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Update 6/23/2024
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The Rose Hill Coalition LLC provides current information on land use issues affecting the Franconia District and adjacent communities in Fairfax County, Virginia. The Coalition supports full transparency in land use issues directly affecting local residents.
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WHAT’S HAPPENING
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Rose Hill Shopping Plaza
Housing Impact: Approximately 400+ residential units (proposed/in deferral).
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Franconia Governmental Center
On May 21, 2024, the Board of Supervisors voted to convey the Franconia Road property to the Fairfax County Redevelopment and Housing Authority for potential redevelopment as affordable housing.
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Housing Impact: 38 units (proposed)
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The Rose Hill Coalition LLC will continue to monitor the redevelopment of the current Franconia Governmental Center site as it moves through the County's planning and rezoning stages. Watch for "Coalition Updates" and our website at https://www.rosehillcoalition.org.
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Planning Commission Recommends to Adopt Data Center Amendment
The Fairfax County Planning Commission (PC) held a Public Hearing on June 5, to hear testimony on the Data Center Zoning Amendment. As set forth in the staff report* dated May 17, 2024, the Planning Commission (PC) has recommended to the Board of Supervisors to adopt the Data Center Amendment with additional minor amendments.
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For the PC meeting summary go to:
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Coalition Requests Meeting to Discuss Data Centers
On June 21, a coalition of organizations, led by Save Bren Mar (in the Bren Mar neighborhood near Van Dorn Street and Edsall Road), requested a meeting with Fairfax Board of Supervisors Chairman Jeff McKay to discuss the Data Center Zoning Ordinance Amendment in advance of the Board of Supervisors meeting on July 16.
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The organizations signing the letter included:
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PUBLIC HEARING
Data Centers Zoning Ordinance Amendment
The second of two Public Hearings on a proposed Zoning Ordinance Amendment to strengthen the standards for data centers is scheduled for Tuesday, July 16, 2024, at 4:00 pm. After considering the recommendations of the Planning Commission (per above) and listening to additional public testimony on this date, the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors will make the deciding vote on the amendment.
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How to Provide Public Testimony
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Note that procedures for a Board of Supervisors Public Hearing are different from the procedures for the Planning Commission.
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PUBLIC HEARING
Workforce Dwelling Unit Policies
On December 5, 2023, the Board of Supervisors (Board) authorized consideration of a Comprehensive Plan amendment for the Workforce Dwelling Unit (WDU) for-sale policy based on recommendations of the WDU For-Sale Policy Task Force. The proposed amendment includes the following general policy changes:
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- Shift the affordability level of the program from up to 80% to 120% AMI, to up to 70% to 100% AMI.
- Expand guidance on proportionality of bedroom counts between the WDU and market rate units with flexibility for family-sized units (units with three bedrooms or more); and,
- Extend the geographic applicability to certain properties outside of development centers that are planned and zoned for 8 dwelling units per acre (du/ac) or more.
The Board of Supervisors Public Hearing for this Plan amendment is scheduled for Tuesday, July 16, 2024 at 4:00 pm. See calendar items below for links on how to take part.
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Mount Vernon High School Renovation Project
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The main goal for this project is to create a “Human Development Center by providing pathways to opportunity through education, workforce development, and life skills development programs. The building uses were carefully selected to create multi-generational community spaces and have a synergy among them. Another goal of this project is delivering services effectively and allowing flexibility to adapt to future needs. The project also supports the vision of One Fairfax and the County Strategic Plan."
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Richmond Highway Bus Rapid Transit (BRT)
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The goal of the BRT system is to increase transit ridership along the corridor and ultimately lead to the future Metrorail extension to Hybla Valley. The system will run along Richmond Highway (Route 1) and North Kings Highway, starting from Fort Belvoir and ending at the Huntington Metrorail Station. The system will be divided into two sections. Section I of the project run along North Kings Highway from the Huntington Metrorail Station to Richmond Highway, and then along Richmond Highway to Gum Springs. Section II runs along Richmond Highway from Gum Springs to Fort Belvoir.
