UPDATED: Supervisors and Candidates Reveal Their Positions on Controversial Land Use Cases

The Board of County Supervisors has indicated its willingness to conduct public hearings and votes on contentious land use cases during the “lame duck” period between Election Day and the end of their current terms when their electoral accountability is minimized.

Citizens have a right to know the position of supervisors, particularly those presenting themselves for reelection and should be able to compare incumbent supervisor positions with those of the candidates seeking to replace them.

A request (by Say No to Devlin Tech Park) was e-mailed to each supervisor and candidate, asking that they definitively state their support or opposition for contentious land use cases that might be considered during the “lame duck” period.

All data center projects inquired about would be located outside of the Data Center Opportunity Zone Overlay District and are located next to schools, homes, and national parks.

The cases inquired about were:

• Bristow Campus,
• Devlin Technology Park
• John Marshall Commons Technology Park
• Prince William Digital Gateway
• and Potomac Technology Park

It will be up to the voters to decide how to interpret a respondent’s failure to provide a response to our inquiry considering campaign donations and previous voting history (if applicable).

The following Supervisors/Candidates failed to respond:

• Sup. & Candidate Victor Angry (D-Neabsco)
• Sup. & Candidate Andrea Bailey (D-Woodbridge)
• Sup. & Candidate Kenny Boddye (D-Occoquan)
• Sup. & Candidate Margaret Franklin, (D-Potomac)
• Candidate Karla Justice (R-Occoquan),
• and Chair-At-Large Ann Wheeler-D

The following Supervisors/Candidates responded opposing all five projects:

• Candidate Jim Gehlsen (D-Brentsville)
• Candidate Tom Gordy (R- Brentsville) 
• Candidate Deshundra Jefferson (D-Chair-At-Large) 
• Candidate Jeannie LaCroix (R-Woodbridge)
•  Sup. Jeanine Lawson (R-Brentsville) & (R-Candidate for Chair-At-Large)
• Candidate Verndell Robinson (R-Woodbridge),
• Sup. & Candidate Yesli Vega (R-Coles)
• and Sup. Bob Weir (R-Gainesville)

Say No to Devlin Tech Park also provided information on the campaign donations candidates received from data center developers. (Note this number may change over time.)

Here is the board's previous voting record on data centers. 

Say No to Devlin Tech Park is an organization of over 600 homeowners who banded together in response to the threat to communities posed by The Devlin Technology Park. We believe representative government depends upon an informed electorate and we hope this attempt to elicit greater transparency has advanced that objective.

Bethany Kelley and Laura Mahoney

Bristow, VA

Say No to Devlin Tech Park

Addendum: We only heard back from Idris O'Connor, Democratic Candidate for the Coles District, past the deadline, who said he has concerns but will consider each of their own merits. 

Bristow Beat acknowledges these numbers are subject to change from date of publication. Please refer to VPAP for the most up-to-date information on campaign donations.