Fairfax County officials Wednesday will considerless ambitious plans for Tysons Corner, as some have questioned the practicality of planning Northern Virginia’s marquee transit community nearly a half-century in advance.
Walter Alcorn, chairman of the Fairfax County planning commission’s Tysons Corner Committee, suggested cutting the 40-year planning window in half, which would slash nearly 30 million square feet from the plan — for now. He said it would ease the unpredictability of planning around massive transportation projects four decades in advance.
Once plans for the first 20 years are approved, county officials would move on to the next two decades.
Board of Supervisors Chairwoman Sharon Bulova said she has plenty of questions about the new vision for Tysons Corner.
“I do question the reduction in square footage,” she said. “It appears to be counter to the original vision.”
The planning efforts have pitted some business owners, who say smaller-than-expected zoning densities don’t encourage investment, and area residents, who think development would overwhelm current transportation plans.
Fairfax planners will weigh proposals during a workshop Wednesday that could appease both groups.
To offset the planning reduction, Alcorn also proposed removing density maximums from projects, which are based on distance from four planned Metro stations.
In revamping the office-park behemoth, planners have imagined a walkable community lined with apartments, shops and restaurants — and significantly less congestion.
The already-booming business district is expected to double its total employees to 200,000 by 2050.
The key, Alcorn says, is catering to transportation projects without stifling growth.
“I think it certainly could throw a cold blanket on the transformation of Tysons Corner,” he said, of squashing too much development over transportation fears. “The trick is finding that balance.”
Financing and the timeline remain the primary obstacles as county officials near expected adoption of the development plan in May. The planning commission will make more changes to the Tysons blueprint next month.
