Currently, only businesses with gross receipts over $500,000 pay a BPOL tax, a tax enacted to fund the second war between the U.S. and the British in 1812. The threshold has been in place since 2022 after the Prince William Chamber of Commerce pushed county supervisors in 2015 to increase the taxation threshold from $250,000.
Today, the county levies a BPOL tax on a business’s gross receipts and uses the funds to help fund the local government. However, its implementation can vary widely among jurisdictions, leading to disparities in business tax burdens.
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Six months into his tenure as Gainesville Planning Commissioner, Dr. John W. Lyver, IV, passed away unexpectedly on June 16, 2024, while on a personal trip to Canada.
Lyver, 67, of Heritage Hunt in Gainesville, was appointed to the Prince William Planning Commissioner by Gainesville Supervisor Bob Weir on January 9, 2024. In a statement on his social media pages, Weir wrote, “He was a remarkable man whose shoes cannot easily be filled and a place in our hearts that cannot be replaced. There are no words to express my gratitude for John’s countless hours of dedicated public service to the County and decades of service to our Nation. He will be greatly missed.”
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On Tuesday, the Prince William Board of County Supervisors approved a $16 million land purchase in Woodbridge.
The discussion centered on the property at 13505 Telegraph Road, located just off Interstate 95. The county had planned to build a large indoor track and recreational facility on the land to serve the Washington, D.C., region and travel teams from the East Coast. However, the county will not proceed with that plan, at least for now.
Coles District Supervisor Yesli Vega raised concerns about the transparency of the issue, noting that the support for a track facility was not unanimous initially but has now been described as a "possible" facility in the resolution.
Vega questioned whether the land purchase was intended for this purpose. Chair At-large DeShundra Jefferson clarified that the discussion was solely about purchasing the land and that a public forum was necessary before deciding its use. Despite this, Vega continued to challenge the resolution language.
In an interview, Jefferson told Potomac Local she's uncomfortable with the annual operating costs, which could top over $4 million. Jefferson cited the need for private investment, potentially creating a public-private partnership.
Weir strongly opposed the proposal, describing it as ill-conceived, and criticized the expenditure as "throwing more good money after bad." Weir voiced discomfort with what he termed "land speculation" at this level and disapproved of the timing of the 150-day study completed at the end of the previous board's term.
Occoquan District Supervisor Kenny Boddye defended the project, emphasizing its significance to the district. He highlighted its proximity to high-end retail, commuter parking, HOV lanes, and a potential transit hub, asserting that land acquisition is crucial to securing the county’s vision.
The proposal for the indoor track complex dates back to 2018. It aims to establish the first indoor sports facility in the region on two levels with a mezzanine, a hydraulic bank track, 20 pickleball courts, and ample seating. There would be room for 3,500 during sporting events and 6,800 seats that could be used for high school graduations.
In addition, the facility, at 13505 Telegraph Road, could host trade shows, expos, and community events, county staff told supervisors during a presentation in May 2024. Officials have emphasized that the facility would spur new retail and restaurants along the Prince William Parkway/Interstate 95 corridor in Woodbridge, more overnight hotel stays, and increased local sales tax collection by $1.5 million.
A lawsuit brought by opponents of the Devlin technology Park rezoning faced a legal obstacle as their case was dismissed on Demurrer in front of Prince William County Circuit Court Judge Carroll Weimer, Jr.
The lawsuit alleged 30 separate allegations where county officials erred in process and public notice.
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Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R) came to Prince William County, where farms are moving indoors.
Youngkin, joined by the Prince William Board of County Supervisors members, held a bill signing in Prince William County at Beanstalk, an indoor vertical farming company located on Groveton Road near Manassas.
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($ Prince William Times) The developer and landowners involved in the controversial Mid-County Industrial Park, which could bring three, 90-foot-tall data centers just north of Va. 234 and Minnieville Road, have put tens of thousands of dollars into the campaign coffers of three key supervisors in the past year, according to available campaign finance reports.
Supervisors Yesli Vega, Margaret Franklin and Andrea Bailey benefited from more than $70,000 collectively from developers and landowners associated with the project.
