By Carla Branch
alexandrianews.org
When residents of Alexandria’s West End learned that Fairfax County was considering proposals to redevelop the Plaza at Landmark and the Smoot Lumber site, they asked why the City hadn’t informed them and why Alexandria leaders weren’t involved in the decision making process. A third proposed Fairfax County redevelopment on Vine Street will be considered during Alexandira’s Eisenhower West planning process, which is scheduled to begin next year.
Proposed area of development at Plaza of Landmark. (Courtesy Photo)
Fairfax County asked Alexandria for formal comments on the Plaza at Landmark and Smoot proposals. City Council authorized Mayor Bill Euille to send a letter to Sharon Bulova, chair of the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors, after a presentation on the proposed redevelopment by Alexandria Planning Department staff.
Councilman Paul Smedberg drafted the letter. “We need to express our concerns about these proposals in the strongest way while recognizing that Fairfax County has a right to make land use decisions within their jurisdiction,” Smedberg said.
Both proposed redevelopments would significantly increase density. “Both sites would add substantial new density to these areas with resultant impact on quality of life issues for both of our jurisdictions,” the letter said. “These proposals could be part of a major redesign of roadway traffic patterns that could decrease both congestion and travel time for Fairfax County and Alexandria residents. We would encourage that this planning should be undertaken in the early stages of the development process in order that the resulting developments be smart-growth oriented providing beneficial transportation design.
“As Fairfax County evaluates these two major land use changes adjacent to Alexandria’s border, we would make the following requests: first, that the transportation impact on Fairfax and Alexandria residents be carefully studied and secondly that processes be formalized for how we can better deal with land use issues that have considerable impact on our jurisdictions. The City of Alexandria Planning staff met with Fairfax County Planning staff and began preliminary discussion of how joint planning and coordination could occur with regard to the current proposals as well as future redevelopment sites.
“Our current land use planning study for Fiscal Year 2011 will focus on the West Eisenhower Avenue Van Dorn Metrorail Station area, adjacent to Fairfax County. This could afford an excellent opportunity for a joint planning process for our jurisdictions,” the letter said.
Don Buch expressed concern about the proposed projects several weeks ago. “To me, the most astounding and troubling aspect is that this letter certainly appears to read as though it is the first time our City has approached Fairfax County to suggest integrating aspects of our respective planning processes,” he said. “Given the extent of our common border, our implicit and obvious common interests and the fact that both entities have been around for generations, I do not understand why this matter has waited until February 2010 to be addressed. Personally, the letter struck me as unduly patronizing but perhaps that is simply a reflection of the historical relationship, or lack of same, between these two governments.”
Area of proposed development at Smoot Lumber. (Courtesy Photo)
On March 3, Fairfax County will hold an Area Plans Review public meeting on the proposed redevelopment of the Smoot Lumber site. On March 17, the APR task force will hold a public meeting on the proposed redevelopment of the Plaza at Landmark.
“We are early in the planning process so there will be many opportunities for us to be involved,” said Karl Moritz, deputy director of the Alexandria department of planning zoning.