In place of Brentsville Supervisor Wally Covington-R, Coles District Supervisor Martin Nohe-R led a Braemar/Bristow citizen’s meeting at Marsteller Middle School Wednesday evening to address the citizens’ concerns about the proposed Birkwood at Braemar and Pioneer Assemblage developments.
“I have some real concerns about the projects, especially Birkwood. At the end of the day, neither one of these projects will get my support unless you’re on board,” Nohe told the attendees.
Nohe was joined by Board of County Supervisors Chairman-at-Large Corey Stewart-R; Brentsville Planning Commissioner Ron Burgess; Director of Planning Chris Price; Gainesville Planning Commissioner Fran Arnold; Brentsville District School Board member Gil Trenum; Braemar Board President Joe Dunaway and approximately 200 Bristow residents in the school’s gymnasium.
Residents, primarily from Braemar and surrounding communities in Bristow, came to address the 95-98 homes proposed at Birkwood [20 of them townhomes, and approximately 75 planned as multi-family dwellings, ie. apartments or condos] as well as the 465 units proposed at Pioneer Assemblage.
Concerns about the Proposals
Though residents said they were primarily concerned about the effects of new neighbors on schools, roads and services, they also had concerns about zoning changes and the types of homes being proposed.
Nohe tried to reassure the residents that the developments would not be approved without their input and agreed with residents that the proposals were alarming, especially the Birkwood proposal.
“It’s a little hard for me to envision apartments in that space. That’s an aspect that is particularly concerning,” Nohe said.
Reason Nohe Replaced Covington
Nohe first explained that Supervisor Covington could not conduct the meeting because he was legally required to recuse himself from the Pioneer Assemblage as his family owns property adjacent to that site.
Nohe also offered that Covington thought it best to also recuse himself from the Braemar project as well.
“Even though they are separate cases, they are both high profile from the same developer at the same time and they affect the same community,” Nohe said. “It would be impossible for Wally to have a meeting about Birkwood, but say “la la la” you can’t talk to me about Pioneer .”
Reason for Meeting So Early in the Process
Nohe said it was early to be meeting and discussing these proposed developments as they were at least eight months from being approved, saying, “Usually we’re a little later in the process that I find myself in a middle school talking to folks.”
However, in these two cases, Nohe said the developer was being “fairly aggressive,” and it was obviously disconcerting to many that Brookfield Homes was proposing such a high number of home units, approximately 565 all together.
How Residents Can Be Heard on the Issue
As such, Nohe advised the community to make their voices heard by talking to their supervisors and county staff, particularly Ron Burgess, saying, “We care about the comments that evolve from the citizens.”
He also advised the citizens to form subcommittees and taskforces.
“What I would encourage you to do is to use your HOA as a tool,” Nohe said, suggesting they invite the applicant to speak before the Braemar HOA.
“Get the applicant in front of your community. Share with them what you have say; give them the opportunity to put your concerns to rest,” he said.
He further encouraged concerned residents to stay in communication with their supervisors throughout the approval process.
“Our comfort level is going to be driven heavily by your comfort level,” he said.
Burgess said he would represent citizens' interests, adding, “Quit sending me email petitions. I get it already.”
Process of Getting a New Development Approved
Nohe, with the help of Price, explained the process of getting a development approved, explaining it is essentially mostly back and forth between the county staff, supervisors and the developers. Proposals are often rejected until a satisfying compromise is reached.
Reason Developer Is Seeking Rezoning at Birkwood
Nohe also explained that Brookfield Homes wants to develop Birkwood as residential, saying it was originally zoned retail, but they have not been able to attract the kinds of retail businesses the community really wanted in that space.
Change to High Density Development at Birkwood
The change from commercial to residential would not be too difficult to get approve; however, he predicted it might be difficult for Brookfield to get the kind of housing they are proposing, which is more high density than the surrounding community.
People living in Braemar and New Castle Village were especially unhappy about the types of homes planned for Birkwood: multifamily residences, most likely apartments or stacked townhouses and some townhomes.
Nohe said that according to zoning laws, matching the other kinds of homes already built in a community is key to approval.
“The heart of this zoning is: Is this new proposed use consistent with the principles in the original zoning?” Nohe said.
He mused that he thought apartments might “substantially change what Braemar is,” as well as the surrounding Sudley/Linton Hall Corridor.
However, he said that a give-and-take between residents and developers might help to find a compromise both parties could live with.
Smaller Lots at Pioneer Assemblage
Pioneer Assemblage offered its own concerns. To be located at the corner of Vint Hill Road and Sudley Manor Drive, Brookfield is negotiating purchasing property from a few rural residents who want to move out the community, including one woman whose horses were "murdered" there, according to Nohe.
Rather than selling the properties as 1-acre lots, Brookfield Homes wants to convert the properties to quarter-acre homes, saying it fits better with the community. Many at the meeting were unhappy with that proposal since it would bring more people into the area and because they were hoping the Rural Crescent designation would curb future population growth. However, with the movement of Vint Hill Road, so moves the Rural Crescent designation.
The Advantages and Limitations of Proffers
Nohe also recognized people were very concerned about overcrowded schools and roads, some of which could be offset by proffers, but those too, had their limitations.
Stewart explained that due to a law passed by the General Assembly, proffers could not be collected until after people moved into the homes. Nohe said that in his district, he does not [at least primarily] require cash proffers, but instead makes the developer build the roads and set aside land for the schools.
School board Representative Gil Trenum explained that Bristow has always had to play catch up in providing schools for students, and the school board had just gotten to a point that they had caught up with the number of elementary schools needed, but new middle schools and high schools are still required to meet current student demands.
School Board Opposed to New Development in Bristow
However, Trenum explained that the Prince William School Board has voted against new developments in Bristow.
“Our biggest concern is overcrowding [in schools. The School Board has] already taken a position on this. We oppose the development based on the overcrowding issue,” Trenum said, to which the residents responded with overwhelming applause.
The Question of Affordable Dwelling Units
When one resident questioned how many homes would be sold as Affordable Dwelling Units, Nohe said, in most cases. it is illegal to find out how many.
“By law, we are not allowed to make a decision based upon if there are subsidies attached to the unit,” he said.
Then Stewart added his input.
“I’ve gotten myself in trouble with this before, but I’ll say it again, since I am already in trouble: Prince William County has enough affordable housing. We are already home to a disproportionate amount of the region’s poor," Stewart said. [/pullquote]
He encouraged residents to protect the character of the Braemar Community.
“Braemar is one of the prime communities in Prince William County, if not the Northern Virginia area, and the last thing we want to do is cheapen it,” Stewart said.
Working Together with Braemar
Joe Dunaway, Braemar Board President, reminded residents that Brookfield Homes could decide to make any new neighborhoods they built in the next few years a part of the Braemar Community.
One New Castle resident requested that Braemar work with them in forming a task force. Dunaway said he would bring that request before his board, but that he would want to work together with them in some capacity.
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