Lake Ridge, Va. — Occoquan residents and the town’s mayor have reacted to Prince William officials’ decision to allow construction of an office building just outside the town limits.
Mayor Earnie Porta and many town residents opposed the rezoning approved on Jan. 10 by the Prince William County Board of Supervisors. The ruling will allow construction of the three-story Oaks III office building and a single family home at the corner of Old Bridge and Tanyard Hill roads.
The rezoned property is owned by Ken Thompson, developer of the adjacent Oaks I and II properties. Thompson did not return repeated requests for comment for this story.
“Obviously, everyone on the Town Council is disappointed with the BOCS vote, but we are also very appreciative of Supervisor May’s steadfast and able support of the town and the surrounding community on the issue, and for Supervisor Principi’s and Supervisor Nohe’s considered and principled votes,” said Porta in an email.
Prince William Occoquan District Supervisor Mike May, whose magisterial district lies outside the town of Occoquan, and Prince William Supervisors Frank Principi and Marty Nohe supported Porta in opposing the rezoning, which ultimately passed the Prince William Board by a five to three vote.
Porta thanked Occoquan residents for their support in opposing the development.
“Of course, we are especially grateful to all the town residents, business owners, and friends from the surrounding community who wrote emails and attended the BOCS hearing to make their views known,” said Porta.
The mayor still expresses his concerns for the potential issues that may be brought about or exacerbated by the development.
“In addition to the traffic impacts the town will experience from this project, and the missed opportunity to address existing storm water problems to which the developer is currently contributing, it is especially unfortunate that a majority of the BOCS chose to reward developer behavior that should be strongly and actively discouraged in the county. The Town Council, residents, and businesses will, of course, be investigating all feasible options and paying very close attention to the project’s progress,” said Porta.
Porta, and Acting President of the Occoquan Society James Phelps, said Thompson could have done a better job at addressing town residents’ concerns about the development.
“He met once with the Town of Occoquan, to fulfill the requirement to offer a courtesy review of the plan, after he had been approved at the [Prince William County] Planning Commission. He made it clear at that meeting that he was there to explain the plan, not to alter it in any way. To this day, he has never appeared to explain the plan to the Occoquan Town Council, nor has he met with the adjacent land owners, or with any of the other communities affected by the development,” said Phelps.
The Jan. 10 Board meeting was attended by more than residents who opposed the rezoning.
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The Virginia House of Delegates Subcommittee of the Cities, Counties, and Towns Committee rejected a bill that sought to regulate the siting of data centers near schools, parks, and residential areas. Delegate Ian Lovejoy (R-22, Prince William County) presented HB1984, which would have required local government approval for data center developments only if they were located at least a quarter mile away from such properties. The subcommittee voted 8-0 to “lay the bill on the table,” effectively killing it.
The vote dealt a setback to those advocating for tighter regulation of Virginia’s rapidly growing data center industry. Data centers, which house servers and infrastructure critical for cloud computing and internet services, have been a source of contention due to their noise, construction impacts, and potential encroachment on residential and community spaces.
A bill to protect individuals experiencing homelessness by prohibiting criminal penalties for seeking temporary shelter in legally parked vehicles failed to advance in the Virginia House of Delegates Subcommittee of…
On January 24, 2025, the Virginia House of Delegates Cities, Counties, and Towns Committee reviewed several critical bills advanced. A charter amendment for the Town of Dumfries was unanimous, while a proposal to protect unhoused individuals seeking shelter in vehicles was rejected.
Delegate Candi Mundon King (D-Stafford, Woodbridge) introduced House Bill 2352, which proposes significant updates to the charter of Dumfries in Prince William County. The bill seeks to modernize the town’s governance structure and clarify its administrative framework. After receiving an 8–0 recommendation from the subcommittee, the committee voted 19–0 to report the bill to the full House of Delegates.
Travel to French soil and join us for a night filled with two of the most beloved French traditions—no plane ticket required! ?
On January 25th, we invite you to experience the magic of Galette des Rois, a 700-year-old tradition celebrated across France throughout the entire month of January (and even beyond!). This sweet, almond-filled puff pastry topped with a golden crown isn’t just a treat—it’s a celebration! The lucky person who finds the fève (a porcelain charm hidden in one of the slices) becomes the King or Queen for the Day, and don’t worry—there will be plenty of royalty to go around! ??
But that’s not all! In France, Les Voeux (New Year’s wishes) continue throughout January, often accompanied by Champagne and good cheer. We’re bringing that festive spirit to you, with a lively evening packed with French food, wine, and music.
What’s in store:
Experience the passion and drama of Puccini’s “The Girl from the Golden West”.
Featuring special guest musicians from The Chesapeake Youth Orchestra,
this performance brings Puccini’s masterpiece to life with an extraordinary cast.
