Part of the Widewater peninsula has been designated as a park, but nearby Crow's Nest is in limbo. MIKE MORONES/THE FREE LANCE-STAR

Two Stafford tracts have similar characteristics; one has been saved, the other is in limbo.

By MEGHANN COTTER

Date published: 1/21/2006

By MEGHANN COTTER

It's the tale of two Stafford County peninsulas.

One, Widewater, is situated to the north between the Potomac River and Aquia Creek.

The other, Crow's Nest, is nestled to the south between Potomac and Accokeek creeks.

Both are known for their historical and environmental value. Preservation of both has been at the top of the state government's priority list since about 2001. And both have spent the last several years in the midst of hot legal and political battles regarding proposed development.

The difference is that Widewater has now been preserved as a state park, while Crow's Nest is getting closer to being developed.

Joe Maroon, director of the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation, said the reason for that can be summed up in two words: "willing seller."

Dominion Lands--the former real-estate development arm of Dominion power company--was very cooperative during the negotiations, he said, which enabled them to arrange a bargain sale.

Gov. Mark Warner signed a deed last week conveying 1,100 acres of the rural Widewater peninsula to the state for $6.1 million. Appraisals of the property had put the value at between $8.8 and $11.2 million.

Maroon said his agency's conversations with K&M Properties, which owns much of the Crow's Nest land, have been much different.

"We've had a very difficult time distinguishing what the price tag is for Crow's Nest," he said. "The state and locality would like to do the whole peninsula, it is just a question of money and whether we can put together a deal that makes sense."

The state has tried to buy the land in pieces to defray costs. Since 2004, Maroon's group, in collaboration with other organizations, has put two offers on the table for 1,500 acres on the tip of the nearly 4,000-acre peninsula. But a deal could not be reached.

Maroon would not comment on specific dollar figures. He did say the offers were based on the property's appraised market value, not a bargain price.

While the two properties have similar environmental characteristics, said K&M's attorney Clark Leming, the sellers in each case are very different.

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Date published: 1/21/2006