MANASSAS, Va. – As Prince William supervisors prepare for a September 9 vote on whether to appeal the voiding of the Prince William Digital Gateway, voices on both sides of the political aisle are urging them to let the ruling stand.
State Senator Danica Roem (D–Prince William County, Manassas) said in a statement that the board should “cut its losses” and stop spending tax dollars on a case already rejected twice in court. She noted Judge Kimberly Irving’s remark that she did not expect the county’s appeal to succeed, and called attention to the vacant Gainesville District seat. “The people of Gainesville District once again do not have full and equal representation compared to the other magisterial district residents on what amounts to a hugely consequential matter,” Roem said.
Former Brentsville Supervisor Jeanine Lawson, who voted against the rezonings in December 2023, said this week that the legal flaws were clear at the time. She recalled County Attorney Michelle Robl warning supervisors of “significant risk” if they proceeded with hearings after public notices were improperly published. “It was made crystal clear in a memo, as well as closed session discussions,” Lawson said in an interview. She added that she and the late Supervisor Bob Weir argued the case should be re-advertised, but the majority pressed forward.
Lawson also said she hopes the current board will “lay down the sword and let Judge Irving’s ruling stand,” returning the land to agricultural zoning. She questioned why the county continues to defend the rezonings when, according to her, developers had acknowledged the risk of lawsuits before the vote. Lawson added that Occoquan District Supervisor Kenny Boddye abstained on the rezoning in 2023 and should “morally, ethically” do the same when the board decides whether to appeal.
The political backdrop looms large as Gainesville prepares to fill its vacant seat. Republican candidate Patrick Harders, who has Lawson’s support, has pointed to former Supervisor Pete Candland’s 2022 resignation as a turning point in the county’s data center debate. Candland abstained from data center votes in the months leading up to his departure, citing conflicts of interest. Harders is running against Democrat George Stewart, who has also voiced opposition to the Digital Gateway.
The Board of County Supervisors is scheduled to address the issue at its meeting on September 9. Irving has given the county until September 15 to decide whether to file an appeal.
