County plants trees on future development site in Bailey’s Crossroads
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| New trees on the Southeast Quadrant. |
Fairfax County officials knew the property on the corner of
Columbia Pike and Moncure Avenue was going to be torn up when AvalonBay starts
construction on an apartment building on that site, but went ahead and planted
16 trees there anyway.
Columbia Pike and Moncure Avenue was going to be torn up when AvalonBay starts
construction on an apartment building on that site, but went ahead and planted
16 trees there anyway.
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| This site is slated for redevelopment. |
That vacant property, next to the Bailey’s Crossroads
Community Shelter, is part of the Southeast Quadrant land swap, which was
approved by the Board of Supervisors in February.
Community Shelter, is part of the Southeast Quadrant land swap, which was
approved by the Board of Supervisors in February.
The site had, until recently, been occupied by a temporary
building housing the Bailey’s Crossroads Volunteer Fire Department while a new,
permanent firehouse was developed a few blocks away. The old building had to be
replaced because its roof collapsed during a snowstorm in 2010. The new firehouse
opened in fall 2014.
building housing the Bailey’s Crossroads Volunteer Fire Department while a new,
permanent firehouse was developed a few blocks away. The old building had to be
replaced because its roof collapsed during a snowstorm in 2010. The new firehouse
opened in fall 2014.
The new trees were planted because “we were obligated to
restore the site to what it was before,” says county spokesperson Matthew
Kaiser. “The county is held to the same obligations as a private developer,”
and that agreement was approved before the county had a definite start date for
the AvalonBay project. The trees, a mix of red maples, red oak, and willow oak,
cost $6,034, he says.
restore the site to what it was before,” says county spokesperson Matthew
Kaiser. “The county is held to the same obligations as a private developer,”
and that agreement was approved before the county had a definite start date for
the AvalonBay project. The trees, a mix of red maples, red oak, and willow oak,
cost $6,034, he says.
Current plans call for the homeless shelter to be closed by
March 2017 so AvalonBay can start demolition and site preparation. The county plans to relocate the shelter to a field behind the Lincolnia Senior Center on N. Chambliss Street in Lincolnia.
March 2017 so AvalonBay can start demolition and site preparation. The county plans to relocate the shelter to a field behind the Lincolnia Senior Center on N. Chambliss Street in Lincolnia.
Can a local resident be "gifted" one of the trees so as they do not go to waste?
WOW, this is outrageous! Good oversight Supervisor Gross!
Government at its best
What a waste! Hopefully they'll move the trees somewhere else before it's too late…
That is how they use our taxpayers money. What a disgrace.
Relax. We'll easily recover that pittance as soon as everyone starts paying the meals tax that the County is so hot to implement.
Thank GOD I'm so close to leaving Penny with her trees. I know the property and I doubt the homeless that are in the area care about the landscaping on the corner.
the site didn't have those trees before so not sure how they are restoring it to how it was. Does anyone in the County use common sense?
Sure some in the county use common sense and some even have the courage to run for office. But they pretty much never win.
They're meeting a contractual obligation that came before the land swap was approved. Mind you the land swap is pending the eventual approval of the rezoning. Idk if restoring it to how it was is the best choice of words, but I'm sure the plantings were in the contract for the fire station. Similar to how the temporary station for Jefferson 18 will have to have the site restored.
If you wanna talk about wasting taxpayer dollars, why don't we start with how much money the STATE wasted in construction of the DMV at barcroft plaza
they give exceptions all the time, you telling me the County couldn't have said not to bother doing that and save the money given what the future holds? their were not trees where they planted the new ones before so they aren't restoring anything!
The DMV didn't have any choice but to begin the build out at Barcrof Plaza. The relocation to Barcroft Plaza was necessitated by the cancellation of the DMV's lease at Four Mile Run. I remember reading that the lease at Four Mile Run was only later renewed (on more favorable terms) because the landlord's other plans for the site fell through.
It may be a memorial tree grove for the a new placement of the Penny Gross statue that no one could find on the blog's post.
Anon 5:16 left out some steps: The Glory Days deal mysteriously failed to materialize. The Arlington DMV lease was cancelled, then construction on the DMV site began unopposed by the Mason District Supervisor, then the people found out and very understandably went nuts then the old lease was renewed. What is the word I'm looking for here?
This is simply ridiculous.
You got what you voted for…
Amen. You reap what you sow.
very true
The wastefulness never ends. Tax and spend. Tax and spend.
I bought a bunch of seedlings from the county for under $20. Did the county forget about their annual seedling sale?
LOL exactly. they could have always gotten the cheapest trees possible that would die anyway. i bet they are going to water and maintain these while they are at it
The proposed relocation for the shelter is NOT a field. According to the Fairfax County Comprehensive Plan it is a Community Recreational Resource. The county is violating the very plan that they designed to guide the long term development.
Looks like all the trees are dead. We must share the same gardner!