Prince William Times 01/19/2023

Page 1

SPORTS: The Brentsville High girls basketball team is one of the best in Class 3. Pages 13-14

January 19, 2023 | Vol. 22, No. 3 | www.princewilliamtimes.com | $1.00 Covering Prince William County and surrounding communities, including Gainesville, Haymarket, Dumfries, Occoquan, Quantico and the cities of Manassas and Manassas Park.

Va. bills would ban data centers within 1 mile of state, national parks

Measure could halt PW Digital Gateway, strengthen state regulations By Jill Palermo

Times Staff Writer

Saying Virginia needs to “tap the brakes” on the rapid expansion of data centers, state Sen. J. Chapman “Chap” Petersen and Del. Danica Roem have introduced three bills that, if approved, could stop the controversial Prince William Digital Gateway and strictly regulate other data centers proposed near state and national parks. Petersen, a Democrat representing Fairfax County’s 34th District, said Monday he was “really kind of shocked” that land adjacent to the Manassas National Battlefield Park is being planned for data centers. Calling himself “a Civil War nut,” Petersen said historic sites must be protected. His Senate Bill 1078 would effectively stop the PW Digital Gateway by banning data centers “within one mile of a national park, state park or other historically significant site.” In a Monday, Jan. 16, press call, Petersen and Roem, D-13th, noted that data centers have significant impacts on the environment and natural resources.

Del. Danica Roem, D-13th

Sen. J. Chapman “Chap” Petersen, D-34th

“They soak up an incredible amount of water, and they use an incredible amount of energy,” Petersen said. He noted that Virginia is home to a third of the world’s data centers in part because of its tax incentives. “It’s time to tap the brakes and look around and see what we’re doing,” he said. See BILLS, page 2

A sign for the Prince William Digital Gateway Project along Pageland Lane near the Manassas battlefield.

Supervisors delay vote on Kline farm development Plan to add 240 townhomes, youth sports complex on hold until mid-March By Jill Palermo

Times Staff Writer

PHOTO BY ROGER SNYDER.

An aerial view of the 92-acre Kline dairy farm, which is proposed to be rezoned for 240 townhomes and commercial spaces. The plan also offers 20-acre site for a new elementary school and another 25 acres that could become a new youth baseball complex. The farm is located along Prince William Parkway near Liberia Avenue in Manassas.

The Kline farm, one of Prince William County’s last remaining stretches of farmland along Prince William Parkway, will remain green a little longer as a result of a developer’s decision early Wednesday to delay a vote on the latest iteration of a project that could transform the area into a mix of townhomes and commercial space. The Prince William Board of

‘The Greatest Generation’ play premieres at the Faquier Community Theatre, page 10

County Supervisors voted unanimously just before 1 a.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 18 to defer until Tuesday, March 14 a decision on a rezoning and three special use permits that would allow the Kline family to move forward with a plan to develop the 92-acre farm into 240 townhomes, a drive-thru restaurant and pharmacy, retail space and a self-storage facility. As proposed, See KLINE, page 2

Sometimes small is better: Weddings, page 7

88 DULLES, VA

It’s all about people . . . and always will be. www.vnb.com


Turn static files into dynamic content formats.

Create a flipbook
Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.