This October, two elected officials, representing different sides of Prince William County and of the political spectrum, spoke with one voice about the future of their community. During the Board meeting, Supervisors Kenny Boddye (D, Occoquan District) and Tom Gordy (R, Brentsville District) called for a series of policies that will build off one another to create more deliberate, people-first development patterns across the County.
“At the local level, we don’t have the luxury of leading from silos. Our residents expect solutions, not stalemates,” said Supervisor Gordy. “Supervisor Boddye and I may represent different districts and political perspectives, but we share the belief that Prince William County deserves thoughtful, balanced leadership rooted in collaboration and action.”
Supervisor Boddye agreed, adding, “People in Prince William County don’t live within the confines of magisterial districts. We must lead in the same interconnected way.”
The Supervisors championed the following policies for more deliberate, people-first development:
End By-right Data Center Development: Supervisor Boddye added a six-month window to his earlier directive to sunset the 2016 Data Center Opportunity Zone Overlay District (DCOZOD), citing the sale of Merrifield Garden Center to data center developers for $4M per acre as an urgent call to action. Because the business is located in the overlay, the project can proceed without Board approval or public input.
Removing the overlay would require any new data center proposal to go through public hearings and review by the Planning Department, Planning Commission and Board of County Supervisors. Boddye pointed to the recent denial of the Bristow Campus Data Center as an example of how that process can work. He joined Supervisors Gordy, Bailey, and Vega, along with Chair Jefferson, in rejecting the proposal, supporting Gordy’s vision for community-serving development in this area of his district. This opportunity would have been lost under the DCOZOD.
“When a beloved institution like Merrifield can’t compete with data center money, that’s a warning sign. This Board must reduce the development pressure on our local business community,” said Supervisor Boddye. “Otherwise, we are incentivizing the wrong things. That is why we must disallow by-right development of data centers, and why I’ve called for them to be removed from our Economic Development Targeted Industries list.”
“When iconic venues and family farms are in the crosshairs, we have to ask what matters most to our residents. Removing the overlay would allow for more deliberate, community-driven decision-making,” said Supervisor Gordy
Supervisor Boddye added that development pressure extends beyond business preservation. “Every time a data center develops next to existing homes, or on land planned for a neighborhood, it becomes harder for the next generation to live here,” Boddye said. “We can’t let an industrial bidding war determine our future. My directive is just as much about what we choose to move toward as what we are moving away from.”
Tools for Focused Growth and Preservation: Additionally, both supervisors confirmed their commitment to balanced policies that protect farms, forests, open space and water quality, while planning for more diverse housing options that meet people where they are.
Supervisor Gordy issued a directive for Prince William to establish an Agricultural and Forestal Reserve. It would take a holistic approach to countywide preservation, extending to land within the Occoquan Reservoir Protection Area and adjacent to Marine Corps Base Quantico and Prince William Forest Park.
This directive will also strengthen and expand the work to establish a well-funded, well-managed Purchase of Development Rights (PDR) program, introduced by Supervisor Boddye in 2021, and establish a Transfer of Development Rights (TDR) program.
Together, these tools are designed to empower landowners to voluntarily preserve farmland and sensitive land while redirecting development to activity and employment centers with planned or existing infrastructure.
“PDRs and TDRs are a market-driven, fiscally responsible approach to protecting our rural character and ensuring sustainable growth, without burdening individual property owners,” said Supervisor Gordy.
Both Supervisors noted that everything they are calling for is supported by existing data and recommendations, saying that no new studies are needed and that the time has come to act on what the County already knows to be true.
A Collaborative Path Forward: In an era when politics too often divides, Supervisors Gordy and Boddye say their collaboration shows what’s possible when leaders put people first. “This is what leadership can and should look like,” they said. “By reaching across the aisle and focusing on real outcomes, we can protect what makes Prince William special today while preparing for a dynamic tomorrow. Through collaboration across district and party lines, our vision is for Prince William to embrace innovation while safeguarding tradition, to welcome growth while preserving balance. That’s the example we’re proud to set as we work with County residents, staff, and our Board colleagues to build a legacy future generations will be proud to inherit.”