The Planning Commission approved an expansion of Mount Daniel Elementary School, operated by Falls Church City Public Schools, in land at the outskirts of Fairfax County in McLean. Photo by Ken Moore.
Falls Church City Public Schools wants to expand Mount Daniel Elementary School to educate the school system’s first and second graders.
But to get to Mount Daniel requires trips on McLean streets, including North Oak, a Fairfax county street that neighborhood residents say is not easily navigated by school busses.
The McLean Citizens Association Board of Directors adopted a resolution in 2015 and this year opposing the potential expansion because it was “excessive and incompatible with the neighborhood.”
“It is a lot of intensity for this small site,” testified Mark Zetts, chair of MCA’s planning and zoning committee.
About 17 speakers testified Thursday, July 22 before the Planning Commission, both for and against.
Falls Church City Public Schools has operated Mount Daniel Elementary School on a 7.31-acre property located in a residential neighborhood at 2328 North Oak Street since 1952.
The Falls Church school system seeks an expansion that would increase the square footage of the building from 44,118 square feet to 79,491 square feet; the expansion would allow the school to enroll up to 660 students. About 436 students are enrolled now and the school is above capacity.
Mayor David Tarter crossed county and McLean borders to advocate for the expansion of Mount Daniel Elementary School, a school he called “a cornerstone of our small community.”
“We take pride in our school system,” said Tarter. “This is of critical importance to our city.”
“We work hard to be good neighbors,” said Justin Castillo, chair of the Falls Church City School Board.
Castillo expressed ways Mount Daniel hopes to alleviate concerns of the neighborhood, including having shuttles during nighttime events, keeping the number of nighttime events to 10 during the school year, helping plow the streets during snow storms, ensuring that all Mount Daniel parents know the impact the school has on the neighborhood, and more. The school system reduced its original plans to expand the school so it could enroll up to 792 students.
“I am here to say we are serious about making sure we abide by our promises,” Castillo said.
“We know we must comply with our conditions and we will continue to work with our neighbors,” said Mayor Tarter.
More than four dozen advocates of the expansion stayed past midnight to listen to the Commission hearing.
The Planning Commission was scheduled to make its recommendation to the Board of Supervisors with its vote on Thursday, July 29, but deferred its decision only hearing to September.