Plans revised for developing 100+ acres at Liberia-Parkway

The latest plans for the 100 acres at Prince William Parkway and Liberia Avenue are different from the Pyramid Center, the previous proposal by other applicants for the site, Sherman Patrick told the Feb. 24 meeting of MIDCO in the development services building. He is a planner with Compton & Duling law firm.

Patrick said Stanley Martin Homes wants to build 350 to 400 homes on the eastern part of the tract and secure a partner to design the remaining part of the site for commercial purposes. Plans could include an entrance to the parkway across from Hynson Drive and another on the parkway extension. Both entrances would be controlled by traffic signals.

The residential portion of the project would be single-family homes on quarter-acre lots and townhouses. He said there is a total of “six lots” involved in the project. One is the Kline farm.

Asked how many property owners are involved in the assemblage, Truett Young said “Kline and one other owner. It’s complicated.” Young is vice president of land acquisition for Stanley Martin in the metro area.

Patrick pointed out he hoped to ask the county in March to initiate a comprehensive plan amendment (CPA) to get the project started. If the CPA were initiated, the county’s planning staff would study the project, which then would have public hearings before both the county’s planning commission and the board of county supervisors.

Patrick reported this center of community designation he seeks would give the applicant “more freedom in planning” and provide a minimum of 30 percent open space.

Two years ago, the Pyramid Center, a mixed-use development which included rerouting Prince William Parkway at Buckhall Road, was pulled from the board of supervisors hearing agenda by Carlos Montenegro, an Oakton attorney, who was co-manager of Prince William Development, LLC, the contract purchaser of the site at that time. That proposal included seven properties and also needed a CPA and a rezoning.

The Pyramid proposal envisioned a 200,000-square-foot shopping center, 300 single-family attached homes and 600 multi-family units for up to 2256 residents. County planning staff recommended supervisors not initiate that CPA because of its inconsistencies with the county’s land use plan.

In other agenda items at the MIDCO meeting, Mike Vander pool, attorney for the applicant, presented the latest plan for the Geisler property along VA 234 between Charlie Bob’s store and Hoadly Road. The new proposal eliminates a gas station and a fast food restaurant and keeps the planned nursing home.

Martin Jeter, MIDCO president, said he understands the county’s school district plans to drop its proposal for an elementary school near Chinn Park.

In discussing plans for an electronic sign on the office building at Hoadly Road and Prince William Parkway, Jeter indicated he’s been told county staff has not heard from the applicant recently, and that Marty Nohe is not in favor of the application. Nohe represents Coles District on Prince William Board of County Supervisors. The office building is located in his district.

On another matter, Jeter said the county’s service authority is planning to decommission the sewer facility on Davis Ford Road, since homes in the area are hooking up to public water and sewer. A citizens’ committee will be named to decide details on the property, which is slated to become a county park.

The MIDCO president also explained the fate of the county’s visitor center in Occoquan is uncertain, but that it apparently has been funded through the end of the fiscal year.