Pathway to 2040: Comprehensive Plan

By: Court Squires

The Pathway to 2040: Comprehensive Plan passed, 5-2, undeterred by constituent concerns. Concerned voices rose up against the lengthy 20-year blueprint for future residential and commercial development. However, the plan was rushed through in December, and PW residents are left wondering what will befall them in the next 20 years.

Perhaps the most concerning part of the process was that despite constituent weigh-in, the Board of County Supervisors (BOCS) bulldozed over worries and pushed through a development-heavy comprehensive plan. Various inquiries were not thoroughly answered before hastily approving the plan, such as ‘How will higher density truly impact our way of life and environment?,’ ‘Who will pay for all additional infrastructure needed to sustain proposed commercial and residential developments?,’ and ‘When will we, if ever, financially benefit from the myriad development plans proposed for the next 20 years?’

Lake Montclair continues to suffer from various community afflictions, including flooding and sediment concerns. On the western front, communities such as Manassas, Gainesville, and Thoroughfare are bracing for the increased traffic and infrastructure needed for additional residential and commercial development. Some of that construction could roll right over slave and soldier graves, as well as decimate wildlife corridors and historical viewsheds. At the eastern edge of the map is North Woodbridge. If not stopped, high-density development could destroy precious ecosystems, especially those that house endangered species (Northern Long-eared bat). More construction means depleted open space. Mixed-use buildings will fund developer pockets and tower over protected waters inside the Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge, where the peace and tranquility are currently unmarred by ‘road diet’ reroutes. 

If we mind the plan and stay on the current trajectory, all tenets of smart growth will be lost. What PWCA has advocated for over 20 years will be erased. Concerns span from data centers co-located with residential areas to high-density populations stretching out into rural areas. We worry about the addition of impervious roads, questionable site management, and untenable proclamations that can lead to environmental destruction. Real smart growth and affordable housing are always directly connected to mass transit. We need to remember why the Rural Crescent was adopted by a robust, bi-partisan vote. This county served a unique role between the ruralness of Fauquier and the intense development of Fairfax. We had the best of both worlds, and now they’re colliding.

We’re currently right on course with the monotonous data center humming, overpopulation, and lack of character presented by area communities that count developers over taxpayers. There’s still time to change the trajectory before we destroy our county, but once the ground is broken so are commitments to a sustainable future. While the conservation community acknowledges this setback, it does not mean we will give up. There’s much to accomplish together. 

The legacy of PW has yet to be written. The threats to cultural and natural resources demonstrated that the conservation community found our collective voices, and we will continue to raise them.

Additional Resources

The Comprehensive Plan: A Vision for Prince William County

The Rural Crescent

Source Water Protection, The Occoquan Reservoir and You

Protecting the Occoquan Reservoir: Our Shared Water Source