Silver Lake Proposal

March 8, 2007

Craig S. Gerhart, County Executive
Prince William County
1 County Complex Court
Prince William, VA 22192

Re: Request to the Board of County Supervisors to Convey Real Estate
(The Silver Lake Parcel)

Dear Mr. Gerhart:

On behalf of the Bull Run Mountain Conservancy, Inc., this letter shall serve to request that a public hearing be scheduled, as soon as possible, in order that the Board hear public comment and take action on the disposition and use of the Silver Lake property. This request is a follow-up to my letter to Chairman Stewart and Mr. Campbell, Clerk to the Board dated January 18, 2007. As you are aware, the property was conveyed to the Board of County Supervisors in late December 2006.

It is our understanding that the Board directed staff to evaluate the BRMC proposal and an alternative proposal by the Prince William County Park Authority. It is also our understanding that the Northern Virginia Regional Park Authority has also recently submitted a proposal for the Silver Lake property. BRMC submits that its proposal is more beneficial to the County than the other two proposals, primarily for the following reasons:

• BRMC will establish a 481 acre natural recreation park available to the public. The other two proposals are limited to 230 acres.

• The BRMC proposal will provide a 481 acre natural recreation area open to the public at no cost to the County. The other two proposals have a cost to the County. The Park Authority proposal will require both capital and annual operating expenditures, as well as the hiring of additional Park Authority staff. The Northern Virginia Regional Park Authority proposal will require annual operating and capital contributions to the Regional Park Authority for as long as Prince William County remains a member.

• The BRMC proposal requires a reversion of title to the property to the Board of County Supervisors should the property not be open to the public for certain enumerated uses. The Park Authority proposal discusses potential uses; however, the ultimate uses of the property will be subject to the Park Authority's master planning process. The Northern Virginia Regional Park Authority's proposal also discusses some uses for the property; however, the Regional Park Authority will be the sole determiner of the uses of the property after its conveyance to NVRPA. There is no reversion in title to the Board of County Supervisors should Prince William no longer be a member of the Regional Park Authority in the future.

JLM/bdl
Enclosures