In January, developers withdrew a proposal for a commercial mega-center on Route 29 in Culpeper near the Fauquier border. At a whopping 3.5 million square feet, Willow Run would have ranked as one of largest commercial developments in Virginia -- all in the middle of what is now working farmland.

Last summer, PEC called attention to this proposal in a Clarion newsletter that we sent to every household in Culpeper County, pointing out that Willow Run would worsen traffic on Rte. 29, offer mostly low-wage jobs, compete with new or revitalized shopping areas in the town of Culpeper, and diminish this historic landscape's appeal to tourists. The Willow Run site is located between three Civil War battlefields -- Brandy Station, Kelly's Ford and Rappahannock Station -- directly along the route of the Journey through Hallowed Ground.

The developer has said that he intends to resubmit a proposal in six months, however, the current market does not favor such large, speculative projects.