STAFFORD, Va. – Stafford County supports Option C, a proposed new Rappahannock River crossing that promises to reduce traffic and connect Stafford with Fredericksburg, without relying on I-95.
A Bridge Beyond I-95
On June 3, 2025, the Stafford County Board of Supervisors voted to endorse Option C as the preferred route for a new bridge west of the interstate. The plan would link Celebrate Virginia Parkway in Stafford to Gordon Shelton Boulevard in Fredericksburg—one of five routes examined during a federally backed Planning and Environmental Linkages (PEL) study.
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STAFFORD, Va. – Stafford County leaders are preparing to take a major step toward easing long-standing regional traffic woes.
The Board of Supervisors signaled support for Option C in the Rappahannock River Crossing Bridge Project—a plan to construct a new bridge west of Interstate 95. A final vote is scheduled for today, June 3, during the 5 p.m. county Board of Supervisors meeting. It could set the tone for regional collaboration with the City of Fredericksburg, a critical partner in the project.
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STAFFORD, Va. – Stafford County residents will see a higher tab when dining out, as the Board of Supervisors voted 4–3 on May 20, 2025, to increase the county’s meals tax from 5% to 6%. The move is expected to generate an additional $3.2 million in annual revenue, all of which will be earmarked for public schools—specifically to support salary increases for teachers and staff.
Heated Debate Over Tax Hike
The vote followed a contentious public hearing and board discussion. Supporters of the increase emphasized the need to fund Stafford County Public Schools amid rising costs and competitive teacher pay demands. Molly Denham, a resident of the Hartwood District, urged the board to approve the measure, citing previous failures to fully fund long-term school employee pay plans.
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STAFFORD, Va. – Local leaders got a closer look at several upcoming road and bridge improvements during the Stafford County Board of Supervisors meeting on May 20, 2025. The Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) shared updates on major projects aimed at improving safety and easing traffic across the county.
Kyle Bates, VDOT’s Fredericksburg District Administrator, led the presentation, walking supervisors through key timelines, construction plans, and current progress. From emergency fixes to long-range upgrades, the report covered some of Stafford’s most heavily traveled areas.
🚧 Route 1 Reopens After Emergency Closures
Emergency lane closures on Route 1 (Cambridge Street) have officially been lifted. The closures were triggered by concerns about the structural integrity of a section of the roadway.
“A load analysis was conducted, and the situation is being monitored,” said Bates, who assured supervisors that VDOT continues to assess the area’s long-term needs.
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STAFFORD, Va. – A surge of public opposition to large-scale data center development dominated the May 20, 2025, Stafford County Board of Supervisors meeting, leading county leaders to unanimously order a full review of the rules governing these rapidly expanding facilities.
Following more than an hour of impassioned public comment, the Board adopted Resolution R25-141, directing the Stafford County Planning Commission to revisit and potentially strengthen data center performance standards first enacted in 2023.
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STAFFORD, Va. – The Stafford County Board of Supervisors narrowly approved a $2.95 million warehouse purchase on Blackjack Road, siding with school officials who say the facility is essential to meet the district’s growing infrastructure needs, despite concerns from some supervisors who argued the deal was rushed and overpriced.
In a 4-3 vote, the board passed Resolution R25-105, authorizing Stafford County Public Schools to use leftover funds from its FY2024 budget to buy the building at 42 Blackjack Road. The warehouse currently houses several school division operations, including IT storage, bus driver training, and nutrition services. School leaders say owning the space will end the need to rent it and provide a long-term solution as the division grows.
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STAFFORD, Va. – Concerns over development, infrastructure, education, and environmental protection took center stage at a packed town hall meeting held Tuesday, April 29, at Colonial Forge High School. The meeting brought together Board of Supervisors Chair Deuntay Diggs, Supervisor Tinesha Allen, and School Board members Maureen Siegmund and Maya Guy, who answered questions from roughly 60 residents over two hours.
Development Pressure: Attain at Stafford Draws Scrutiny
One topic that sparked debate was the proposed Attain at Stafford, a mixed-use development that would bring 300 apartments and over 57,000 square feet of commercial space near Stafford Hospital. Though the Planning Commission approved the rezoning request earlier this month, the project still awaits a final vote by the Board of Supervisors.
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STAFFORD, Va. — Stafford County Public Schools officials are asking the Board of Supervisors to approve a $2.95 million property purchase for warehouse and training space currently used by the school division.
The request was discussed during a Board of Supervisors work session on April 22, 2025. Chris Fulmer, Deputy Superintendent and Chief Operating Officer for Stafford County Public Schools, said the division has leased the Blackjack Road facility for the past three to four years. It houses school nutrition services, furniture and technology storage, and a training site for school bus drivers and attendants.
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STAFFORD, Va. — The average homeowner in Stafford County will pay $130 more in property taxes starting July 1, 2025, after the Board of Supervisors approved a three-percent increase to the real estate tax rate—the county’s central funding source for local government and schools. Homeowners with a property assessed at the county average of $434,400 will receive a $4,069 bill.
According to data from Commissioner of the Revenue Scott Mayausky, average residential tax bills have increased 62% since 2012, when the typical homeowner paid $2,506. Over the same period, the average home value rose nearly 60%, slightly trailing the pace of tax increases.
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The Stafford County Board of Supervisors voted 5-2 on April 1, 2025, to approve a conditional use permit (CUP) for the construction of a solar energy facility on a 36-acre parcel located at the southeast corner of Enon Road and Truslow Road in the Hartwood District.
The applicant, Enon Road Solar Farm and its representatives from Energy Systems and Applications (ESA), sought approval for two items: the CUP to operate a solar facility in the A-1 Agricultural zoning district, and authorization for the county to enter a decommissioning agreement.
The facility will occupy approximately 12.7 acres of the parcel, with solar panels grouped into two separate fenced areas. The remainder of the land, roughly 20 acres on the western side of the property, is designated as a conservation area that will remain undeveloped. The site includes intermittent streams and existing vegetation, which will be preserved where possible. A single entrance from Enon Road will provide access to the facility.
Staff from the Department of Planning and Zoning reviewed the application and noted that while the site is located within the county’s Urban Services Area, the proposal aligns with specific criteria in the county’s comprehensive plan that allow for solar facilities in such locations. Those criteria include limited site visibility, avoidance of wetlands and mature tree cover, and compatibility with surrounding rural land uses.
The applicant also submitted a request to reduce the required 50-foot landscape buffer along the eastern property line. The board ultimately voted to maintain the full 50-foot buffer in accordance with the Planning Commission’s original recommendation.
Conditions attached to the permit include fencing and landscape requirements, height limits for solar panels, noise mitigation standards, and a requirement to provide emergency access and training for local fire and rescue personnel. Construction activities will be limited to specified hours, and a $167,000 decommissioning bond will be posted to ensure proper removal and restoration at the end of the facility’s operational life.
The Planning Commission previously voted 4-3 in favor of the project on February 26, 2025.
The Board also approved, by a 5-2 vote, a decommissioning agreement between the county and the developer. The agreement outlines financial and procedural responsibilities for removing equipment and restoring the land when the facility ceases operations.
Public comments at the meeting reflected a mix of support and opposition. Supporters highlighted the project’s alignment with clean energy goals and its limited physical footprint, while opponents cited concerns about visual impact, potential effects on nearby properties, and long-term land use changes.
The votes approving both the conditional use permit and the decommissioning agreement concluded the county’s formal review of the project.
