Renaming Confederate Court in Dumfries: Public hearing announced

The Dumfries Town Council voted unanimously to hold a public hearing on September 15 for the renaming of Confederate Court to Liberty Lane.

The street is home to a row of townhouses located a tenth of a mile from town hall.

Councilwoman Cydny Neville introduced the motion:

“The Town Manager and I have been researching the renaming of Confederate Court for over a year now… Now is the time to take another step toward dismantling the intricate web of structural racism. To reach a brighter future we must help [people] heal by removing such symbols and amplify the messages of hope – a brighter day filled with peace and unity for all,” said Neville.

Mayor Derrick Wood asked how notice would be provided to the people living on Confederate Court, as well as the town post office.

Town Attorney Sharon Pandak stated that there were no notice requirements in Virginia’s state code:

“I think we’re talking about constructive notice. There actually are not notice requirements in the state code, but I’ve talked to the town manager and I believe he’s prepared to give notices to the people who live in the apartments and are otherwise on that court as well as to the post office,” Pandak said.

Wood followed by stating that some residents of Confederate Court had already been in touch with him:

“I have heard from some citizens that live on Confederate Court who are also in support of a name change already. They’ve already initiated communication to want to change the name of the street.”

Following this discussion, Neville motioned to hold a public hearing on September 15 for the renaming of Confederate Court. The motion passed unanimously with a final vote of 6-0.

Councilman Charles Brewer was not in attendance.

The Legality of a Name Change

The process of changing a street’s name varies depending on who owns the street in question. 

According to Amy Wight, Virginia’s Assistant Secretary of Transportation, Confederate Court is not maintained by the Virginia Department of Transportation.  As a result, the street does not fall under the jurisdiction of the Commonwealth Transportation Board.

Ultimately, that leaves the question of legality to the town’s attorney.

The street sign that noted the location of the Confederate Court is missing. Town officials have not responded to questions about the missing street sign.

The call to rename the street comes after the Prince William County School Board renamed Stonewall Jackson Senior High and Stonewall middle schools near Manassas earlier this month. The new names are Unity Reed High and Unity Braxton Middle schools, respectively.