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Urban Parks Framework Endorsed by Park Authority Board

Great Cities have Great Parks! Future growth in Fairfax County will be concentrated in growth areas such as Tysons, central Springfield, Merrifield, Reston, Annandale, Richmond Highway and Bailey's Crossroads. The increasing urbanization requires that the existing suburban park system be supplemented by parks that are more suitable for the unique urban context. Urban parks will provide appropriate elements to enhance the urban landscape and provide varied leisure opportunities.

In May 2013, the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors approved amendments to the County Comprehensive Plan to incorporate the Urban Parks Framework into the Policy Plan’s Park and Recreation Section.  The Framework can be found in Appendix 2 of the Parks and Recreation Section.  The Framework was originally endorsed by the Park Authority Board in 2008 and serves to set expectations for residents, developers, county staff, and community decision-makers to ensure that new urban developments will provide for park and recreation needs in the County's growth areas.

In the spring of 2008, an interagency planning team representing the Park Authority, the Department of Planning and Zoning and the Office of Community Revitalization and Reinvestment convened to gain a common understanding of the function and design of urban revitalization areas.   The team developed a framework containing an urban parks typology and detailed descriptions of the design elements found in urban parks.  The resulting Urban Parks Framework will be used to help plan for and develop urban parks in Fairfax County's urbanizing centers.

You can contact Sandy Stallman, Manager, Park Planning Branch, at 703-324-8643 if you have questions or would like a presentation on the Urban Parks Framework.