"Development in Fairfax: Are We Heading for a Breakdown?"
Over 600 people attended an April Town Hall meeting sponsored by several FairGrowth Network members and other organizations, to discuss development in Fairfax County. Hundreds more attended another on June 23rd.
Eighty nine percent of those filling out a survey form felt that the County does not have a clear and workable plan for handling long term increases in population and traffic. Eighty eight percent felt that the County does not do a reasonable job of integrating land use planning with other planning needs, such as for schools.
Eighty four percent said that the County does not do enough to protect the stability of residential neighborhoods as new development is approved. These concerns were also evident when respondents declared what impacts of development concern residents most. Traffic-related concerns such as fear of gridlock, worsening congestion and transit overload were far and away the biggest concerns, followed very closely by overcrowding of our schools and loss of our parks and green spaces. Damage to the environment and water management were also a cause for great concern. Proper planning for inevitable growth was also desired, with better citizen participation in the process.
So, where were our Supervisors during this meeting? All but one spurned their invitations in favor of a meeting with sponsors of the the proposed Tysons development. Click here for the Washington Post article. Even former Board Chairman Jack Herrity took them to task over this. Click here to see his letter to the editor in the Times.