MERRIFIELD SUBURBAN CENTER STUDY

Site-Specific Plan Amendment 2018-I-1MS Fairview Park –Task Force Straw-man Modifications to Plan Recommendation Land Units I1 and J, Merrifield Suburban Center, and associated Areawide Recommendations Draft – May 17, 2019 The following document represents the initial Merrifield SSPA Straw-man Proposal of Comprehensive Plan Modifications for Land Units I and J of the Merrifield Suburban Center, based on the Fairview Park nomination, task force discussion and staff analysis, for land use, design, environmental, and other non-transportation focused guidance. Proposed modifications to the Comprehensive Plan are shown below. Text proposed to be added is shown as underlined and text proposed to be deleted is shown with a strikethrough. Footnotes provide commentary to inform Task Force deliberations and are not a part of the plan amendment language.

MERRIFIELD SUBURBAN CENTER – LAND UNIT I PROPOSED MODIFICATIONS

MODIFY: Fairfax County Comprehensive Plan, 2017 Edition, Area I, Merrifield Suburban

Center, as amended through July 31, 2018, Recommendations, Land Use, pages 91-98:

“LAND UNIT I 1 2 Land Unit I is comprised of approximately 186 acres and is located east of I-495, bounded by Lee 3 Highway and Arlington Boulevard (see Figure 28). Existing development consists of residential 4 use in the northern and eastern portion, office and industrial uses in the southern portion and 5 undeveloped land and office in the western portion, abutting I-495. This land unit includes the 6 Holmes Run Environmental Quality Corridor which is preserved as permanent private open space. 7 8 This land unit’s developed portions are envisioned to remain, with the undeveloped portion to infill 9 primarily with office or mixed-use development buildings. Major road improvements such as the 10 construction of Fairview Park Drive and intersection improvements at Lee Highway and Arlington 11 Boulevard were completed with the first phase of development within this Land Unit. 12 13 Guidance for evaluating development proposals is provided in the Area-Wide Recommendations 14 under the Land Use, Urban Design, Transportation, and Public Facilities/Infrastructure sections, 15 as well as in the following specific sub-unit recommendations. 16

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18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 FIGURE 28

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Sub-Unit I1 66 67 Sub Unit I1, which is bounded by Fairview Lake on the east and I-495 on the west, is characterized 68 by substantial mature tree stands within and outside of the EQC area. The subunit is planned for 69 office use and retail uses at the baseline level. The office component is limited to 1.7 million 70 square feet. The retail and accessory uses are limited to 50,000 square feet. Any modification, 71 expansion, and/or reuse of the existing buildings should be consistent with guidelines for Existing 72 Uses and Buildings under the Area-Wide Land Use section and any new construction should 73 address the following guidance: 74 75 • The retail and accessory uses, such as day care, restaurant, and service uses, may be integrated 76

within the office buildings, or a portion of the retail and accessory uses could be developed as 77 a small retail center. The retail center should be located adjacent to the western side of 78 Fairview Lake between the lake and Fairview Park Drive and should have a minimum of 79 25,000 square feet. If a retail center is developed, institutional uses are encouraged to be 80 located in this center. Drive-through uses that are low traffic generators, such as financial 81 institutions and drug stores, may be considered provided that the drive-through facility is 82 integrated within a multi-tenant building and is designed in a manner that does not impact 83 pedestrian access. Other drive-through uses are inappropriate. 84

85 • If institutional/governmental uses are incorporated into the development, additional intensity 86

may be appropriate if the institutional/governmental use generates no more peak-hour traffic 87 than the planned office development and if development is consistent with the Area-Wide 88 guidance. 89

90 • Office buildings should provide structured parking in order to preserve the maximum amount 91

of undisturbed open space. Any surface parking should be buffered through berms and/or 92 landscaping. 93

94 • A trail circulation system should be constructed through the office park. 95

96 • The area immediately adjacent to I2 is part of the Holmes Run Environmental Quality Corridor 97

and Fairview Lake, which should remain as permanent private open space. 98 99

• Building heights are envisioned to decrease toward the northern and eastern edges of the sub-100 unit. Heights should be no more than 7 to 8 stories or 130 feet for the area adjacent to the 101 western side of Fairview Lake and the Holmes Run EQC. In the remainder of the sub-unit, the 102 maximum building height is 15 stories or approximately 180 feet, with tallest buildings 103 oriented to Arlington Boulevard and I-495. If a retail center is located adjacent to the west 104 side of Fairview Lake, office buildings located in the southwestern portion of this sub-unit, 105 between I-495, Fairview Park Drive and Arlington Boulevard, may be considered for a height 106 increase of up to 18 stories or approximately 230 feet provided that the parking is an integral 107 part of the office development and additional open space above the current approved 108 development plan is provided. See the Building Heights Map, Figure 8, and the Building 109 Height Guidelines under the Area-Wide Urban Design section. 110

