After nearly seven years of planning, community hearings, and design revisions, one of the most significant development decisions in Woodbridge's recent history is now official.
The Prince William County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously on June 2 to approve the Belmont Bay redevelopment — 348 new homes on nearly 160 acres of Woodbridge waterfront, adjacent to the Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge. Developer Miller & Smith, which has been building in Belmont Bay since 1999, will lead the project.
According to InsideNova, Woodbridge District Supervisor Jeannie LaCroix called it "six or seven years in the making," while Board Chair Deshundra Jefferson declared it "a real gem.”
Photo: An aerial view of the Belmont Bay redevelopment approved December 10, 2025, by the Prince William County Planning Commission and June 2, 2026, by the Board of County Supervisors.
What's Being Built
The redevelopment divides the property into three distinct sections, each with its own character and purpose.
Marina Overlook
74 market-rate homes on 16 acres, an outdoor amphitheater, a George Mason University garden, and a new mixed-use amenity building adjacent to the existing Harbor Master building. The mixed-use building will include HOA offices, a clubhouse meeting space, and retail. Just over 16% of this section is open space.
Taylor Point
A central park and scenic overlook park near the water, 1.3 acres of revegetation, and a scenic walkway near Taylor Point Road — the kind of outdoor amenity that has long made Belmont Bay one of the most desirable communities in Prince William County.
Belmont Landing
172 age-restricted units — homes designed for residents 55 and older — with a modified 75-foot buffer between the development and the Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge. An additional proffer requires removal of invasive species along the property line, given that 25-30% of local wildlife in the area is invasive.
The Numbers That Matter
The most striking aspect of the approved plan is how much land is being preserved rather than developed.
Of the nearly 160 acres in the project area, 124 acres — 74% of the entire property — will remain open space. A conservation easement with the Northern Virginia Conservation Trust will permanently protect the remaining 100 acres of the original golf course as green space, ensuring it cannot be developed in the future.
All exterior lighting throughout the development must be dark sky-compliant, a requirement designed to protect nocturnal wildlife along the refuge. The project also reduces morning vehicle trips by 811 compared to prior development plans — a significant traffic benefit for the surrounding community.
HOA Collaboration — A Community That Read from the Same Sheet of Music
One of the more notable aspects of the approval was the behind-the-scenes community collaboration that made it possible.
The two Belmont Bay homeowner associations — the Belmont Bay HOA and the Conservancy HOA, which until recently governed commercial entities in the waterfront community — have merged into a single unified HOA. According to KP Lau, president of the Belmont Bay HOA, the merged organization is set to enter into a conservation easement with the Northern Virginia Conservation Trust, permanently protecting the remaining 100 acres of the original golf course as green space.
Supervisor LaCroix praised Miller & Smith for their flexibility throughout the process — including during the meeting itself. When a resident requested an additional elevator in the mixed-use amenity building during Tuesday's public hearing, Miller & Smith accepted the change on the spot, requiring an eleventh-hour proffer amendment. LaCroix called it a "nominal expense" and praised the developer's responsiveness.
LaCroix also recognized the collaborative efforts of Lau and Wendy Joy, president of the Beacon Park HOA — a subset of the Conservancy HOA — in bringing the two HOAs together and facilitating the process.
An ad hoc committee is expected to form from residents interested in the layout of the new community center next to the Harbor Master building within the Marina Overlook section.
Occoquan Supervisor Kenny Boddye praised the dark sky-compliant lighting requirement, noting that avoiding large LED or searchlights would benefit the broader community along the wildlife refuge. Environmental groups were largely supportive of the final plan.
Jack Kooyoomjian, president of the Lake Ridge Occoquan Coles Civic Association, highlighted two additional benefits — the preservation of two nocturnal bat species along the wildlife refuge buffer, and the reduction of 811 morning vehicle trips compared to prior development plans.
"It's rare to have a project of this size [where] the developer and community … all read from the same sheet of music," Occoquan Supervisor Kenny Boddye told InsideNova.
Why This Matters for Woodbridge
Belmont Bay sits at the confluence of the Occoquan River and Potomac River — one of the most scenic locations in all of Prince William County. It's also home to the Belmont Bay Harbor Marina with 158 deep-water slips, steps from the VRE Woodbridge commuter rail station, and adjacent to the Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge.
The approval adds 348 homes to one of the county's most established waterfront communities, bringing new residents and new energy to a neighborhood that has long been considered one of the most desirable in Prince William County.
For existing Belmont Bay residents, the plan preserves the open, green character of the community that drew them there in the first place. For prospective buyers, it represents a rare opportunity to own a home in a walkable, waterfront community with direct access to nature, transit, and the river.
A Long Road to Approval
The road to approval was not a short one. Miller & Smith has been working on revisions to the Belmont Bay plan for years, responding to community feedback, environmental concerns, and county requirements. The Prince William County Planning Commission gave its approval on December 10, 2025, before the Board of Supervisors took up the matter on June 2, 2026.
The unanimous 6-0 vote — with Brentsville Supervisor Tom Gordy and Coles Supervisor Yesli Vega absent — reflects how far the plan has come from earlier, more controversial versions of the proposal.
What Comes Next
Construction timelines have not yet been announced. The Woodbridge Gazette will continue to follow this story as Miller & Smith moves from approval into the next phases of planning and development.
If you live in Belmont Bay or the surrounding area and have questions or thoughts about the redevelopment, we want to hear from you. Email us at [email protected].
For more on what's coming to the surrounding area, read our story on the $81 million Minnieville Road interchange and the Quartz District development.
Sources: InsideNova (Sébastien Kraft, June 4, 2026); Prince William County Board of Supervisors Staff Report, June 2, 2026; Belmont Bay Harbor Marina (belmontbayharbor.com).
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