May 12, 2008

Tuesday, May 20th, @ 7:00 pm. 

Board of Supervisors’ Chambers, Stafford County Administration Building.

On Tuesday, May 20th, at 7 pm the Stafford County Board of Supervisors will hold two public hearings on matters important to Crow’s Nest. One hearing is on the Potomac River Resource Protection overlay district, which will create additional protection for creeks and steep slopes in environmentally sensitive areas on and surrounding Crow’s Nest and three other parks. The second public hearing will be on the secondary road plan, which for the first time will remove a planned new road to Crow’s Nest.

Supervisors Joe Brito (I-Hartwood), George Schwartz (D-Falmouth), Bob Woodson (D-Griffis-Widewater) and Harry Crisp (D-George Washington) all pledged support for both of these efforts. Please contact them now to thank them in advance for voting to approve the Potomac River Resource Protection Overlay ordinance, and for removing the “new” Andrew Chapel Road project from the secondary road plan.

1) Potomac River Resource Protection overlay district

The Potomac River Resource Protection Overlay district will increase protection of the Aquia, Accoceek and Potomac Creeks and the Potomac River by expanding buffers around creeks and limiting building on steep slopes next to creeks. The legislation focuses on the most sensitive areas surrounding four public parks: Crow’s Nest, Widewater State Park, Aquia Landing and Governor’s Island.

You can read the staff report on the legislation, including a copy of the ordinance and of the map depicting the overlay district. You can also view the staff presentation to the Planning Commission.

2) Removal of the “new” Andrew Chapel Road

That same night the Board of Supervisors will also be holding a public hearing on the six year secondary road plan. Several years ago, the previous Board added a “new” Andrew Chapel Road This road will facilitate development of the peninsula and nearby properties.

Courthouse_road_FLS_map_with_arrow

The 4-phase Courthouse Road project plan includes building an entirely new road that dead-ends at Stafford County ’s largest track of undeveloped land, Crow’s Nest. That road would facilitate development and dramatically increase traffic in the area. (Map is from the Free Lance-Star, modified to show the property owned by Stafford Lakes LP.)

The cost of this project has ballooned to $11 million, yet this section of road serves only 3,300 vehicles per day and has a low accident rate. For that reason, a majority on the Planning Commission, which makes recommendations to the Board on transportation issues, recommended to the Board that this road project be removed, and a request be made to reallocate the fund for it to improving the Falmouth intersection.