111 Mixed-Use Option: As an alternative to the office uses, recommended on Parcels 49-4 ((1)) 73, 112 73A1, 73A2, 74A, and 74B, mixed-use1 consisting of multi-family residential, hotel, office and 113 retail uses may be appropriate provided that the development enhances the pedestrian accessibility 114 and the viability of the land uses within the sub-unit and does not exceed approximately 2.1 million 115

1 Hotel use was not part of the nominator-provided quantification for the north side but may be an appropriate

alternative to office use.

Commented [VDM1]: Language will continue to be

developed to add more detail about the vision for

placemaking including amenities/park spaces as community

benefit

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square feet2. Existing office development located on Parcel 73A2 and 74A should remain as a non-116 residential use. Development proposals under this option should effectively integrate existing and 117 new development through site design, landscaping, architecture, materials, access and parking; 118 conform to the applicable Area-Wide Recommendations for alternative uses (see the Area-Wide 119 Recommendations, Land Use Guidelines); address other applicable Area-Wide and baseline plan 120 guidance; and achieve the following: 121 122 Land Use: 123 124 • The residential component should consist of multi-family residential uses and should not 125

exceed approximately 1,060 units3, inclusive of affordable housing and bonus density4 per the 126 county’s affordable dwelling unit program and workforce housing policy. Residential 127 development should be well-integrated into non-residential uses and create a viable living 128 environment by providing recreation and other amenities for the residents as indicated under 129 the Land Use Section of the Area-Wide Recommendations. Multi-family development five 130 stories and greater has the design flexibility necessary for integrating within nonresidential 131 areas and would provide a comparable and compatible scale of development.5 132 133 134

135

2Approximately 2.1 million square feet is the maximum proposed square feet on the north side. This would equate to

a 0.66 FAR on the approximately 73-acre area north of Route 50. 3 Approximately 1,060 residential units is the maximum number of units proposed on the north side. On the north

side of Route 50, Fairview Park and Lakeford community would result in a 50/50 split of jobs and residents, ~ 2,800

jobs and residents. 4 The task force asked staff to explore affordable housing amount greater than county policy. After considering areas

that have diverged from typical policy, staff is not comfortable with recommending a greater amount than standard.

Also, see page 12 of this document for related modifications to Areawide guidance. 5 The nominator has expressed that the proposed intensity and balance of employees and residents is needed to

support the day and evening activity, maintain the viability of the office and retail uses, afford the enhanced park

and amenity spaces, and improve traffic volumes relative to the approved office. The draft Plan language, as shown

in the text box, would reduce the overall development total to maintain the overall intensity and square feet as it is

approved, up to 1.75 million square feet, or 0.55 FAR. It has been determined that app. 925,000 SF remains unbuilt

and approved on the north side of Route 50amount of development and the residential use based on the approved

level of development (865,000 SF), rather than the proposed total of 2.1 million square feet 0.65 FAR. Note: The

total amount of unbuilt, approved development (865,000 SF) is awaiting confirmation and may be updated.

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136

137 138

139 • Non-residential uses should comprise no less than 40% of the total square feet of development 140

within the sub-unit. Existing office development located on Parcel 73A2 and 74A should 141 remain as a non-residential use. Hotel use may also be appropriate. 142 143

• Community-serving rRetail and service uses should comprise 5-8% of the total development’s 144 new square feet. with a significant component developed in the initial phase. Subsequent 145 phases of the development should be considered only once a majority of the total retail square 146 footage has been constructed. Buildings should have retail and servicethese uses located on the 147 ground level, designed to be that are pedestrian oriented, activate the street frontage and public 148 spaces, and serve the tenants and the surrounding area. Retail and service uses may include 149 such uses as health clubs, day care and food services, as recommended in the Alternative Use 150 Guidelines. As an integral component of the development program, a retail and service uses 151 should be located around a central plaza and developed as part of the initial phase. Further, 152 rRetail, service, and/or cultural uses may be located east of Fairview Park Drive on Parcel 49-153 4((1)) 74A under this option. These uses should be small in scaleup to two stories in height, 154 well-integrated into the design, promote pedestrian activity, and improve public accessibility 155

