A Crow's Nest Timeline of Preservation & Development
(For a more detailed chronology of "Save Crow's Nest" since its founding in January 2004, see our history page.)

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.