The Prince William Board of County Supervisors is scheduled to meet at 2 p.m. on Tuesday to consider a proposal to rezone 9.92 acres of agricultural land to mixed residential use. This would pave the way for a new affordable housing project at 14698 Telegraph Road in Woodbridge. Evergreen at Telegraph Road is poised to feature 311 multifamily units, including 31 designated as affordable housing.
The proposed site is located on the west side of Telegraph Road, approximately 791 feet south of the intersection with Opitz Boulevard, near the OmniRide Transit Center. The rezoning application, #REZ2023-00013, seeks to change the land use from A-1 (Agricultural) and B-1 (General Business) to PMR (Planned Mixed Residential).
According to the rezoning application, the new development will contribute to the County's efforts to increase affordable housing. The project includes 31 affordable dwelling units (ADUs), with 15 units available to households earning up to 80% of the area median income (AMI) and 16 units for households earning up to 120% of AMI.
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Memorial Day Events
Prince William County: On Friday, May 24, members of the community are invited to join the Board of County Supervisors and others in a commemoration to honor and remember those who served in our nation’s armed services. The ceremony will take place at 9 a.m. at the Sean T. Connaughton Community Plaza, located at the Prince William County Government Center, 1 County Complex Court, Woodbridge.
The ceremony will include the Presentation of Colors, brief remarks by Board of County Supervisors Chair At-Large Deshundra Jefferson, Prince William County Veterans Commission Chair Dr. Vanessa Gattis, County Executive Chris Shorter, as well as the presentation of a wreath by members of the Veterans Commission and a performance by the Marsteller Middle School 8th Grade Bass Select Choir. The ceremony will conclude with the playing of taps.
All are welcome to attend.
Potomac Region Veterans Council: As it has done for the last five decades, the Potomac Region Veterans Council (PRVC) will host the annual Memorial Day Ceremony at the National Memorial Cemetery at Quantico at 11 a.m. on Monday, May 27, 2024. The event will feature remarks by Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares and will be hosted by the PRVC in partnership with Marine Corps Base Quantico and the National Memorial Cemetery at Quantico.
Originating in the years following the Civil War and becoming an official federal holiday in 1971, Memorial Day honors the memory of those Americans who have given their last full measure of devotion in uniform in the service of their country. As in years past, military and veteran officials will join with members of the general public in this annual observance.
The ceremony will begin promptly at 11 a.m. and conclude by noon. The Potomac Region Veterans Council extends a warm invitation for all to attend.
Transportation Notes
OmniRide: In observance of Memorial Day OmniRide will operate the following service on Monday, May 27:
- Express, Metro Express, and Local North-B (65B) – NO SERVICE
- Prince William Metro Express, and East-West Express – WILL RUN ON SATURDAY/WEEKEND SERVICE SCHEDULE
- Local – WILL RUN ON SATURDAY/WEEKEND SERVICE SCHEDULE
Regular service will resume Tuesday, May 28.
Transurban: I-95 Express Lanes Summer reversal schedule will begin on Thursday, May 23, 2024. Daytime reversal will begin at 10 a.m.; overnight reversal will begin at midnight.
- For the Memorial Day holiday on Monday, May 27, 2024, the 95 Express Lanes will operate on a weekend schedule, with no reversal and the facility remaining open northbound.
- Regular summer reversal schedule (outlined above) will resume on Tuesday, May 28, 2024.
Government Closings
Stafford County: Stafford offices, departments, facilities, and all courts will be closed for the Memorial Day holiday on Monday, May 27, 2024. Both locations of the R-Board/Regional Landfill (Eskimo Hill and Belman Road) will be closed.
The following offices and facilities will remain open:
- Fire and Rescue Information (540) 658-7200
- Emergency 911
- Sheriff’s Office Information (540) 658-4400
- Emergency 911
- Magistrate (540) 659-2968
- All outdoor parks are open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m
(Insidenova.com) The Prince William Board of County Supervisors in a partisan vote May 14 initiated a Comprehensive Plan amendment to redesignate a roughly 40-acre portion of a protected zone near the Occoquan Reservoir to allow for a residential development.
![Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R) held a bill signing ceremony at Beanstalk, an indoor vertical farming company near Manassas. [Photo: Alan Gloss]](https://www.potomaclocal.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Yougkin-at-Beanstalk.jpg){kind=link}
