Developers of the Brentswood community pulled the proposal to build 6,800 homes from the agenda of a public hearing Tuesday night in order to make changes to the plan.
A few hours before the scheduled public hearing before the Prince William Board of County Supervisors, Brookfield Homes told supervisors it wanted a deferral “to make substantial changes to the proposal,” according to a letter read by Board Chairman Sean Connaughton.
The plan to develop a 1,500-acre site surrounding Nissan Pavilion has come under fire from residents and the board for its sheer size, lack of commercial space within the development and insufficient transportation proffers. Both the county’s planning staff and Planning Commission recommended the board reject the project.
“I think they finally got the message the board is serious for them to revise the application to meet the demands of the board, the Planning Commission, planning staff and citizens,” Connaughton said.
“We need to get in unison with the county goals and Brookfield’s vision and we need more time to do that,” said Rick Dengler, vice president and chief operating officer of Brookfield’s land division. He said the changes will most likely occur in the residential density and the transportation network.
The reworked proposal must come before the Planning Commission before the board takes a vote.
“I’m relieved and ecstatic,” said Supervisor Corey Stewart, R-Occoquan. “It would have been a disaster for the county.”
The deferral “does speak volumes about the value of the process,” said Supervisor Martin Nohe, R-Coles.
“It needed to go through this to get us something better,” said Supervisor Wally Covington, R-Brentsville.
The Original Brentswood Community Plan
» 1,500 acres
» 6,800 homes
» Two town centers
» 10,000 jobs
» 100-acre lake park
» $50 million for VRE station
» $70 million for road improvements
