The Northern Virginia Daily

Article date: July 09, 2007 

Interest in use of site relayed

Talks continue on what will be at Royal Phoenix

By: Jessica Coleman

As the FMC Corp. works to turn the Avtex Superfund site into a developable piece of property , some people in town are asking questions about what the Front Royal-Warren County Economic Development Authority is planning for the area and what types of structures the Environmental Protection agency will allow.

At an EDA meeting late last month, Front Royal Town Manager J. Michael Graham asked the EDA what kinds of businesses could be brought in to develop the land.

After the meeting, Graham stated that he was looking for clarification from the EDA because he had been in contact with several businesses interested in building on the property, including a hotel and a hospital.

Paul Carroll, the executive director of the EDA, the agency responsible for redevelopment of the property, said that everything is working out according to plan.

“This is one of the first five redevelopments of a Superfund site in history,” he said.  “The community worked hard to say to the EPA, ‘Can we have development be a part of the remediation process?’  It really is an exciting site.”

There are four basic components to the EDA’s plan, called Royal Phoenix: a 33-acre soccer complex that was completed in September, a 240-acre low –impact conservancy park located between the Norfolk Southern Railroad tracks and the South Fork of the Shenandoah River, a 70- acre park on the west side of the river and a 160-acre commercial –industrial park.

The conservancy park, already named the Front Royal Loop, is governed by very stringent restrictions.  It is intended for birding, hiking, bicycling and nature viewing “in order to minimize the risk of exposure and degradation of remediation that has been undertaken,” says a report from the EDA’s Winter 2007 newsletter written by Lyle P. Schertz, associate director of the Lord Fairfax Soil and Water Conservation District, and John Eckman, executive director of the Valley Conservation Council.

The only building allowed in this area will be a wastewater treatment facility.

The 70-acre park across the river is much less limited by use restrictions.  It will be dedicated to camping, hiking, biking, a picnic area and public boat access.

In both of these areas, FMC is committed to planting flora native to Virginia.  So far, the firm has planted Virginia rosebushes, blueberry bushes, dogwood trees, smooth leaved sumac and warm-season grasses.

FMC is also working on eliminating groundwater contamination in certain areas on the site.  Students from the Virginia Military Institute came out and studied the contamination.  They came up with a viable way to chemically treat the problem.  FMC is now waiting for the EPA’s record of decision, basically an approval, to start using the treatment.

The commercial-industrial park has been zoned for light industrial and commercial use.  Residential structures cannot be built on the property.

Carroll said that, to his understanding, these zoning restrictions do not allow for a hospital to be built on the site.

“I think the bigger question is, why would you want to build a hospital on a Superfund site?” he said.

He does, however, think that a hotel is an option, one the EDA would like to see come to fruition.

Officials are also looking into a wine and culinary institute, offices and retail space.  The EDA has been working with the federal government to draw agencies to the site.

However, even with all this potential for development, the property is still considered a Superfund site.

“This whole site will remain a Superfund site until the EPA delists it,” said John Torrence, site manager and representative for FMC.  Even after that period, FMC will be responsible for any necessary cleanup related to the Avtex Fibers contamination, he continued.

In order for any of the Superfund site’s land parcels to be considered ready to be developed, the EPA must declare that it has no further interest in it.  So far, 33 acres have received this classification.  The EPA estimates that another 57 acres will be available by 2008, with the rest becoming available by 2010, Carroll said.

“The time frame really depends on the EPA and the {real estate} market,” he said.

With all of the different agencies working together on this endeavor, there is sure to be some confusion, Torrence said.