The task force has asked staff to discuss with the nominator fewer residential units than proposed. The following alternative would reduce the number of residential units from the nomination to maintain 1.42 million SF of planned/approved intensity in the sub-unit, excluding Northrup Grumman and assuming that of the 1.42 million SF, there is approximately 925,000 SF approved and unbuilt development divided by 1,100 SF per unit. Text shown in yellow highlight and bold script indicates areas of change from previous two paragraphs (lines 106-126112-132). This is under discussion with the nominator: Mixed Use Option: As an alternative to the office uses recommended Mixed-use development consisting of residential, hotel, and retail uses may be substituted for the planned and approved office uses on Parcels 49-4 ((1)) 73, 73A1, 73A2, 74A, and 74B, mixed-use consisting of multi-family residential, office and retail uses may be appropriate provided that the development enhances the pedestrian accessibility and the viability of the land uses within the sub-unit and does not exceed a total of approximately 865,0001.42 million square feet. Existing office development located on Parcel 73A2 and 74A should remain as a non-residential use. Development proposals under this option should effectively integrate existing and new development through site design, architecture, materials, access and parking, and should conform to the applicable Area-Wide Recommendations for alternative uses (see the Area-Wide Recommendations, Land Use Guidelines), address other applicable Area-Wide guidelines and baseline plan guidance, and achieve the following: Land Use: • The residential component should consist of multi-family residential uses and should not

exceed approximately 840 770 units, inclusive of affordable housing and bonus density per the county’s affordable dwelling unit program and workforce housing policy. Residential development should create a viable living environment by providing recreation and other amenities for the residents as indicated under the Land Use Section of the Area-Wide Recommendations. Multi-family development five stories and greater has the design flexibility necessary for integrating within nonresidential areas, and would provide a comparable and compatible scale of development.

Commented [VDM2]: Equates to 87,500-140,000SF at

5% and 105,000-168,000SF at 8%

Commented [VDM3]: Description will continue to be

developed to more fully express vision.

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and visibility of the lakefront. Lighting impacts should be minimized, and shared and/or valet 156 parking in nearby parking structures should be utilized to serve this retail area. 157 158

• Tax Map Parcel 49-4((1))74B comprises a peninsula of land east of Fairview Park Drive and 159 west of Fairview Lake. This area may be appropriate for residential use provided that the 160 environmentally sensitive areas are protected consistent with Objective 9 of the Environment 161 section of the Policy Plan; however, iAs a means to preserve the mature wooded area, it is desirable 162 that this area be retained as permanent open space or developed with a cultural or civic 163 amenity;.6 the approved office building of this location is not appropriate. Residential use up to 164 five stories may be appropriate provided that the environmentally sensitive areas are protected 165 consistent with Objective 9 of the Environment section of the Policy Plan and other 166 circumstances… 167

168

169 Design and Connectivity: 170

171 • Development proposals should demonstrate high quality in terms of site and building design, 172

complementary architecture, materials, and urban park spaces, to define a sense of place. New 173 buildings should be located close to roadways while allowing for streetscape amenities such 174 as street trees, sidewalks, plazas, street furniture, and landscaping. 175 176

• Parking structures should generally be located in or beneath an associated structure in a manner 177 that maximizes usable open space and the provision of pedestrian linkages, presents a 178 consistent façade treatment, and minimizes visual impact from lighting. On-site surface 179 parking should be limited in scale and buffered through berms and landscaping. The 180 Countywide Urban Design Guidelines should be used for lighting and other design 181 considerations. 182

183 • Building heights are envisioned to decrease toward the northern and eastern edges of the sub-184

unit. The maximum building height for any development in the peninsula area adjacent to the 185 western side of Fairview Lake (Tax Map Parcel 49-4((1))74B) should be no more than 5 186 stories, or approximately 70 feet. In the remainder of the sub-unit, the maximum building 187 height is 15 stories or approximately 180 feet, including any penthouses or mechanical screen 188 walls, with tallest buildings oriented to Arlington Boulevard and I-495. If a cultural or civic 189

6 The task force directed staff to develop language regarding the use of this area for open space or cultural facilities,

for example the amphitheater, if not residential uses. Staff understands that the relationship between the peninsula

area and the nearby community; however, staff believes that the determination about development in this area be

made once the environmentally sensitive areas are delineated and actual development plan is submitted, at the time

of the zoning application, rather than defined during the plan amendment. Therefore, staff has offered two options

about this area: the first states a preference for the uses in the area, whereas the second is considered more neutral on

the uses of the area.

