COALITION Press Releases
8/24/23: Commentary on Rose Hill Plaza Update from Supervisor Lusk (PDF)
“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.” (Lusk Statement)
4/7/23: Rose Hill Coalition Publishes “Rose Paper” in Opposition to Combined Properties Nomination (PDF)
“The Rose Hill Coalition published their ‘Rose Paper’ on March 7, 2023, in opposition to the Combined Properties nomination to amend the Fairfax County Comprehensive Plan language that would allow them to seek rezoning of the Rose Hill Plaza in Alexandria, VA (Fairfax). The 87-page Rose Paper is a point-by-point analysis of the issues surrounding the nomination. A copy of the paper was sent to Franconia District Supervisor Lusk ahead of the Tuesday, April 11, Board of Supervisors meeting to approve the Work Plan.”
12/9/22: Coalition Opposes Rezoning Rose Hill Plaza to Mixed Use (PDF)
“The Rose Hill Coalition is in the urgent process of stopping the rezoning of the Rose Hill Shopping Center in Alexandria, VA, from commercial to retail/residential mixed-use. The Coalition was formed in response to plans that were presented earlier this year by Combined Properties, Inc. to demolish/rebuild the center, reduce retail at the center by more than 70%, and add 400+ four- and six-story residential rental units.”
COALITION IN THE NEWS
8/25/23: Residents Await New Version Of Rose Hill Plaza Redevelopment Proposal
“The owners of Rose Hill Plaza are expected to submit a new version of their plans to redevelop the shopping center into a mixed-use site to Fairfax County officials by this fall or early winter, according to Franconia District Supervisor Rodney Lusk.”
4/6/23: Supervisor Lusk Seeks Deferral Of Rose Hill Plaza Redevelopment Plan
“The Rose Hill Coalition, a group formed last fall in opposition to Combined Properties’ current redevelopment proposal, welcomed Lusk’s decision to recommend deferral of the project.
‘We applaud this decision by Supervisor Lusk and will continue to seek engagement with Combined Properties and the community to ensure that the needs of the community are met,” the Rose Hill Coalition said in a statement Thursday.’ The coalition also urged residents ‘to stay engaged as this process moves forward.’”
4/3/23: Opponents Of Rose Hill Plaza Redevelopment Urge ‘Full Stop’ On Plan
“‘So far, our voices have been heard loud and clear in opposition of the nomination. The Planning Commission has recommended that it be placed in deferral,’ the Rose Hill Coalition, a group formed last fall in opposition to Combined Properties’ redevelopment proposal, said in a March 31 update. ‘We ask the Board of Supervisors to put a full stop on this nomination.’”
3/14/23: Franconia Residents Protest Redevelopment Of Rose Hill Shopping Center
“Residents of Franconia are worried they will lose valuable retail options if the proposed redevelopment of the Rose Hill Plaza is approved….`Although retail may be dying in some areas, it is not dying at the Rose Hill shopping center.…We do not need to reduce the footprint of the retail that this community needs to thrive.`”
12/19/22: Formal Pitch to Redevelop Rose Hill Shopping Center Emerges, Sparking Neighbor Opposition
“The pitch by owner Combined Properties—submitted as part of the county’s ongoing Site-Specific Plan Amendment (SSPA) process—argues that the current shopping center reflects an `outdated, auto-oriented concept that contradicts Fairfax county’s goals and objectives.’…If the proposal is approved, the developer would time the overhaul with the end of several leases in 2027.
However, some neighboring groups are already opposing the proposal, forming a Rose Hill Coalition to advocate for an update of the shopping center rather than a full redevelopment and rezoning.”
Zoning News in FAIRFAX and northern Virginia
Breaking Ground in Alexandria
9/19/23: An annual update on developments by Alexandria Living Magazine
https://alexandrialivingmagazine.com/news/breaking-ground-in-alexandria-2023-developments/
Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s initiative, “Make Virginia Home”
2/19/23: “Virginia needs more houses—tens of thousands of them, including as many as 300,000 affordable rental units.” Youngkin’s initiative “presents a problem: the state’s housing supply has been lagging population growth for almost two decades and, as a result, homes have gotten wildly more expensive in parts of Virginia. They now are out of reach for people who, for a variety of reasons (youth, age, ethnicity), find themselves on the lower rungs of the income ladder. Youngkin has also named a significant culprit: zoning policies, land-use rules and building codes that snarl up homebuilders’ various development projects.”
https://www.rappnews.com/foothills_forum/youngkin-s-housing-ideas-stir-worries-of-lost-local-control-over-virginia-land/article_dbfb9380-b092-11ed-8f90-e36454de392b.html
Tysons office building near Freedom Hill ES targeted for conversion to housing
2/14/23: An office building adjacent to Freedom Hill Elementary School in Tysons to be considered for a change in zoning from commercial to residential housing.
