After countless victories for the developers, county executive H. B. Ewert has offered a proposal that is in the right direction relative to the future of the county. The proposal is on line at Supervisor McQuigg´s web site, a letter from H. B. Ewert can be found there within the context of the overall Comprehensive Plan.
CARD´s own Dr. Rober B. Moler had this to say relative to the proposal:
For the past 20 years or more this county has followed a policy of land use and economic development that is demonstrably a failure. Continuing to follow this policy will lead to the most negative consequences as is well documented by every economic projection. Not only will past residents have suffered the ills engendered by these policies, but present resident will continue to suffer their effects and all future residents who, all unknowingly, may be induced to take up residence in this county will find themselves the victims of a disastrous system that sacrifices their legitimate expectations at the altar of maximized growth cloaked in the false promise of economic development.
It is time and past time to abandon these failed policies in favor of new approaches that have the potential of achieving the reasonable goals of the constituents and residents of this county.
We have before us a far-reaching and visionary plan that has this promise. Its outlines policies and methods to achieve the desired ends of those policies that are logical, fair and achievable. They are supported by rational and objective analyses, that demonstrate that the instutution of these policies will benifit the county's residents and constituents in toto and that could, in future years, achieve the economic development goals that have long eluded us.
We have heard from some land owners, speculators and leading proponents of uncontrolled growth sophistical arguements opposing this plan. Some say that its implementation could lead to a reduction in property values. Not so. Property values are already being depressed by the present system. When did the oversupply of a product lead to higher costs? Or the introduction of a cheaper product? Undeveloped land will lose some of its potential value it is claimed. Not so. There is no principal in government or law that recognizes the value of an investment other than its present value, which it is acknowledged can change as a result of many unknown factors. From what precept of government of, for and by the people is the necessity of guaranting the future profits of an uncertain investment extracted? Business will be discouraged from locating in the County it is alleged. Not so. Businesses locate where there is a healty environment and where their employees can find stable and desirable places to settle - not where the quality of life is declining and policy is governed by political expediency and a transparantly manufactured claim of public benifit.
The overall interests of the residents of this county have long been the stepchild of an incoherent economic development policy and the foundling of special interests. The public has spoken in no uncertain terms that they recognize that unrestrained, indeed induced, residential population growth has been eroding the future of this county with no indication that there is an end to the deterioration. Indeed, the situation will surely worsen as the continued building of housing continues to dilutes the tax base. Our schools suffer futher decline, our infrastructure erodes, poverty and its spectre, crime, increases, our debt mounts and the pressure for increased taxes grows.
What person would desire to move into the county knowing of these ills.? What company with many highly paid employees would choose to relocate here knowing that its skilled and irreplacable employees will find that wherever they might choose to live they are threatened by rampant residential growth, highways to nowhere, a crumbling infrastructure, total disregard for the environment, and a quality of life in danger of sinking into a miasma?
If we do not take this historic step now, we will continue to reap the bitter rewards of our short sightedness, and will condemn those who follow us to trying to salvage from the crumbling weakage of the present misplaced and self-interested policies some modicum of the future that could have been.
Bob Moler
Just so you know what we have to overcome, a recently released report sponsored by Clean Water Action and the Sierra Club, Virginia Chapter, has listed the amount of money the developer lobby contributed to our current board during the last election. CARD will provide more information on this in the future.
| Supervisor | Developer Contribution | Percent of Total Receipts |
| Kathleen Seefledt | $42,450 | 36% |
| Edgar Wilbourn | $24,504 | 69% |
| John D. Jenkins | $11,368 | 40% |
| Hilda M. Barge | $9,055 | 61% |
| Maureen Caddigan | $2,750 | 46% |
| Michelle McQuigg | $1,550 | 42% |
| Mary K. Hill | $1,500 | 8% |
| L. Ben Thompson | $1,250 | 35% |
There will be an opportunity for public comment on this plan. This is your opportunity to convince the supervisors that this plan has merit. Here is the schedule:
PROPOSED PLANNING COMMISSION SCHEDULE
January 5,1998 - Public Comment Meeting on Staff Proposal - Board Chambers, 7:30 PM
January 12,1998 - Public Comment Meeting on Staff Proposal - Sudley North Board Room, 7:30 PM
January 14,1998 - Work Session on Fire & Rescue, Library, Park & Open Space and Schools Plans + Traffic Impact Model Findings - Board Chambers, 7:30 PM
January 22, 1998 - Work Session on Results of Public Comment Meetings + Thursday) Planning Commission Input - Board Chambers, 7:30 PM
January 24,1998 - Work Session on Results of Public Comment Meetings + (Saturday) - Planning Commission Input - Board Chambers, 9:00 AM
January 28,1998 - Work Session on Land Use Plan text + Transportation Plan text - Board Chambers, 7:30 PM
February 12,1998 - Work Session on Preliminary Findings for Portion of (Thursday) - Economic Impact Model (Tentative) - Potomac Conference Room, 6:00 PM
February 12,1998 - Public Hearing on Land Use Plan + Fire & Rescue, (Thursday) - Library, Parks & Open Space and Schools Plans + Sewer Plan + transportation plan - PUBLIC TESTlMONY - Board Chambers, 7:30 PM
February 26,1998 - Public Hearing on Land Use Plan + Fire &Rescue, (Thursday) - Library, Parks & Open Space and Schools Plans + Sewer Plan + Transportation Plan - PLANNING COMMISSION ACTION - Final Transmittal of 1997 Comprehensive Plan to BOCS - Board Chambers, 7:30 PM
L. Ben Thompson/Brentsville District
Office Address: 8506 Wellington Road, Suite 101 Manassas, VA 22110
Office Phone: (703) 792-6190
FAX: (703) 257-9792
Webpage
e-mail
Kathleen K. Seefeldt/Chairmain at Large
Office Address: 1 County Complex Court, Prince William, VA 22192
Office Phone: (703) 792-4640
FAX: (703) 792-7484
Webpage
Personal Webpage
email
Michele B. McQuigg/Occoquan District
Office Address: 13083 Chinn Park Drive, Prince William, VA 22192
Office Phone: (703) 792-4643
FAX: (703) 792-4628
Webpage
Personal Webpage
email
Mary K. Hill/Coles District
Office Address: 4360 Ridgewood Center Drive, Prince William, VA 22192
Office Phone: (703) 792-4621
FAX: (703) 792-4610
Webpage
email
Hilda M. Barg/Woodbridge Disctrict
Office Address: 15941 Cardinal Drive Suite 140, Woodbridge, VA 22191
Office Phone: (703) 792-4646
FAX: (703) 792-4993
Webpage
email
John D. Jenkins/Neabsco District
Office Address: 4361 Ridgewood Center Drive, Prince William, VA 22192
Office Phone: (703) 792-4668
FAX: (703) 792-4669
Webpage
Personal Webpage
email
Maureen S. Caddigan/Dumfries District
Office Address: 15941 Cardinal Drive Suite 140, Woodbridge, VA 22191
Office Phone: (703) 792-4645
FAX: (703) 792-4993
Webpage
Personal Webpage
email
Note: There is no known e-mail address for Supervisor Wilbourn; from this fact one could surmise that Supervisor Wilbourne has a corresponding interest in receiving input from his constitutients
Edgar S. Wilbourn III/Gainesville District
Office Address: 7873 Ashton Avenue, Manassas, VA 20109
Office Phone: (703) 792-6195
FAX: (703) 792-7664
Webpage
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