Live Blog: Board of County Supervisors Jan. 18 Meeting

Today the Board of County Supervisors will be continuing its public hearing on Comprehensive Plan Amendment and Rezoning of the Harris Property in the Coles Magisterial District.

There will also be presentations on the regional water supply plan, seat management and the quarterly Virginia Department of Transportation report.

View the meeting agenda by selecting the PDF to the right.

2:07 p.m. Citizen's Time is closed. Public hearing remains open for Comprehensive Plan Amendment #PLN2009-00299, Harris Property.

2:15 p.m. The board is hearing a presentation on the Leglislative update on what is going on in Richmond during the General Assembly.

Key issues for the Prince William County that are on the docket for the General Assembly are transportation, comprehensive services act and Virginia retirement system.

Transportation
Proposed funding to Transportation Infrastructure Bank from surplus fund and Virginia Department of Transportation audit, acceleration of bond projects, GARVEE bonds, transportation trust funds and language to revise the ABC privatization (focus on retail operations of ABC).

Comprehensive Services Act
Previous state actions reduced match rate reimbursement for residential services for highest risk youth from 66 percent to 57 percent. Savings proposed for this service include return therapeutic foster care to residential service.

Supervisor Nohe is the Governor’s appointee for State Executive Council for Comprehensive Services Act. This is part of a bushel of cuts that the Department of Health came up with from the state.

“This leads to – for us – a reduction in number of kids thata are getting services that are necessary but they aren’t necessarily state-mandated services. It’s same pool of money spread thinly. This will unequivocally cost us more money in the long run," said Supervisor Nohe.

Virginia Retirement System (VRS)
Cost of providing VRS benefit is increasing dramatically due to market conditions, changing projections and use of system to find other priorities does not affect the County pool.

Governor’s proposal states that the option is available for local government to have the option to pass a five percent employee share to employees provided they also give a three percent raise. General Assembly is considering different options.

Line of Duty Act for Sworn Public Safety
Act created in 1966 meant state legislation to provide benefits to public safety employees including health insurance for an injured employee and family for life and a lump sum death benefit for surviving beneficiaries. Staff will "cost out" this plan to see what the cost will be if the county administers this itself.

Illegal Immigration
County Executive Melissa Peacor gave an update on the illegal immigration legislation.

The board had recommended that the resolution passed by Prince William Board to enforce illegal immigration, , to go statewide. Delegate Scott Lingamfelter said he would carry the bill and House Bill 2332.

Chairman Stewart thanked delegates Lingamfelter and Anderson for taking on this bill in legislation.

2:41 p.m. Public hearing is open for Comprehensive Plan Amendment #PLN2009-00299, Harris Property. Supervisor Nohe asked to hear the public testimony but wants to make a motion to defer the vote.

All of the residents speaking on the Harris Property are asking to deny the comprehensive zoning plan change.

Public hearing remains open on this issue; Supervisor Nohe said that he thanks residents for their concern on this issue.

Nohe made a motion for an indefinite deferral on comprehensive plan and rezoning which was voted unanimously by the supervisors.

3:08 p.m. Board has moved to human resources item.
3:10 p.m. Board is hearing presentation on seat management for needs of county staff including help desk support, hardware and software updates.

3:24 p.m. Board is hearing a presentation on the Northern Virginia Regional Water Supply Plan.

Draft of the plan wil be available by early summer and then there will be a jurisdiction public hearing after the plan is made.

Next steps in the plan include a drougt plan and ordinance, irrigation guidelines and a comprehensive plan amendment/regional water suply plan. Public hearings will look to be scheduled between July 27 and Oct. 18.

3:52 p.m.
Board is hearing an initative on the Comprehensive Plan Amendment for Amendment to the Innovation Sector Plan. Board voted unanimously to make an initiative for maximizing the investment in Freedom Center and Hylton.

Recommend initiating an amendment to the Innovation Sector Plan to include the Cooper Carry conceptual plan including the town center location and size, marked study density scenarios, transportation plan options including Parkway, slip ramps and bridge over Parkway connecting Hornbaker Road to the town center.

Other parts of the plan include internal access, block layout and parking garage locations; conceptual detail to adjacent property not part of the town center and not part of this amendment.

4:16 p.m. Board is hearing the quarterly VDOT report.

Updates:
Interstate 95, working on final phase to build a fourth lane in both directions from Route 1 to 123 and will be completed in Fall 2011.

Woodbridge District Supervisor Frank Principi said he is looking forward to picking a date for moving forward on the final design for the interchange North Woodbridge. Principi also commented on the loss of the Potomac Mills commuter parking spaces and asked for a solution.

Plans are in the works to expand the Telegraph Road commuter lot; of which the preliminary design is being done with proffer interest funds. But, in order to scale the lot money needs to be found to fund the project.

The Woodbridge tele-Town Hall meeting will take place on Jan. 25. Anyone interested in participating should contact Principi's office or NewWoodbridge.org for more information.

5:07 p.m. Board is in closed session.