STAFFORD — Come spring, county leaders will modify the budget process and set the Merchant’s Capital Tax rate, similar to the way the Board of Supervisors sets its Real Estate tax rate.  

Supervisors on Oct. 2 approved an ordinance to provide a separate classification of certain Merchants Capital Tax for wholesalers, presented by Stafford Economic Development Director John Holden.

The move is designed to lure e-commerce warehouse operators like Amazon, Inc. to land along Centerport Parkway and Interstate 95, near the county’s airport.

“We’re in an area where the market is asking for these types of facilities,” Holden said.

According to Holden, warehouse and distribution centers are one of Stafford’s targeted sectors. They have a potential to target for e-commerce warehouse and distribution centers.

“I think this provides a clear message to distribution centers in the e-commerce arena that Stafford County is serious,” Holden said.

An e-commerce center isn’t your typical warehouse, but rather a highly automated, tooled facilities in which many online companies store products and distribute the products throughout the region.

“E-commerce is a trend in this country,” said George Washington District Supervisor Tom Coen. “These data centers would be very important.”

According to Holden, the distribution centers would bring in “additional quality jobs.” The types of jobs would include people running automated machines and other informational tools.

Another bonus to these e-commerce centers is a potentially positive tax net revenue that the county would bring in from companies that used these centers.

“We did an analysis with the Commissioner of Revenue, based on one particular interest we looked at the development of a $38 million e-commerce center,” Holden said.

The net revenue total would produce an estimated $275,000, according to Holden. The current Merchant’s Capital tax rate is 50 cents for every $100 of stock on hand. The tax netted the county $1.1 million in 2017, according to county budget documents.  

STAFFORD -- It was at the end of the school day, and teachers and staff across Stafford County had to race to make sure all students were safe during a tornado warning.

The weather event brought an unusual end to the school day on Monday, Sept. 17. It which caused significant delays in getting elementary school students home on time.

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STAFFORD -- Stafford County's new economic development director, John Holden has a big vision for what the county will become under his direction.

Hired this summer, Holden worked as a chief economic director in localities in Maine and Ohio before coming to Virginia. He has 25 years of experience, and he says his newest role will be his biggest challenge yet.

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STAFFORD — The Board of Supervisors authorized more than $2 million for the purchase of new fire equipment and apparatus.

The county’s Department of Fire, Rescue uses fire engines and aerial ladder trucks as part of its all-hazard approach to emergency response.

One of the Department’s aerial ladder trucks and pumpers have surpassed their recommended service life of 10 years established by the Department’s Fleet Replacement Plan.

Atlantic Emergency Solutions, Inc. will give Stafford the aerial ladder truck at a price of $1.203 million, and FESCO Emergency Sales will provide the fire engine with a price of $775,000.

The County also purchased firefighting gear (coat and pants) commonly referred to as personal protective equipment for $125,000. The funding will cover an immediate need within Stafford’s department and will provide a second set of PPE gear for field operations personnel, which are both career and volunteer.

Along with those two purchases the county also authorized the purchase of a Caterpillar Wheel Loader which would allow staff to safely move, load and unload heavy materials. The cost of the Wheel Loader will be no more than $136,474 which was allocated in the FY 2019 CIP.

This wheel loader will help provide the staff with a safer method to load these materials. The wheel loader will also allow staff to safely load stone, sand, and topsoil into dump trucks to transport. The wheel loader will also assist with snow removal from County parking areas and entrances into County facilities.

This purchase is included in the 2019 Capital Improvement Plan.

Supervisors passed all three consent agenda items unanimously at their August 21 meeting. There was no public discussion on these topics.

STAFFORD — The future of getting around Stafford County could lay on the trail.

County officials held two public workshops in late August to educate residents on their plans to expand the bike and pedestrian facilities. The current bike and pedestrian facilities are located on Deacon Road, Courthouse Road and next to the Rappahannock River. They asked for input on where to put future Bicycle and Pedestrian Facilities, drawing up a plan to use as a guide to future improvements.

“These facilities can be a great benefit to the community by reducing vehicle traffic as a result of providing alternate means of transportation, supporting economic development initiatives by providing an attractive environment for businesses and their employees, and improving the overall health of the residents,” states a Stafford County press release.

A major piece of the proposal is a bike lane on Route 1 that would start at Courthouse Road and extend to Fredericksburg. There are also plans to expand US Bike Route 1 on Deacon Road and Brooke Road. The plan is to extend the bike lane to Leeland Road and extend to Potomac Run Road.

