developing a vision for the east falls church metrorail ...€¦ · park-and-ride (pnr) lot,...

Developing a vision for the East Falls

Church Metrorail Station and

surrounding areasurrounding area

Presented to the Williamsburg Civic Association

by Mark Moran, WCA representative to the East Falls Church Planning Study Task Force

October 27, 2009

presToWcaReEfcPstf_2009-10-27b.pptx

East Falls Church Planning Study

Purpose and scope, 1 of 3• Purpose: To generate a land use and transportation vision for

transit-oriented development in the East Falls Church area of Arlington County and the City of Falls Church

• Phases of this study– Land use vision development

– Transportation planning– Transportation planning

• Land use visioning process is being led by planning staff from Arlington County and City of Falls Church

• Staff will help develop both a concept plan and a policy framework for the study area, including possibly zoning and land use changes

• The staff team will be guided by a citizen task force comprised of representatives from both jurisdictions and from other interested groups (e.g., WMATA, VDOT).

10/27/2009 2Presentation to Williamsburg Civic Assoc.


Purpose and scope, 2 of 3• The goal of the visioning exercise is to develop a concept plan

that will set height, density, use mix, and urban design standards for Arlington County sites, such as the EFC Metrorail park-and-ride (PNR) lot, kiss-and-ride (KNR) lot, and other sites that are likely to redevelop in the study area (shown on a later slide)

• The City of Falls Church 2005 Comprehensive Plan will be used • The City of Falls Church 2005 Comprehensive Plan will be used as the guide for the sites within the City of Falls Church.

• The process could result in changes to the General Land Use Plan (GLUP) and/or zoning changes.



Purpose and scope, 3 of 3• After a preliminary land use plan has been developed for the

identified sites within the East Falls Church area, the two jurisdictions will use a transportation consultant to analyze issues related to the transportation infrastructure

• The transportation analysis will– Analyze access to the Metro station: pedestrian, bicycle, and vehicular

– Analyze station capacity and recommend infrastructure, streetscape and – Analyze station capacity and recommend infrastructure, streetscape and other public improvements to create an urban, walkable, and accessible mixed-use environment within this area.

• The transportation portion of the study will be completed with grant funds received from the VDOT’s Multimodal Planning Grant Program.

• A final Concept Plan and Policy Framework will be developed and

presented to the Arlington County Board and City of Falls Church

City Council for adoption upon completion of the project.


East Falls Church Planning Study Task Force

(19 members)

• Arlington County Board Appointees– Arlington East Falls Church Civic

Association (4 members)• Mike Nardolilli, Task Force Chair

• John Wilson

• Alan Parker

• Jamie Gardner

– Madison Manor Civic Association (1 member)

– At-large Arlington Representatives (up to 4)• Bob Dunphy

• John Kinney

• Nancy Iacomini

• Thanna Schemmel (Pedestrian Advisory Committee)

• Not Appointed by Arlington County member)• Varun Nikore

– Williamsburg Civic Association (1 member)• Mark Moran

– Planning Commission (3 members)• Rosemary Ciotti

• Steve Cole

• Terry Serie

– Transportation Commission (1 member)• Franz Gimmler

• Not Appointed by Arlington County Board– Washington Metropolitan Area Transit

Authority [WMATA] (1 member)• Scott Peterson

– Virginia Department of Transportation [VDOT] (1 member)• Valerie Pardo

– City of Falls Church (2 members)• Susanne Fauber (Planning Commission)

• Don Rea (HOA President)


Studies prior to this one

• East Falls Church Land Use Study (1986)

• Arlington-Falls Church Ad-Hoc Planning Committee: Final Report (1987)

• WMATA East Falls Church Station Access Study • WMATA East Falls Church Station Access Study (2002)

• Virginia Tech Study, East Falls Church Metro Area Plan (2004)

• Arlington East Falls Church Civic Association Metro Survey (2005)

10/27/2009 Presentation to Williamsburg Civic Assoc. 6

Schedule for the EFC Planning Study

• Process began in Sept. 2007

• Was originally supposed to take 12 to 18 months, but the study is now into its 2nd year

• Probably 4-6 more months to go

• Meetings are typically the 4th Wednesday of the month, every month except Aug.– Open to the public– Open to the public

– Have been held at Fire Station #6

• Recent meetings– 7/22/09; 9/23/09 (cancelled); 10/5/09 make-up (subsequently cancelled)

– So, we have not met for three months – But we will meet tomorrow night.

