Two Dozen Sites for Potential Added Residential Development Listed in Zoning Ordinance Amendment Plan

In a letter recently provided to Reston Association, the Fairfax County Department of Planning and Zoning gives more information about what areas could see “additional residential development” if a proposed zoning ordinance amendment is approved.

A map attached to the letter (pictured at left and available in more detail within the document) shows two dozen locations outside the Reston Transit Station Area where planned residential growth is envisioned by the County. These areas are mostly within or proximate to Reston’s village centers.

The proposal from the county is to increase the limit on people per acre in Reston’s PRC District from 13 to 16. This would allow for 18,737 more people beyond the current cap in Reston over time, DPZ officials say. Reston’s PRC District is currently at about 11.9 persons per acre.

The amendment would also allow for the Board of Supervisors to be able to approve individual developments in excess of 50 dwelling units per acre in Transit Station Areas within the PRC and when in accordance with Comprehensive Plan recommendations — the details of which are broken down in the letter to Reston Association.

Included among the figures provided by the County for these growth areas are an additional 3,097 units at Reston Gateway, 2,143 units at Reston Town Center’s urban core and 2,370 units at Reston Town Center North. These numbers are determined by “the estimated number of dwelling units recommended by the Comprehensive Plan within Reston’s PRC zoned land, for those areas where growth is recommended to occur,” according to the document.

Also included on the list of potential future residential units are 1,212 at North Point Village Center, 1,209 at Hunters Woods Village Center, 724 at South Lakes Village Center and 220 at Lake Anne Village Center. The provided figures also include 465 units at St. Johns Wood, 360 at Charter Oaks and more.

A total of 14,103 “planned units” are plotted, along with 8,189 that already exist or have been approved.

After three public meetings on the subject in May, the County will hold a fourth Monday, Sept. 25 at 7 p.m. in the cafeteria at Lake Anne Elementary School (11510 North Shore Drive).

Prior to that, however, a trio of community advocacy groups — Reston 20/20, Reclaim Reston and the Reston Citizens Association — have scheduled an information session about the proposal. That event, open to all Reston residents, is scheduled for Wednesday, Sept. 20 at 7 p.m. at Reston Association headquarters (12001 Sunrise Valley Drive).

The DPZ had originally hoped to bring the proposed amendment before the Board of Supervisors in July, followed by a Planning Commission public hearing in September and the Board public hearing in October. It now has those projected dates pushed back to November, January and February, respectively.