It's on to the Board of Supervisors now for a proposal that would bring four, fast-food restaurants to the building formerly housing the Lone Star steakhouse in Centreville. It got a thumbs-up last Thursday, April 26, from the Fairfax County Planning Commission.
The nearly 6,000-square-foot building is in the Centreville Square I Shopping Center, between Centrewood Drive and Machen Road. And none of the new restaurants would have drive-through windows.
The proposal needs a special-exception permit from the county because it's located within a highway corridor. But it seems as if two previous items in dispute have now been resolved.
County staff wanted the applicant, shopping-center owner A.J. Dwoskin, to build a bus shelter nearby. But he wanted some details settled before agreeing to it.
"The applicant agreed to construct it, but future maintenance would be up to whoever runs the bus system," said Sully District Planning Commissioner Ron Koch. "But if a bus won't stop there, then they won't have to build a bus shelter."
Also at issue was the way future restaurant changes would be handled, and the resolution eliminated some potential red tape. Said Koch: "If they're going to add a by-right use — such as a sit-down, non-fast-food restaurant — they won't have to come back through the county process for a special-use permit."
Next stop is the Board of Supervisors on June 4 for the final decision.
<tgl> — Bonnie Hobbs