Citizens opposed KSI's 2003 Greater South Market proposal to amend the Comprehensive Plan (initiated in 2001) because the development proposal:

• Included construction of 1,245 new homes.
• Removed 155 acres of land from the Rural Crescent
• Did not protect wetlands and other other natural resources needed to protect drinking water quality and groundwater recharge areas.
• Did not comply with the Chesapeake Bay regulations.
• Did not include a comprehensive review of Level of Service impacts to the surrounding area.
• Citizen input was not considered until the final stages of the process

The developer, KSI LLC, has sought approval for more than one plan for this development site. The original application, which covered the entire approximate 660 acres and proposed construction of 1,245 new homes, met significant opposition from Prince William residents.

The Prince William Conservation Alliance initiated a series of meetings between community members and the developer. Community members consistently conveyed their support for a conservation-friendly development plan with reduced residential densities. In the end, the final version of the proposed plan showed only a superficial response to community input and was subsequently denied by the Board of Supervisors.

After this, community members again stepped forward in support of efforts to achieve a mutually beneficial development plan. Board of Supervisors Chairman Sean Connaughton supported these efforts and outlined his guidelines, which included an environmentally sensitive design to save conservation features, such as wetlands, and a conservation easement to protect green open space.

Residents largely agreed with the Chairman's recommendations and expressed support for a plan that consolidated development away from wetlands and streams, increased connectivity between open space and resulted in no net loss to rural crescent acres.

KSI did not respond to residents' February 21, 2004, letter and instead submitted a site plan based on a previous rezoning, the by-right development plan currently under discussion to the Prince William County Planning Commission for approval. The Planning Commission approved the plan in February 2004 and, at that time, conveyed their support for changes to the plan in order to avoid impacts to wetlands and streams