As an alternative to the previous bullet on the peninsula area:

• Tax Map Parcel 49-4((1))74B comprises a peninsula of land east of Fairview Park Drive

and west of Fairview Lake. This area may be appropriate for cultural uses and permanent

open space uses, and/or residential uses provided that the environmentally sensitive areas

are protected consistent with Objective 9 of the Environment section of the Policy Plan. The

approved office use in this location is not appropriate.

Commented [VDM4]: Task force stated preference for

this option, but needs to define any other circumstances

where this would be okay

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amenity is located on the peninsula area or if the area remains as open space, buildings located 190 in the southwestern portion of this sub-unit, between I-495, Fairview Park Drive, and Arlington 191 Boulevard, may be considered for a maximum height increase of up to 18 stories or 192 approximately 230 feet. Additionally, building heights between 16 and 18 stories may be only 193 considered if provided that the associated parking is an integral part of the development and 194 additional open space above the current approved development planin excess of the Urban 195 Parks Framework is provided. See the Building Heights Map, Figure 8, and the Building 196 Height Guidelines under the Area-Wide Urban Design section. 197

198 • A network of publicly-accessible urban park spaces, well-connected through sidewalks and 199

trails, should be provided to function as a central organizing feature for the development and 200 sub-unit, and create opportunities for recreation, respite, and social interaction. Development 201 should ensure connections to Land Unit J to the south of Route 50 and a planned 202 pedestrian/bike bridge across I-495 to the west. These spaces should meet the Open Space and 203 Pedestrian System Guidelines and the countywide Urban Parks Framework and be designed in 204 a manner to accommodate informal and programmed activities. Features such as naturalized 205 landscaping, shade trees, seating areas, public art and other urban park amenities can offer 206 attractive gathering places and other recreational opportunities for the local workforce and 207 residents. An urban plaza, recreational activities, or other amenities are desirable on Parcel 208 74AB to create outdoor spaces and activities that complement the nearby uses and enhance the 209 relationship between the uses to the lake. 210 211

Environment: 212

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• The environmentally sensitive areas of Holmes Run should be retained as permanent open 214

space. Tree preservation elsewhere in the subunit is encouraged consistent with the goals of 215

the Environment element of the Policy Plan. In addition, measures should be taken to ensure 216

that runoff from new development will not deteriorate the environmental quality of these 217

streams. Area-Wide recommendations support stormwater management/best management 218

practices that would not only meet on-site requirements, but also would help alleviate existing 219

downstream drainage issues. Holmes Run downstream of this sub-unit has been designated by 220

the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality as being impaired for aquatic life, and this 221

impairment is largely related to volumes and velocities of stormwater runoff from impervious 222

areas. The existing wooded areas within this land unit provides stormwater benefits in support 223

of the Area-wide recommendation by capturing rainwater and minimizing runoff through 224

infiltration and evapotranspiration. As these areas are converted to impervious cover (e.g., 225

rooftops, road surfaces) through development, it is recommended that stormwater management 226

and water quality controls be optimized. Stormwater management practices should be 227

provided in the stormwater and site designs to minimize impervious cover, reduce the volume 228

of stormwater runoff from the development site to the maximum extent practicable, or 229

otherwise achieve improvements in downstream drainage conditions, in order to retain benefits 230

provided by the existing forested conditions and to protect and restore downstream water 231

resources. 232

233

Flexibility in specific stormwater management approaches that are applied should be afforded. 234

At a minimum, the first inch of rainfall should be retained on-site through infiltration, 235

evapotranspiration and/or reuse. If this level of runoff volume reduction is demonstrated not 236

to be fully achievable, all available measures should be implemented to the extent practicable 237

in order to support this goal and achieve partial retention of the first inch of rainfall. A 238

Commented [VDM5]: Task force has asked whether this

building height would be office or residential building.

Presently, building could be either in the proposed language.

