July 17, 2013

PRINCE WILLIAM COUNTY UNANIMOUSLY APPROVES POTOMAC SHORES MASTER PLAN

PRINCE WILLIAM COUNTY, VA., July 17, 2013 – The Prince William County Board of Supervisors has unanimously voted to approve a zoning amendment requested by land developer SunCal for the 1,920-acre Potomac Shores master-planned community near Washington, D.C.  The decision came during a public hearing held on Tuesday, July 16.
           
The zoning amendment consolidates four zoning areas that were previously defined under the original master plan crafted years ago by a prior developer. The amendment enables rearranging some of the key components within an updated plan that is more responsive to the market, will help achieve the community’s overall goals in a timely manner, and will establish the foundation for a town center based on transit-oriented development (TOD) principles.  A modified special use permit approved for the town center allows the concentration of various uses in this area. 
 
SunCal began the process for the revisions in April 2012 when it submitted its amendment application to the County.  The amendment maintains the previously approved development caps on residential and non-residential uses; there are no changes in the number of homes or amount of commercial development that was previously approved under the original plan.
 
"This enhanced master plan enables us to concentrate businesses in the town center area, create new job opportunities and foster the ideal conditions for a large-scale corporate campus," said David Soyka, SunCal Senior Vice President, Public Affairs.  "By making the town center the focus, this will enable Potomac Shores to achieve its maximum potential as a mixed-use community."
 
A primary objective of the reconfigured land use is to help attract major employment uses within the development, particularly within the town center area and close to the planned VRE station and core area where density and mixed-use activity is planned.
 
"This is a $2 billion project," said Soyka.  "Between the 18-hole Jack Nicklaus Signature Golf Course, new residential communities, our planned resort and commercial offices, Potomac Shores will be a major job creator and have an enormous economic impact on the region."
 
Planned as a resort-residential community, Potomac Shores is located 30 miles south of downtown Washington D.C. near Interstate 95 on rolling, forested land with two miles of shoreline along the Potomac River.
 
Potomac Shores is a transit-oriented, mixed-use development and will feature residential, commercial, hospitality and marina uses in a pedestrian-friendly environment.  A future, on-site Virginia Rail Express (VRE) commuter rail station will be located in the community’s new town center, providing residents with convenient access to Washington, D.C.  The Jack Nicklaus Signature Golf Course will open for public play in the spring of 2014 and will offer a new 7,500 square-foot clubhouse resembling a stately Virginia manor in keeping with the community’s architectural theme.
 
The golf course is only one of Potomac Shore’s many amenities. There are plans for a five-star resort across from the golf course, a 450-slip marina near the Town Center, numerous athletic fields and courts throughout the development, two schools and the VRE commuter train station in the Town Center. Miles of hiking and biking trails weave throughout the property and nearly half of the acreage is open space.
 
SunCal acquires, entitles and develops major residential properties and commercial developments.  The company specializes in creating distinctive master-planned and mixed-use communities that emphasize quality of life, environmental sensitivity and recreational opportunities.  SunCal is one of the largest privately held land developers in the U.S. and has offices in Irvine, Calif.; Northern California; New York City; Washington, D.C.; Denver, Colo.; Austin, Texas; Savannah, Ga.; and Melbourne, Fla.  For more information, visit www.suncal.com.