Manassas Park Governing Body Discusses Downtown Development

The main focus of the Feb. 28 Manassas Park City Council meeting was the Park Center deed between the city and Clark Realty Capital. 

Manassas Park city attorney Dean Crowhurst explained that because Clark built the site differently from the original plan, some of the language on the contract needed to be changed. For starters, the boundary lines mentioned in the original agreement would have to be changed so that once the building is completed, people parking or using the recreational facilities could not be charged with trespassing.

 Crowhurst also told the board that the Community Development Authority (CDA) approved parking and recreational easements for the property. Once it's completed this will become the epicenter of a new downtown center.

 The board voted in favor of the changes unanimously as long as the changes were only cosmetic and allowed the  Manassas Park Mayor Frank Jones to sign the deed.

Because Clark built the site differently from the approved plan,there are issues with who would pay for the upkeep of the land. Crowhurst said that Clark wanted to change language in the contract to specify the difference between owner and maintainer of the property. The Governing Body sided with the CDA's stance that they would not change the contract in any way if it meant that the city would now, or in the future have to assume extra costs because of the plan change.

 The Governing body also acknowledged that Mark Scheufler replaced  Manassas Park City Councilman Brian Leeper on the Economic Development Authority on Feb. 20.

 The board also unanimously voted in favor of proclaiming March “Intellectual Disability Awareness” Month. They also voted unanimously to make March “Social Work Month."