Journal Blog

Letter about the Silver-Honaker rezoning

Brian Madison mailed this letter to King George residents:

I am writing you because someone needs to speak out about the unfair, unprofessional actions of three county Supervisors at the May 20th meeting. I am referring to their denial of the request to rezone land at Routes 3 and 301 for the Shiloh Crossing Retail Center.
Supervisor Joe Grzeika, Dale Sisson and James Howard voted to deny the rezoning. James Mullen abstained because of a potential business conflict. Count Board Chairman Cedell Brooks, Jr. voted in favor of the project.
I don't feel that the three supervisors' actions voting against the project represented the opinions of the majority of taxpayers and voters in King George County. By their actions at the meeting, they seemed to have their own personal political agendas, rather than the best interest of county taxpayers, at stake. Here's way.
• King George County is actively seeking new retail development to take the tax burden off property owners. This project is a dream-come-true for our economic development.
• The county has been waiting for years to get more tax-producing commercial development at that corner, one of the busiest intersections in King George. Commercial development makes sense there.
• The applicant previously held a citizen-input meeting and spoke with several community organizations a about the project; the response was overwhelmingly favorable.
• The rezoning was approved unanimously by the Planning Commission.
• Supervisors Grzeika, Sission and Howard don't even represent the district where the project is located, its representative is Chairman Brooks, who voted in favor of the project.
• Neither county staff nor the applicant expected a decision on May 20. The purpose of the meeting was to present the plan and allow interested citizens to voice their opinions.
• At the public hearing that night, opinions were evenly divided.
Despite these facts, within minutes after the public hearing, Supervisors Grzeika, Sisson and Howard pushed through the vote and the rezoning was denied 3-1. County staff and the applicant were never given an opportunity to respond to any of the concerns raised by the public or the three dissenting supervisors.
Is this how we want our elected officials to treat companies interested in investing millions of dollars in King George County? Through their actions, we have lost a great opportunity to save gas, create much-needed local jobs and enjoy the convenience of shopping closer to home. When our tax bills go up, we'll know who to thank.
There's only one way to fix their problem. Either Superivsor Grzeika, Sission and Howard must ask that the project be reconsidered. By law, one of them must ask for tge reconsideration. This would not commit them to voting for the project, but it would give the county staff and the applicant time to address everyone's concerns. This is only fair. Please call, or email them., etc. etc.

Brian Madison
6071 Waugh Point Drive
King George

A little late for that

Someone has been put out a petition asking Supervisors Joe Grzeika, Jim Howard and Dale Sisson to bring back the proposed commercial rezoning at Rts. 3 and 301 for reconsideration at the next meeting of the Board of Supervisors "thereby allowing input and discussion from all concerned parties...."

Even if the Board members were inclined to do so, they would not be able to. In order to reconsider the Board's vote, the motion to reconsider would have had to be made by one of the supervisors in the majority at the same meeting.

The meeting where the vote took place was adjourned and we suspect the Board members who voted to deny the rezoning are not interested in reconsidering the vote.

So the rezoning application, at least by the current applicants, cannot be brought back for a year.

Here is the petition. Note - no indication of who is sponsoring it.
Download Petition.gif