The Belle View Shopping Center is located in a Community Planning Sector, a Suburban Neighborhood, according to Fairfax County.
Suburban Neighborhoods, according to the County, are planned for little to no change in land use. The County also recommends that that infill development be of compatible use, type, and intensity with the surrounding areas. The Shopping Center plan fails badly on compatible intensity.
The Belle View Shopping Center plan is more suitable for a commercial area along Richmond Highway, not in the middle of a completely built-out 60-year-old suburban neighborhood.
If the owners say they are concerned about the future of the “car-oriented” shopping center in 20 years, they should come back in 10 years with a proposal. That is an adequate real estate planning time frame.
This plan proposes too much density for a neighborhood that already has a lot of traffic. There is also no ability to increase traffic capacity in this old neighborhood.
This proposal should not be added to the Comprehensive Plan.
Jim Gearing