Significant Problems with Cross Creek / Costco
There are three significant problems with the Cross Creek / Costco application. It is a violation of the comprehensive plan, it violates conservation easements held by the County, and will create horrendous traffic in an already congested corridor.
Despite the significant negative impact that the Costco project will have on New Baltimore, on November 8, 2007 the Fauquier county Board of Supervisors voted in favor of the rezoning and special exception necessary for the project to move forward.
The proposal would contribute many more cars to already bad traffic on Route 29 and nearby roads. It would bring another stoplight and new traffic from Prince William and other counties to New Baltimore. It would generate more traffic than by-right uses.
The just-approved Comprehensive Plan prohibits big box in New Baltimore. Breaking this plan sets a dangerous precedent that could bring more violations to the county's other growth areas in Marshall and southern Fauquier. And it violates the law.
The County cannot protect its existing easements (or the impacted wetlands) if the proposed development goes forward. How can the County ask outside entities to respect our conservation easements if the Cross Creek easement is not honored?
A rezoning request for 8.5 acres from Residential (R-1) to Commercial-Highway (C-2) and a Special Exception request to permit a store over 50,000 square feet (Costco).
