List of Officials or candidates that have signed the Cannon Ridge Park petition. Three of them are on the ballot.
Former City Councilman Matt Kelly, Delegate Joshua Cole, Maya Guy, Monica Gary, Deuntay Diggs.
I sent a questionnaire to all nine Supervisor candidates late on Thursday. I should have sent it weeks ago. Most candidates didn't have time to research the questions to submit answers.
Bart Randall and Darrell English responded to my Questionnaire.
They both were on the Planning Commission in 2021 that voted in favor of a comprehensive plan amendment for a Park at Cannon Ridge and the River Crossing. Both proposals received a unanimous vote by the Planning Commission in 2021, but it was killed by Supervisor Snellings and Dudenhefer.
Answers to Enjoy Stafford Questionnaire - Bart Randall Response
Do you support the Rappahannock River Crossing at its proposed location at Celebrate Virginia Pkwy?
Bart - Yes, I support the proposed river crossing at Celebrate Virginia Parkway. The river crossing is long overdue and is desperately needed.
Do you support Extending Mine Road to Centreport Pkwy?
Bart - Yes, I support extending Mine Road to Centreport Pkwy. Anything that will help alleviate the traffic at the courthouse interchange is good for the long term traffic issues in the area. AND if the planning is right, the Mine Road extension would be available for some amount of businesses/storefronts that would also benefit the residents.
Do you support the Transportation Impact Fees on Residential, Commercial and Data Centers?
Bart - Absolutely. It was never clear why some on the BOS tried to reduce them to almost $0.00, but we need to make sure that the developers help with our traffic issues. How else but through the transportation impact fees?
Should residential be built on the County land proposed to be the New Courthouse? That land is zoned for 60 residential units per acre.
Bart - I believe this was the land that is intended to be "downtown Stafford". I believe that with the right planning, you can build both the Courthouse and some residential on the county land south of the current courthouse. I know many places where the town, city, county courthouse is in the middle of a "downtown" with a parking garage, shops, restaurants, etc... We can do both over there.
Would you support forming a Parks/Entertainment Referendum advisory committee that would be tasked with exploring funding options and recommend projects to the Board of Supervisors at the June, 2026 meeting?
Bart - Absolutely. Parks and Recreation have never been a top priority for the BOS over the last 15 years and we are paying the price now. According to the COMP PLAN we are way behind in park land required for the number of residents that we have. We may never catch up, but that doesn't mean we shouldn't try.
Do you support Public Access to England Run Falls and the 1,800 acres of public Rappahannock Riverfront Conservation lands.?
Bart - Yes, the County should work hard to develop a public - private partnership with the property owner, to develop the access and trails to the England Falls Run and the conservation lands that exist.
Should the closed Cannon Ridge Golf Course be rezoned for Residential Use?
Bart - NO! We originally rezoned that whole area with an RBC (Recreational Business Campus) rezoning specifically dedicated for a combination of recreation and business uses. Well, the residential area is pretty much built out per the percentages designated in the rezoning proffers, but with the closure of the golf course, I believe there are no dedicated "recreational" uses currently designated for that area. We should hold fast to the current proffers and insist that the develop establish the required amount of County recreation and commercial for the area and not give in to more residents in that area.
Do you support the Rappahannock Riverwalk Trail from Cannon Ridge to the Waterfall and on to Ferry Farm? The trail was approved by voters in the 2009 Parks Referendum.
Bart - I do support the Riverwalk Trail. I am aware that it does cross private land and that we would need to work with the owner to establish some type of an agreement that would allow the residents to benefit from the current trails that we have now and the connection to the falls, while providing some assurances/benefits to the owner.
Do you support housing at the old Moncure Elementary School?
The land is zoned R-1 residential.
Bart - The fact that the BOS has not been able to get that area figured out and dedicated to a commercial business is a continual mystery. I would like to see some commercial/business uses for that specific spot, rather than residential. HOWEVER, it has been so long, that if all we can do is residential then lets do it. That whole area is an eye sore that needs to be resolved. We normally don't preemptively rezone property, but we could do it in this case to help any potential residential/business developer. R-1 is single family residential. I am pretty confident in saying that there will never be single family homes on that land. The County needs to look at preemptively rezoning the property.
Enjoy Stafford Questionnaire - Derrell English Response.
Do you support the Rappahannock River Crossing at its proposed location at Celebrate Virginia Pkwy?
Darrell - Yes. This is something that should have been done years ago. It’s long overdue and essential for improving traffic flow and connectivity in the region.
Do you support extending Mine Road to Centreport Pkwy?
Darrell - Absolutely. This extension is necessary to help relieve congestion on Route 1 and provide better access for residents and commuters.
Do you support Transportation Impact Fees on Residential, Commercial, and Data Centers?
Darrell - Yes, but there needs to be a fair formula or sliding scale based on the size of the business or development. We must ensure small businesses and homeowners aren’t overtaxed.
Should residential be built on the County land proposed for the new Courthouse?
That land is zoned for 60 residential units per acre.
Darrell - No, I do not support residential development there.
Would you support forming a Parks/Entertainment Referendum Advisory Committee to explore funding options and recommend projects to the Board of Supervisors by June 2026?
Darrell - Yes. I believe community input is essential, and an advisory committee would help ensure that residents have a voice in shaping local parks and recreation priorities.
Do you support public access to England Run Falls and the 1,800 acres of public Rappahannock Riverfront conservation lands?
Darrell - Yes, as long as public access is designed in a way that respects nearby property owners and protects the natural environment.
Should the closed Cannon Ridge Golf Course be rezoned for residential use?
Darrell - I’d like to see a comprehensive plan that meets the needs of the surrounding community before supporting any rezoning for residential use.
Do you support the Rappahannock Riverwalk Trail from Cannon Ridge to the Waterfall and on to Ferry Farm?
The trail was approved by voters in the 2009 Parks Referendum.
Darrell - Yes, but I would want to review the cost and funding details to ensure it’s financially responsible.
Do you support housing at the old Moncure Elementary School?
The land is zoned R-1 residential.
Darrell - No. I believe the site would be better suited for business or community uses and should be considered for rezoning.