Fairfax Planning Sends Transit-Oriented Master Plan to Supervisors

The Fairfax County Planning Commission on Thursday unanimously agreed to send proposed changes in the Reston Master Plan on to the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors for approval .

The plan — which was formulated after nearby four years of discussion and numerous draft changes by the Reston Master Plan Special Study Task Force — was sent on with a few line item changes and last-minute motions. Read the entire revised document here.

Citizen development watchers Reston 2020 gave the final draft of the document — which will guide density, land use and future development around Reston’s three future Silver Line Metro stations — a letter grade of “D” when the plan was finalized last fall.

Reston 2020 was also not pleased with several changes marked up by Hunter Mill Planning Commission representative Frank de la Fe. Among them:

• Allows additional “bonus” density for contributions to Corridor crossings above the already generous proposed development standards and “bonus” density.
• Adds monetary contributions in addition to in kind contributions for vitally needed infrastructure improvements.
• Eliminates the approval of Reston Association Design Review Board for new construction.
• Says new institutional and government development uses should not be counted toward the development of workforce housing requirements to contribute $3 per square foot for new non-residential development.
• Deletes plans for a parking study as needed to justify expansion of parking beyond parking space maximums laid out in the draft plan, relying instead on the phrase “suitable justification.”  The result will be excessive parking and greater traffic congestion, says Reston 2020.

However, at Thursday’s meeting, de le Fe verbally added these conditions, which were also unanimously passed:

• A recommendation to direct planning staff to review with Reston stakeholders how to incorporate Reston design specifics into future planning. “Special attention to design has been a hallmark of Reston from beginning,” said de le Fe.
• A recommendation to the Board of Supervisors to develop an inclusive process to prepare a funding plan for transportation improvements. “The planning commission strongly believes public and private investment in Reston is crucial,” he said.
• A recommendation to conduct a detailed valuation and analysis of an enhanced street network, prioritize improvements and develop an implementation strategy for it.