At the Jan. 27 Manassas City Council Meeting, the Department of Economic Development detailed the economic health of the city in the past year as new businesses entered the city and tourism increased.
Patrick Small, director of the department, said his department prefers to track the results of his department's work rather than the number of business inquiries it receives or trade shows it attends.
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The department is split into a few divisions: long-range planning, which deals with the vision for land use through policies, ordinances, studies and project planning; development services, which deals with plan reviews, permitting and inspections; property code enforcement, which enforces the city's codes; and the parks and recreation division, which maintains the facilities and puts on public programs.
The presentation only covered the progress made between July 1, 2023, and June 30, 2024, since fiscal year 2025 began on July 1, 2024.
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Tim Leclerc, deputy finance director for the county, gave a broad presentation at the Jan. 14 meeting, first discussing the state of unemployment.
"According to the National Bureau of Economic Research the [COVID-19] pandemic drove the economy into a deep but short recession lasting only about two months wherein more than 21 million Americans lost their jobs," Leclerc said.
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The Virginia House of Delegates Subcommittee of the Cities, Counties, and Towns Committee rejected a bill that sought to regulate the siting of data centers near schools, parks, and residential areas. Delegate Ian Lovejoy (R-22, Prince William County) presented HB1984, which would have required local government approval for data center developments only if they were located at least a quarter mile away from such properties. The subcommittee voted 8-0 to “lay the bill on the table,” effectively killing it.
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A bill to protect individuals experiencing homelessness by prohibiting criminal penalties for seeking temporary shelter in legally parked vehicles failed to advance in the Virginia House of Delegates Subcommittee of the Cities, Counties, and Towns Committee. HB2602, introduced by Delegate Joshua Cole (D-65, Fredericksburg), sought to address homelessness by ensuring humane treatment and temporary shelter solutions.
The bill would have prohibited localities from enforcing ordinances penalizing individuals for sleeping or seeking refuge in legally parked cars. Additionally, it required localities to make reasonable efforts to provide temporary shelter, including using government-owned property and stipulated that no individual could be detained solely for public camping unless they posed an immediate public threat or were offered alternative shelter.
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On January 24, 2025, the Virginia House of Delegates Cities, Counties, and Towns Committee reviewed several critical bills advanced. A charter amendment for the Town of Dumfries was unanimous, while a proposal to protect unhoused individuals seeking shelter in vehicles was rejected.
Dumfries Charter Amendment Advances
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OmniRide has reached a significant milestone, serving 1 million passengers in FY2024. This achievement signals a post-pandemic recovery for the regional transit provider and sets the stage for even greater success, with projections to double ridership to 2 million passengers by June 2025, according to agency officials.
During soon-to-be released Potomac Local News Podcast episode, OmniRide Executive Director Bob Schneider shared insights about the agency’s new routes and its vision for the future. He highlighted the introduction of new services to Warrenton and Front Royal as a pivotal step in expanding OmniRide’s reach and addressing regional transportation needs.
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Jesus Enrique Ramirez Cabrera, 23, of Manassas, appeared in a Prince William County court Thursday, January 23, for a preliminary hearing related to his arrest last fall after he was accused of abducting a Manassas City school girl at a city bus stop.
Initially, Ramirez Cabrera was charged with Abduction of a Minor, Robbery using Force, both felonies and misdemeanors, Petit Larceny, and Impersonating an Officer.
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Happy Friday, Manassas!
Welcome to another City Council preview, this time for the Jan. 27 regular meeting. This week’s meeting will be held at the City Hall Council Chambers at 9027 Center St.
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