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December 18, 2007
Joseph
Maroon, Director
Virginia
Department
of Conservation and Recreation
203 Governor
Street
Richmond
,
VA
23219
Dear Mr.
Maroon,
I am
writing on behalf of the nearly 1,000 members of Save Crow’s Nest, a
non-partisan grassroots organization dedicated to the permanent
preservation of the entire Crow’s Nest peninsula.
It is our
position that tax dollars for land preservation are scarce and should be
well spent. We urge you to insist that public purchase of Crow’s Nest
must 1) include all of the parcels of land owned by Stafford Lakes LP
and all the lots in Crow’s Nest Harbour, and 2) be based on a current
appraisal of the fair market value.
For many
years, Save Crow’s Nest has advocated for the public purchase of the
major parcels of land on the Crow’s Nest peninsula. We have never
advocated for saving Crow’s Nest “at any cost.” In fact, it is our
fiscally conservative position that has helped us gain support in the
community for preserving Crow’s Nest.
We were
quite concerned to learn that the Department of Conservation and
Recreation supports an offer to purchase only a portion of Crow’s
Nest. This proposition is a bad deal for taxpayers and a bad deal for
Crow’s Nest. Reportedly DCR is willing to subsidize this purchase with
nearly $10 million in taxpayer dollars and an additional $10 million in
a taxpayer subsidized low-interest loan. Although we are not privy to
the details of the offer, please consider this:
1)
Taxpayers should not be expected to pay inflated costs to
purchase Crow’s Nest. Any offer to
purchase Crow's Nest should be based on an updated appraisal that
accurately reflects current market conditions.
·
The Stafford County Capital Improvements Plan has listed
purchase of Crow’s Nest (presumably the portion in the eminent domain
law suit) at a cost of $35 million.
·
At 2,920 acres, that is a cost of $11,986 per acre.
·
In contrast, unimproved lots in Crow’s Nest Harbour have
been selling for an average of $8,382 per acre (see attachment “CNH
sales”). This should be viewed as a maximum
threshold cost for acreage on Crow’s Nest. The lots in the Harbour are
two acre lots. Acreage sold in large parcels cost much less per acre.
·
An 80 acre assemblage of parcels directly adjacent to the
west of the heron rookery is currently on the market at an asking price
of $700,000—or $8,735 per acre (see attachment “Miller’s
Place ad”). This asking price reflects the steep decline in the
market value of land in the area. In 2006, these parcels sold for a
total of $850,000, and in addition to the purchase price, the current
owner has paid for the transaction costs of the purchase, engineering
and legal fees for a preliminary subdivision plan and a lawsuit related
to that submission, and ASOE certification of percolation sites.
2)
Taxpayers should not be expected to pay for the purchase
of property that does not have any viable means of public access.
·
Parcel 48-1 has only one area of state road frontage,
along SR 609 (
Raven Rd
) and SR 608 (
Brooke Rd
).
·
This area of frontage is not suitable for building an
access road.
·
This entire frontage is located in a 100 year flood plan
(see attachment “Flood
plain on CN 48-1”).
·
Nearly the entire frontage is located in swamps and
wetlands (see attachment “Soils
CN 48-1”).
·
The entire frontage is located in a Critical Resource
Protection Area.
3)
Taxpayers should not be expected to subsidize amenities
and infrastructure costs for developers.
·
Any land located next to a park, offering the amenities of
walking trails and a conservation area, is prime real estate for
development.
·
Any property not purchased for a park will be developed.
The current negotiations regard only a portion of Crow’s Nest,
practically guaranteeing residential development of the remaining
portion.
·
The only viable means of accessing parcel #48-1 is by
building a road through the Crow’s Nest Harbour subdivision. By
building this road, the State and
Stafford
County
will be subsidizing the developer’s costs of developing the Harbour.
Save
Crow’s Nest believes that purchase of the entire Crow’s Nest
peninsula both protects environmental, cultural and historical resources
and makes sound financial sense by preventing the by-right development
of 1,000+ single family homes in an area ill suited for residential
development. It is also consistent with Governor Kaine’s stated goal
to preserve 400,000 acres of land in
Virginia. Permanently protecting the entire Crow’s Nest peninsula
(about 4,000 acres) will achieve 10% of that goal.
Respectfully,
Cecelia
Kirkman
CC:
Timothy Kaine, Governor
Preston
Bryant, Secretary of Natural Resources
William Howell, Delegate
Mark Cole, Delegate
Stafford
County
Board
of Supervisors
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