Prince William

The Prince William Board of County Supervisors will decide on Tuesday, March 19, 2024, whether or not data centers belong near Prince William Forest Park, the largest natural protected area near Washington, D.C. The server farms would be built on the east/north side of Dumfries Road (Route 234), east of its intersection with Independent Hill Drive.

The plan to build a data center campus on the property stirred interest and controversy within the community. If approved, it would be the first major data center project east of Manassas.


Prince William

DeShundra Jefferson, chair of the Prince William County Board of Supervisors, answered resident and media questions about housing, data centers, and the future of the county at the Wednesday, Feb. 28, 2024, town hall event.

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Prince William

Among its notable features, the project boasts a newly added right-turn lane along Joplin Road leading to northbound U.S. 1, alongside a realigned Fuller Heights Road intersection. This realignment facilitates north and southbound access through the incorporation of a roundabout at the intersection of Fuller Heights Road and Old Triangle Road.

Deshundra Jefferson, Chair At-Large of the Board of County Supervisors, expressed gratitude towards the various entities involved in making the project a reality. “You guys have really done an amazing job with this,” remarked Jefferson during the ribbon-cutting ceremony. “I’m proud to say that these road improvements are a significant step in moving Prince William towards our strategic goal by easing congestion and improving mobility in the Triangle area for residents, local businesses, and our military facilities.”


Prince William

The construction of the Homeless navigation center in the east of Prince William County moved a little closer on Tuesday, Feb. 20, 2024, with a unanimous vote to approve a zoning map amendment to use five parcels of land owned by the county for the center’s construction.

The land near Potomac Mills mall contains the OmniRide transit center, the regional bus hub, and Potomac and Rappahannock Transportation Commission offices. The north portion of these five parcels, fronting Potomac Mills Road, is the former site of the Bill Mehr Drop-In Center, which provides meals, showers, and opportunities to connect and interact socially. The drop-in center is temporarily located at the Ferlazzo Building, a county government office complex on Route 1 in Woodbridge.


Prince William

The Prince William County Board of County Supervisors voted to reallocate nearly $2 million in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) coronavirus relief funds from CASA — a local organization that helps immigrants new to the U.S. following an audit of the county revealing improper expenditure (not affiliated with the local non-profit Court Appointed Special Advocates).

Woodbridge District Supervisor Margaret Franklin sought a 90-day deferral, but the motion failed. Franklin pushed to give $2 million to CASA in 2022 to build an immigrant welcome center in Woodbridge.


Prince William

The average residential property tax bill in Prince William County for FY2025 is projected to be $5,098, a $243 increase, up five percent from the previous year. The budget keeps the real estate tax rate steady at $0.966 per $100 assessed property value.

This figure represents the financial obligation of homeowners within the county, encompassing the costs associated with various county services and infrastructure projects, as outlined in the proposed budget.


Originals

The Prince William County Government is reconsidering the allocation of $2 million in federal coronavirus relief funds. This reevaluation follows concerns over the initial decision to allocate these funds to CASA. This nonprofit organization supports working-class communities (not affiliated with the local Court Appointed Special Advocates). The funds were intended to construct an immigrant welcome center in Prince William County.

Details of the proposed reallocation include:


Originals

In a significant push towards green energy adoption, Prince William County has announced an ambitious expansion of its electric vehicle (EV) charging facilities, promising to double the number of available charging stations.

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Originals

At the recent Prince William Board of County Supervisors meeting on February 6, 2024, the Prince William County Police Department received recognition for its Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies (CALEA) accreditation. Chief of Police Peter Newsham expressed gratitude for the honor, highlighting the significance of the department’s continuous commitment to excellence since 1987.

“This accreditation is just a symbol of that,” Chief Newsham remarked, emphasizing the department’s dedication to promoting progressive community engagement strategies, utilizing data for management decisions, and setting leadership benchmarks among peer agencies.


Originals

Updated 7:30 a.m. Feb. 2,  2024 — Residents and officials in Prince William County are grappling with HVAC issues at the recently constructed $17 million Animal Shelter, which opened its doors a year and a half ago in November 2022.

An anonymous complaint prompted action from the Police Department, which raised concerns about unacceptable temperatures and humidity levels in various areas of the Animal Services Center.


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