Home Page Prince William Citizens for Balanced Growth (PWCBG)
Balancing residential growth with traffic, tax, local economic, school, and quality-of-life issues

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Who We Are

How We Got Started

Prince William Citizens for Balanced Growth (PWCBG) is an alliance of networked friends, families, neighbors, local officials, and concerned citizens -- both Republicans and Democrats -- who live in Prince William County. This all-volunteer group came together in Spring 2006 to defeat the ill-considered "Brentswood" rezoning proposal by Brookfield Homes. ("Brentswood" would have added at least 20,000 residents and numerous businesses to a two-square-mile area bounded by Devlin, Linton Hall, and Wellington roads in Bristow -- at the time already arguably the most traffic-congested area in the state.)

In Spring 2006, we placed newspaper articles and editorials about Brentswood in local newspapers; addressed public forums, including the County Planning Commission; handed out fliers opposing Brentswood to thousands of homes in the Bristow and Gainesville area; and, in partnership with the Prince William County Republican Party, manned booths handing out fliers at local stores as well. (Here's a link to the front and back sides of the flier, respectively: Brentswood Flier FRONT, Brentswood Flier BACK).

That's how we got started. But we're not finished. There is still much that needs to be done to ensure that ours is a balanced-growth county.

So what do we mean by "balanced growth?"

Our Vision of the Future

We envision our county being a place where residential growth is balanced with traffic, tax, local economic, school, and quality-of-life issues -- not a place where the interests of large-scale residential developers (often allied with local politicians who receive big residential developer campaign contributions) too often win out over the interests of local taxpayers. We envision a county where:
  • Large new residential developments will not be built unless roads will be sufficient to handle the traffic volume around them;
  • Commercial development at least keeps pace with residential development -- to ensure a stronger, more diversified county tax base and to create good jobs right here so not as many of us will have to commute out of the county;
  • Schools are all of the highest quality, have low teacher-to-student ratios, and are not grossly overcrowded, as many are now, particularly in the western end of the county;
  • Quality-of-life concerns -- such as preservation of the Rural Crescent, environmental concerns, and historical preservationism -- are taken seriously; and
  • All major local politicians, particularly the Board of County Supervisors, listen consistently and sympathetically to voices other than those of residential developers and developer employees, and become less beholden to residential developers.
For more info on what we stand for, please visit the following link: Why Balanced Growth Is Important.

How To Contact Us

PWCBG is a non-profit organization that does not receive financial contributions. However, we are always looking for people who share our vision and are willing to help us work to make it a reality.  If you would like to help, please e-mail us by clicking this link.  Then visit the following link for more information:  How You Can Help.

Current Leadership:
  • Bob Pugh is a former Prince William County Government financial analyst.  He is also a Chartered Financial Analyst who owns and operates his own  investment management firm in the county and is a faculty member teaching finance at a major university.  Bob plays a leading role in several community and professional organizations.
  • Ralph Stephenson is a strategic planner and financial adviser within the federal government.  Ralph has worked on national and local political campaigns for both political parties, serving in various capacities.
  • Chad Hansen is a professional IT expert.
  • Chad, Ralph, and Bob all live in Prince William County and are involved in various local church and community service organizations.


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