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combination of runoff volume reduction and peak flow and velocity reduction should be 239

provided to the extent necessary to protect downstream water resources, even where runoff 240

would be discharged directly into a pipe or constructed channel. As an alternative, stormwater 241

management measures and/or downstream improvements that would result in at least 242

equivalent environmental benefits to the goals cited previously may be pursued to optimize 243

site-specific stormwater management and/or stream protection/restoration efforts, in 244

furtherance of watershed management plan goals. Such efforts should be designed to protect 245

downstream receiving waters by reducing stormwater runoff volumes and peak flows from 246

existing and proposed impervious surfaces to the maximum extent practicable. Design 247

considerations may be given to other stormwater runoff-related factors such as downstream 248

flooding, drainage complaints, character and condition of downstream channels, and identified 249

stream impairments. 250 • 251 • 252 • A substantial portion of this sub-unit is currently wooded, and this wooded condition benefits 253

stormwater runoff conditions by capturing rain water and minimizing runoff through 254 infiltration and evapotranspiration. Conversion of wooded areas to impervious cover (e.g., 255 rooftops, road surfaces) has the potential to result in significant increases in stormwater runoff 256 volumes, which can aggravate downstream drainage issues. Therefore, stormwater and site 257 designs should minimize the amount of impervious cover and incorporate runoff reduction 258 strategies such as infiltration, stormwater reuse and retention to minimize runoff volumes. 259

• 260 • In light of the extent of existing wooded areas within this sub-unit and the stormwater benefits 261

that these areas provide, stormwater management and water quality controls should be 262 optimized. Where existing forested areas are cleared for the development, stormwater 263 management practices should be provided to reduce the volume of stormwater runoff from the 264 development site to the extent practicable, or otherwise achieve improvements in downstream 265 drainage conditions, in order to retain benefits provided by the existing forested conditions and 266 to protect and restore downstream water resources. At a minimum, the first inch of rainfall 267 should be retained on-site through infiltration, evapotranspiration and/or reuse. If this level of 268 runoff volume reduction is demonstrated not to be fully achievable, all available measures 269 should be implemented to the extent practicable in order to support this goal and achieve partial 270 retention of the first inch of rainfall. A combination of runoff volume reduction and peak flow 271 and velocity reduction should be provided to the extent necessary to protect downstream water 272 resources, even where runoff would be discharged directly into a pipe or constructed channel. 273

• 274 • As an alternative, stormwater management measures and/or downstream improvements that 275

would result in at least equivalent environmental benefits may be pursued to optimize site-276 specific stormwater management and/or stream protection/restoration efforts, in furtherance of 277 watershed management plan goals. Such efforts should be designed to protect downstream 278 receiving waters by reducing stormwater runoff volumes and peak flows from existing and 279 proposed impervious surfaces to the maximum extent practicable. Consideration may be given 280 to other stormwater runoff-related factors such as downstream flooding, drainage complaints, 281 character and condition of downstream channels, and identified stream impairments. 282 283 In addition, the use of appropriate native plant materials in stormwater design is encouraged to 284 improve biodiversity and provide habitat benefits while reducing the use of pesticides, 285 herbicides and fertilizers, improving the soil, and minimizing maintenance. The use of non-286 native invasive plant materials is discouraged toshould be avoided as these plantings would be 287 detrimental impacts to riparian plant communities, water quality, and environmental quality. 288 Use of non-native species should be limited to landscaping in stormwater facilities when there 289 are no suitable native plant alternatives. 290

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291 Noise: 292

293 • The sub- unit is located adjacent to I-495, Arlington Boulevard and Lee Highway, all of which 294

are major elements of the County circulation system and generate transportation-related noise. 295 Adequate measures should be provided to prevent negative impacts on noise sensitive uses, 296 consistent with Objective 4 of the Environment element of the Policy Plan. 297

298 Phasing and Public Facilities: 299

300 • Development should be phased to ensure that supporting infrastructure is provided and public 301

facilities capacity is available in each phase. Parks and open space, stormwater management, 302 schools or additional school capacity, and other public facilities will need to be available 303 operational in time to meet the demands generated by new development. If it is determined 304 that an elementary school site is required to serve the increased population in this area, a fair 305 share commitment based on a contribution formula determined by FCPS and Fairfax County 306 toward adequate land or the repurposing of an existing office building for such a facility to 307 serve the Merrifield area, on or off site, should be identified in collaboration with Fairfax 308 County Public Schools preferably in advance of approval of application for residential 309 development. 310

• 311 Residential development should provide land or contribute to the provision of suitable land or 312 building(s) as may be practical to address this need. Contributions could be more traditional in 313 nature, such as dedication of a school site, or may include more innovative solutions such as 314 repurposing existing buildings, lCo-lLocating school facilities with park facilities to allow for the 315 sharing of recreation facilities, or within buildings serving the other uses, are examples of 316 innovative approaches that may be considered. Alternatively, development could contribute toward 317 land acquisition and school construction based on a contribution formula determined by FCPS and 318 Fairfax County. 319 320 Transportation: [to be added in June] 321

