We think this is a 2 step process:

PART 1) I don't have any previous experience with how the County initially evaluates the Clark proposal (Public/Private Initiative proposal). It is my understanding that the Fairfax Housing Authority has a significant role in evaluating this. I would suspect other departments in the County as well. However, I believe this is somewhat (or entirely) a closed door process in that it is not open to a formal public hearing - I feel it is more like the process the Supervisors might go through to allocate a contract to buy school buses. I know people have tried to get info out of Hudgins' office without much success as to what parties weigh in. Might be worth contacting the Housing Authority as well. However, assuming that the County Supervisors cut a "business deal" with Clark, the property will then need to get a Comprehensive Plan Amendment and a Rezoning............ I'd expect any business deal to be contingent on the rezoning being achieved. Donnie believes the Supervisors will make a decision on the initial business deal in 1st QTR 07.

PART 2) Assuming a deal is cut, the Comp Plan Amendment and Rezoning, although technically 2 steps, are often processed simultaneously. The application initially goes to the Planning Department staff who circulates the proposal to various County agencies for comments (Health Department, Transportation, Water/Sewer, Education, etc.) as well as VDOT. Once comments are returned to the Planning staff, they will issue a recommendation (for or against) and schedule a Planning Commission Public Hearing. The Planning Commission may vote at the first meeting or it could get deferred for several months and additional meetings depending on unresolved issues. The PC will ultimately vote to recommend (or not) approval but it is just that, a recommendation. The case will then go to the Board of Supervisors (BOS) for a public hearing and a vote. Same thing, could take more than one meeting, maybe not.

The entire rezoning process can take from as little as 6-9 months after an application is submitted to as much as 3-4 years. The average is probably closer to 12-18 months. However in this case, the BOS would be voting on an application that is linked to a business deal they arleady supported. So who knows.

I think it is important to ultimately be contacting the BOS Chairman as well as Hudgins. [Probably all of the Supervisors as well if we try to make the point "Would you support this type of "not-compatable" rezoning in your district since this would be a precedent.] However even earlier, I think we should be in contact with the Director of Planning and Zoning (Jim Zook) - especially to determine the Plan. Dept. involvement during evaluation of the initial business deal. He may try to defer to a staff person who might be assigned as a type of "case manager". I think it might be worth eventually inviting Zook to attend our meetings at the Community Center. He may not come but it might give him a heads up that there is a lot of opposition brewing. Could help the Planning Staff ultimately stand up to pressure from Hudgins for a favorable report.

Another player is our district's Planning Commissioner, Frank DeLaFey. Don't know him at all and I believe Hudgins gets to appoint the P.C. for her district so he may be a bit biased.