Updated: Clark Realty Moves Dog Park, Adds Amenities

Wednesday's meeting began with the Annual Assessment Report on Park Center. The board concluded that while there were $250,305 in expenses, there was no debt and that they would need to make exactly $250,305 in taxes this year to ensure there was no debt next year.

The primary focus of the meeting was the development of the land near City Center which is the land between Manassas Drive and Bank Street and the area between Manassas Drive just before the the railroad tracks.

The city discussed an agreement they had with Clark Realty Capital, the developers working on the new downtown area. The agreement was that Clark would maintain and upkeep the sidewalks and streets within the development until construction was complete. At that time the city would buy back the land and pay Clark to continue maintaining the property from a public escrow fund.

 Clark also wants to move the proposed dog park near Conner Drive. The park would include a volleyball court and a barbecue area as well. This was approved by the board unanimously.

This dog park is separate project from that proposed by the Manassas Park Department of Parks and Recreation.

 Manassas Park City attorney Dean Crowhurst, expressed the need to change the language in contracts the city had with Clark Realty to distinguish the difference between the owner and maintainer of the developing property and sharing the cost of the upkeep.

Crowhurst explained that at the time the initial agreement to develop the area was made, Clark thought it was going to buy all the undeveloped land along Manassas Drive between Bank Street and the railroad tracks. However, as the economy began to decline, they realized that this would not be feasible, but they are still responsible for paying for the upkeep of the sidewalks and streets in the area.

Clark wants to amend the contract to say that all the owners of the property in the aforementioned area would split the costs of the upkeep. However the mayor and the rest of the authority unanimously rejected the proposal based on the draft contract Crowhurst brought to the meeting because it had gaps in it that would make the city pay for the upkeep.

 “I'm not in favor of anything that creates a liability for the city,” Manassas Park Mayor Frank Jones. “I'm not willing to have the city be responsible for any of the costs.” He said that this was not the city's responsibility and that, “[this] is not in concert with what we originally agreed to.”

 The board agreed to meet again once Crowhurst renegotiated the contract with Clark and rewrites the proposed amendment.