Kline development to bring more children to county schools

PRINCE WILLIAM COUNTY — When it comes to the Kline property development, Prince Wiliam County Public Schools made itself clear.

“The School Division is not in support of any rezoning that increases student capacity at schools already at or in excess of 100% capacity or a rezoning that causes student capacity at any school to exceed 100% capacity, unless proffers sufficient to mitigate the impact to the School Division are received,” stated Prince William schools Supervisor of Land Acquisition and CIP Planning in a November 3, 2016 document to the school board.

Stanley Martin Homes proposed county officials rezone 100 acres of land at the intersection of Prince William Parkway, Wellington Road, and Liberia Avenue just outside Manassas so that it may build 400 new homes — 279 townhomes and 121 single family units. The land is the site of an old Kline dairy farm not in use since 1989, and today is the site of Cherokee Winds Farm, a horse training, and boarding center.

If built, the Kline development will bring an estimated 238 new students to Signal Hill Elementary, Parkside Middle, and Osbourn Park High schools. By the 2020-21 school year, Signal Hill and Parkside are slated to be operating at over 100 percent capacity. Five years later, the estimated capacity numbers at each school jump to 125 and 110 percent, respectively.

Colgan High School opened last year and alleviated crowding for Osbourn Park High School. Estimated capacity numbers for that school in the 2020-21 and 2025-26 school years is 69 and 70 percent, respectively.

Other nearby elementary schools potentially affected by the development are Loch Lomond, Bennett, and Yorkshire. These schools today are nearing capacity, and by 2025 are estimated to be over capacity.

The school document also contained details about proffers offered by the developer:

— The applicant’s Proffer Statement, dated April 20, 2016, indicates a Level of Service monetary contribution
of $20,694 per single-family unit, and $17,489 per townhouse unit, and is in accordance with the applicable Level of Service standard as of June 30, 2016.

— An elementary school in the Stonewall/Yorkshire area is scheduled to open September 2022.

— A middle school west is scheduled to open September 2024.

The Prince William County Planning Commission could take up the Kline development in early October.