Oaks III: Occoquan Asks For Prompt Remediation

At the most recent Town Council meeting attendees again mentioned, as have other residents and business owners over the past month, their desire that the Town Council continue to pursue whatever means we have at our disposal to mitigate the anticipated storm water and traffic impacts of the Oaks III project at the corner of Tanyard Hill and Old Bridge Roads. Accordingly, at its meeting on Feb. 7, the Town Council unanimously adopted a resolution requesting that Prince William County require the developer of Oaks III to proceed promptly with two remediation efforts he proffered as part of his rezoning application. Specifically, the Town Council has requested that the developer (who also owns the adjoining Oaks II property) promptly fix what the County staff report for the rezoning identified as "uncontrolled run-off" from the Oaks II property, and remediate some 400 feet of eroded stream on the Oaks III property.  

Our particular concern at the moment is that with the approval of the rezoning, there is no pressure on the developer to fix either of these two issues until such time as he constructs the full Oaks III complex--something that could be years away, if ever, given market conditions. In the meantime, the uncontrolled run-off from the developer's existing Oaks II property, and the eroded stream on the Oaks III property, will continue to damage Ballywhack Creek, potentially exacerbating both the frequency and severity of future flooding in Town, and the cost to taxpayers of subsequent remediation efforts.
The resolution and an explanatory letter were delivered to the County's Watershed Management branch on Feb. 8.  Copies of each may viewed on the Town's web site by clicking here.