The biggest proposal in this is the plan to build a shared use path along the Rappahannock River that starts at the tip of King George County, near Dahlgren and runs to Deacon Road in Stafford County.

County officials also want shared-use paths along  Route 1 starting linking the county’s Courthouse to Prince William County. If officials follow through on the plans for these shared use paths, one could get to Shelton Shop and Mine Road from Courthouse Road by walking, biking, or running across the path.

The idea of a more connected Stafford County started back in 1996 when the Board of Supervisors first proposed a Bicycle and Pedestrian Facilitates Plan as part of the Comprehensive Plan. Supervisors started talking about it again in 2016.

The project is about halfway completed as county staff had to gather information, prepare a draft of preparation, and reach out to the public to get their input. The county now just has to prepare a final draft of the trails, hold public hearings, and adopt the plan. There is no date set for the Board of Supervisors to vote on the trails.

Some residents at the August 27 meeting at North Stafford High School were outspoken, citing that some neighborhoods such as Hickory Ridge, Settlers Landing, and Ferry Farm who don’t have sidewalks and should have the sidewalks created and paved before any cement or asphalt is laid down for the shared use trails.

There will be smaller shared use paths throughout the County. The smaller paths would be located on Shelton Shop Road, Mine Road, and Plantation Drive.

STAFFORD — State officials are moving ahead with development at Widewater State Park.

Around since 2006, the park makes up most of a peninsula between the Potomac River and Aquia Creek. State Senator Scott Surovell (D-36, Fairfax, Stafford, Woodbridge) said that it was important to fund new staff positions at the park. The fight for funding was also led, in the past by former Delegate, now Stafford County Supervisor Mark Dudenhefer.

The state bought the property in 2006, with an adopted plan set in 2008 to develop the park.

Widewater State Park sits on more than 1,000 acres in the Widewater section of Stafford County. It has the only public water access in Stafford County – albeit only for non-motorized boats at this time.

For more than a decade, the park was merely a wooded piece of land. This year, however, a brand new visitor center and non-motorized boat launch has been built. It also has picnic areas, a playground, and residences for the staff.

But, the park has no staff, and park rangers and law enforcement are needed at the park to ensure public safety and rules are being followed.

Hiring staff

Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation was allotted six full-time employees beginning July 1 for Widewater Park to open and operate the park as part of phase IA development.

The full-time positions include Park Manager, Chief Ranger Visitor Experience, Chief Ranger Law Enforcement, Park Ranger Maintenance, Park Ranger Law Enforcement, and Office Manager

The Park is in the process of hiring a staff for the park and purchasing equipment, furniture and all the other things necessary to run a State Park. In addition, they are working with VDOT to establish road signage to the park.

The new park amenities, which also include hiking trails, was apart of “Phase 1A.”

Two staff residences have been completed. When hired, full-time rangers will live on site to provide security to the park property and to address any issues after normal park hours.

Amenities

Phase 1A of Widewater Park is anticipating the opening of the park to occur on National Public Lands Day at the end of September.

Work on construction Phase 1B consists of a power boat launch that accesses the Potomac River and the completion of a park maintenance facility. Currently, there is only a small shed on site to store all maintenance equipment.

“Phase 1B will include the completion of a second contact station that will serve the Potomac River side entrance,” said Anderson. “One of the most heavily anticipated amenities will be the power boat launch that will access the Potomac River. That is currently in the architectural and engineering phase so no ground has been broken yet, it could potentially be open to the public in 2020.”

Widewater State Park is working on firming up plans for a grand opening ceremony this November, however, a date for the ceremony has yet to be announced.

There are plans to invite dignitaries to the event such as the Governor and State Senators and Delegates that have played instrumental roles in making Widewater State Park a reality

STAFFORD — The Stafford County Board of Supervisors met with Transurban to discuss the expansion of Interstate 95 E-ZPass Express Lanes.

The E-ZPass lanes will be extended to milepost 134, just prior to Route 17, extending it from where it ends now at exit 143, Garrisonville Road. Transurban, operators of the E-ZPass lanes on I-95 and 495 in Virginia, plans to provide all funding for the new project so none of the money, $277 million, will come from Virginia or Stafford County.

The new lanes will provide 66% more capacity during peak periods. (6 a.m.- 8 a.m. and 3 p.m. to 6 p.m.) The project is expected to create 9,000 construction jobs and generate $1 billion in economic activity.