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Housing Impact: A total of 7,127 residential units are being added/proposed along the corridor.
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Brightview Senior Living Complex on Telegraph Road to Open in 2025
The Brightview Senior Living Complex on Telegraph Road that is currently under construction and set to open in May 2025 at the site of the former Virginia Hills Baptist Church will be presenting at the June 2024 Rose Hill Civic Association membership meeting (www.myrosehill.com).
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Housing Impact: 167 residential units
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Future Unknown for GSA Property on Telegraph Road
At the Rose Hill Civic Assn member meeting in May, “Sandeep Lohia confirmed his purchase of the vacant GSA property on Telegraph Road but said that he has not yet decided what to do with it. Lohia indicated that he was open to ideas for development and that he would like to do something that was ‘compatible’ with surrounding neighborhoods. RHCA members and others suggested several possibilities, including a Montessori school or satellite college campus that would make use of the existing buildings and not contribute to worsening traffic congestion in the area.” (Rose Hill Civic Assn, www.myrosehill.com)
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Housing Impact: Unknown (none proposed to date)
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IN THE NEWS
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Work on Modernization of Merrifield Pan Am Shopping Center To Begin Soon
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The owner/developer announced they will replace some of the shopping center’s façades, apply fresh paint for “a new color palette,” install new canopy ceiling and lighting, improve the outdoor seating areas, enhance the landscaping, and update the merchant signs. The renovation is in lieu of a large scale “mixed-use” redevelopment that the owner put on hold indefinitely earlier this year despite being approved last fall by the Board of Supervisors. Also recently updaded is the Festival at Manchester shopping center in Alexandria at Beulah and Kingstowne Parkway.
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Texas Power Grid Is Challenged by Electricity-Loving Computer Data Centers
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“Ever since a deadly blackout in 2021, officials here have worked to strengthen the power grid. They've started programs to subsidize new power plants and improve transmission lines, but those things take years. Data centers - some that use as much energy as small cities - can be built in just a matter of months…”
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Fairfax County Sees Uptick in Population and Wealth Despite Rising Housing Costs
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Fairfax County is showing signs of a post-pandemic recovery with "increases in population, wages, and housing production, according to a the county’s 2023 demographic report. However, the cost of buying and renting a home continues to rise."
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Home Prices Have Outpaced Paychecks
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In a report by the Harvard Joint Center for Housing Studies, “in nearly half of metro areas, buyers must make more than $100,000 to afford a median-priced home; in 2021, that was the case in only 11% of markets. …rising property taxes and insurance rates are also adding to financial strain.” For the full original report, go to https://www.jchs.harvard.edu/state-nations-housing-2024.
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MARK YOUR CALENDAR
JULY 16 (Tuesday), 4 pm
Fairfax County Board of Supervisors Public Hearings
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- Zoning Ordinance Amendment to strengthen the standards for data centers
- Comprehensive Plan Amendment on workforce dwelling unit policies
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Addendum
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Fairfax County Planning Commission Staff Report* on "For-Sale Workforce Dwelling Unit Policy and Program"
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Beyond “NIMBYism”: Why Americans Support Affordable Housing But Oppose Local Housing Development
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Mount Vernon on the MoVe
"Launched in January 2022, Mount Vernon On the MoVe is a news site dedicated to events and developments around the historic yet rapidly transforming Richmond Highway corridor in Southeast Fairfax County."
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Kingstowne-Rose Hill-Patch
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The staffing for this local issue of The Patch has been assumed by the broader Virginia office (referred to as the "Patch Team"). Local staff either were laid off or transferred. Although the title remains, other than events little news from the Franconia area has been covered since May.
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*Fairfax County Staff Reports for changes to the Comprehensive Plan are the basis for recommendations made by the Planning Commission and decisions made by the Board of Supervisors.
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Stay In Touch!
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You may request to be removed from the list at any time.
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Copyright 2024 Rose Hill Coalition LLC. All Rights Reserved.
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