1. home and garden

Better Development,
Better Transportation,
Better Neighborhoods
Woodbridge Vision Frank J. Principi Woodbridge District Supervisor Winter 2009 receive the electronic version of the Woodbridge Vision quarterly. Resident Woodbridge District Please send your email address to [email protected] and you will automatically Frankly Speaking Supervisor Frank J. Principi Over the past year, I have had the privilege of working with many of you, other elected officials, county and state staff, and numerous community organizations to help improve our community. I also had the opportunity to continue to develop and share our vision of a New Woodbridge and begin to develop the implementa‐
tion strategies that will be needed to move us forward. Throughout this newsletter are updates on our achievements in 2008 toward Better Development, Better Transportation, and Better Neighborhoods in Woodbridge. Enhanced communication with you, my constituent was one of my first priorities. The launching of our web site, www.NewWoodbridge.org provides residents a quick link for updated information on local issues and events. This newsletter will be distributed quarterly. Meeting with constituents individually and through numerous town hall meetings has allowed me to hear your concerns and to work with you to find solutions. The formation of the Woodbridge Potomac Civic Association gives you a voice in new development and civic issues facing our community. In This Issue This coming year is going to be an economic Frankly Speaking ……….......1 challenge for all of us. Both the State and County are Ferry Summit …………....…..2 facing tremendous deficits that may eliminate many Budget Information …….…...3 services we have come to expect. The current economic Update from the Housing situation requires us to do things differently. It does not Board ……………….........4 mean that we stop moving forward. It is an opportunity to Better Development Charrette Follow‐up.........5 join together to analyze what we have been doing and Better Transportation …...…..7 create innovative solutions. Last year I had a vision for a Better Neighborhoods …..…..8 New Woodbridge, this year I believe we have a vision for a Town Hall Meeting at New Woodbridge. As individuals, neighborhoods and a Senior Center …..…......…...8 community we will continue to make progress toward WPCCA ………..……….…….9 Convention and Visitors .....10 implementing the vision. Around Woodbridge ……...11 www.NewWoodbridge.org www.NewWoodbridge.org Woodbridge Clean‐up/ Beautification Project Spring is always a time for renewal, change and revitalization. On May 16th Supervisor Frank J. Principi, the Woodbridge Potomac Communities Civic Association (WPCCA) and volunteers will join together to clean‐up and landscape the area along the east side of Route 1 from the VRE construction site to the bridge. Community Service Awards for Youth, Giving Back to the Community In November 2008, over 200 people participated in a three‐day Charrette to develop a plan to revitalize Woodbridge. One of the short term action items that resulted from this event was the need to change the image and give the community a facelift, especially along the Route 1 Corridor. The past several years has seen the Route 1 corridor through Woodbridge become aesthetically challenged. Much of this can be contributed to road improvements and development projects that have been postponed due to the current economic situation. But the community and the residents are ready for change to begin now. Pope John Paul the Great
Luncheon with Hylton
Performing Arts
In addition to the May 16th event, church’s, civic organizations, youth groups, HOA’s and private citizens are being asked to create service/community projects to clean‐up or landscape various areas in Woodbridge. Groups can work alone on their own project or join Supervisor Principi and the WPCCA on May 16th. Help create a New Woodbridge. A lot of people doing a little bit will make a tremendous difference. All projects will be registered on www.NewWoodbridge.org and listed in newsletters and press releases. For more information or to register, please contact Barbara DeChene at [email protected] or call 703.792.4646. 2 www.NewWoodbridge.org Senior Town Hall Meeting
www.NewWoodbridge.org 11 Proposed 2010 County Budget “It’s All Right Here” Kathy Bentz
Woodbridge District Appointee
The Prince William County/Manassas Convention & Visitors Bureau (CVB) has undertaken several new programs to bring more visibility and more visitors to Prince William County. With the growing popularity of close‐to‐home vacations, the CVB is raising awareness about the County’s many attractions, amenities and activities. You might have heard our ‘It’s All Right Here’ spots on WTOP or WMZQ or seen our ads on the OmniRide buses traveling up and down I‐95. The idea behind the campaign is to encourage local residents and tourists alike to take advantage of all we have to offer in Prince William County – from historic sites like Rippon Lodge, to the popular National Marine Corps Museum, wonderful outdoor sites like Leesylvania State Park, our own winery and nationally recognized golf courses. If you have friends and family in town, don’t forget to ‘tour’ what’s right in your own back yard. Go to www.visitpwc.com for more ideas and a free visitors’ guide. The CVB is also working to strengthen its partnerships with community organizations that support the tourism industry, including hotels, shops and restaurants, the cultural arts and business organizations. If you would like to learn more about the CVB and its efforts to expand tourism in our community, contact Sharon Cavileer, Interim Executive Director, at (703) 396-7130.