https://www.ffxnow.com/2023/02/14/tysons-office-building-by-freedom-hill-es-targeted-for-conversion-to-housing/
Northrop Grumman Selling Tysons Office as Residential Conversion Opportunity
2/3/23: “Northrop Grumman Corp. is selling an office campus near the McLean Metro station, billing it as a potential multifamily conversion opportunity in the Tysons submarket.”
https://www.bizjournals.com/washington/news/2023/02/03/northrop-grumman-peraton-colshire-drive-tysons.html
Residential Development is Outpacing Office Growth in Tysons
1/19/23: Since 2010, Tysons population has jump from 17,000 to 30,124 residents. The housing stock also has “increased from 8,943 units to 14,253, with another 1,613 units under construction, as of July 2022.”
https://www.ffxnow.com/2023/01/19/residential-development-is-outpacing-office-growth-in-tysons-county-data-shows/
Affordable Housing Near Tysons Spring Hill Metro Approved
2/21/23: The Fairfax County Planning Commission has approved the Arlington Partnership for Affordable Housing’s (APAH) project, which will replace parking lots currently used by auto dealerships with two 21-story buildings. The development will include 516 units for people earning 60% of the area median income or less, open spaces, a community center, and underground parking garage.
https://www.ffxnow.com/2023/02/21/all-affordable-housing-with-tysons-community-center-near-spring-hill-metro-approved/
Fairfax County to lower income criteria for affordable housing
2/8/23: The Regional Fair Housing Plan provides goals for housing and specific zoning changes. Included is a 231-page document by Fairfax County on affordable housing, including a breakdown of economic stratification in the county. The document recommends adopting “standards that require accessible units in new multifamily developments which receive public funds [require that] 10% of all units must be accessible to people with mobility disabilities and at least 4% for those with hearing and/or vision disabilities.” The ongoing 60-day public comment period runs through March 31.
https://www.ffxnow.com/2023/02/08/new-regional-housing-plan-pushes-fairfax-county-to-lower-income-criteria-for-affordable-housing/
>> Fairfax County Draft Fair Housing Plan
https://www.mwcog.org/assets/1/6/Fairfax_County_Clean_web.pdf
Creative Spaces Toolkit
ArtsFairfax has developed a toolkit to provide information and guidelines to assist artists, arts organizations, and property owners in using Fairfax County’s vacant spaces for “creative community engagement”. This is an interesting option for unleased space at shopping centers.
https://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/topics/sites/topics/files/assets/documents/pdf/artsfairfax-guide-hosting-artistic-event.pdf
Land Use Changes in 2023
1/10/23: “In the fall of 2022, Fairfax County received a total of 75 SSPA proposals, called `nominations,’ to amend the Comprehensive Plan as part of the 2022-2023 SSPA nomination period. In December 2022, the Board of Supervisors accepted 70 nominations into the Screening Phase of the SSPA process to allow for community engagement and initial staff review.”
http://m.mountvernongazette.com/news/2023/jan/10/check-land-use-changes/
Developer Requests More Density for Future Townhouses
1/4/23: Elm Street’s SSPA nomination was one of dozens accepted for screening by the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors on Dec. 6. The applications are now being more closely reviewed by staff and will be presented at community meetings throughout January and February.
(https://www.ffxnow.com/2023/01/04/developer-requests-more-density-for-future-townhouses-by-tysons-pimmit-library/)
Town of Herndon Courts Feedback on Area Near Metro Station Primed for Redevelopment
12/21/22: The town is working with a five-firm consultant team to determine how the transit-related growth area (TRG) could change in the coming years. The outcome includes a TRG study that will provide long-term visioning for the town.
(https://www.ffxnow.com/2022/12/21/town-of-herndon-courts-feedback-on-area-near-metro-station-primed-for-redevelopment/)
Fairfax County Could Put Bicycles and Transit on Par with Cars
12/16/22: “When new development comes up for review in Fairfax County, one of the first questions often asked is “how will this impact vehicle traffic?”
A proposed shift in Fairfax County’s analysis could change that and put more emphasis on alternative modes of transportation. …the type of bicycle and transit-focused development might be more heavily emphasized in Tysons’ urban environment, but not as much in low-density, residential neighborhoods…. The revision is still in its formative stages, with more meetings and presentations scheduled throughout the first half of 2023.”
(https://www.ffxnow.com/2022/12/16/fairfax-county-could-put-bicycles-and-transit-on-par-with-cars-when-gauging-transportation-needs/)
Prince William Supervisors Approve New Comprehensive Plan
12/15/22: “In 18 years, Prince William County will look quite different than it does today, and supervisors early Wednesday cast votes to voice how they think the county should look in the years ahead.” The new plan eliminates many of the protections for the rural crescent–roughly 117,000 acres that has been restricted since 1998 to no more than one home per 10 acres. (The PW Planning Office held five community meetings.)
