Regional Park and River Walk Trail Information!

Picture taken at Golf Course.

First I want to thank all of you who signed the petition and donated to the company circulating the petition. Please don't donate to them anymore. I would rather donations go towards the Park or office supplies to keep the Park campaign alive.

Election information on who supports the Regional Park and River Walk Trail

I will start out with the the local Stafford races and my picks for the best chances of approving the new Park.

Rock Hill District - Crystal Vanuch

George Washington District - Deuntay Diggs 
 
Griffis-Widewater District - Valarie Harper

There's a Group that formed against the River Crossing that is helping Rock Hill Supervisor Crystal Vanuch's opponent to defeat her in order to gain the swing vote needed to kill the Park and Bridge.
 
 One of Supervisor Coen's supporters lives in Celebrate Virginia. I will call her Jan, since it rhymes with her name. Jan has formed a group that is against all the river crossing options and has been helping some campaigns to defeat it. Jan also wants the Golf Course rezoned for more residential housing, so it will block the river crossing and give Jan's HOA exclusive access to the Waterfall and the 1,000 acres of public land!

 
 Deuntay Diggs is the only local candidate that has signed the petition in support of a Regional Park. He is running against Supervisor Coen in the George Washington District. Mr. Diggs is a Stafford Deputy and knows the importance to have an alternative route for Public Safety reasons, he supports a River Crossing with a Trail with the location to be determined with further study.

Rock Hill - Crystal Vanuch is not completely committed yet on the Park, but her opponent is supported by people that want to Rezone it. Crystal has never supported a residential rezoning. Crystal's appointment to the Planning Commission signed the Petition and is in full support of the Park and River Crossing.

George Washington District- Deuntay Diggs supports both a Park and River Crossing at a location to be determined when the Bridge Study is complete.
 
 Griffis-Widewater District - Valarie Harper hasn't been asked about the Park, but her opponent has voted against both the Park and Ferry Farm Trail.
 
In 2021 both Supervisor Coen and Supervisor Allen Voted against the former Cannon Ridge Golf Course being designated as a Park in the Comprehensive Plan. They voted for it to be designated as Suburban Residential instead, opening the door for a residential rezoning of the Golf Course.

Also in 2021 the Stafford Planning Commission unanimously recommended the Inner Connector, including the River Crossing and Trail to be included in the Comprehensive Plan. Both Allen and Coen voted to take it out of the Plan. 
 
The Ferry Farm Trail was approved by Stafford Voters in a 2009 Parks Bond Referendum. A $2 M grant was approved for the trail, but a small group of people didn't want it in front of their neighborhood. Supervisor Coen made a motion to kill the Trail and Allen supported the motion. The County had to reimburse VDOT $130,000 for the Trail design and we lost $2 M in State Trail grants that would have built the trail. It would have probably opened this year. Now Supervisor Coen says he supports the Ferry farm Trail.  
 
State Elections Information

In the 27th Senate and the 64th and 65th House races I only received two responses.

 
In the 65th House District I only received a response from Joshua Cole who signed the Park and River Walk Trail Petition. Cole Supports the River Crossing with a Trail in a location to be determined by the study. Cole also wants to introduce legislation that could fund the River Crossing, which might help purchase some of the land for the Park. 

In the 64th House District I only received one response from Paul Milde.

I do want to point out in his statement that I think some of the conservation deals in his statement had a high price.

Here's Paul Milde's Statement.
 
 "I need more time to look into this and I have not had that time during this election cycle. I will say that will always support land conservation efforts that respect property rights. My track record and leadership with Crow's Nest, the Rappahannock river easement, the Widewater State Park, Gov't Island, the Civil War Park, Stafford Trails, PDR & TDR's programs speak better for me than any promise I can make would do" 
 
I hope this helps on the Candidates stand.
Please go out and Vote!

Respectively Submitted,
Joe Brito