The County has established a help center on the first floor of the Herrity Building. For average residents and development professionals alike the alphabet soup of departments and agencies involved in the development and permitting process can quickly become confusing and overwhelming. To assist residents, the Development Services Customer Information Center has been established to provide a centralized location for customers to meet with Department of Planning and Zoning (DPZ) and Land Development Services (LDS) staff members who can help them navigate the county's land development process. For more information please see:
www.fairfaxcounty.gov/dpz/pod/fxfirstportal.jpg and www.fairfaxcounty.gov/dpz/pod/cicdirections.htm
zMOD - Fairfax County Zoning Ordinance Modernization Project
In 2017, Fairfax County launched a major initiative to modernize its Zoning Ordinance that was first established 40 years ago. Dubbed “zMOD,” the effort will help the County carry out its strategic plan to grow and diversify its economy. The first phase of the zMOD focuses on three areas:
•Prioritizing key Zoning Ordinance amendments for updates.
•Restructuring the ordinance to make it more user friendly, such as including more charts, tables and links, as well as more easily understandable language.
•Improving the County’s overall process for how the Zoning Ordinance is updated.
For more information on approved and pending revisions please see: www.fairfaxcounty.gov/planning-zoning/zmod.
Short-Term Rentals: development of new regulations
Fairfax County is considering the development of new zoning regulations for Short-Term Rentals such as Airbnb. In 2017 the Virginia General Assembly gave localities the authority to regulate and establish a registration for Short-Term Rentals. As a result, the Board of Supervisors directed the creation of a working group to draft zoning regulations for Short-Term Rentals. The working group sought to balance residents' interests to protect the character of their neighborhood with the interests of persons wanting to operate Short-Term Rentals within their residences. On June 21st the Planning Commission unanimously recommended Short-Term Rental regulatory requirements that lodging operators would have to comply with including parking, limiting the duration of rentals and the number of adult lodgers and permit fee schedule recommendations. The Planning Commission made several follow on motions recommending that the Board of Supervisors consider additional regulatory refinements and monitoring of the new regulations. After the public hearing on July 10, 2018 the Board of Supervisors deferred decision on the pending regulations to July 31st. To review the details of the pending regulation including the status of Board of Supervisors action on this legislation, please use the following links:
www.fairfaxcounty.gov/planning-zoning/zoning/short-term-property-rentals/calendar and www.fairfaxcounty.gov/dpz/short-term-rentals.htm.
Dominion Power Updates
Dominion is rebuilding the existing substation located near the corner of Shreve Road and Holly Manor Drive. The existing Idylwood facility, originally built in the late 1950’s, needs to be upgraded to address capacity and reliability concerns in the region. Residents can sign up to receive project updates via email: www.dom.com/about-us/news-center/electric-projects-and-initiatives/power-line-projects/idylwood-at-shreve-road-project.
Dominion Power is proposing to connect the Idylwood substation with their Tysons substation with a new 230 kV transmission line. The Idylwood – Tysons 230 kV Transmission line will help to address power reliability problems north and east of Tysons. Dominion Power is currently working through state and county regulatory processes to obtain approval for the proposed project. Supervisor Smyth, local businesses and residents have strongly supported an underground option vs an above ground connection. To obtain updates about the proposed project: https://dominionenergy.com/about-us/electric-projects/power-line-projects/idylwood-tysons.
Providence District Land Use Updates
In Tysons, the approved Capital One zoning application (FDPA/PCA 2010-PR-021-02) will result in the development of an urban style Wegmans and The Capital One Center. The center will include a Main Hall with 1,500-seats, a 225 seat Black Box multipurpose space and two classrooms and meeting spaces. The center will be capable of hosting Capital One’s corporate events and publicly-accessible performing arts events, such as symphonies, local arts exhibits and professional touring artists. It is anticipated that it will become a premier performance venue for Fairfax County performing arts groups. Capital One Comprehensive Sign Plan Amendment (CSPA 2010-PR-021) is scheduled for Planning Commission public hearing on September 13th 2018.
The developer of The Boro, TMG Solutions Plaza (PCA 2010-PR-022), is quickly moving forward with construction of the mixed use redevelopment of the former SAIC campus property on Route 7. The Boro’s first phase will include a large urban park and a 20-story office building scheduled to open in Oct 2018. A Movie Theater (ShowPlace ICON) will open in the summer of 2019. Whole Foods and other retail is also planned to open mid to late summer 2019. The three residential buildings as part of phase one include two rental apartments (537 units) and a for sale 140 unit condo building (The Verse). All three residential buildings will be open by Oct 2019. As part of their zoning approval, The Meridian Group (TMG) is developing a rectangular sports field located off of Gallows Road, against the beltway. The field is expected to be ready for public use early in 2019.
2011-PR-011-05, located immediately adjacent to the McLean Metro station kiss and ride, is currently under construction. The seven story boutique hotel will include 179 rooms, structured underground parking and ground floor retail/restaurant space.
