The HOA/Civic Leader Coalition had an important meeting August 29th with Fairfax County Officials, Jeremy Hancock, Planning Commissioner for Providence District and Devin Pharr, Chief of Staff for Providence District, who oversees Land and Housing Development.
We had leaders from Arrowood, Avon Park, Cherrywood Square, Evergreen, Flint Hill Manor, Four Winds, Gray's Oakton, Hunterbrooke, Miller Heights, Treebrooke, Trevor House and Vistas of Vienna. All leaders spoke of their concerns regarding the AT&T Re-development.
Below are some of the highlights of this meeting.
1. Flint Hill does not meet the definition of a suburban center and should not be developed as an urban area.
2. EYA (the developer) has not fulfilled its promise to improve the transportation infrastructure.
3. EYA’s own transportation impact analysis shows this proposed development cannot sustain a density of 1.0 FAR on our current road infrastructure. (Example, 13,000 more car trips on Chainbridge corridor on a Saturday.)
4. We are concerned that 120,000 sq ft of retail is too much for our community both with the increase in traffic and viability. Will current retail centers become vacant?
5. We are concerned that other EYA projects like Lake Fairfax can offer lower retail density for similar residential density AND provide the community with more proffers such as 4 acres of land for building a school.
6. We support affordable housing but are concerned that the County will accept a 1.0 FAR in return for even more affordable dwellings at the detriment of increased traffic conditions of the existing community. (Current zoning requires 106 vs 155 offered with 1.0 FAR)
7. This density is not reflective or compatible with our surrounding community.
8. We would like County staff to be involved in all the EYA/community meetings. We are uncomfortable with EYA conducting separate HOA community meetings.
9. The other developments (Flint Hill I, III, IV Redwood) can redevelop in accordance with current re-zoning; why can’t EYA? The community should not have to be penalized for EYA to make a profit.
10. The EYA tag of “Life within Walking Distance” will not be met with this redevelopment as most of the community within a one-mile radius will not be able to walk to new retail site due to unsafe pedestrian conditions as shown on the developer's traffic study.
We are opening up our HOA leader Coalition group for other Oakton HOA/Civic group leaders to join. Please tell your association President that you would like for them to join us!
Please sign the petition and share to maintain the Character of Oakton! https://chng.it/5LkX6xGxsv (There is no need to donate!)