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FEBRUARY 19, 2016
VOLUME 27, NUMBER 49
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Supervisors OK no-wake zone at creek preserve
VDOT LOOKS TO CHANGE TRAFFIC PATTERN
TRACY BELL
Stafford County Sun
Chris Chalko, right, of the VDOT Interstate 95 team, explains the finer points of the southern extension of the express lanes from Garrisonville Road during a meeting Wednesday at Poole Middle School. VDOT officials said they are exploring extending the fourth lane created at the end of the extended express lanes for another four miles, all the way to the new interchange near Courthouse Road. ALEKS DOLZENKO/ STAFFORD COUNTY SUN
Proffer decisions slipping from local control JILL PALERMO
Stafford County Sun
These days, new residential neighborhoods aren’t approved without “proffers,” which are supposed to be voluntary donations of land or money that housing developers give counties to offset the impact of new residents. But recently proposed laws that could limit county officials’ ability to negotiate proffers are raising concern among local officials. Both the Stafford and Prince William boards of supervisors voted unanimously
on measures calling for changes to Senate Bill 549 and House Bill 770, which would prohibit counties from denying re-zonings if the proffer requests are “unreasonable.” Prince William supervisors, however, contend the bills themselves are “unreasonable,” in that both put unreasonable restrictions on county leaders’ abilities to negotiate developers’ contributions to schools, roads, first-responder services, parks and libraries. One version of the bill would even limit county planners from requesting that dwellings have certain architectural finishes, which are commonly
pre-approved to ensure new construction meshes with existing neighborhoods. Stafford officials renegotiated a proffer package this week when they agreed to changes to their original deal with Stafford Associates, L.P., which built the Colonial Forge subdivision. Supervisors voted to relieve the developer of earlier promises to grade and seed four ball fields and build a day care center and commercial building in exchange for about $1 million in services to help build a retaining wall at the Embry Mill recreational complex on Court- PROFFERS PAGE 2 house Road.
The Stafford County Board of Supervisors agreed Tuesday to allow a no-wake zone at the start of the Crow’s Nest Natural Area Preserve on the north side of Accokeek Creek to the end of its passable waters. The board voted unanimously to approve amending the Stafford County Code to allow the no-wake area. The Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation, out of concern for the safety of kayakers and canoeists using a new boat launch there, made the request. According to the DCR, there have been complaints about boats and jet skis speeding in the area. The DCR wants to create the no-wake zone before April, when boating activity increases for the season. No-wake is defined as a vessel traveling at or below idle speed to ensure that it or its waves do not cause injury or damage to other people, boats or property. A current no-wake zone spans the entire width of Accokeek Creek for about 1,300 linear feet in length and is situated about 1.4 miles downstream from the new boat launch. The new no-wake zone would add about a mile of new no-wake area. No residences are located along this section of Accokeek Creek, NO WAKE PAGE 3 according to the county.
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