Commentary
Rose Hill Plaza Update from Supervisor Lusk
Following a meeting in late July between Supervisor Lusk, myself*, and the president the Rose Hill Civic Assn (RHCA), Lusk issued a formal statement to the community outlining his position on the future development of the Plaza as well as next possible steps.
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Lusk issued the statement in August after the RHCA and I met with him and because we specifically requested that he provide it to us. Soon after we received it, the statement was published on his Facebook page and later picked up by the media. Lusk also spoke directly with the developer several days prior to our meeting.
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I have no opinion on Supervisor Lusk’s statement. We are neither encouraged nor discouraged at this time. The goal of the Rose Hill Coalition remains the same. The formal position statement (his first) merely mirrors what the community has been saying since March 2022.
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Basically, nothing has been done with the nomination/proposal since the April 11, decision by the Board of Supervisors to approve it for the next stage in the planning review process, but put it in temporary deferral. The developer has not met with or discussed any plans with the community. Lusk indicated that the developer may or may not present a new plan in the “fall”. As we all know, the elections also will be held in November.
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The only reason this has become a focus of concern for Lusk and the County is because the local community has strongly objected to the original (and revised) proposal to redevelop the shopping center. Fairfax County is strongly in favor of additional housing development regardless of whether it addresses the true problem of “affordable” housing. The developer has strong ties to the County and their representing firm has considerable experience and influence.
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The proposal will be a major focus of the general election campaigns for Franconia District Supervisor. Expect it to be a major “band wagon”. It has only been in recent weeks that the issue has garnered attention from the major candidates who have subsequently contacted the local community “influencers” to ensure us that they are “on our side”.
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We will save our “opinion” for when we see who wins the election and what new, if any, proposal is submitted by the developer. The actions will speak much louder than words.
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For more details on the issue, I recommend visiting the Coalition website where we have identified the community’s concerns and tracked the progression of the proposal since its beginning.
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Sharada Gilkey, Founder
Rose Hill Coalition
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*I am currently also serving as acting president for the Brookland-Bush Hill Civic Association through 12/31/23. These roles are distinct and separate.
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