The developer, EYA is proposing to change the comprehensive plan to allow a 1.0 FAR density which is an urban density. Specifically, they are requesting 854 residences with zero lots and 120,000 square feet of commercial retail. This square footage of commercial retail is comparable to the size of the entire U-shaped Oakton shopping center which is less than one mile away.
Based upon the developer’s own traffic study, the proposed AT&T commercial retail will significantly increase traffic on Chain Bridge and Jermantown/Blake Lane roads. On Saturday, EYA projects that the new residences will generate 5207 car trips, and the commercial retail will generate 13,938 car trips. That’s over 19,000 cars on a Saturday.
EYA ascertains that they build walkable communities. However, only a small portion of our existing community within this one-mile radius will be able to comfortably walk to this retail. Based upon the transportation study analysis, the vast majority of pedestrian pathways in a one-mile radius have no pathway or it is not a comfortable walking situation (See EYA’s transportation study Figure 10).
This is why EYA is building two large parking garages to accommodate their retail stores as well as refusing to entertain a pedestrian retail mall with no vehicular traffic requested by the community. They stated that they need vehicular traffic to ensure their retail will be successful.
Another factor to consider is will this amount of retail create vacancies in Oakton’s existing shopping centers? Shopping centers with vacancies fall behind on taxes, require additional police and fire protection, and can serve as a magnet for vandalism, trespassers, and trash dumping.
In Lake Fairfax, EYA is proposing to build another development for 900 residences and 8,000 SF of retail on 42 acres. This acreage and residential density are similar to the AT&T site, yet the difference in proposed retail size is astronomical (8,000 to 120,000 sq ft).
Retail establishments increase traffic; so the question is how much retail does this development need? The developer has promised a small grocery store which requires 15,000 sq ft. A restaurant typically requires 4-5000 sq ft. If the developer cut his proposed retail in half (60,000 sq ft), this would be sufficient for a grocery store and 9 retail establishments AND reduce Saturday traffic by 7,000 trips!
What can you do to stop the increase in traffic with this proposed Comprehensive Plan Proposal?
Sign and forward the petition to your Oakton neighbors https://chng.it/5LkX6xGxsv.
Write to Supervisor Palchik Supervisor Dalia Palchik providence@fairfaxcounty.gov
and Planning Commissioner, Jeremy Hancock jeremy.Hancock@fairfaxcounty.gov.
Don’t forget to copy Options for Oakton on your letters!