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Staff’s draft PWDG Plan does Three Important Things !

1.
Protect the Occoquan Reservoir.· A heightened emphasis on environmentally sensitive site design, including the preservation of environmental resources and tree canopy is recommended in the Plan, in order to ensure that data centers blend into their natural surroundings. Later rezoning applications which seek to implement the Plan will be scrutinized for conformance with “beyond ordinance requirements” environmental mitigation strategies and policies..State-of-the-art energy and water saving technologies will be expected. ·

Water Management – Nature. Restore riparian forests to filter runoff before entering streams; restore and protect the bed and banks of streams. Utilize ponds and lakes to calm runoff.
2. Protect Parkland.·
Catharpin Park will be improved by public water/sewer service rather than continuing Pump and Haul sewer. ·

County parks are enlarged by over 370 acres. 807 acres (over 1/3 of the Corridor) are planned to be parks or protected open space. There is a new natural area park (this a great site for ponds and a botanical garden);

The Catharpin Greenway is extended under Pageland Lane; 12 miles of new trails are planned, which will connect Silver Lake, Long Park, Catharpin Park, the Catharpin Greenway, Manassas Battlefield and Conway Robinson State Forest.·

Manassas National Battlefield Park is expanded by 10 acres:
Its first expansion in over 30 years –

Viewsheds will be protected through the application of Plan recommendations/policies.

3. Protect Local History.·The Plan prioritizes the research, documentation, and interpretation of the Thornton School site and its post-Civil War minority community.
Neither Prince William nor the National Park Service has ever done this.

·

Historic cemeteries that are found and documented within PWDG will be documented, preserved and maintained.·
Early Native American and prehistoric archeological sites along Little Bull Run, Catharpin Run and Licks Branch will be untouched and donated to the County for parkland.