Delegate Marshall Column: Keep 'Innovation" high tech

Is a 600-truck-a-day asphalt plant compatible with the high tech development Prince William has pursued with the Innovation Business Park anchored by George Mason’s Prince William Campus and the
Performing Arts Center?

The Prince William Board of County Supervisors is scheduled to vote June 2 to approve an asphalt plant at 9514 Hornbaker Road.

In 1994, the supervisors amended our Comprehensive Plan to formally recognize the presence of George Mason University as a magnet for high tech economic development. Until now, they have kept that
promise.

A January 9, 2007 article from GMU’s Gazette noted: “The rapid development of the next phase of Innovation@Prince William is proof positive of the remarkable foresight of the leadership and frankly,
political courage of Prince William County, the City of Manassas and Mason to stick with the master plan for what has evolved as ‘university-centered economic development,’ says Larry Czarda, vice
president for regional campuses at Mason.”

Unlike other economic development projects associated with Innovation, there was no county publicity about the proposed asphalt plant. Furthermore, local homeowners, businesses within a half-mile of
the asphalt plant and Manassas City Officials were not notified.

Special use zoning requests on the eastern side of Prince William County that involve air pollution permits always have significant citizen input, and not just from a few immediately adjacent property
owners.

An asphalt plant will adversely affect future economic development at Innovation. Two present Innovation tenants with investments of over $300 million wrote to me and two others personally told me that
they would not have moved there had they known an asphalt plant would be located there.

Would the FBI have moved to Innovation? Will businesses choose Class A office space near an asphalt plant when they could choose environmentally friendly business parks in Stafford, Loudoun or
Fauquier?

There is appropriate property for an asphalt plant on University Boulevard near Interstate 66 in Gainesville, which already has heavy industry next to the Norfolk Southern rail line and which does not
require rezoning.

Prince William’s three asphalt plants are in heavy industrial areas and have access to rail. The proposed project has no rail access, which will require many more trucks on the roads when the two gravel
sources located on U.S. 29 in Centreville and behind Manassas Mall are exhausted in fewer than 10 years.

Prince William County’s Comp Plan requires asphalt plants be located in the center of an industrial park, not its periphery, as with the Innovation project. Guidelines require performance standards for off
site impacts such as dust, emissions and particulates. The county has no odor control ordinance, but asphalt plants produce strong odors.

Prince William taxpayers own Innovation, and Prince William Supervisors, as trustees of Innovation, must exercise a high degree of diligence and prudence on our behalf before approving significant
departures from established guidelines.

Republican Bob Marshall is a member of the Virginia House of Delegates. He represents the 13th District.