Congressman Tom Davis’s personal and legislative involvement in a local zoning issue is so fascinating and so controversial on so many levels that I’m surprised no VA blogger (to my knowledge)has picked it up.
I’m not sure I know what to make of it.
Congressional Zoning in Fairfax County
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I remember a few years ago when Tom Davis promised to bail DC out (a promise to marion barry, ha!) if they’d close the Lorton prison. Amusing.
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(Now I’ve read the article, and posted on my blog). Whether you agree with the land use decision or not, that’s not the issue here. The issue is the federal govenrment meddling in land decisions. I know the feds have some oversight over WMATA, but it’s basically a regional entity, not a federal one.
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Based on information from the county staff report, it appears that this transit oriented development is going to require a new 4-lane access road to service it, which will not meet required setbacks from existing neighborhoods. Only a small part of its peak hour travel will be based on Metro (ten percent for the commercial portion 30% for the residential portion.) It will also eliminate 650 current parking spaces at the metro station.
The data given in the staff report appears to be based mainly on supposition and decisions made in advance of the study. For example, the report starts off with a reiteration of “Ten Smart Growth Techniques” but there is only passing reference in the rest of the report on how this plan supports those ideals.
Current local residents are furious about this planned development (NIMBY) and they feel they have been systematically excluded from the planning process by such expediencies as holding the meetings in undersized rooms.
Among their requests to the county:
“We urge the production of a comprehensive and independent transportation analysis, and ask the county not to rely upon the limited analysis provided by the developer’s hired consultants.”Apparently they feel much as the patrons of a local family oriented ski resort would feel if it was taken over by a group of tour bus operators.
I know little about this, but offhand it appears it will make a big impact on local road traffic, add users to the already overcrowded Orange line, and disenfranchise current Metro users.
It looks like business as usual disguised as transit friendly development. If nothing else, Davis’s action will draw unwanted scrutiny of what caused it.
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