Board denies asphalt application

BRISTOW, Va. -- Tuesday evening’s public hearing on the special use permit for Finley Asphalt & Sealing had all the atmosphere of a political rally or a sporting event.

Among the standing room only crowd spilling into the atrium at the James J. McCoart Government Center, there were politicians and there were raucous cheers. There were blue shirts worn by those opposing the plant and there were green shirts worn in favor of the plant.

In the end, the blue shirts won out when a resolution proposed by Brentsville supervisor W.S. Wally Covington III to deny the application was unanimously approved by the board.

Critics included dozens of residents in neighboring Victory Lakes, Sheffield Manor and Saybrooke subdivisions, many of which cited potential health concerns for their children at Tuesday’s meeting.

Victory Lakes residents Alexander and Anastasia Kot said they felt relieved with the decision made by the board. Anastasia was concerned with the potential health effects on her two children, especially her 6-year-old son who is autistic.

“I am very happy the board heard us,” Anastasia said.

Alexander said he was a bit surprised with all the support he received, but said that it just proved that the residents’ concerns were with the plant location, not the plant itself.

“People were opposing the location, not asphalt,” Alexander said. “I hope Mr. Finley knows this is not a personal attack. He needs to try to find the right way [to build the plant].”

Several businesses in the area also showed concern with the location, which was rezoned in 2008 to allow facilities like asphalt plants contingent on the applicant obtaining a special use permit. George Mason University Chief of Staff J. Thomas Hennessey Jr. sent a letter dated Monday expressing concern that building an asphalt plant in that location would increase traffic and hurt the ability of Prince William County to attract hi-tech science and technology businesses.

The Finley supporters were just as vocal as the opposition. Many of them praised president Eric Finley as a good county resident and businessman. Several of them said they either lived near a plant or worked at an asphalt plant and said there were no ill effects of working around the substance.

Finley attorney Gifford Hampshire also cited the fact that Superior Paving asphalt facility is approximately two miles from the Finley site and said that they hadn’t heard any complaints about that plant.

The planning commission recommended approval of the permit last spring but the issue was tabled after asphalt company GRR Land of Virginia, LLC pulled its application for a proffer amendment and special use permit. The GRR plant would have been located in close proximity to Finley in the Broad Run Industrial Park.

However, GRR received an enormous backlash from surrounding communities and decided to look elsewhere. In the last year, Finley performed public outreach and worked with county staff to modify its plant proposal to make it more palatable for the residents and businesses in the area.

According to Finley, the plant would have added 100 jobs to the county and $2.3 million to county coffers in the next five years.

Staff writer Kipp Hanley can be reached at 703-530-3904.