|
Prince William County's Land Conservation Challenge
Vague open space definitions are confusing to everyone and create a framework where it is difficult, perhaps impossible, to accurately assess existing open space. Open space assessments that artifically inflate existing resources could significantly impair Prince William County's capacity to ensure the presence of adequate and high quality open space countywide. |
Prince William County:
Open Space Figures Can Vary |
Current Open Space Proposal |
73,014 acres |
Current Open Space Proposal Powerpoint |
70,238 acres |
Greater Washington Regional Initiative |
78,619 acres |
|
Prince William County: Conservation Priorities Can Vary
|
Citizens Increasingly Unhappy with PWC Efforts to Protect Green Open Space
Prince William County Citizen Satisfaction Surveys |
2001 |
2003 |
2005 |
Click below to read the PWC Citizen Satisfaction Surveys: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
58.3% |
54.7% |
45.1% |
|
Current Open Space Acreage in Prince William County
According to the 2006 Version of the Proposed Open Space Plan
|
Category |
Acres |
Notes |
Public Open Space: |
Manassas National Battlefield Park |
4,339 |
|
Prince William Forest Park |
12,089 |
Note: Prince William Forest Park encompasses approximately 15,500 acres, according to the National Park Service and the Prince William County staff report for the designation of the Park as a Designated Cultural Resource. |
Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge |
646 |
|
Featherstone National Wildlife Refuge |
338 |
|
Leesylvania State Park |
509 |
Note: Leesylvania State Park encompasses 544 acres, according to the Virginia Dept. of Conservation and Recreation |
Conway Robinson Memorial State Forest |
442 |
|
Civil War Preservation Trust |
270 |
|
PWC Parks |
3,250 |
Note: PWC Parks in 1999 = 2,858 acres |
Northern Virginia Regional Park Authority |
81 |
|
Signal Hill Park (owned by City of Manassas) |
105 |
|
SUBTOTAL |
22,069 |
|
Other Undeveloped Land included in PWC Open Space Assessment: |
|
|
Conservation Easements |
|
|
Northern Virginia Conservation Trust |
78 |
|
Virginia Outdoor Foundation |
1,579 |
Note: According to the Virginia Outdoor Foundation, they hold easements on approximately 550 acres of land in Prince William County. |
SUBTOTAL |
1,927 |
|
Miscellaneous: |
|
|
Schools Open Space |
733 |
|
Vacant Land owned by PWCSA |
34 |
|
Vacant Land owned by BOS |
1,244 |
|
SUBTOTAL |
5,261 |
|
Privately Owned Land: |
|
|
Golf Courses |
4,078 |
|
HOA Owned Land |
6,629 |
|
Ag & Forestal Districts |
3,012 |
|
RPA |
33,558 |
|
SUBTOTAL |
47,277 |
|
TOTAL |
73,014 |
|
|
|