Unpopular Oaks III Plan Approved

Lake Ridge, Va. – Despite overwhelming opposition, officials Tuesday night approved a land rezoning that will lead to the construction of an office building in Lake Ridge.

In a five to three vote, a portion of the three-acre parcel of land at the busy intersection of Old Bridge Road and Tanyard Hill Road – a commuter cut through route and an entrance to the Town of Occoquan – was rezoned from agricultural land to office use. The decision gives way to plans to build a 32,500 square foot office building on the site.

While the rezoning passed, more than 100 people came to the Prince William County Government Center to oppose the plan, and ultimately the office building that will be called Oaks III. They cited traffic concerns on the already busy Tanyard Hill Road and the overburdened commuter thoroughfare, Old Bridge Road, and cited concerns for storm water runoff from a creek that bisects the property – fears amplified by recent flooding.

“Since 1972 we’ve dealing with water coming down the Ballywhack Creek regularly, and flooding us out regularly…we’ve simply reached a tipping point in Occoquan: There’s nowhere else for any more water to go, there nowhere else for even one more car to go,” said Town of Occoquan Preservation Society Acting President James Phelps.

A sticking point with residents, Occoquan officials, and for some Prince William County Supervisors in whose county this land is located, were claims the developer did not work with area residents to hear and address their concerns for the project. Prince William Occoquan District Supervisor Mike May fought hard against the rezoning and drafted a failed resolution to oppose the action. Supervisors Principi and Nohe supported May in voting against rezoning.

Chairman Corey Stewart, At-large, supported the ultimate plan to build office space, and said for too long Prince William has lost out to neighboring Stafford County which has been successful in attracting federal contractors to their workforce. He noted the value of the land in Lake Ridge and that its proximity to Interstate 95 makes it attractive to potential employers who will be looking for more office space once the job market rebounds.

“Proposals to develop this piece of property will come back. They came in the past, they’re coming today, and they will come in the future unless we make a decision today,” said Stewart. “Folks, doing nothing does not preserve this property.”

Not all of the land on the property will be used for the office building, as more than 13 of the nearly 18 acres will remain zoned agricultural, and the land will then be placed into a conservation easement where it will remain untouched forever, said Stewart.

In addition to Occoquan, the land sits near two other office buildings with similar names, Oaks I and Oaks II, as well as the Thousand Oaks residential neighborhood.