Last week, it was professional land planner Sara Howard-O'Brien's job to convince the Planning Commission there was enough commercial and business zoning remaining within the South Dulles area that rezoning more than 193 acres in South Riding Station to residential use would not have a substantial impact.
"Along the Route 50 corridor, priorities are approved for business and commercial uses including the areas within South Riding, on both sides of South Riding Boulevard, in the vicinity of Defender Drive, which is approved for approximately .5 million square feet of office, hotel and retail uses. South Riding Town Center retail center, which has land available for additional office use of approximately 80,000 square feet," Howard-O'Brien said at the rezoning hearing.
She went on to list Market Square Retail, which is approved for 100,000 square feet of office and 270,000 square feet of retail and a 45-acre site next to Market Square planned for 350,000-450,000 square feet of retail.
In all, she said, there are approximately 1,600 acres of land zoned commercial or light industrial along the Route 50 corridor and 3,400 acres zoned for industrial in the Dulles planning district.
"Assuming this rezoning is approved, there is still enough land for employment opportunities," Howard-O'Brien said at the hearing.
The commission recommended approval of the rezoning.
However, the reality is a crop of rezoning requests making their way through the planning pipeline could reduce the amount of space available for parks and retail opportunities, and cause overcrowding at neighborhood schools while adding as much as 2,400 housing units or an estimated 6,500 people, to the Dulles district.
AFTER THE COUNTY approved the new community boundaries in the 2001 comprehensive plan, the Planning Department focused on the area known as South Dulles, because that area is considered the last of the undeveloped land in eastern Loudoun. The department created what it calls, the South Dulles Study Area, which includes the portion of the Dulles planning district south of Route 50 to Braddock Road.
The study area takes a look at how much land would be needed to provide the essential services that create a balanced community when there is a designated amount a residential land available, essentially filling in the detail of the comprehensive plan.
"In South Dulles, we wanted to make sure they have all the services," said Sarah Coyle, Loudoun County community planning division manager. "We wanted to make sure they have vibrant communities with all the amenities."
The study area devotes up to 60 percent, or a maximum of 2,350 acres, of the land for residential uses. With that amount of housing, the department determined up to 20 percent, or a maximum of 783 acres, of land would be needed for office and light industrial uses; at least 10 percent, or a minimum of 392 acres, is needed for public and civic uses including schools; and at least 30 percent, or a minimum of 1,175 acres, was needed for parks and open space.
As of January, the study area had reached 57 percent, or 2,264 acres, approved residential; just under 8 percent, or 293 acres, of office and light industrial; had less than 1 percent, or 2.6 acres, of retail; 3 percent, or 136 acres, for schools and a public safety center; 1 percent, or 70 acres, dedicated to ball fields and tennis courts; and 29 percent, or 1,150 acres, for open space.
At the same time, there were nine rezoning applications pending that would bring an estimated 2,410 additional housing units above what has already been approved or allowed by right.
Since these figures were released, three of the rezonings, Braddock Corner, Greenfield Crossing and South Riding Station, with a combined 886 housing units, have been forwarded to the Board of Supervisors with the Planning Commission’s recommendation for approval. South Riding Station did, however, reduce its original proposal by 51 units and proffered a 20-acre site for an elementary school.
With those approvals, however, is the loss of 281 acres of land once designated for low-density single-family homes and light industrial uses. In the Dulles planning district low-density residential zoning equates to no more than four single-family-detached homes per acre. The number of units increases to as many as eight per acre for town homes.
"Dulles South is not going to have all the services that citizens want," Coyle said, if the rezonings continue. "We do have Route 50 planned for offices and services employment. But it's planned for more regional uses, not local services."
Coyle said the idea behind having a balance community means everything a person might need, such as goods and services, employment or even recreation and education, is within walking distance.
"RIGHT NOW, in that area, with what is approved, we're projecting we'll need three schools," said Sam Adamo, director of planning and legislative services for Loudoun County Public Schools, three days before the rezoning at South Riding Station was recommended by the Planning Commission. "With the rezonings in process, we'll need a total of five elementary schools."
Adamo said ideally, the school system needs at least 20 acres for an elementary school, 35 acres for a middle school and 60 aces for a high school.
At the time, the school system had one elementary school proffered at Kirkpatrick Farms, which had already been approved for 1,385 housing units; and was still working out the details that led to South Riding Station proffering a 20-acre site as well. But, as Adamo pointed out, that still leaves the area three elementary schools short.
In addition, he said another middle and high school, besides Mercer Middle School opening fall 2004 and Freedom High School opening in 2005, will be needed in South Dulles as the elementary-school students get older.
He said the school system bases its projections on the triennial census figures, and by monitoring the by-right development and large rezoning projects that make their way to the Planning Commission. In addition, Adamo said, the job market plays a part in the type of residents who will be attracted to the area.
"Jobs attract young couple of child-bearing years," he said.
Adamo said with the activity going on now in the South Dulles area, there needs to be discussions on how much land is needed to maintain a balanced community, especially since schools cannot be retrofitted onto a piece of land.
"I think for the county and schools, land use is going to get tighter and tighter," Adamo said. "We find ourselves looking at land that may not be our first or second choice, but what's available. We're also competing with the private sector."