10 www.NewWoodbridge.org Prince William County is facing its most challenging budget year ever. The impact of state budget cuts combined with plummeting home values, the national recession, and a growing number of job losses will require the Board of County Supervisors to make many difficult decisions this year. The County Executive presented his budget to the Board of County Supervisors on February 17, 2009 based on a tax rate of $1.198. The budget proposes a 16% lower tax bill for homeowners (average $548) and a 6% decrease in the county budget. The proposed budget reduces General Government by $5.1 million Community Development by $4.6 million, Human Services by $2.6 million and public safety by $4.9 million. In addition to the 155 County staff positions that will be eliminated there also is a loss of services to County residents. The choices the Board of Supervisors make over the next several weeks will affect the quality of life of every Prince William resident. I encourage you to learn as much as you can about the proposed budget and to let me know your thoughts and suggestions. No one wants their taxes raised and lot of people feel government budgets should be reduced. But where do you make cuts without reducing the quality of life we have come to expect. Do we reduce the number of books we buy and the hours of the library? Do we close neighborhood parks? Do we reduce the number of police officers, teachers and neighborhood inspectors? Do we stop providing programs for people with disabilities? Do we stop providing transportation to the Senior Center? I think you can see the dilemma we are facing and why it is important for us to work together to find solutions. The final budget will be adopted on April 28, 2009. The tax rate will be authorized at the March 3, 2009 at the Board of County Supervisor’s meeting. Once the tax rate is advertised, it can be lowered, but not raised. On March 7, 2009, at 9:00 a.m., there will be a Community Meeting at the McCoart Building. County staff will be available to answer pre‐submitted questions. All questions need to be sent to the budget office at 703‐792‐6720 or emailed to [email protected] no later than Wednesday, March 4th, 2009. Public hearings are scheduled for 7:30 p.m. on April 6th at the Ferlazzo Building and 7:30 p.m. April 9th at Battlefield High School. Meanwhile, I encourage each of us to think what we want for Prince William County. We have the opportunity to unite, to work together, to prioritize, and redefine how we can deliver an even better quality of life for all residents in our community. I am confident that we will rise to the difficult challenges and do the right thing. www.NewWoodbridge.org 3 Update from the Housing Board Dorothy Karhnak
Woodbridge District Appointee
Woodbridge Potomac
Communities Civic Association
(WPCCA) Elected Officers
The Prince William County Housing Board has been kept busy this year implementing programs to help county employees and other residents acquire and keep affordable housing and to stem the increases in home foreclosures. There are two plans being developed by the Office of Housing and Community Development (OHCD) that target eligible county employees and are aimed at helping these county workers afford to buy housing in Prince William. These programs are Home Help and Home Help Plus. A third program is a federal one, funded through HUD’s Neighborhood Stabilization Pro‐
gram, is aimed at helping those areas facing high foreclosure rates. The Woodbridge Potomac Communities Civic Association elected officers at the October meeting. Ron Smith will serve as the Associations first Chairperson, Gene Rainville is Vice‐Chairperson and Lynda Silverstrand is the Secretary. These officers and other members of the Board of Directors have been working with Supervisor Principi to organize the Association, establish By‐laws and recruit membership. The Board is made up of individuals who have lived in Woodbridge for 30+ years as well as newer residents. The Home Help Program is designed to reduce the Countyʹs serious oversupply of homes for sale, including foreclosed properties, while making it possible for Prince William County employees, teachers and Park Authority em‐
ployees to purchase a home in the County. This allows County employees to live in the community in which they work and reduces the current supply of homes on the market. Home Help Plus will work with Home Help to provide down payment and closing cost assistance to households with incomes at or below 80% of area median income Civic Associations have evolved throughout the United States as a way for communities to be organized and present a united voice to the government officials. Citizen involvement is what makes a strong community and a strong Civic Association. The WPCCA purpose is to unite the communities of Woodbridge (Potomac Communities) and to address issues such as land use, environment, transportation and development. The Association will also participate in civic matters throughout Prince William County, Virginia. These programs are made possible by investing a portion of the Countyʹs investment portfolio in Certificates of Deposit. As part of the program, the bank will provide benefits to the employee borrower that includes deposit based credits, credits that can be used for interest rate reductions and/or closing cost credit, as well as reduced cost closings and credit for auto‐debit set up. Any resident, business, non‐profit organization or property owner in the Woodbridge Magisterial District, eighteen years of age or older, may be an Association member. Membership requires annual registration and attendance at least one meeting a year. The WPCCA currently has close to 50 members. The HUD Neighborhood Stabilization Program is aimed at assisting communities where home values have fallen because of foreclosed and abandoned houses. Prince William has been awarded $4.1 million and the Office of Housing and Community Development has worked diligently to find the best way to use this money and help alleviate the county’s foreclosure crisis. Several of the affected areas are in the Woodbridge District. Over the next several months, WPCCA will focus on understanding planned business and development activities in the area. This will include interaction with County planning staff, business owners and developers to define and build a new, improved community. Please join the WPCCA and become part of creating a positive image for “New Woodbridge.” The County’s Housing Board is working closely with the OHCD to help them meet some tight deadlines in order to make best use of these funds. 4 www.NewWoodbridge.org www.NewWoodbridge.org 9 Better Neighborhoods