(https://www.insidenova.com/headlines/prince-william-supervisors-approve-new-comprehensive-plan/article_512ad5ec-7c38-11ed-ab7b-8b5443195bb1.html)
Development Proposals in Reston Push for More Housing
12/14/22: “Nearly a dozen proposals to possibly open up Fairfax County’s comprehensive plan for land use changes to allow development in specific areas of Reston and Herndon are moving forward….The requested changes largely circle around a common theme: aging office buildings are no longer competitive and more housing stock is needed, according to the applications.”
(https://www.ffxnow.com/2022/12/14/development-proposals-in-reston-push-for-more-housing-less-office/)
Herdon Metro Development Lacks Retail
12/12/22: “The current plan reduces office space by roughly 125,000 square feet and ups the amount of residential space by a little over 10,000 square feet. That would make the majority of the site — roughly 488,000 square feet — residential, along with 10,000 square feet of retail and 200,000 square feet of total office space.”
(https://www.ffxnow.com/2022/12/12/lack-of-destination-retail-at-future-herndon-metro-development-worries-town-council/)
County Redirects Federal Covid Funds to Affordable Housing
12/12/22: “Fairfax County has now committed $45 million of the COVID-19 relief funds it received from the federal government to supporting affordable housing projects.
The Board of Supervisors approved the latest allocation of $15 million at its meeting last Tuesday (Dec. 6), and more could be on the way next year, if the board opts to dip into a reserve fund to further its goal of creating 10,000 more affordable units by 2034.”
(https://www.ffxnow.com/2022/12/12/county-board-devotes-more-covid-relief-funds-to-affordable-housing/)
Mosaic District SSPA to Add More Residential
12/9/22: “Advanced by the Board of Supervisors on Tuesday (Dec. 6) as part the Site-Specific Plan Amendment process, which considers land use changes to the county comprehensive plan for individual properties, the proposals could collectively pave the way for some 4.7 million square feet of development, most of it residential.”
(https://www.ffxnow.com/2022/12/08/developers-seek-to-expand-mosaic-districts-vibes-to-more-of-merrifield/)
Vienna Modifies Residential Rezoning
12/8/22: “The Vienna Town Council voted Monday (Dec. 5) to approve a rezoning and site plans that would allow 12 two-story condo duplexes with two units each at 127-133 Park Street — a more modest project than the 30 units that developer BFR Construction originally proposed.”
(https://www.ffxnow.com/2022/12/08/town-council-approves-downsized-vienna-courts-condo-development/)
Planning Commission Approves Development Against Advise of Staff
12/6/22: “The commission voted 9-0 on Wednesday (Nov. 30) to recommend that the board approve Pulte Group’s Flats at Tysons Corner on the 1953 Gallows Road parking lot, despite county staff’s continued objections…”
“Niedzielski-Eichner, whose district includes Tysons, emphasized his respect for staff’s opinion but argued that the proposed development would help further the comprehensive plan’s vision for an Old Courthouse District as a smaller-scale, mixed-use transition between the nearby single-family homes and Tysons Corner Center.”
Niedzielski-Eichner said that ‘he wouldn’t support the development if it was rental apartments, which would see more resident turnover than condos…’”
(https://www.ffxnow.com/2022/12/06/flats-at-tysons-condo-plan-advances-despite-planning-staff-objections/)
Supervisor Lusk Touts Need for More Housing
11/30/22: The Franconia-Springfield “area hasn’t added a single multifamily residential unit since the Springfield Crossing apartments were built in 2001, according to the Springfield-Franconia Market Study commissioned by the Fairfax County Economic Development Authority (FCEDA).”
Lee District Supervisor Rodney Lusk says, “Every market has had some sort of residential construction. We have had zero. So, that’s something that we have to obviously think about and figure out where we might allow more residential options…”
(https://www.ffxnow.com/2022/11/30/springfield-considers-how-to-support-development-as-study-finds-need-for-more-housing-amenities/)
Bren Mar Stops Rezoning Application
11/17/22: The adjacent neighborhood, Bren Mar, stopped the rezoning of commercial space for a potential data center which would have directly affected the surrounding communities with significant light, noise, and environmental pollution.
“…if the rezone had been approved by the commission and approved by the board of supervisors, a data center could have been built without any public input.”
(Fairfax County FOX 5 DC, https://www.fox5dc.com/news/fairfax-county-residents-organize-against-data-center-rezoning)
Mixed-Use Redevelopment Proposed for Rose Hill Shopping Center
3/29/22: “The D.C.-based real estate firm Combined Properties, Inc. is looking at transforming the 1960s-era shopping center…. The model follows a recent trend of transforming static, one-level shopping centers into a mix of residential and retail uses.” (https://www.ffxnow.com/2022/03/29/redevelopment-on-the-table-for-rose-hill-shopping-plaza/)
Developers Withdraw Belle View Shopping Center Proposal
9/15/2020: In 2020, residents successfully opposed redevelopment of the Belle View Shopping Center in Alexandria, VA (Fairfax County)
https://rosehillcoalition.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/Belle-View-Shopping-Center-Redevelopment-Proposal_Related-Documents_2020.pdf
