12055 Government Center Pkwy., Suite 421 Fairfax, Virginia
Anna Bentley, AICP, Park Planning Branch Manager
Park Planning
Park Planning
Like the population, the county's park and recreation needs are diverse and growing. We use community input combined with analyses of trends and needs identified in the Parks Count! Needs Assessment to help craft long-range plans for the entire park system. Park master plans provide the community a way to help determine the best uses, facilities and amenities for a specific park and to optimize management of the park's resources.
Like the population of Fairfax County, the demand for park and recreation options to serve county residents continues to grow. In order to meet the demand of the community for places to recreate, while at the same time protecting and preserving the county’s precious natural and cultural resources, the Park Authority has established the park master plan process to guide future improvements and changes to park property and facilities.
All park master plans are available for review. Please note that not all Fairfax County Parks have master plans. Some parks have not yet been planned and others, such as stream valley parks, may never be master planned. A master plan represents the long range (10 years or more) plan for the park's development. The master plan, and the facilities shown on it, may be built over a period of many years. Therefore, what is shown on the plan may not yet exist at the park site.
Fairfax County Park Authority is guided by policy to protect the natural and cultural resources found on county parkland by ensuring that all possible steps are taken to prevent any unnecessary, adverse impact to our land, streams, and historic resources. To this end, all applications for easements go through a thorough, separate review process by the Park Authority.
Encroachments create adverse impacts on park resources. Piles of yard waste attract rodents and snakes and may introduce invasive, destructive plants into natural areas. Removal of trees and other foliage decreases the vegetative cover that helps filter pollutants from the air and modify temperatures. Removal of natural ground vegetation encourages erosion and allows surface run-off to contaminate water sources. Digging and removal of artifacts on undeveloped land destroys the integrity of archaeological and historic sites. Extending yards, storing material and equipment, and erecting private fences or other structures on parkland effectively limits access to acres of public land by the citizens whom we serve.
