Forum details Falmouth redevelopment

By JIM LAWRENCE
Published: October 1, 2008

FALMOUTH — Two Stafford County supervisors and other county officials hosted a public forum on the redevelopment of the Warrenton Road corridor in Stafford on Sept. 25 at the Riverside Center in Falmouth.

Drawings, which delineating a proposed future of the area and showed mixed-use, pedestrian-friendly concepts, were on display at the event.

The goal of the redevelopment is to create an alternative development pattern which focuses on compact, mixed-use properties with access to new civic and cultural uses, shopping, work and public green spaces, a county news release states.

“I am happy to champion this effort because the Southern Gateway is a area of great potential,” said Stafford Supervisor George Schwartz, D-Falmouth, in a statement before the meeting.

The Southern Gateway is the area is located on U.S. 17 between its interchange with Interstate 95 and Berea Road in Stafford, according to the news release.

At the forum, Supervisor Joe Brito, I-Hartwood, referred to a “resurgence of community development” and named several projects either under way or projected in the Warrenton Road corridor.

Some of the upcoming construction projects he cited were a super Wal-Mart, a retirement community near Berea Church Road, a Holiday Inn Express, Country Inn Suites and Carter’s Crossing — a 35-acre retail center which will house Pet Smart and Target. He also named Panera Bread, Sonic, Pohanka Honda and Starbucks as businesses headed toward that area.

Also, Lowe’s will celebrate its grand opening Oct. 23 and GEICO is planning to expand its facility, he said.

Jeff Harvey, director of Planning and Zoning, called the “dynamic … still thriving” area a “very important economic engine.”

The Southern Gateway is filled with commercial and industrial developments largely accessed through driveways and side roads, the news release states. In addition, it is a preferred alternative route for vehicles seeking to avoid the Washington, D.C. Capital Beltway.

“Considering the present economic climate and business coming to this area,” said Tim Baroody, deputy county administrator, “There is some reason to still be optimistic in Stafford County.”

County Construction Manager Kay Fox touted the new library to be built near Plantation Drive, and stated it was designed to be energy efficient and environmentally friendly.

Always an issue on Warrenton Road is traffic. More than one resident spoke at the forum on the need for a connector road between Warrenton Road and Va. 3.

Harry Lee, district preliminary engineering manager for the Virginia Department of Transportation, said that the Fredericksburg Area Metropolitan Planning Organization had dropped plans for an “outer connector.” He did not see the likelihood of it being resurrected in the near future. 

Falmouth revitalization is geared more toward being a “tourist destination.” At the center of the redevelopment is the Falmouth traffic light.

The light has been a subject of controversy for some time. Two lanes feed into it from each direction, and it has not changed over the years despite the every increasing traffic at that intersection.

An overpass is planned from the Butler Road to Warrenton Road direction. Some argued that such a setup would divide the town and serve as a deterrent to people who otherwise might stop and spend some time in the town.

Schwartz disagreed with that argument. “The town is already divided,” he said.

For more information on the redevelopment, visit gostaffordva.com/South ern-Gateway.cfm.