince William Board of County Supervisors meeting. The Rock Water Farm’s application for a special use permit to operate a landscaping and truck facility along U.S. 15 in the Gainesville District was the only item on the agenda that evening.
Objections were put forward from residents and supervisors that the planning staff’s report did not correctly reflect environmental and traffic weaknesses and safety issues in the plan. After three hours of debate, discussions, and contortions, both a motion to deny the SUP and a motion to defer it were on the table.
As the board was figuring out the procedures for dealing with both motions, the county attorney announced that she had forwarded to all supervisors’ emails “…a letter just received from the (Rock Water Farm) applicant’s attorney (Walsh, Colucci, Lubeley, & Walsh), with their concerns with regard to whether the board would amend proffers or conditions or put forward a denial.” She continued, saying: “If you have questions, I would be happy to take you into closed session.”
There followed extensive discussion by supervisors about whether to go to closed session and if it was necessary. The county attorney offered this expanded explanation “…requiring legal advice regarding land use and proffer law with regard to the SUP, potential litigation regarding this matter where such discussion in open session would adversely affect the bargaining, marketing, or negotiating strategy and litigating posture of the public body. This item would be appropriate for closed session.”
The board voted down both the defer and deny motions and approved a motion to go into closed session.
Chair Wheeler chirpily adjourned the group by saying “We’ll make sure we all know all our legal options, and then we’ll come back.”
The board met in closed session for over 20 minutes and came back to the dais. Supervisor Victor Angry, D-Neabsco, made a motion to approve the Rock Water Farm SUP. Tthere was no discussion and the motion passed 6-2, with Supervisors Jeanine Lawson, R-Brentsville, and Bob Weir, R-Gainesville, voting in opposition.
The board meeting moved right into public comment time. Chair Ann Wheeler left the dais. She was observed out in the atrium visiting with the Rock Water Farm applicant representatives and their attorneys – while residents presented their public comments to the board.
- Did Rock Water Farm or Walsh Colucci – or both – threaten to sue the county if the board did not approve the SUP as presented, conditioned, and recommended by the county planning staff?
- Did Wheeler (and perhaps other supervisors) know in advance that the applicant and their law firm were going to send a letter?
- Did Walsh Colucci have their litigation threat letter ready to go before the board meeting started, anticipating there would be opposition and that the Gainesville supervisor would recommend denial?
- Is Wheeler only interested in more business approvals; and not concerned about residents’ safety and residents’ input?
This is terribly similar to the ‘circus of corruption’ residents experienced last fall during decision-making on the comprehensive plan amendment underlying the proposed Prince William Digital Gateway data center corridor.
Here is my Letter to the Editor in the Prince William Times on these issues:
There’s something we can do about corporate influence in land-use decisions: VOTE
In Prince William County, the influence brought to bear by developers, data centers, and their law firms on all aspects of this county and its operations is pervasive, overwhelming, and deep.
Over the past few years, observers of the supervisors’ meetings have watched as data center developers slipped in last-minute changes before important votes and have witnessed landowners and developers influence county staff reports to emphasize projects’ few strengths over their many weaknesses.
We’ve also seen the county planning commission and board of supervisors ignore regulations and grant developers’ waivers, allowing themselves to be strong-armed by developers’ law firms while ignoring citizens’ input.
The well-heeled corporate and legal entities are so entrenched with county processes – and they work to control the board’s decisions to such an extent – that we are getting rubber-stamp approvals of whatever the development and data center industries want. Board Chair Ann Wheeler appears to be dedicated to ensuring these project approvals succeed. This is affecting our entire county.
The land-use votes by the board of supervisors are farcical. The developers and lawyers are dictating the course this county will take. We are all held hostage by these damaging practices, which are embraced and enabled by our own elected officials.
Everywhere we turn, every aspect of our lives is tarnished and affected by this kind of pervasive corporate influence in our county. However, as citizens throughout history have proven, WE can do something about it. WE CAN VOTE.
All of us in every district across the county can fire Board of Supervisors Chair Ann Wheeler on June 20 by voting for Deshundra Jefferson in the Democratic primary. With one simple but powerful vote, we can return integrity to our leadership by ensuring voters have better options for chair of the Prince William Board of County Supervisors on Election Day this November.
Karen Sheehan
Gainesville District