April 10, 2025
PEC reports that the Orange County Circuit Court judge accepted their amicus curiae brief in support of the plaintiffs, as well as another from partners in the Wilderness Battlefield Coalition. These briefs will now be part of the record the judge considers when he rules on whether the case should proceed to trial. The amicus brief argues that the public is entitled to a transparent process when our elected officials contemplate far-reaching land-use decisions, which can transform the region and the landscape.
While PEC does not expect to learn if the case will proceed to trial until early summer, the judge — in a nod to the attendees in the gallery — acknowledged the case had generated a great deal of public interest and that the concerns raised were important. He said he will carefully consider all the information in front of him and issue a reasoned, fair decision within the bounds of the law.
March 20, 2025
The first hearing was held at the Orange County courthouse to consider a request from the defendants to have the case dismissed. We are awaiting the judge's decision.
May 1, 2024
It was announced today that The National Trust for Historic Preservation has named the Wilderness Battlefield Area to their 2024 list of The 11 Most Endangered Historic Places, due to the threat of development (from the Wilderness Crossing proposal) around the battlefield. This is notoriety that may help in the effort to push back on this development. You can read more here on the NTHP website.
April 23, 2024 - NEWS CONFERENCE ON MAY 1ST
The American Battlefield Trust sent out a notice that there will be a special announcement regarding the Wilderness Crossing development at the 1781 Wilderness Run Winery on May 1 at 10am. RSVP is requested - click here for more information.
November 17, 2023
The Piedmont Environmental Council (PEC) has received a partial response to their lawsuit against Orange County for FOIA violations. Orange County government has released copies of the Non-Disclosure Agreements signed in 2022 by OC staff and 4 members of the board of supervisors "for the benefit of Amazon, LLC." So if you suspected all along that the Wilderness Crossing development would include Amazon warehouses and/or data centers, it looks like you were right. Thanks to PEC for pursuing this on behalf of the citizens of Orange County.
Background
On May 24, 2023, the American Battlefield Trust, Central Virginia Battlefields Trust, Inc., Friends of Wilderness Battlefield, Inc., and several Orange County and Spotsylvania County residents filed a legal challenge to the recent approval by the Orange County Board of Supervisors of the rezoning of the the Wilderness Crossing property. The lawsuit cites several violations of state constitutional and statutory law and county zoning ordinance, including procedural errors, lack of required submittals and findings, and failure to comply with the Virginia Freedom of Information Act, among other errors. You can read the filing here and a press release from the Piedmont Environmental Council here.
