Board of Supervisors Appeal Court’s Ruling on the Crucible
By: Uriah A. Kiser
Until recently it hasn’t looked food for area neighbors fighting the expansion of the Crucible, an anti-terrorism school looking to expand from its current facility on US 17 in the southern portion of Stafford County, and build a new 198-acre facility in Hartwood.
The Stafford County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday voted 6-1 in closed-door session to appeal an earlier circuit court ruling that states the Crucible is vested and may build its new facility near the Hartwood residential area, on land previously zoned for agriculture.
The only dissenting opinion on the board was that of Supervisor Paul Milde, R-Aquia.
“I’m urging Joe Brito to sit down with the owners of The Crucible and discuss a plan that would benefit everyone,” said Milde.
“Our lawyers have told us that if we fight this, there is a 1 and 5 chance of success, and that is not a wise use of taxpayers’ money.”
Supervisors Joe Brito, I-Hartwood, said that The Crucible spent more than $1 million toward the development of the property, even before the circuit court ruled.
“Basically, under the State Code, the judge ruled that the zoning administrator’s decision was a “significant affirmative governmental act”, which vested the development under the code, as long as the developer relied on the decision and spent significant money toward the project after in diligent pursuit of the development,” said Brito in an email to the Stafford County Sun.
John Snyder, Mouth Olive Road resident and founder of Mount Olive Concerned Citizens group, or MOACC, said the Zoning Administrator approved The Crucible’s request without getting any local input from the residents.
If the school is built, he says it will drastically change the neighborhood he has lived in for 26 years.
“It’s going to be devastating; they are probably about five to seven feet away from my property,” said Snyder. “When the atmospheric conditions are right I can hear gunfire from their current facility. I can’t imagine what it will be like when they are in my own backyard.”
New York-based risk management firm Kroll, Inc. owns the current facility on US 17 in south Stafford.
The firm plans to add a live fire-driving range at its newly proposed Hardwood facility, to simulate the urban warfare in a cityscape back drop.
The Crucible submitted site plans for the proposed expansion in 2004.
After residents got word of expansion, they complained about the possible noise and type of customers the business world would bring to their neighborhood.
“This is a mercenary training camp,” said Ruth Carlone, who also lives along Mount Olive Road. “There might be one or two government training contracts, but it [The Crucible] is a commercial entity to train people looking to make some quick money.”
In response to public criticism of the project, the Stafford Count Board of Supervisors changed the zoning ordinance, stating that training facilities can only operate on land zoned for industrial use.
Kroll, Inc. sued the county, claiming to be exempt from the new ordinance because it was enacted after the company submitted its plans.
Kroll, Inc. representative Douglas Wilson declined to comment on the facilities expansion, citing pending litigation.
Mount Olive Area Concerned Citizens, or MOACC, a group Snyder founded, has spent more than $40,000 in legal fees to fight the school’s expansion.
Snyder said that much of The Crucible’s dealings with the county have been out of public view.
“If they are such a great corporate citizen, why do all of them take this back-door approach to doing business?” said Snyder.
According to an email forwarded to the Stafford County Sun from legal counsel representing MOACC, the group only has few options, stating that, “constitutionally challenging the school’s right to build would most likely fail,” but Snyder hopes the Virginia Supreme Court will hear the case.
“It ain’t over until the fat lady sings. She’s humming a pretty good tune now, but she hasn’t started singing yet,” he said.