WOODBRIDGE — Restoring the old proffer system sits atop the legislative agenda in Prince William County.
In a contentious dinner meeting on Tuesday, The Board of Supervisors met with members of the county’s General Assembly delegation and demanded that they work to repeal drastically change a 2016 law that limits the county’s ability to ask housing developers for conditional zonings (known as proffers), to include the gifting of land for new schools and transportation improvements.
WOODBRIDGE — Designs for a new animal shelter in Prince William County will be completed next month.
County Public Works Director Thomas Bruun told the Board of Supervisors on Tuesday that if all goes to plan, the project will be put out to bid early next year and construction could begin as early as June. It should take about two years to build the shelter that is anticipated to cost about $14 million.
PRINCE WILLIAM COUNTY — On the heels of the announcement that Amazon will be locating its new HQ2 in Arlington, George Mason University announced that their Science and Technology Campus will double in size over the next five years.
“The university has grown considerably in recent years, adding approximately 1000 additional students year over year. Today, our student body includes over 37,000 individuals. Enrollment is projected to grow to 43,000 students by 2024. Student enrollment in STEM programs is growing faster than most. Our SciTech campus facilities are essential to meet the needs of this growing student body,” Dr. Deborah Crawford, George Mason’s vice president for research said in an email.
STAFFORD — The Stafford County Board of Supervisors unanimously voted in favor of moving forward with a grant application that, if approved, will help bring broadband Internet services residents in Marlborough Point and Widewater.
Stafford County has partnered with King George-based company, KGI Communications, LLC for the grant application.
WOODBRIDGE — A Star Wars event at Freedom High School put on by Boy Scout Troop 501 has been abruptly canceled, following reports that the high school told the troop they could not have full access to the gymnasium, despite a previous agreement.
The event, Star Wars Days, was scheduled for December 1 and 2 from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. in the Freedom High School gymnasium.
STAFFORD — A new FRED express bus route that will run between Stafford and Quantico.
The Stafford County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday approved the service which comes after an agreement between Quantico Marine Corps Base and Fredericksburg Regional Transit. Supervisors agreed to fund the $32,000 service for a six-month trial period.
MANASSAS — City leaders Monday approved half a million dollars to improve a major thoroughfare at the Manassas Regional Airport.
The city plans to widen Wakeman Drive and to add pedestrian improvements such as bike lanes. The improvements are designed to make the area more desirable and to attract more business to the area.
WOODBRIDGE — A top economic development department official continues to push Prince William County leaders to buy up private land in along busy Route 1.
Jeff Kaczmarek, the outgoing county Economic Development Director, to the Board of Supervisors on Tuesday to do a similar deal it nearly 20 years ago, when the county spent $8.5 million on 500 acres of land on which sits Innovation Park, now home to George Mason University Science and Technology Campus, the FBI, and 2 Silos Brewing.
MANASSAS — The Manassas Economic Development Authority approved a proposal for a new small business development center (SBDC) office in downtown Manassas.
The office will be located at CenterFuse and open one day a week at first to gauge interest and demand. Hours and staff may expand from there. It is an extension of the Mason SBDC at George Mason University–Mason Enterprise Center in Fairfax.
WOODBRIDGE — A total of 67 citizens gave impassioned pleas for and against the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) during the Prince William County Board of Supervisors meeting Tuesday.
Woodbridge Supervisor Frank Principi put the item on the agenda, urging his fellow Supervisors to declare support for a constitutional amendment introduced in the early 1970s that aimed to give equal rights to women. After hours of testimony from residents, Principi could not get a single one of the supervisors to second his motion.
