Planning and Improvements

703-324-8533 TTY 711
12055 Government Center Pkwy., Suite 421
Fairfax, Virginia
Aimee Vosper
Deputy Director

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Lake Accotink Park Options, Community Input is Key

Lake Accotink Park has been undergoing a multi-year master planning update. The purpose of the master planning is to address community park needs, and to plan for the future features of the park facility, which includes the lake. In order to understand those community needs and desires, the Park Authority started the ongoing public engagement process in March 2016 and, since that time, multiple meetings have been held with the community, park users and neighbors. These meetings have provided staff an opportunity to engage with the community and listen to the range of ideas and thoughts envisioned for the park.

Lake Accotink Park is an integral part of the community, as well as the county park system. As a result of the public master planning meetings and review of initial ideas, six draft options were formulated for the park’s main water area, the lake. These six draft options were shared with the community in May 2016 and again on January 22, 2018. One of the six draft options presented would allow the lake to sediment in and subsequently eliminate the current lake feature and recreational use of the lake for boating. The draft option that represented letting nature take its course with the lake was presented for the public to review and comment on as it represented one possible approach to the lake sedimentation issue. Similarly, another option to remove the dam and restore the landscape to its original stream valley condition was presented for review and comment. Based on the comments received during the public process and multiple meetings, these draft concepts are not widely supported to date by those who have been involved in the planning and public comment process. They are draft concepts that represent options at either end of the planning spectrum and we felt it was important to show both options for public input.

While there have been many public meetings over the past two years, the work is not completed for the park’s master plan. At this juncture, public comment is being sought on the draft concepts and options related to the lake area. The comments received from the community will be used to further refine the development of the next draft concepts for the lake area and then ultimately for the park as a whole.

There continues to be an ongoing outreach effort about the planning of the park that will continue into the spring of 2018. There is more work to do regarding the park master plan and we welcome your input and comments at Parkmail@fairfaxcounty.gov. Stay tuned for further public outreach meetings that will be scheduled in the coming months. As a public service organization, it is important to the Park Authority to develop a master plan that is supported by the majority of the community and park users. Please know that we stay committed to that original outcome. We encourage you to find out more about this project that has been ongoing for more than two years. Visit us online at: Lake Accotink Park Master Plan Revision where you can learn more about the project, take an online survey, and share your opinions. We have also extended the deadline for public comment and will announce the adjusted comment period in the next week.

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