Arlington County Board Approves East Falls Church Area Plan

The Arlington County Board passed the East Falls Church Area Plan on Saturday, after hearing comments in a public hearing.

“This is a thoughtful plan for the future of East Falls Church,” County Board Chairman Chris Zimmerman said. “With the Silver Line coming, it makes sense to articulate a long-term vision and a framework for development that preserves the flourishing single-family neighborhoods around the station while creating a neighborhood center and transit hub that better serves the East Falls Church area.”

Public comment on the proposal was mixed, with a number of business owners and citizens generally warm to the proposed plan. A number of residents adamantly opposed it.

The East Falls Church Civic Association initiated the plan in an effort to anticipate development rather than react to changes. With the impending addition of the Silver Line, East Falls Church is likely to see changes with more people able to reach that area through public transportation. As the only Metro station in Arlington County without an area plan, the county government looked into making some substantial changes.

The county held meetings and in the plan wanted to address citizen concerns about neighborhood character, the height and density of development, impact on schools and traffic, and spillover parking, particularly the loss of commuter parking spaces. One of the major changes envisioned in the county's development plan is the replacement of 422 commuter parking spaces currently at East Falls Church Metro station with 100 to 200 commuter parking spaces. The county's research indicated that 48 percent of all parking at the current lot is from Fairfax residents and the new Silver Line should eliminate the number of Fairfax drivers that use the East Falls Church lot.

The area plan calls for a substantial amount of mixed-use development, particularly an open space with local retail surrounding a plaza. While buildings can be nine stories tall in a section bordering I-66, street-front height limits are typically only three stories, to reduce the visual impact on the neighborhood. The county hopes to add 100 to 250 new units of affordable housing with the plan. Some of the language in the plan allows for the addition of a grocery store as well. Finally, the county wants more links for the East Falls Church area with bike and pedestrian trails for more environmentally friendly transportation options. The plan as a whole is likely to takes years, perhaps even decades, to be fully realized.

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