Developer delays Mintbrook plan to build support for 2012 vote

The 475-home Mintbrook proposal in Bealeton appeared headed for defeat last week.

To avoid that, developer Bealeton Gateway LLC sought and received from the county board of supervisors a 90-day postponement of their consideration of the project, which also includes up to 220,000 square feet of commercial space and graded sites with utilities for two schools, a recreation center and a fire station.

For a variety of reasons, a majority of the board -– Peter Schwartz (Marshall District), Terry Nyhous (Center District) and Holder Trumbo (Scott District) -– said they planned to vote against Mintbrook, as proposed, if it came up for a vote at last Thursday’s meeting.

Board Chairman Ray Graham (Cedar Run District) and Chester Stribling (Lee District) were ready to back it.

In an interview Friday, Stribling said he told the developer days before the Dec. 8 meeting, “‘Guys, I don’t think we’re ready for a vote.’”

The developer agreed to delay the project to make changes and because it hopes the board’s two new members, who take office in January, will help provide the votes for passage, Stribling said.

At year’s end, Graham and Nyhous will leave the board.

Next month, Lee Sherbeyn (Cedar Run District) and Chris Granger (Center District) will succeed them.

The developer is “hoping for a favorable vote, a favorable outcome from those two guys,” Stribling said, referring to Sherbeyn and Granger.

Developer Andrew Vinisky has refused to comment on any aspect of the proposal.

“I can get behind it,” Sherbeyn said of Mintbrook in a phone interview Monday. “Overall, I don’t have a lot of problems with it. I haven’t seen all the paperwork since the changes. I don’t see anything that bothers me a lot.”

However, Sherbeyn said he’d like more commercial development to occur earlier during Mintbrook’s construction.

If he had to act on the proposal last Thursday, Granger said, “It would have gotten a no vote from me.”

He said that “at first glance, my personal feeling is it needs a lot of work to get it in line with the comprehensive plan.”

In a phone interview Monday, Granger said he planned to meet with staff this week to discuss the project, and that he wants to talk with Stribling about how Mintbrook “would affect his district.”

Six people spoke during the board’s Dec. 8 public hearing on Mintbrook.

Mintbrook lawyer John Foote said he expects his client to make more progress on the proposal during the next several months.

Two opponents believe that Mintbrook would exacerbate area flooding problems.

Virginia Dorkey said that flooding forced the closure of Route 28 until 9:30 a.m. last Thursday.

Carolyn Jenkins said Meadowbrook subdivision, where she lives, has a number of foreclosed and vacant homes. It is adjacent to Mintbrook at the northwest quadrant of U.S. 17 and Route 28. Approving 475 more homes would make it harder for the empty homes in her neighborhood to get resold, Jenkins said.