When demand for an elderly housing community in Centreville proved lacking, Ratcliffe Associates went back to the drawing board. It emerged with a new proposal for a regular residential community.
To be built on about 26 acres between Route 29 and Centreville Farms, Sully Manor is to consist of 178 single-family homes — 84 detached houses and 94 attached — built along Shreve Street.
Attorney Lynne Strobel presented details during Tuesday night's meeting of the West Fairfax County Citizens Association (WFCCA) Land-Use Committee. "The plan has been submitted to county staff," she said. "And everything I've heard so far is that this is a good plan."
The proposal includes a tot lot and, at county planning-staff's request, the amount of open space in the center was increased from one acre to two. Access to the neighborhood will be from Pickwick Road to Johnson Avenue and also from Shreve. But there will be no access from Route 29.
Strobel said residents of Shreve Street, Leland Road and Summit Drive were concerned that parking might spill over onto their streets. In response, Ratcliffe added more parking, in addition to the two-car garages and 18-foot driveways already planned.
A whole slew of transportation improvements are also slated. Ratcliffe will add a paved lane to probably serve as a right-turn, deceleration lane from Route 29 to Pickwick. It also plans to build a left turn from Pickwick to Route 29 east and a right turn from Pickwick to Route 29 west. A through lane from Pickwick across Route 29 is also planned.
The changes will add three new lanes total to Pickwick, increasing it from its existing two lanes to five. Said Strobel: "It will help not only the residents of this [new] community, but the existing residents, as well."
The developer also proposes erecting a 4-foot berm, fencing and landscaping along Route 29, plus possibly brick pillars and shrubbery along Shreve Street. On 4,500-square-foot lots, the houses will be built by Engle Homes of Sterling and will be upscale-looking with brick fronts. The neighborhood will also feature street lights, benches and sidewalks on both sides of the street.
"We think it'll be a nice addition to the Centreville community," said Strobel. "It's been a very long process, but I think it's going to have a good result."
She also noted that, according to the county's Comprehensive Plan, the developer also has to build a bike trail, the WFCCA's Dick Frank asked if it could be moved as far back from Route 29 as possible because of all the drivers "whizzing by" there so quickly.
WFCCA member Gil Kesser suggested an exit from Shreve Street, and Strobel said they'd take a look at it. Shreve Street resident Diane King said her street is "a narrow, unimproved street with lots of potholes so, when you talk about more traffic on it, it could be a problem." Strobel said it, too, would be improved and would receive curbs and gutters.
The plans goes to the county Planning Commission on April 25 and the Board of Supervisors on April 29.