"SAVE CROW'S
NEST" HISTORY
 |
With the most recent items first, this page provides a chronology of selected
events since the January 2004 creation of Save Crow's Nest (SCN). Some
items have links to more detailed information and photos. (Click here
for a broader Crow's Nest timeline dating back to the 1970s.)
|
-
January
3, 2006.
At the first meeting of the newly constituted Board of Supervisors,
“Save Crow’s Nest” unveils its new Crow’s Nest “Report
Card” to keep citizens informed by summarizing the status of pending
legislation and recording the votes of the Supervisors.
2005
-
December
14, 2005. An
attorney, supported by the Crow’s Nest Defense Fund LLC, files an appeal
on behalf of local residents challenging 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.
-
December
7, 2005.
In a Crow’s Nest “double header,” “Save Crow’s Nest”
members spoke out at a public transportation hearing against proposed new
roads being built to Crow’s Nest that could facilitate development there.
Then they opposed the preliminary development plan for Crow’s Nest
at a Planning Commission meeting, which recessed without hearing the plan.
-
November
8, 2005.
Local elections send a rumble of change throughout the county as all
four incumbent Supervisors running for re-election are defeated.
Crow’s Nest proves to be one of the top issues of the campaign.
“Save Crow’s Nest,” a non-partisan organization, had given the
opportunity for all candidates to clarify their position on Crow’s Nest by
responding to specific questions on the issues.
-
October
18, 2005. “Save Crow’s Nest” delivers letters supporting the
preservation of Crow’s Nest to the Board of Supervisors.
Supervisors up for re-election are told that the number of letters in
each of their districts exceeds their margin of victory in the previous
election.
-
Fall
2005. “Save
Crow’s Nest” made a special effort to reach out to community groups this
Fall, making presentations at a variety of church groups, civic
associations, and the clubs of outdoor enthusiasts, as well as taking part
in a number of festivals such as Salute
to Stafford Day, Hartwood Days, and the Rotary Club’s “Wings, Wheels
and Ducks.” The video,
“Crow’s Nest: Stafford’s Last Refuge” is often shown as part of
these presentations.
-
September
20, 2005. Some Supervisors had claimed
their hands were tied when addressing Crow’s Nest because it is a “by
right” development. “Save
Crow’s Nest” shows that there are many things County Government can do
to protect Crow’s Nest by publishing an op-ed outlining “Ten
Things Stafford County Supervisors Can Do to Save Crow’s Nest.”
-
September
20, 2005.
“Save Crow’s Nest” joins numerous local and state groups united
under the banner of the “Coalition to Preserve Crow’s Nest” for a rally
before the Board of Supervisors’ meeting.
Participants attend the BOS meeting and many speak out on behalf of
preserving the peninsula. The
video, “Stafford County’s Last Refuge” is shown in the Board chambers.
-
August 30, 2005. A new short video,
“Crow’s Nest: Stafford’s Last Refuge,” directed by Archer DiPeppe
and produced by Ken and Julie Jordan, debuts to an overflow crowd of nearly
200. The film is used as an
outreach tool in many meetings and public events.
-
August
22,
2005.
To encourage County officials to make sure that all rules and
regulations are followed in reviewing the plan to develop Crow's Nest,
"Save Crow's Nest" submits another letter to the Planning
Department.
-
June
14,
2005.
Concerned that fundamental flaws in the plan to develop Crow's Nest have
not been adequately addressed, "Save Crow's Nest" meets with
Planning Department staff and the County's stormwater management consultant.
-
May
4,
2005.
"Save Crow's Nest" attend the Technical Review Committee to
ensure that concerns raised about the plan to develop Crow's Nest are
addressed. (Newspaper story can be read here.)
-
May
3, 2005.
"Save Crow's Nest" submits a
letter to the Planning Department's Technical Review Committee, outlining the concerns raised by
the independent consultant. (The
letter is available in a PDF file, which
may take a moment to load.)
-
March
1,
2005.
"Save Crow's Nest" speaks to the Board of Supervisors, which
is going into closed session about Crow's Nest. (View the statement.)
-
February
2005.
“Save Crow’s Nest” hires an independent environmental
consultant to review the plan to develop Crow's Nest. He identifies numerous potentially
serious problems that could pose a threat to the health, safety, and
well-being of local residents. The plan also could have a
significant negative impact on the environment, creating soil erosion and
the pollution of nearby waterways. The consultant's findings are sent in writing to the
Planning Department's Technical Review Committee, which provides the
County's and other agencies' review of the plan.
-
January
18,
2005.
“Save Crow’s Nest” marks
its first anniversary with an appeal to the Board of Supervisors both
in-person at the Board's meeting and through an op-ed
piece.
2004
-
December
22, 2004.
“Save Crow’s Nest” thanks it supporters and issues its first
holiday greeting.
-
December
13, 2004. A plan to build
646 houses on 2,536 acres of the Crow’s Nest peninsula is submitted by
Stafford Lakes LLC (a.k.a. K&M Properties).
-
December
2, 2004. The State Water
Control Board unanimously approves a loan of 30 million to Stafford County
for the purchase of Crow’s Nest.
-
November
19, 2004. SCN members make
a presentation about saving Crow's Nest at a "town hall" meeting
in the Falmouth District hosted by Supervisor Mark Osborn.
- November
2, 2004. “Save Crow’s
Nest” members distribute flyers at the County’s polling places about the
importance of saving Crow’s Nest.
|
 |
-
October
15, 2004. “Save Crow’s
Nest” members deliver 42 letters to the State Water Control Board urging
loan approval for the purchase of Crow’s Nest.
