The following letter was sent to the Planning Commission and Board of Supervisors.
The purpose of this email is to formally support a proposed residential development (SE 2016-MV-016; RZ 2016-MV-016; FDP 2016-MV-018) at 8800 Richmond Highway, Alexandria.
Although there are environmental concerns that identifies the property as being in an Environment Quality Corridor and/or Resource Protection Area (corridors), such corridors perform different functions under different environments. As such, functions provide considerations that allows certain compromises for residential development with limited disturbances that may accommodate both development and environmental objectives. Therefore, the proposed development should be reviewed on its own merits.
The proposed plan and design appears sensitive to the natural conditions by providing more than one mitigation and compensation proposal to include keeping the area performing its valuable natural functions and private parks or open spaces are formally preserved.
Finally, realizing that common ground exists in environmental corridors, particularly since it would not be practical or even possible to preserve every last natural remnant in the Mount Vernon District, the most affected surrounding communities have pledged their support for the proposed residential development based on precision planning to include viable solutions to mitigate and resolve environmental concerns. Those communities include, but not limited to, Engleside, Woodlawn, Gillingham, Timothy Park, Rosemont, Woodlawn Gables, The Villages, Oaks of Woodlawn and Abbotts Run. As a result of those communities' support and involvement in the planning process, I support the proposed development as currently presented.
Queenie Cox
Gum Springs