On July 13, 2021, the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors approved an amendment to its Comprehensive Plan to support development of a vibrant, mixed use community with more than one million square feet of office, retail and residential spaces, emphasizing safe and convenient bicycle and pedestrian enhancements connecting to the Metrorail station.
The nearly three-year process leading to the adoption of the plan amendment included community outreach, community meetings, and smaller-scale meetings with various homeowners and civic associations. Community members voiced their desire for improvements to walk and bike between the Metrorail station and nearby neighborhoods, noting the lack of sidewalks along many residential streets, and narrow or otherwise inadequate pathways. Several community members also expressed concern about the increased traffic that could result from the proposed developments within the vicinity of the West Falls Church Metrorail Station, and the conditions for school children walking or biking to Haycock Elementary School and other area destination.
As a result of this feedback, a key recommendation of the plan amendment was to develop a Plan to improve active transportation within and surrounding the West Falls Church TSA. The present study will inform that Plan.
Background
In 2018, the Board of Supervisors authorized the consideration of the West Falls Church TSA Plan Amendment to study the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) and Virginia Tech parcels in the West Falls Church TSA. The Board requested that staff consider a mix of uses (office, retail, multifamily, and townhouses) up to an intensity of .96 floor area ratio (FAR) for the WMATA property (Sub-unit A-1), and a mix of uses (institutional, office, retail, and residential) at an intensity up to a 2.5 FAR for the Virginia Tech property. (Sub-unit A-2). The combined planned land uses for the WMATA and Virginia Tech properties include a maximum of 1,340 residential dwelling units (DUs), 301,000 square feet (SF) of office, 48,000 SF of retail, and 160,000 SF of institutional.
transportation network within and surrounding the West Falls Church Transit Station Area (TSA). The study will perform an existing conditions and gap analysis that will identify gaps in the pedestrian and bike network, including barriers to access, inadequate facilities, and other areas for improvement. Outcomes of the study include recommending improvements based on the assessment, setting priorities in coordination with community who will provide critical input and identifying potential sources of funding.