The revitalization of neighborhoods and businesses is a priority for Supervisor Principi. His office handled close to three hundred constituent requests, an enforcement “sweep” of 125 residences, and six Town Hall Meetings in 2008. Staff, county employees, and volunteers removed over 50 tons of trash and debris from Woodbridge during ”Dumpster Days” and the scheduled Veterans Park clean‐ups. Some 30 businesses and homes were assisted by the Clean Community Council in the removal of graffiti. Two new sidewalks were constructed along Jefferson Davis Highway that will ensure our residents can walk safely. Several new street lights were installed, replaced, and assessed by the Police Department’s Crime Prevention Unit as a means to reduce vandalism and burglaries. Town Hall Meeting at the Senior Center Supervisor Principi held an information town hall meeting at the Woodbridge Senior Center in late October. Representatives’ from the Senior Police Academy, the County Tax office, Social Service, the Area Agency on Aging and the Prince William Office of Housing shared information about programs available to older Americans. After the presentations, Supervisor Principi opened the floor for questions and comments. To ensure that everyone benefits from the discussion, the questions/answers are posted on the website; www.NewWoodbridge.org. 8 www.NewWoodbridge.org Better Development
North Woodbridge Charrette
The North Woodbridge Charrette was an intensive, interactive process that brought the community together with planning and design experts. Through a series of exercises they developed concepts regarding the communityʹs strengths and weaknesses, identified community desires, and developed a broad vision for North Woodbridge as well as implementation strategies to make the vision of North Woodbridge a reality. Supervisor Principi, Northern Virginia Regional Commission and Woodbridge Potomac Communities Civic Association hosted the event that brought together over 200 private citizens, transportation officials, planners, developers, and elected officials. During the course of three days, the Charrette attendees participated in multiple workshops creating a redevelopment plan for North Woodbridge. Workshops were organized around the issues of transportation, development/design issues, housing, historic preservation, and the economic impact of the North Woodbridge/Route 1 Corridor. The sessions produced practical starting steps for the revitalization of North Woodbridge. These starting steps were based upon the theme of connectivity and transportation. North Woodbridge will be the gateway into the coun‐
ty and help connect the other riverside communities of Occoquan and Belmont Bay. Charrette participants focused on developing a “transit triangle” connecting bus rapid transit, PRTC, VRE trains, and ferry systems in the future. Commercial and residential development would be built around these high density nodes. (continued on page 6) www.NewWoodbridge.org 5 New development will be needed with the influx of new residents, businesses, and tourists as BRAC and other initiatives bring people to the area. The new type of development will need wider roads, walkable blocks, green spac‐
es, and trails to connect the community. The Charrette produced concrete ideas on moving forward with the redevelopment of North Woodbridge. One set of strategies centered on the Route 1/123 intersection. It is apparent that the area needs immediate cleaning and landscaping. Participants al‐
so encouraged VDOT to consider widening Route 1 around the proposed site in phases and to consider different options for the Route.1/Rt. 123 intersection. Additional strategies for North Woodbridge called for a leadership collaborative to market the area, the establishment of a business improvement district and supporting and encouraging George Masons presence and growth in Woodbridge. Additional information is available at www.NorthWoodbridge.org. Supervisor Principi used Woodbridge District funds to install a sidewalk on Route 1 connecting nursing home residents and doctors offices to OmniRide and the nearby shopping area. Better Transportation
Two Virginia Department of Transportation grants to consider Bus Rapid Transit along Jefferson Davis Highway and Commuter Fer‐
ry Service from North Woodbridge to the Pen‐
tagon and Navy Yard have allowed us to begin thinking outside the box. The feasibility studies are the first step needed to conduct a market analysis and build a business plan for the two new commuter options to DC and Tysons Corner. Please check your mail in May for an invitation to join us onboard the ferry to DC! Among the most difficult challenges in Woodbridge is the ability to get from one place to another. The last mile home is often the most difficult in the evenings. To help alleviate traffic gridlock, the newest section of Neabsco Mills Road and Stone Bridge at Potomac Town Center (home of Wegmans!) opened in June. Progress in the construction of the Neabsco Creek Bridge continues to move forward and work has begun to add capacity on Interstate 95 from the Occoquan River Bridge to the Fairfax County Parkway. While the gridlock is difficult during construction, the additional long‐term capacity is much needed. Report Graffiti Newsletter Subscribe/Unsubscribe (703) 792‐4646 Bertha Johnson, at [email protected] or by going to www.NewWoodbridge.org 6 www.NewWoodbridge.org www.NewWoodbridge.org 7