Prince William supervisors have approved a plan to rezone a 179-acre swath of land in the western part of the county and pave the way for hundreds of single-family homes, despite serious concerns of the Planning Commission.
The applicant, Brookfield Homes, is proposing to build a maximum of 295 single-family detached homes on about 125 acres of the land. Brookfield, as part of the deal, has offered to use the rest for parks and recreation, open space and schools. The developer would also help pay for improvements on nearby Vint Hill Road.
Supervisor Wally Covington, R-Brentsville, said his decision to support the plan rested on transportation and the safety — or lack thereof — on some of the roads in the county.
Some residents, though, voiced concern that the plan would contribute to more overcrowding in the area and encroach on the Rural Crescent, an approximately 80,000-acre C-shaped swath of land in the western end of the county.
The county Planning Commission opposed the project, citing concerns about the density of the area, as the Rural Crescent was originally designed to limit densities to one house per 10 acres.
After approving the comprehensive plan amendment and rezoning plan, the board passed a resolution to reaffirm its support for the rural area and its characteristics.
“There’s a great deal of concern about the Rural Crescent, as there should be — the Rural Crescent is the core of the county’s long-term land policies,” said board Chairman Corey Stewart, R-At Large. “This is not the end of the rural area.”
“This shall not set, and is not meant to set, any sort of precedent,” he said.
Though Brookfield has proposed a plan with a maximum of 295 homes, the 179 acres could yield anywhere between 178 and 715 units, according to county staff analysis.
The plan passed by a vote of 5-3, with Vice Chairman Michael May, R-Occoquan, John Stirrup, R-Gainesville, and Frank Principi, D-Woodbridge, opposed.
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