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Save Chancellorsville, federal panel urges

Federal historic advisory council sides with preservationists who oppose development of Chancellorsville site.

By RUSTY DENNEN

Date published: 7/22/2003

Army Corps, developer will have final say

Preservationists wanting to save part of the Chancellorsville battlefield from development received a boost yesterday from a federal panel.

The Advisory Council on Historic Preservation issued a letter saying that the Army Corps of Engineers should have taken a more critical look at the historical significance of John Mullins' farm as part of a permit review for a development project.

This is the latest twist in a protracted modern-day battle over the Spotsylvania County land. It could be a setback for Mullins, or he may be able to avoid federal involvement altogether.

The five-page letter was critical of the development and the corps' handling of the proposal. Bernadette Castro, vice chairman of the council, told Les Brownlee, acting secretary of the Army, that:

The Chancellorsville Battlefield Historic District is a "significant and irreplaceable historic property of supreme importance in illustrating a key event in our nation's history."

Issuance of the corps permit and subsequent development "will adversely affect the historic district."

There is substantial public opposition to the development along State Route 3 "and its consequences for this important Civil War battlefield."

The advisory council, which held a public meeting in Spotsylvania July 1, also found that the corps should have reviewed Mullins' proposal under a more comprehensive individual permit, rather than the generic nationwide permit that is under consideration.

And in a broad criticism of the process, the council said the corps should revise its regulations for assessing impacts on historic properties and that it incorrectly defined the area of potential effect of Mullins' project.

The corps is involved because Mullins wants six stream crossings; as part of its review, the corps may also look at any historical impact.

The agency has said preservationists have had ample opportunity to comment and that it has considered the historical importance of the property.

Mullins, owner of Covenant Funeral Service, wants to build a subdivision, some offices and some stores on a 273-acre parcel known as the Ashley-Orrock tract. In 1995, Mullins purchased a total of 800 acres, some of which were the scene of fighting between Union and Confederate forces in the spring of 1863.

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Date published: 7/22/2003