Fairfax County is holding a Dec. 17 community meeting to present the final vision plan for the downtown McLean planning study, as well as next steps in the process.

The meeting will take place from 7 to 9 p.m. at Longfellow Middle School, 2000 Westmoreland Street, Falls Church.

The county has worked with a consultant, Streetsense, to assist in this visioning process. The firm conducted three public workshops in June that focused on market influences and development decision making, planning, design and placemaking and community immersion and understanding. The community’s input from these three sessions shaped the draft plans that were presented at two open houses in the fall. The open houses gave the community the opportunity to provide further input on the draft plans.

In the new year, the study’s task force, which is made up of McLean residents and civic group representatives, will work with county staff and the community to translate this vision into recommendations for changes to the Comprehensive Plan. The task force’s monthly meetings are open to the public.

Fairfax County is conducting this community-driven study to examine revitalization opportunities for the downtown holistically.  While downtown McLean has seen some revitalization—such as undergrounding of utilities, landscape and streetscape improvements, and construction of several development projects—it’s been 20 years since the last comprehensive review of the downtown’s land use plan. The process will consider changes to land uses, development intensities, transportation and public facilities.

The study focuses on the area that’s called the McLean Community Business Center in the county’s Comprehensive Plan. More commonly called downtown McLean, this is the area centered around the intersection of Chain Bridge Road and Old Dominion Drive. This area has long been planned to serve as a focal point for residents, with a mix of residential and community-serving commercial uses.

For more information about the study, future meetings or reasonable ADA accommodations, contact Katrina Newtson with Fairfax County Department of Planning and Zoning at 703-324-1380, TTY 711, or by email.