-
September
18, 2004. “Save Crow’s
Nest” takes part in Stafford Days, sharing information on the effort to
save the peninsula.
-
August
31, 2004. The Virginia Water
Quality Control Board tentatively approves Stafford County’s application
for a low-interest loan in the amount of $30 million for the purchase of
properties on the Crows Nest peninsula. The County proposed to purchase the
properties in order to create a natural area park with public access for
low-impact educational and recreational activities.
 |
-
August
21, 2004. Rock Hill Ruritan
Club holds the First Annual Stafford Cardboard Boat Regatta at Aquia Landing
Beach Park. “Save Crow’s Nest” enters its cardboard boat creation, The Great Blue Heron, and wins pride of show! (Photos.)
Stafford
County Supervisor Bob Gibbons (in yellow) joins the crew of the "Save
Crow's Nest" boat, "The Great Blue Heron," at Stafford's
first annual cardboard boat race. |
-
August
17, 2004. With the support
of “Save Crow’s Nest,” the Board of Supervisors tables a resolution to
hold a bond referendum for Crow’s Nest during the November general
election.
-
July
22, 2004. The public learns
that luxury home builder, Toll Brothers, has withdrawn from contract to
purchase Crow’s Nest from K&M builders.
-
July
16, 2004. Stafford County
applies to Virginia Department of Environmental Quality for a $30 million
loan to purchase Crow’s Nest, with favorable terms of 3% interest per
annum and a 20-year repayment period. “Save
Crow’s Nest” supports the application with a strongly worded letter.
-
July,
2004. Defenders of Wildlife,
a national organization that specializes in the protection of habitat for
endangered species, threatens to sue if development of Crow’s Nest
proceeds. (More.)
- June
19, 2004. After a Spring
full of hard work, “Save Crow’s Nest” members hold a picnic at Aquia
Landing, near Crow’s Nest. (More
photos.)
|
 |
-
May,
2004. Stafford Lakes LP
(K&M Properties) files appeal of the April 27 BZA ruling. The case will
go to Circuit Court.
-
May
18, 2004. The
Board of Supervisors passes a resolution authorizing County staff to prepare
for a possible bond referendum during the November general election. (SCN
opposes a November referendum, fearing that the hotly contested national
election and partisan bickering will overshadow this important local issue.)
-
May
4, 2004. Save Crow’s Nest
calls on Board of Supervisors to pass a resolution reaffirming their
commitment to permanently protect the entire Crow’s Nest peninsula from
development. None of the Board
members act.
-
April
27, 2004. “Save Crow’s
Nest” members appear at Board of Zoning Appeals hearing where the
landowner, K&M Properties, claims it is entitled to build 8,000
residential units, rather than “just” the 4,000 units, which is the
by-right development density. BZA
rules against landowner.
-
April
24, 2004. “Save Crow’s
Nest” members staff a booth at the Earth Day celebration at Alum Spring
Park in Fredericksburg.
-
April
20, 2004. Just a day after announcing her support for a bond referendum, Supervisor Hilliard announces
the Board has instead identified another possible funding source.
Also, “Save Crow’s Nest” members appear at
BOS hearing on school funding and explain how residential development is
contributing to the explosion of the budget, the increase in property taxes,
and the shortage of adequate school funding.
 |
- April
19, 2004. After the Board of
Supervisors refused for weeks to comment publicly about Crow’s Nest,
Supervisor Hilliard breaks the silence by holding a press conference to
announce her support for Crow’s Nest.
She is joined by representatives from the Battlefields Sierra Club,
Citizens to Serve Stafford, Stafford Creeks Water Quality Monitoring
Project, Voters to Stop Sprawl, and the Virginia Bluebird Society.
|
-
April
9, 2004. “Save Crow’s
Nest” learns that Stafford Lakes LP (a.k.a. K&M Properties) has signed a
contract to sell Crow’s Nest to luxury home builders, Toll Brothers (www.tollbrothers.com),
developers of the Mullins property in nearby Chancellorsville.
-
March
24, 2004. “Save Crow’s
Nest” members support County’s Agricultural Performance Standards during
Planning Commission hearings held at Brooke Point High School and on
3/31/204 at the Government Center.
-
March
2, 2004. “Save Crow’s
Nest” members--including local high school students--urge the Board of Supervisors to hold a special election, as
soon as possible, for voters to approve a bond for the purchase of Crow's
Nest properties. (Photos/read more.)
-
February
28, 2004. SCN holds
community meeting with over 150 citizens at Brooke Fire Station in the Aquia District
(above photo) where the
peninsula is located. (More photos.)
-
January
26, 2004. The “Save
Crow’s Nest” web site (savecrowsnest.org) is launched.
Hundreds of citizens use the site to sign up as SCN members.
-
January
20, 2004.
“Save Crow’s
Nest” (SCN) calls for its first rally of citizens at Board of Supervisors
(BOS) meeting. More than 60
people attend; 20 speakers ask BOS to reach agreement with K&M to
purchase the entire peninsula. Board
members say they favor the preservation of Crow’s Nest; some wear SCN
signs at the meeting. (Photos/read more.)
-
January
18, 2004. “Save Crow’s
Nest” is formed as a result of discussions amongst concerned citizens.
-
January
9, 2004. The public learns about the failed negotiations between K&M
and the State to purchase and preserve Crow’s Nest.
|
