Brentsville Town Hall Focuses on ADAMS Mosque, Land Use

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Brentsville Supervisor Jeanine Lawson speaks at the Sept. 10 Town Hall. Brentsville Supervisor Jeanine Lawson speaks at the Sept. 10 Town Hall.

An estimated 300 residents attended Brentsville’s Supervisor Jeanine Lawson’s (R) town hall style meeting, packing the gymnasium at Marsteller Middle School in Bristow, the evening of Sept.10. While many land use issues were discussed, most of the conversation centered around keeping traffic congestion out of the transitional part of the rural crescent. 

ADAMS

The ADAMS (All Dulles Area Muslim Society) Mosque/community center is proposed for 17-acres between Schaeffer Lane and Kettle Run along Vint Hill Road in Nokesville. The project is still in stage one, as it is still being explored by the planning department.

Lawson said she would not grant the applicant access to sewer as it is proposed for the transitional part of the Rural Crescent where sewer is generally prohibited. 

“I am a strong advocate for the Rural Crescent,” she said. “We fend off denser development in the Rural Crescent by saying no to public sewer.”

She also opposes the mosque in that location for the traffic impact it would likely have.

“This area is a transportation nightmare sometimes. These rural roads were not meant to endure what we have asked it to endure,” Lawson told residents.

Neighbors of the proposed mosque unanimously argued that it is a bad location. They said they already must endure traffic congestion from Patriot High School and T. Clay Wood Elementary and told Lawson the religious institution would just bring more of a traffic congestion.

Most residents stayed clear of making the issue about the affiliation of the institution. For instance, resident Bill Muirhead, gave his email address billamuirhead@gmail.com, asking residents to contact him to fight against ADAMS. However, he added: “If it has anything to do with religious intolerance or racism, I don’t want to hear from you. Please contact me if you are really opposed to this.”

While his statement received applause, he added that making it about religion would only work in the applicant’s favor.

One man did address the religious issue, saying on the eve of 9/11, he did not want to support the religion that killed 3,000 Americans. His statement was met with boos from some and applause from others. Gainesville Supervisor Pete Candland (R) said that as a member of a religious minority he is sensitive to issues, and would not want to discriminate in any way.

Vint Hill 

Along with the ADAMS issue, residents who live in Nokesville’s transitional area wanted to make sure that Vint Hill Road would not be widened between Sudley Manor and the Prince William/Fauquier line. While Vint Hill is being rerouted and widened from Sudley Manor to Route 28, Lawson agreed that she does not want it widened in the other direction.

Rollins Ford Land Swap 

Lawson brought up other land use issues as well, but they were not as widely discussed by the residents in attendance. One such issue was the location of the new high school. She sought input on the land swap between Avendale proffered land and Rollins Ford Park but received little input.

Lawson said the school division is still investigating whether the 67-acres on Rollins Ford Road is sufficient for a high school site. However, she said having the four-lane road already in place is one reason she likes the location.

Stone Haven 

On Stone Haven, the large Bristow development, stretching from Jiffy Lube Live to Devlin Road, she presented both the pros and cons of the new proposal. On the positive side, the applicant reduced the overall acreage of the community from 864.2 acres to 717 acres and reduced the number of homes from 1650 to 1006, adding more retail instead. Additionally, the developer agreed to make the 5-foot side yards, 10-foot side yards. They have eliminated stacked townhouses and are still proffering a proficient high school site. 

What Prince William would lose from the previous proposal is the four-lane widening for Devlin Road and the extension of University Boulevard. Lawson said she is still looking into the effects that would have. She believes the Devlin Road widening is needed to address commuter traffic on Devlin and Balls Ford Road, and she said the county does not have the funding to expand the two roads on its own.

Strathmore 

Lawson touched upon the Strathmore development on Vint Hill Road, previously called Pioneer Assemblage. She said she wants the developer to stick to the transitional Rural Crescent zoning ordinance of one home per 2.5 acres rather than Suburban Low Residential as seen north of Vint Hill Road in Bristow and Gainesville.  

“I really want it to be SRR (Semi-Rural Residential) if it’s going to be residential,” she said. “It’s meant to be a transition between suburban and rural.”

Sudley Manor 

She mentioned that  7-11 and Sheetz gas stations and convenient stores have been proposed for the corner of Sudley Manor and Vint Hill Road. Lawson said that gas stations had been unpopular in the past; however, residents who spoke acknowledged it is needed. Lawson said the proposed Sheetz would not look like the Haymarket one along Route 15, but would be more architecturally pleasing.

General Comments 

Some residents  expressed their frustration with the approval of previous developments despite their lack of support. Lawson tried to distance herself from her predecessor, Wally Covington (R), who approved various developments. Lawson said she is having the town hall in order to be responsive, and appeared to agree with the attendees on most issues. 

Both Lawson and Candland encouraged residents to speak out and organize for the land use issues they care strongly about. Candland said they will need to garner the support oft as many county supervisors as possible and suggested residents email BOCS@pwcgov.org to express their opinions. Lawson and Candland both suggested people speak out at public hearings in front of the Planning Commission and Board of County Supervisors.

At the beginning of the meeting, Lawson took the time to explain the planning process. She said most of the projects being presented are still in stage one or the planning stage. After that, they will need to seek approval of the Planning Commission. It is not until they progress through stage three, approval from the Board of Supervisors, that the development is a “done deal.”

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