The Mather PCA/CDPA 2011-PR-023-02, part of the CityLine Arbor Row project located off of Westpark Drive, proposes to develop an integrated project with 300 senior independent living/assisted living units and a medical care facility totaling 78 units. Ground floor retail is proposed along with accessory service uses. The applicants and county are working to refine open space, building design and proffer commitments to ensure that the Tysons Comprehensive Plan and PTC zoning provisions are fully implemented.
The Old Meadow Holdings application (RZ 2015-PR-014) has been reactivated. It proposes to develop a 10 story office building at the corner of Old Meadow Road and Route 123 with integrated parking and 12,000 square feet of ground floor retail.
The View (RZ 2017-PR-102/103) is a 7 acre consolidation located at Spring Hill Road and Rt. 7. It is anticipated that the applicant will be submitting extensive revisions including new land area, and additional modifications and refinements to the layout and design of the plan. The revised application is anticipated to include the development of five buildings including two office buildings, two residential high-rises and a hotel/residential condo building along with ground floor retail and public uses including a pedestrian plaza and a performing arts venue. The initial building is proposed to be 600’ tall and would include a publicly accessible sky garden. The Evolution, which proposes 1400 workforce dwelling units and is a companion case to The View, is still in preliminary stages.
The Mile application RZ/FDP 2017-PR-015 located off of Jones Branch Drive proposes to replace three existing office buildings and surface parking on 38 acres with nine buildings with 2,155 to 2,970 residential units, 650,000 sq. ft. of office, 60,000 sq. ft. of retail, and open space. The county is working with the applicant, PS Business Parks, to refine the design of the open space to accommodate passive and active recreational open space as envisioned in the Tysons Comprehensive Plan.
The Pearson family application RZ 2016-PR- 089 proposes to redevelop their property on Haney Lane with 9 homes. The case is currently scheduled to go to public hearing before the Planning Commission in October.
In the Oakton area the Flint Hill Upper School located off of Jermantown Road has proposed a Special Exception Amendment (SEA 99-P-046-02) to eliminate the option to build a field house and in its place build a middle school to accommodate about 100 additional 7th and 8th graders who are currently housed at the lower school campus. The sole action under the other related application, SEA 84-P-105-04, would be to reduce the total allowed enrollment for the lower school on the lower school campus from 700 students to 500 students. The Planning Commission recommended approval of the revised applications subject to the proposed development conditions dated July 12, 2018. The application will come to the Board of Supervisors for public hearing later in September. To review the Planning Commission recommendations in more detail, use the following link for the verbatim from July 12, 2018: https://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/planningcommission/verbatim-2018.
Sunrise Fairfax Assisted Living and Merritt Academy (RZ 2017-PR-031/ SEA 86-P-101-06), located on Route 50, will replace the existing assisted living facility. The new three story building with underground parking will serve 119 residents. The Merritt Academy will be making minor additions to several existing buildings. The surface parking for the school will be reconfigured to improve circulation and drop off for both the school and the Sunrise facility. Enrollment at Merritt will remain at 325 students.
In Merrifield, Caboose Brewery is developing a 6,000 sq. ft. brewery at the intersection of Eskridge Road and Lee Highway. The site is located across from MOM's Organic Market and Glass Alley in the Mosaic District. They plan to open this summer. In the Mosaic District the construction of two residential apartment buildings with ground floor retail space is nearing completion. Further down Eskridge Road the Four Seasons Tennis Club (RZ/FDPA 2016-PR-020) will be redeveloped with a mix of townhomes, multifamily units and a childcare facility. Construction of the townhomes has started. At the former ExxonMobil campus located on Gallows Road Inova has established the Inova Center for Personalized Health and is retrofitting portions of the campus to accommodate medical research activities.
At MetroWest, Pulte has started construction of four of the five senior living (55 and over age restricted) residential buildings. The Board of Supervisors approved FDPA 2003-PR-022 SSL Development Company, LLC to permit the development of an assisted living facility in the fifth age restricted residential building. Construction is anticipated to start before the end of this year. Unfortunately the developers of MetroWest (Pulte and CRC) do not have any imminent plans to construct the mixed use core of the project. Supervisor Smyth continues to strongly encourage them to work together and with the community to move the project forward. Early this year CRC and Newmark Knight Frank (NKF), a New York commercial real estate firm, started marketing the development of a new 250,000 sq. ft. Class A office building that would help to anchor the build out of MetroWest.
In Mason District, Christopher Land LLC has filed SE 2018-MA-005 (Woodburn Manor) to build age restricted housing on Gallows Road. County staff has identified a number of issues with the application. Currently the case is scheduled for Planning Commission public hearing on October 4, 2018.
If you have any questions, please contact my aide, Michael Wing, at 703-560-6946.
