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Board asks Westlake developer to convey proffered land for Hartwood Elementary replacement; vote 5‑1
Summary
The Stafford County Board of Supervisors voted June 17 to ask Westlake Development LLC to convey a proffered 65‑acre site for the replacement Hartwood Elementary School, with an alternate 55‑acre proffer available if an existing Vulcan easement cannot be relocated.
The Stafford County Board of Supervisors voted on June 17 to request that Westlake Development LLC convey a proffered 65‑acre parcel to the county as the site for a replacement Hartwood Elementary School, with an option to accept a second, proffered 55‑acre parcel if a Vulcan easement on the 65‑acre tract cannot be relocated.
The resolution (R25‑178) calls for the conveyance to occur within 60 days of approval if the developer can relocate an existing Vulcan easement at no cost to the county, as required in the proffers. If relocation cannot be completed, the resolution requests conveyance of the alternate 55‑acre parcel in conformance with the same proffers. The board approved the request by a 5‑1 vote with one member absent.
Why it matters: Stafford County Schools has listed a Hartwood replacement on its capital improvement timeline with an expected delivery window that makes timely land conveyance important to meeting a planned 2028 opening. Jason Tower, representing Stafford County Schools, said the Westlake site had been the planned replacement site for two years and reiterated that the school division needs the parcel to stay on its schedule. "The Westlake site has been proposed for the Hartwood rebuild for the last 2 years in the school CIP," Tower said.
Easement issue and timeline: County staff told supervisors the Vulcan easement that crosses the 65‑acre parcel is the main obstacle. That easement would need to be relocated by the property owner before the county can accept the parcel for conveyance; if relocation requires permitting for wetland impacts, Tower and county staff said the 60‑day window could be difficult to meet. The resolution therefore leaves the proffered 55‑acre site as a fallback.
Board reaction: Some supervisors said they supported the schools’ plan and the goal of getting Hartwood replaced quickly. Others questioned the speed and documentation available to the board: one supervisor said the school board’s deliberations earlier in the month suggested they lacked all desired information and urged more time. The vote approved the board’s request to the developer while keeping the alternate site option in the proffers.
Ending: The school division will continue to work with the developer and county staff to resolve the easement relocation and finalize exact parcel boundaries before any formal conveyance and transfer to the school board.
