The Arlington County Board adopted a new development plan for East Falls Church that officials called a scaled-back version of the county’s usually high-powered urban development.
The plan to one day redevelop a Metro parking lot and other plots around the East Falls Church Metro station included building heights restrictions and promises to bring a new mix of residential and retail space to the neighborhood.
Roads around the station will also be redesigned to include more parking and biking options. However, none of the changes will happen overnight. The plan provides a vision for the community, officials said, one that will likely take years to realize.
Some neighborhood residents were opposed to the plan, but it passed the board unanimously with the support of the Arlington-East Falls Church Civic Association, which had been pushing for a new community plan for years.
“This is a thoughtful plan for the future of East Falls Church,” said Chris Zimmerman, County Board chairman. “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.”
