The Prince William County Board of Supervisors recently approved two controversial housing developments. Both developments are near the Occoquan Reservoir Protection Area, and will add more than 550 homes combined. Residents have expressed concerns over traffic, overcrowding, and environmental impact to the area’s watershed.
The two projects, known as Hoadly Square and Maple Valley Grove, were debated during a December 16 board meeting that ran past 1 a.m. Both projects passed by a 7 to 1 vote.
Additional Housing
The smaller project, Maple Valley Grove, includes rezoning about 23 acres of land to allow the development of 274 units. It’s planned for the south side of Prince William Parkway, west of the intersection of Hoadly Road and Prince William Parkway.
The Hoadly Square project involves rezoning about 58 acres of land north of Hoadly Road and west of Prince William Parkway to allow for the development of 279 residential units. About 48 acres of that land came from the Occoquan Reservoir Protection Area (ORPA).
The ORPA is a designation within the county’s comprehensive plan. It was established in 2022 to protect the Occoquan River watershed — which feeds into the Occoquan Reservoir — by limiting development to one dwelling unit per 5 acres of land.
The Hoadly Square plan from developer J.R. Real Estate Group includes a 20-foot buffer from Hoadly Road, a 30-foot buffer from the nearby Dar Alnoor Mosque, and an interparcel connection to Maple Valley Grove. It also plans to keep about 60 percent of the land as open space.
Resident Concerns and Board Response
During the meeting, residents discussed concerns about traffic congestion, partially from the nearby Dar Alnoor Mosque, and potential overcrowding at Colgan High School. Residents were also concerned about groundwater runoff and other environmental impacts so close to the ORPA.
Board members and some residents said that these projects would help meet the county’s demand for more affordable housing units. Supervisor Kenny Boddye pointed out efforts from J.R. Real Estate Group to mitigate the environmental impacts, including a commitment to well testing and stormwater management.
Boddye also noted that the board has not yet updated the zoning ordinances to establish specific guidelines for the ORPA. “Folks are right that protecting the Occoquan Reservoir is not optional. … This rezoning includes proper protections that do not exist in our current zoning ordinance,” Boddye said.
“I see this area as a bridge between existing residential, religious uses to a major commercial employment center and the government complex,” he said. “Done responsibly, infill projects can protect more land, not less.”
Supervisor Yesli Vega cast the lone dissenting vote. She said that she liked some aspects of the project, including the different types of housing being offered. But, she said, “At the end of the day, how do we solve the issues with traffic? How do we resolve the issues of adding additional strains to our public services? It comes down to the density.”
“It is my opinion that the community should not, in any way, shape, or form, be forced into an either-or scenario between housing or clean water,” Vega said.
Feature map of Hoadly Square site courtesy Prince William County