322 • [Placeholder] Land should be reserved and/or dedicated for the landing of the planned 323

pedestrian and bicycle bridge across I-495 324 325 • [Placeholder] Fairview Park Drive should be assessed for traffic calming, pedestrian, and 326

bicycle improvements. 327 328

Height Limit: The area immediately adjacent to I2 is part of the Holmes Run Environmental 329 Quality Corridor and Fairview Lake, which should remain as permanent private open space. For 330 the area immediately to the west of the permanent open space, heights should be no more than 7 331 to 8 stories or 130 feet. In the remainder of the sub-unit, the maximum building height is 15 stories 332 or approximately 180 feet, with tallest buildings oriented to Arlington Boulevard and I-495. The 333 height concept for this area is to have height decrease toward the northern and eastern edges of the 334 sub-unit. 335 336 If a retail center is located adjacent to the west side of Fairview Lake, office buildings located in 337 the southwestern portion of this sub-unit, between I-495, Fairview Park Drive and Arlington 338 Boulevard, may be considered for a height increase of up to 18 stories or approximately 230 feet 339 provided that the parking is an integral part of the office development and additional open space 340 above the current approved development plan is provided. See the Building Heights Map, Figure 341 8, and the Building Height Guidelines under the Area-Wide Urban Design section. 342

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344 345 Sub-Unit I2 346 347 … 348 349 350 351 352 353 LAND UNIT J 354 355 Land Unit J is approximately 178 acres and is located at the southeastern quadrant of Arlington 356 Boulevard and I-495 (see Figure 29). Existing development consists of a mix of office, hotel and 357 support retail uses on the western portion of the land unit and residential and institutional uses 358 located on the eastern portion of the land unit. In addition, the Holmes Run Environmental Quality 359 Corridor, which runs through the middle of this land unit, is preserved as private and public open 360 space. 361 362 This land unit is envisioned to remain as developed, with the remaining undeveloped parcels to 363 develop with office uses. Hotel and retail uses may substitute for the approved office use on Tax 364 Map Parcel 49-4((1)) 71 provided that the design and environmental recommendations in Sub-unit 365 I2 can be achieved in this development. The southern and eastern portions of this land unit provide 366 a transition between the more intense uses and adjacent low intensity single-family development. 367 This transition is provided along the southern perimeter of the site through the retention of a 368 substantial open space buffer of no less than 250 feet which consists of existing tree cover and 369 additional landscaping, a portion of which may be needed for stormwater management. Parkland 370 associated with Holmes Run stream valley and the Providence District Recreation Center provides 371 the transition area along the eastern perimeter of the land unit. 372 373 Major transportation improvements, such as the construction of Fairview Park Drive and 374 intersection improvements at Arlington Boulevard, have been completed with the development of 375 this land unit. 376 377

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407 408 Guidance for evaluating development proposals is provided in the Area-Wide Recommendations 409 under the Land Use, Urban Design, Transportation, and Public Facilities/Infrastructure sections, 410 as well as in the following specific Land Unit recommendations. 411 412 413 Land Use 414 415 • The 178-acre southeastern quadrant of the I-495/Route 50 interchange should be consolidated 416

for the purpose of development of an employment center and related uses, and for residential 417 development. 418

419 • Nonresidential uses should be limited to that portion of the site west of Holmes Run stream 420

valley. The site design of the nonresidential portion of the quadrant should have substantial 421 landscaped open space provided throughout the site and particularly to the south to eliminate 422 any impact upon nearby stable residential communities. At least 35 percent of the area west 423 of the Holmes Run stream valley should be preserved as landscaped open space. 424

425

FIGURE 29

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• Underground or multilevel structured parking is encouraged to preserve the maximum amount 426 of undisturbed open space. 427

428 • The Holmes Run stream valley should be preserved as a stream valley park in accordance with 429

the county's adopted stream valley policy. 430 431 • In order to limit its impact on the surrounding residential communities acknowledging the 432

capacity of the Arlington Boulevard /I-495 road network with improvements as noted in the 433 transportation section which follows, any proposal for an employment center on the 434 southeastern quadrant of the I-495/Arlington Boulevard interchange should have no more than 435 2.25 million square feet of nonresidential development on the area west of Holmes Run stream 436 valley. The nonresidential development should consist of 1.9 million square feet of office 437 space, 50,000 square feet of retail commercial space and a hotel. As an option, residential 438 space for up to 250 dwelling units may be substituted for approved nonresidential gross floor 439 area. 440

441 • That portion of the quadrant east of Holmes Run, north and northwest of Falls Church High 442