The additional Express Lanes will add two new flyover ramps at the Quantico exit which will provide faster and easier access for more than 28,000 people working in Quantico and at the Quantico Marine Base. The project will also create several other access points near the Quantico exit, providing new travel options for drivers.

Dubbed the Fredericksburg Extension (Fred Ex) project, it will begin in Spring 2019 and projected to open in late 2022. When completed, the extension will operate together with existing E-ZPass lanes, and the future 395 E-ZPass Express Lanes as a single, fully-integrated toll-lane corridor between the Potomac and Rappahannock rivers.

While the new lanes will provide more travel options for commuters with an E-ZPass or E-ZPass flex who can choose to use the lanes by paying a toll, or for free by having three or more occupants in their cars, Stafford leaders fear conditions on local byways will worsen.
Supervisor Wendy Maurer said the new lanes it would create more traffic not just on I-95 but also on Route 1.

“Is there compensation for Stafford for Route 1?” Maurer asked.

Transurban and the county are still in negotiations in expanding Route 1.

Sound barriers were a hot topic during the meeting. Garrisonville District Supervisor Mark Dudenhefer raised the question of potential sound barriers that will be needed during the future developments in the county.

“Stafford is the fastest growing County in the Commonwealth,” Dudenhefer said. “It’s predictable that there will be new developments and what is the plan for the sound walls?”

According to Transurban, there is no plan for sound walls to go up for future developments.
The growth in Stafford County is expected to be located near the future E-ZPass lanes.

“Everyday traffic is going to get worse,” said Dudenhefer. “This is the best it’s going to get for 25 years. How does the fastest growing County in the Commonwealth plan for this?”

STAFFORD -- The Stafford County School Board Chairman was asked to pass the gavel during a discussion on residential development and student redistricting.

During the Tuesday, August 12 meeting, School Board Member Irene Egan identified a possible conflict of interest with Chairman Patricia Healy, and asked Healy to step aside as chairman when the Board discusses redistricting.

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STAFFORD — The Board of Supervisors met Tuesday, August 14 to discuss the idea of a “Downtown Stafford.”

Such a development centered around the county’s iconic courthouse could provide an identity for the Stafford community. It’s location would be across the street from the courthouse and across from the County Government Center.

Stafford currently has limited locations for restaurants and retail stores. Downtown Stafford has the potential to create a vibrant downtown.

“I’ve talked to people in Loudoun County and other areas in Northern Virginia and they have told me that the reason they live up there is because there’s nothing like what they have in Stafford,” Supervisor Cindy Shelton said.

The county has yet to see a true mixed-use center with both residential and retail space. Aquia Town Center in North Stafford has more than 400 apartment but no new businesses or restaurants.

The Garrison at Stafford on Garrisonville Road, which more than two years ago was billed as the county’s first would-be true mixed-use center with residential and commercial space, anchored by a new movie theater and grocery store has yet to launch.

“We fear more apartments here in Stafford,” Garrisonville Supervisor Mark Dudenhefer said, noting they are a financial drain on county resources. “There were 350 emergency calls to 400 apartments at the Aquia Town Center.”

At the envisioned Downtown Stafford, the plan is to put retail stores and restaurants on the first floor and build three or four stories of apartments above each building.

There is no exact number of how many buildings will be constructed but the county does own 25 acres of property to build the buildings.

The Board’s wishlist for Downtown Stafford includes

• Walkability
• Open public space
• A small “green” area
• A main-street layout for a shopping center
• Close housing
• A moderately-sized parking lot

“We need a hook,” Supervisor Gary Snellings said. “I live in south Stafford, if I want to go out to eat I’m not gonna drive all the way up to Downtown Stafford, I’m going to go down to Fredericksburg where there are 200 restaurants. If I want a t-shirt, I’m going to go to Macy’s or Belk at the [Spotsylvania Towne Center]. We need that hook like an ice skating rink or a cultural center.”

During the initial phase of construction, there will be 330 housing units, 92,000 ground square feet for retail, 38,000 ground square feet of office space, and 35,000 ground square feet for entertainment. There will also be 1,210 parking spaces.

During the second phase of construction, the county plans to approve 25-80 housing units, up to 25,000 ground square feet of office and retail space. 50,000 ground square feet will be added for civic purposes.

County officials say this project needs to be different from the rest.

“If this is just a development, there’s no point to this,” County Administrator Tom Foley said. “This has to be different than a development.”

There are also plans to add a movie theater and bowling alley in the envisioned downtown plan.