Two rezoning requests in the Dulles planning district were forwarded to the Board of Supervisors Monday night with the support of the Planning Commission. Greenfield Crossing, located on the north side of Braddock Road about one mile west of Gum Springs Road, will add a total of 107 housing units and South Riding Station, located along the western edge of the existing South Riding community, will provide an additional 620 housing units.
Neither vote was unanimous. Greenfield Crossing passed 7-1, with At-large Commissioner Christeen Tolle opposed. South Riding Station was passed with a 6-2 vote, with Tolle and Blue Ridge Commissioner Nancy Hsu opposed, both preferring the plan come before the commission during a work session for further discussion. John Herbert (Catoctin) was absent from the meeting. Both applications are subject to the supervisors' approval.
"It is much improved ... but I see it as an unfinished plan," said Hsu of the South Riding proposal. "I would have liked to see staff continue to work with [it]."
OF THE TWO PROPOSALS, only South Riding drew attention from the general public. Twelve residents voiced their opinions either for or against the plan, while no one chose to speak during the Greenfield Crossing hearing.
Sarah Howard-O'Brien, a land planner representing the developer South Riding Limited Partnership, said the plan was to build 620 housing units, which are to be a mix of single-family detached homes and townhouses. The proposal Monday night decreased the number of units by 51. It also added a 20-acres site for an elementary school to be located across the street from the Freedom High School.
"The property is long and narrow ... it's surrounded by residential uses, county parks and the future Freedom High School," Howard-O'Brien said. "We agreed it is unsuitable for industrial-land uses ... the area has changed since the original zoning."
Of the 12 speakers, almost all of whom live in South Riding, none were opposed to changing the 193.7-acre property's zoning from industrial to residential. However, those in opposition favored a more mixed-use
residential plan, including more civic uses such as a church site or
community-gathering place, than the one presented. Some also took issue with the fact the proposal was apparently still in flux. Planning staff received revisions to the plan as recently as Feb. 17, three business days before the hearing, prompting staff to recommend the plan go back to committee for further discussion. Staff also expressed concern that the rezoning would result in a less balanced neighborhood by converting all the land to residential uses rather than a mix of residential, retail and commercial.
"I AM OPPOSED to this application. The applicant made dramatic changes less than a week ago," said Richard Myers, identifying himself as a member of a coalition of South Riding residents called Residents for the Future of South Riding. "I do not disagree with the rezoning. I do agree with staff [about the full conversion]. I think the [capital facilities] contributions are woefully inadequate."
Karen Anderson, a member of the South Riding Strategic Planning committee, said she was "extremely disappointed" the South Riding Proprietary Board of Directors had someone speak out in favor of the plan, because there was not unanimous support for the proposal. She said the application before the Planning Commission was not even reviewed by the strategic planning committee.
"I'm concerned with balance," Anderson said. "Some proffers made have never come, such as a day care center. Braddock Road is not going to be adequate. There is no adequate church site, no land site available for larger community activities."
THE PROJECT had its supporters as well, most of whom said an industrial use was no longer appropriate given the only access was through a residential neighborhood.
"The application provides significant road improvements. South Riding
Limited Partnership met with schools staff about a school site. The site was approved by schools staff," said Cheryl Bacak, representing the South Riding Proprietary Board of Directors. "South Riding Station will not be a separate freestanding community. It will be part of South Riding proper. This application offers significant proffers that could have a negative impact to Dulles South if not approved."
Another resident, Lisa Freeman, said, "The last thing South Riding needs is a strip of businesses surrounded by residential uses and schools."
After little more than an hour, the Planning Commissioners decided they didn't need any more time to discuss the proposal and voted to send it on to the supervisors with a favorable recommendation.
SOME OTHER VOTES taken by the Planning Commission Monday included:
* Supported by an 8-0 vote, the comprehensive sign plan for the Ashbrook Commons, a commercial center located in the Broad Run district.
* Supported by an 8-0 vote, a special exception to permit a drive-through at SunTrust Bank at Lansdowne.
* Supported by a 7-1 vote, the rezoning of 34 acres of land at Greenfield Crossing, located in the Dulles district, from low-density single-family residential to planned development-housing. The plan calls for 16 single-family detached homes, 62 duplexes and 29 townhouses.