Like many area residents, all Fairfax resident Kenneth Lawrence wanted was to protect his neighborhood from change. He and his wife, Joyce, have lived in the Briarwood community for 40 years, and they became active in the citizens association several years ago because they wanted to preserve the neighborhood's single-family housing stock, made up of homes dating from 1912 to the 1950s, 1960s and then on.
"We as a community have tried to retain the quality we desire the most," said Lawrence, pointing out the neighborhood's complement of detached homes and mature trees. "It's a great place to live."
With Lawrence's new role as planning commissioner for the Providence District, he will encounter many more neighbors who share similar sentiments about their neighborhoods. He will also meet developers and smart-growth advocates vying for a voice in determining land-use policy for a county quickly becoming cramped.
"You want someone who's fair. You have to have someone who listens to both sides," said Supervisor Linda Smyth (D-Providence), who appointed Lawrence as the district's representative to the Fairfax County Planning Commission.
Lawrence, who retired in 1998 from a career in instructional design, became more involved in land-use planning during retirement. The chair of the Briarwood Citizens Association Land Use Committee, Lawrence was also a member of the Providence District's Area Plan Review (APR) Committee, a group of citizen volunteers who review the county's Comprehensive Plan for the Providence District.
Lawrence also facilitated discussions with neighborhoods surrounding the proposed high-density, mixed-use development for Fairlee, a tract of land near the Vienna Metrorail station. The development utilizes the principles of smart growth, which calls for high-density developments near public transportation centers, in order to minimize sprawl.
"I'm interested to see what that means for Fairfax County," said Lawrence, referring to the various arguments on how to implement smart growth in Fairfax County.
WITH FAIRLEE, Lawrence learned that while the various neighbors generally agreed with their questions of how public transportation and transit would be affected, they varied in the priorities of the issues they had on the development, depending on where they lived. For instance, closer neighborhoods had questions of noise buffering, while farther out neighborhoods wanted to know about storm-water management.
"We had several community associations represented. And depending on where you lived, you may have different issues," Lawrence said.
Smyth, who had previously served as a Providence District's planning commissioner before being elected supervisor, said Lawrence is capable of the job ahead of him.
"I think he has the ability to work with developers, the ability to work with neighbors. I've seen him do this," said Smyth, who first knew about Lawrence through the citizens association, of which she had also been a member.
Besides volunteering for land-use committees, Lawrence serves on the American Lung Association of Virginia's Government Relations Committee and volunteers for the "Training Futures" program with Northern Virginia Family Service. He teaches Microsoft Office programs for immigrants in the job-placement program.
"The results are phenomenal, to see these people when they come and when they leave," Lawrence said.
Of his appointment to the Planning Commission, Lawrence said he looks forward to the opportunity. Over the Martin Luther King Jr. weekend, he pointed out in his foyer a 2-foot tall box of background material he must read to prepare for upcoming meetings.
"As time goes by, we're going to have more redevelopment activity, rather than starting with an undeveloped plot of land," said Lawrence of possible issues ahead.