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1971
Developer
proposes Crow's Nest Harbour, a massive residential project that would
have 20,000 residents, convention center, condos, golf course and
heliport. Land rezoned for intensive residential, commercial
and industrial uses.
1972
Crow's
Nest dropped from short list of potential state park sites.
1975
Crow's
Nest Harbour files for bankruptcy.
1977
Approximately
4,500 acres of the Crow's Nest peninsula is set for public
auction. Tract is taken over by Diversified Mortgage Investors of
West Palm Beach, Florida, which held $14.5 million mortgage.
1978
Land is
rezoned for rural residential.
1982
Florida
investor, Charles F. Vanburg, buys 2,930 acres of Crow's Nest from Diversified
Mortgage Investors for $4.4 million.
1989
Warren Montouri, who heads a Middle East investment group, K&M
Properties, purchases 3,796 acres of Crow's nest for $17.8 million.
1997
Stafford
Regional Airport Commission purchases 70 acres of Crow's Nest for
$300,000 and earmarks land for preservation to offset environmental
impact of the airport. Northern Virginia Conservation Trust
purchases land to protect heron rookery on the peninsula.
1999
The
Trust for Public Land announces plans to purchase Crow's Nest.
2000
U.S.
Fish and Wildlife Service unveils proposal to add Crow's Nest to
Potomac River National Wildlife Refuge.
2001
Fish and
Wildlife Service turns down internal request to include the land in
its national wildlife refuge system, citing limited funds to operate
and maintain the site.
The
Crow's Nest shoreline in autumn.
2002
January--Local
preservation group, Trust for Crow's Nest, formed to help preserve the
site.
July--Fish
and Wildlife Service formally rejects plan to add Crow's Nest
peninsula and some surrounding land to its national refuge system.
October--US
Senate passes amendment sponsored by Sen. John Warner (R) establishing
the Accokeek Creek National Wildlife Refuge.
October--Virginia
Department of Conservation and Recreation earmarks $5 million in bond
issue toward the purchase of a portion of Crow's Nest.
November--US
House passes American Wildlife Enhancement Act, which will open up a
source of funds for Crow's Nest purchase.
December--Trust
for Crow's Nest authorizes appraisal of 1,500-acre parcel of Crow's
Nest. Plan is to push for purchase of three like-sized parcels
over next several years.
2003
January-August--Virginia
Department of Conservation and Recreation and Trust for Crow's Nest
negotiate with K&M Properties over price for the purchase of first
1,500 acres.
November--K&M
walks away from negotiations to sell land in Crow's Nest to the State
2004
January--K&M
Properties representatives meet with Stafford County officials to
present preliminary plans for "cluster housing" development
in Crow's Nest.
January--A
new community group, Save
Crow's Nest, is formed to prevent development of Crow's Nest.
Over 60 people turn out to a Board of Supervisors meeting to ask that
Crow's Nest be saved from any development.
April--Stafford
Lakes
(a.k.a. K&M Properties) signs a contract to sell Crow’s Nest to
luxury home builders, Toll Brothers
April--K&M
Properties
claims it is entitled to build 8,000 residential units, rather than
“just" the 4,000 units, which is his by-right development
density. Board of Zoning
Appeals rules against the landowner; K&M appeals decision in
court.
July--Luxury
home
builder, Toll Brothers, withdraws from contract to purchase Crow’s
Nest from K&M.
December--State
Water Control Board unanimously approves a loan of 30 million to
Stafford County for the purchase of Crow’s Nest.
December--K&M
submits new "by-right" development plan for building 646 houses
on Crow's Nest.
2005
May
3, 2005. "Save Crow's Nest" submits a letter to the Planning
Department's Technical Review Committee, outlining the concerns raised by
an independent consultant. (The letter
is available in a PDF file, which may take a moment to load.)
The plan is found to have numerous potentially serious problems that could
pose a threat to the health, safety, and well-being of local residents, as
well as have a significant negative impact on the environment, creating
soil erosion and the pollution of nearby waterways.
June,
2005--Court rejects K&M claim that it has the right to build 8,000
housing units on Crow’s Nest. Developers
appeal to state Supreme Court.
August
30, 2005—Making the case for preserving the peninsula, a short
video, “Crow’s Nest: Stafford’s Last Refuge” premiers to an
overflow crowd.
September
20, 2005—Several hundred people from local and state organizations
rally before a Board of Supervisors’ meeting under the umbrella of a
“Crow’s Nest Preservation Coalition.”
December,
2005. State Supreme Court
rejects claim from Crow’s Nest owners that they have the right to build
8,000 housing units on Crow’s Nest.
December
14, 2005. In case
supported by the Crow’s Nest Defense Fund LLC, an appeal challenges the
Planning Director’s certification of the proposed Crow’s Nest plan as
complying with all the County’s zoning codes.
The plan is put on hold until the legal issues are resolved.
Most of
the information before 2004 comes from a side-bar, "Crow's Nest key dates,"
in the January 9, 2004 edition of The Free Lance-Star. |
