Update, Jan. 7: View the Prince William County "Community Focus" featuring Supervisor Frank Principi about the current commuter situation here: http://www.youtube.com/user/PrinceWilliamCounty#p/u/4/KiJckw_m9CM.

Effective the morning of Feb. 14, Valentine’s Day, commuters will only be able to use 275 parking spots at Potomac Mills mall.

Woodbridge district supervisor Frank J. Principi made the announcement on his website, NewWoodbridge.org, that mall management would be reducing the parking spots from 1,000 to 250.

“While it is unfortunate that we are losing these parking spaces, it is consistent with proffers from their special use permit,” said Supervisor Principi on his website. “We appreciate the increased jobs and expanded tax base due to the further development of Potomac Mills.”

General manager of the mall, Mike Sullivan said that the reduction in spaces is due to a need to accomodate continued growth at Potomac Mills.

"At its peak, Potomac Mills provided as many as 1,300 commuter parking spaces, which is nearly five times the county requirement. We must now, due to the growth of the center, adjust our commuter parking and allocate 275 spaces for use on a first-come, first-served basis," said Sullivan in a release. "This is still greater than the number of commuter parking spaces required of any other private property owner in the county."

The commuter lot is located in parking areas 12 and 13 across from Pier 1 Imports. Commuters will begin to be notified of the change through fliers, a website and word of mouth starting Jan. 18.

The Potomac and Rappahanock Transportation Commission maintains several other commuter lots throughout Woodbridge and eastern Prince William County.

View PRTC Commuter Lots in a larger interactive Google map.