School is planned for residential development not to exceed 400 dwelling units. Residential 443 uses in this area should be limited to three stories in height. 444

445 • Approximately 3 to 5 acres of parkland should be provided (preferably contiguous to the 446

Providence District Recreation Center) to serve the future residents of this site. 447 448 • Hotel/motel uses should be internal to the site and be integrated with the design and layout of 449

the site. 450 451 • Retail commercial uses should be provided to service primarily the demand for other 452

nonresidential uses on the site and integrated with the overall design and layout of the site. 453 454 • A substantial open space buffer of no less than 250 feet, with 300 feet desirable, consisting of 455

the existing tree cover and supplemented with additional landscaping should be provided along 456 the southern perimeter of the site to eliminate an adverse visual impact upon the detached 457 single-family residences to the south of the site. This buffer should be dedicated to the county, 458 if appropriate, and maintained in its natural state. It is understood that a portion of this area 459 may be needed for stormwater management. 460

461 • The height of all structures in the southern portion of the site should be limited to six stories 462

so as to be visually unobtrusive to the stable low density residential communities to the south 463 and east of the site. 464

465 • The provision of lighting on the site and its structures should be visually unobtrusive to and 466

compatible with all nearby residences and adjacent communities. As a general rule, parking 467 lot lighting should not exceed 13 feet in height. 468

469 • The small tract immediately south of the Route 50 corridor located off of Black Hickory Drive 470

is recommended for residential development to occur at the lower end of the proposed density 471 range (8 dwelling units per acre) and development should be buffered from Arlington 472 Boulevard. No direct access should be provided to Arlington Boulevard. 473

474 Transportation 475 476 • Vehicular access for planned nonresidential uses should be separate from access provided for 477

residential uses to the east of the Holmes Run stream valley. Specifically nonresidential uses 478

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should access the site from Route 50 only, and such access should be located west of Holmes 479 Run stream valley. Vehicular access to residential uses in the northern portion of the site (north 480 and northwest of the Falls Church High School) should be via Jaguar Trail, while vehicular 481 access to residential uses in the southeastern portion of the site should all be via Camp Alger 482 Avenue. Jaguar Trail, Marc Drive and Camp Alger Avenue should be improved as necessary 483 to accommodate the additional residential traffic from this site. Camp Alger Avenue should 484 not connect with Marc Drive to the north; nor cross the Holmes Run stream valley. 485

486 • No on-site vehicular circulation across the Holmes Run stream valley should be permitted. 487 488 • Any developer under this option should abide by existing covenants running with the land to 489

neighboring civic associations, which covenants prohibit vehicular access to residential 490 communities south and east of the site. 491

492 • In addition to the conditions stated above, all proposals for vehicular access to this site should 493

meet with the approval of Fairfax County and the Virginia Department of Transportation and 494 the Federal Highway Administration, as appropriate. It is imperative that any vehicular access 495 design for this land unit should be compatible with a solution for vehicular access to both the 496 northeastern and the southeastern quadrants. The primary basis of review should be the impact 497 of the proposal on (a) the safe and efficient operation of Arlington Boulevard and I-495, and 498 (b) the level of service on Arlington Boulevard, I-495, and the ramps of the Arlington 499 Boulevard/I-495 interchange. In particular, the level of land use activity planned under this 500 option is conditional upon the provision by the developer(s) of all transportation improvements 501 and transportation strategies (e.g., carpools, van pools, mass transit use) deemed necessary by 502 Fairfax County, and the Virginia Department of Transportation and the Federal Highway 503 Administration, as appropriate, to accommodate the level of traffic generated by each phase of 504 the development of this site. A traffic-monitoring program should be undertaken and 505 maintained by the developer to ensure the effectiveness of the transportation strategies. 506

507 • The implementation of these transportation improvements and strategies is to be phased such 508

that the site is adequately served during all stages of development without adversely affecting 509 the safe and efficient operation of Arlington Boulevard and I-495. 510

511 • Arlington Boulevard should not be designed to exceed six through lanes east of Jaguar Trail. 512 513 Environment 514 515 • The Holmes Run stream valley should all be preserved as a stream valley park under the 516

provisions of the county's adopted stream valley policy and protected from adverse impact both 517 during and after the development of the site. 518