• Next meetings– October 28, 2009 in the Multi-Purpose Room at Tuckahoe Elementary School

from 7-9 PM

– November and December meetings have been rescheduled to November 18th

and December 16th and will also be held at Tuckahoe Elementary Sch., 7-9 PM


Study area


PNR lot ownership


Direction of the Task Force:

Votes taken at 5/27/09 meeting (1 of 4)

• A sample of 16 out of 27 questions (12 members voting)– Do we support the concept of the three nodes (residential, transit

mixed use and gateway mixed use) and the boundaries as suggested by staff?• Yes 4 / No 1 / Defer 7

– Do we want a western entrance to the Metro along the lines suggested by staff?suggested by staff?• Yes 11 / No 0 / Defer 1

– Do we want a third entrance to the Metro from any planned development at the park-and-ride lot, along the lines suggested by staff?• Yes 8 / No 0 / Defer 4

– Should we disperse the kiss-and-ride function to several locations? (the western entrance, the current KNR lot, and the current PNR lot have been suggested)• Yes 5 / No 2 / Defer 5




• A sample of 16 out of 27 questions (12 members voting)– Do we want first floor retail at any of the development sites that have been

identified? (The current KNR lot, the current PNR lot, the BB&T site, the Sun Trust site, the Verizon site, the Exxon/Mobil site and the Fuel Oil site)• Yes 9 / No 0 / Defer 3

– Do we leave a 70-foot buffer along I-66 as requested by VDOT or should we move any proposed development on the current PNR lot closer to I-66?• Yes 5 / No 5 / Defer 2• Yes 5 / No 5 / Defer 2

– Do we want a significant open space area? (the current PNR lot, the Verizon site, a platform over I-66, and the Fuel Oil site have been suggested)• Yes 10 / No 0 / Defer 2

– Do we want a grocery store? (The Fuel Oil site, the current PNR lot, and the Exxon/Mobil site have been suggested)• Yes 9 / No 0 / Defer 3




• A sample of 16 out of 27 questions (12 members voting)– Should we set a height limit for each re-development

identified?• Yes 11 / No 0 / Defer 1

– Do we want to insist that pedestrian improvements be – Do we want to insist that pedestrian improvements be made in order to make the area more pedestrian friendly? • Yes 11 / No 0 / Defer 1

– Do we pedestrian access across I-66?• Yes 11 / No 0 / Defer 1

– Should a percentage of any residential development be set aside for affordable housing?• Yes 10 / No 0 / Defer 1




• A sample of 16 out of 27 questions (12 members voting)– Do we want to eliminate all commuter parking at the current

PNR lot?• Yes 8 / No 3 / Defer 1

– Do we want to eliminate all short term (metered) parking?• Yes 2 / No 9 / Defer 1• Yes 2 / No 9 / Defer 1

– Do we want any new development to contain tapering requirements to lessen the visual impact on the surrounding neighborhood?• Yes 11 / No 0 / Defer 1

– Do we want to make suggestions for increased bus service and paratransit to the Metro to improve access to the subway and lessen the need for single-occupancy vehicles? (Increased ART and GEORGE bus service to Seven Corners has been suggested)• Yes 11 / No 0 / Defer 1


Recent proposals: I-66 deck and proposed

western entrance to the Metrorail sta.


Recent proposals (to be reviewed by TF on 10/28/09)

Option 1: Up to 12 stories

Total GFA: 442,000 sq ft

Public Space: 40,000 sq ft


Opportunities to stay informed

and to offer input

• I will attend the EFC PSTF meetings and will report back to the WCA with important developments, either via the WCA Listserv and/or status reports at future WCA meetings

• You may attend EFC PSTF meetings yourself (anyone is allowed to attend)

• You can visit the study web site • You can visit the study web site (http://www.arlingtonva.us/Departments/CPHD/forums/columbia/current/CPHDForumsEastFallsChurch.aspx)

• I welcome input from WCA membership

– My preferred way to get input is via e-mail ([email protected])

• I will transmit comments I receive from WCA to the EFC Planning Study Task Force


Acknowledgements

• Arlington County

– Staff Coordinator: Richard Tucker

– Others: Richard Hartman, Bridget Obikoya, Diane Probus, Tianyao Sun

• City of Falls Church• City of Falls Church

– Elizabeth Perry, Cyrus Salehi, Wendy Block Sanford

• Consultant team

– Kimley-Horn and Associates, Inc.

– Nelson/Nygaard

– Louis Scully Gionet

– Lee & Papa and Associates



(EFCPS) web sites

• Arlington County:

– http://www.arlingtonva.us/Departments/CPHD/forums/columbia/curr

ent/CPHDForumsEastFallsChurch.aspx

– There is a lot of documentation on the web site, including

• Virginia Tech Study (2004)

• Arlington - Falls Church AD-Hoc Planning Committee Final Report (1987)• Arlington - Falls Church AD-Hoc Planning Committee Final Report (1987)

• East Falls Church Land Use Study (1986)

• WMATA Joint Development Report

• Falls Church:

– http://www.fallschurchva.gov/Content/Government/Departments/De

velopmentServices/EFCPlanning.aspx?cnlid=2933


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