Habitat plans dealt a blow

By Kipp Hanley

Published: May 22, 2008

Habitat for Humanity Executive Director Traci DeGroat is at a loss to explain the latest opposition to their Websters Way re-zoning efforts.

Several months ago, the Prince William County Planning Commission voted to table a proposed rezoning request by Habitat of property the organization wanted to develop into affordable housing near Hoadly Road and Websters Way. Habitat wanted 3.29 acres rezoned from rural residential to suburban residential to build up to seven future houses.

However, complaints voiced at the Planning Commission meeting on March 19 and the rising cost of the project thanks to stiffer proffer suggestions by the commission forced Habitat to look in another direction.

Taking residents' concerns into account, Habitat revised its proffers to eliminate any reference to "affordable housing." By doing this, Habitat hoped that the property would still be re-zoned so that the organization can sell the land and use the proceeds, in part, to pay back grant money awarded for this project.

Those proffer amendments were recommended for approval by the county planning office on May 7. But after Wednesday's public hearing, the planning commission voted 6-1 against recommending the rezoning. Only chairman Russell E. Bryant Jr.  voted for approval, with Rene M. Fry absent for the vote.

Commission member Ronald K. Burgess said that while he respects the organization, it was a matter of too many houses on too little land.

"When we look at cases, we certainly turn a blind eye to the applicant," Burgess said. "We looked at the merits of the case on the table. And they wanted to place seven lots on the property and I felt that was too intense for that location on Websters Way and Hoadly [Road]."

Vice-chairman Ernie Gonzales, who originally put in the motion to support the county's recommendation, disagreed with Burgess on the land issue.

"It was a lower density of [homes per acre] than at least two of the subdivisions there, if not all three," Gonzales said. "It was in line and compliant with the surrounding environment."

After his initial motion wasn't seconded, Gonzales made a new motion to recommend denial of the rezoning. Burgess said there were also some drainage issues, which both DeGroat and Gonzales said could be addressed sufficiently.

Planning Director Steve Griffin estimated there were approximately 12 people that spoke against the development during Wednesday's hearing.

According to DeGroat, a running question by the residents was "why don't you just buy foreclosed properties and rehab them instead of building new lots?"

There are an estimated 5,000 foreclosed properties in the county.

But DeGroat explained Thursday that the organization doesn't have the money to do these things and that the funding secured through a $263,000 grant to build the Websters Way properties could be revoked if it doesn't follow through on its plans.

DeGroat also added that people eligible for the Habitat program wouldn't necessarily be eligible for conventional financing to purchase a home on their own.

The current land is zoned to allow three homes only, a setting that is way too cost-prohibitive for its future buyers, said DeGroat. Because eligible families have to earn just 25 to 60 percent of the median Washington-area income, DeGroat said Habitat will have to find a way to further subsidize the project if they want to continue without a zoning change.

"It's going to take a lot of community involvement to do that," DeGroat said.

Habitat is scheduled to go before the Prince William County Board of Supervisors on July 8, an effort DeGroat hopes isn't a losing one.

"If we don't build, we will have to repay the grant," DeGroat said. "Either way, we are going to have to get some houses for people."

Staff writer Kipp Hanley can be reached at 703-369-5738.

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