A series of short updates from around the PEC region.
Wilderness Crossing
Information about the proposed Wilderness Crossing residential development at the intersection of Rt. 3 and Rt. 20 in Orange County, next to Wilderness Battlefield.
On The Ground Updates – December 2023
A series of short land use and conservation updates from around the PEC region.
Breaking update on PEC’s VFOIA lawsuit against Orange County
Orange County officials signed NDAs with Amazon; court hearing deferred
Piedmont Environmental Council sues Orange County for VFOIA violations
In the interest of good governance and transparency, The Piedmont Environmental Council filed a lawsuit yesterday against Orange County for improperly denying public access to documents pertaining to a local rezoning application, in violation of the Virginia Freedom of Information Act. The lawsuit comes after Orange County officials were unresponsive to PEC’s petition for a Writ of Mandamus, served on Oct. 26, which gave county officials a number of days to correct their VFOIA deficiencies. The lawsuit reflects PEC’s growing concern about the dramatic loss of public access to information about land use decisions in Orange County and across the Commonwealth.
Wilderness Crossing, RSA Withdrawal Permit, Elections
A brief update on Wilderness Crossing and some related Orange County happenings.
PEC supports legal challenge to Orange County Wilderness Crossing rezoning
On May 24, 2023, the American Battlefield Trust, Central Virginia Battlefields Trust, Inc., Friends of Wilderness Battlefield, Inc., and a number of Orange County and Spotsylvania County residents filed a legal challenge to the recent approval by the Orange County Board of Supervisors of the rezoning of 2,600 acres in the county, known as Wilderness Crossing, at the gateway to the Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania National Military Park. The lawsuit cites several violations of state constitutional and statutory law and county zoning ordinance, including procedural errors, lack of required submittals and findings, and failure to comply with the Virginia Freedom of Information Act, among other errors.
Recap of the Wilderness Crossing Vote
Thank you to all who came to speak out against Wilderness Crossing at last Tuesday’s public hearing. It was a great showing of community engagement and democracy in action despite the discouraging outcome.
Wilderness Crossing Board of Supervisors Public Hearing Tomorrow
Please consider joining your neighbors and groups like PEC in person to be seen and heard at the public hearing. You can also submit written comments to the Board of Supervisors until noon on Tuesday.
Decision Time Nears for Wilderness Crossing Rezoning
On April 6, the Planning Commission voted 3-2 to recommend approval of the project. The decision now rests with the Board of Supervisors, which will hold its own public hearing on the proposed Wilderness Crossing rezoning on April 25.
Planning Commission Defers Vote on Wilderness Crossing to April 6
Thank you to everyone who attended last Thursday’s public hearing on Wilderness Crossing.