519 • Non-vehicular access to and through the Holmes Run stream valley should be provided via 520

this site. 521 522 • A substantial portion of the existing tree cover should be preserved as a natural open space 523

screen and buffer, particularly along the periphery with I-495 and Arlington Boulevard. 524 525 • In order to control stormwater runoff from this site, any development proposal must include a 526

stormwater management plan, which meets the requirements and objectives of Fairfax County 527 for stormwater management in the Upper Holmes Run watershed. The prospective 528 developer(s) should provide for the control of any post-development peak discharge in excess 529 of the pre-development peak discharge. In addition, the utilization of Best Management 530 Practices (BMP) is strongly encouraged. 531

532

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• All federal, state and local air and noise standards should be strictly complied with as a result 533 of development on this site. 534

535 Height Limit: For the northern and western portions this land unit, the maximum building height 536 should be 15 stories or approximately 180 feet. For the area to the east and south of Fairview Park 537 Drive, heights should be no more than 7 to 8 stories or 130 feet. To the south of the 130-foot area, 538 building heights should vary with buildings no more than 75 feet or 6 stories. Along the 539 southernmost perimeter of this land unit, a substantial open space buffer should be provided of no 540 less than 250 feet, with 300 feet desirable. In addition to permanently preserving this open space 541 buffer area, the Holmes Run Stream Valley, which runs between the office development on the 542 west and the residential development on the east, should be preserved as permanent open space. 543 The eastern portion of this land unit, which has developed with residential use, the maximum 544 building height is 40 feet (or 3 stories). See the Building Heights Map, Figure 8, and the Building 545 Height Guidelines under the Area-Wide Urban Design section.” 546

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MERRIFIELD SUBURBAN CENTER – AREA-WIDE PROPOSED MODIFICATIONS

MODIFY: Fairfax County Comprehensive Plan, 2017 Edition, Area I, Merrifield Suburban 547 Center, Area-wide Guidance, as amended through July 31, 2018, Land Use 548 Guidelines, pages 9-10: 549

550 “Affordable Housing – Generally, affordable housing can include Affordable Dwelling Units 551 (ADUs), Workforce Dwelling Units (WDUs), and other local, state, or federal programs. County 552 policies include promoting the development of multi-family housing in mixed-use centers in an 553 effort to diversify the county’s housing stock and to encourage lower cost housing options near 554 employment opportunities. In order to implement these policies within the Merrifield Suburban 555 Center, development proposals having a residential component should provide for ADUs and/or 556 WDUs. While less preferable, affordable housing can also occur through the provision of units 557 elsewhere within the Merrifield Suburban Center. Only if the provision of affordable housing is 558 not feasible, a contribution to the Fairfax County Housing Trust Fund could be made, as indicated 559 below. 560 561 • For those areas planned for residential development, the provision of ADUs/WDUs should be 562

a condition for attaining the high end of the development range. Developments below the high 563 end of the range should also provide ADUs/WDUs or contribute to the Trust Fund, as indicated 564 below. 565 566

• Affordable housing should be provided for those areas planned for mixed-use with residential 567 units, such as the Town Center and the Transit Station Area. The provision of affordable 568 housing should be a condition for attaining the high end of the area’s mixed-use potential. If 569 the affordable housing to be provided will be in accordance with the ADU program set forth 570 in the Zoning Ordinance, the applicable density range should be determined as follows: for an 571 area planned for office use at .8 FAR under Option 1 and up to 1.2 FAR under Option 2, the 572 intensity range would be considered .8 FAR to 1.2 FAR, which is equivalent to 35 to 50 573 dwelling units per acre (assuming approximately 1000 square feet per unit). In this example, 574 the high end would be considered the top 60% of the range, or intensities above .96 FAR. 575

576 The calculation of ADUs/WDUs and bonus units to be provided should be based on the formula 577 in the ADU/WDU programs. In general, the maximum FAR listed within the Land Unit 578 Recommendations does not include the FAR bonus that is granted for ADUs/WDUs, with the 579 exception of Subunit I1. See land unit guidance for specific recommendations. In cases where 580 ADUs/WDUs are not provided, development proposals within the Plan’s density/intensity range 581 are to contribute to the Housing Trust Fund at an amount of 1% of the development’s residential 582 value. If the proposed development is below the low end of the Plan’s development potential, then 583 ½% of the development’s residential value should be contributed, which is consistent with county 584 policy.” 585 586 MODIFY FIGURE: [Placeholder] Fairfax County Comprehensive Plan, 2017 Edition, Area I, 587

Merrifield Suburban Center, Area-wide Guidance, as amended through 588 July 31, 2018, Figure 9, page 24 to add green squares in Subunit I1 to 589 reflect new plazas/urban greens. 590