Jan 28 2025 County virtual mtg on draft Comprehensive Plan amendment language

Fairfax County staff have now made available their draft language for an amendment to the Comprehensive Plan for redevelopment of the AT&T site. You are encouraged to attend the Zoom meeting this coming Tuesday, January 28th at 7 pm where staff will explain the changes and allow public input. Staff has also made it possible to provide comments on the plan online, a capability which will remain available through February 4th.

GOCA is still reviewing the language, but we note that expressed community concerns about the proposed changes to the Plan-- including about density and traffic--do not appear to have been substantially addressed.

An analysis of some of the issues by the Options for Oakton and Smart Growth for Oakton groups is as follows:

While some proposed language recommended by our community advocacy groups was incorporated, including more pedestrian and bicycle safety initiatives, and a new VDOT connector road from Jermantown Rd. to White Granite Rd; the critical elements protecting our community were either not addressed or the original CP language eliminated in this draft. These critical elements are as follows:

1. Draft CP proposes the density to increase from .40 Far to 1.0 Far. Residential and commercial density will greatly surpass surrounding neighborhood density levels as well as increase traffic congestion and tax our community resources and infrastructure.

2. No limit to the amount of retail space to be built and elimination of language prohibiting fast food restaurants and drive ins. Prior language limited retail to 15,000 sq ft. Traffic Study indicates that retail creates more traffic congestion.

3. Elimination of prior CP language requiring 40% open space and now defining park land as “urban parks”. Removal of this language will allow greater urbanization as well as allow tiny pocket parks which could be hardscaped.

4. Removal of CP language that protected surrounding neighborhoods regarding cut-through traffic as well as removal of language capping the number of entrances to existing roads. Removal of this language can result in cut-through traffic as well as more congestion with multiple road entrances onto existing roads.

5. Proposed CP language for mixed use to extend to parcels outside AT&T site. This means that an additional 20 acres of the adjacent office Park, Post Office and Mama Tigres may be redeveloped at a higher density.

We encourage you to review the language, decide for yourself what you think, and make your views known.

The new language can be accessed here: https://publicinput.com/Project/AccessCode?id=3DbFvM5cCRT5GQ7aLgvKmQ%3d%3d

You can attend the public Zoom meeting this Tuesday, January 28, 2025 from 7:00 - 8:30 p.m using the following links:

https://bit.ly/att-oakton

Call-In Number: 301-715-8592

Meeting ID: 857 7504 8375

Passcode: 391630