Washington Plaza Cluster Association

1688 Chimney House Road

Reston, VA 20190

May 16, 2007

Ms. Catherine M Hudgins, Supervisor

Hunter Mill District of Fairfax County

12000 Bowman Towne Drive

Reston, Virginia 20190

Re: Lake Anne Village Center Revitalization

Dear Supervisor Hudgins:

The Washington Plaza Cluster Association (WPCA) has property within and adjacent to the Washington Plaza in the Lake Anne Village Center (LAVC). Our membership has followed the progress of the LAVC Revitalization Program with keen interest. Recently, we held a meeting of the members to discuss the BBPA Recommendations for the Draft Comprehensive Plan. The WPCA Board has considered the results of the meeting and would like to advise you of its comments.

The Cluster is pleased with BBPA’s general architectural approach and design guidelines, but is concerned with density, green space and parking. We like the “plaza extension” concept with a broad, multiuse pedestrian area in Sub Area 1 and the emphasis on underground parking. We also like the addition of residential, retail and office buildings throughout the LAVC area with pedestrian friendly access to the plaza. The mix of low, medium and high-rise buildings and the retention of work-force housing are appealing.

The Cluster has the following comments and recommendations on the BBPA Recommendations:

General

· Green space : A minimum of 15% green space throughout the revitalized areas seems too small. Green space should be a minimum of 25% in Sub Areas 1, 2 and 3, and a minimum of 35% in Sub Areas 4 and 5.

· Parking : Parking in all Sub Areas should be self-contained and either underground or structured.

· Retail : With the exception of minor convenience or cafeteria space in office buildings, all retail should be in Sub Area 1

· Plan Language Residential limits should be expressed in terms of dwelling units per acre rather than square feet.

· Design : More emphasis should be placed on “green design”. A design competition for the LAVC revitalization should be considered.

Sub Area 1

· Density : The density specified is too intense and should be cut by half to a total of 200,000 square feet (100,000 residential, 50,000 office and 50,000 retail).

· Architecture : Structures should be low-rise consistent with the existing plaza

· Service Road: The BBPA report description of the “internal circulator road” is unclear. We understand that a service road is needed to access the rear of Washington Plaza. However, the design guidelines should not allow an at-grade pedestrian crossing of the service road between the “plaza extension” and Washington Plaza

· Parking : Parking should be underground; a substantial amount of Sub Area 1 office and retail parking could be located in the western portion of Sub Area 4.

Sub Area 2

· Density : The density appears to be excessive and should be reduced by approximately 50%

Sub Area 3

· Density : The density on the Good Shepard Lutheran Church (GSLC) property should be limited to 120 dwelling units.

· Land use : The BBPA report description of land use is unclear, particularly in not differentiating between the GSLC and Reston Association (RA) areas. The plan should separately describe the land use for the GSLC and RA parcels.

Sub Area 4

· Density : The recommended density appears too intense and should be reduced by about a third. .

Sub Area 5

· Density : The Option 2 description is vague and density seems excessive. The density should be limited to approximately 400 dwelling units.

Respectfully,

Van T. Foster

President, Washington Plaza Cluster Association

1688 Chimney House Road

Reston, VA 20190

703.437.1025