Some want more space for recreation

STAFFORD — The outcry for swimming lanes and athletic fields continued at a monthly meeting of the Stafford County Parks and Recreation Commission meeting on Aug. 20.

Matt Lafley, a past and present coach for both Stafford Baseball League and girls’ softball, requested that more fields be dedicated to a fall league for girls.

“We need to allow our daughters the same opportunity as the boys,” he said.

“There’s not enough dirt to go around,” replied Aquia commissioner Bill Hoyt.

A suggestion was made that the county form partnerships with local churches to use their land, an idea Hartwood commissioner John Druiett warmed to.

Before moving forward, it was agreed that the commission would need to know just how many fields would be needed.

Rev. Daniel Jones of Beautiful Temple Community Outreach appeared to make a plea for more field time for the Virginia Youth Football Alliance, stating that the soccer league gets the lion’s share of the fields in the fall.

“I don’t like to see an off-season sport get priority over an in-season sport,” he stated.

A past suggestion from Druiett was to ask farmers to loan their land to the county for recreational use in exchange for tax forgiveness; however, it was found that state law forbade such a move. Druiett stated that as an alternative, farmers could loan the land, get taxes, and then charge the county for use of the land one dollar over the tax amount.

A committee was formed consisting of George Washington Commissioner Bobby Crisp, Hoyt, and Druiett to seek out land-use possibilities for parks and recreation activities.

Twelve athletic fields and four baseball/softball fields are proffers offered by D.R. Horton, Inc., a developer seeking a zoning change from A-1 to P-TND on Clift Farm Quarter, located off Eskimo Hill Road between the landfill and Jefferson Davis Highway.

Other proffers include a public school, road improvements, a day care center and an agricultural center. The development would be made up of no more than 650 units with a density of 3.6 dwellings per gross acre, according to Chris Hoppe, park and recreation director, and would include residential and commercial property, single-dwelling units and townhouses, and courtyard units.

Commission members agreed to look at it and discuss it next month.

Another suggestion to the commission, from Heidi Simpson of Stafford Aquatics, was to decrease public lanes from three to two, open a half-hour earlier and stay open later.

The parks and recreation bond was briefly discussed. The bond will ask for $30 million in general obligation funds.

Jim Lawrence is a contributing writer for the Stafford County Sun. Reach him at info@staffordcountysun.com.