Apollo housing project wins approval despite cries of school overcrowding

A total of $4.3 million in proffers from the developers of a new townhome complex was too much for county leaders to pass up.

Apollo Enterprises got the green light from the Prince William County Board of Supervisors for a rezoning to build up to 100 new townhomes, a self-storage lot, and small retail shops on near the corner of Prince William Parkway and Hoadly Road near Woodbridge. The project will also bring an extension of Ridgefield Village Parkway, connecting Hoadly Road with Apollo Drive.

Supporters of the project, which won prior approval from the county’s Planning Commission, lauded its plan to leave nearly a quarter of the 25-acre property untouched with trees, as well as build a public plaza where local artists can be showcased.

Others said the new homes would place more burden on an already overcrowded school system, as well as take up land that could otherwise be used to attract new jobs near the county’s McCoart Government Center.

“There are simply not enough funds to build new schools and hire new teachers,” said Doug Widener, of Gainesville to the Board of Supervisors. “What is it going to take for you to stop approving new homes that cause overcrowding [in schools]?”

“This project is contrary to our strategic plan,” said Daniel Varroney, who served on the Prince William County Strategic Plan committee which met for nearly all of 2016 to produce a document to be used by the Supervisors as a tool to improve the quality of life for county residents. “This proposal stunts our ability to grow our commercial tax base from 14 to 35 percent [as noted in the strategic plan].”

The proffers for the Apollo project were offered last year before the new legislation passed by Virginia’s House of Delegates restricting cash proffers on a per-home basis are a thing of the past.

“We would not be able to recoup these proffers,” said Neabsco District Supervisor John Jenkins, the district in which new Apollo homeowners will live.

The LOCCA/PELT Civic Association urged approval of the project and told Supervisors the developer had been to 15 community meetings over the past year to answer questions and address residents’ concerns. Development for this site has been an ongoing project, in one form or another, for the past 15 years, said association president Dr. Jack Kooyoomjian.

“This used to be in my district, and there was a similar project here nine years ago that I supported, a more intensive project. This project is less intensive, so I feel like, to be consistent, I will support this project,” said Coles District Supervisor Marty Nohe.

The project won approval from the Board of Supervisors with Occoquan District Supervisor Ruth casting the lone dissenting vote.