Planning Commission considers expansion of Annandale storage facility

The Fairfax County Planning Committee on June 23 recommended the Board of Supervisors approve a  Comprehensive Plan amendment to allow the expansion of Public Storage on Ravensworth Road in Annandale – but only if the property could be consolidated with the gas station next door. 

The proposal calls for the one-story facility to be replaced with a four-story storage center with an option for future first-floor retail uses. 

The Comprehensive Plan discourages self-storage facilities in the Annandale Community Business Center. It also calls for new developments to have street-facing facades that encourage pedestrian activity. Public Storage, however, is in the middle of the block with a small entrance on Ravensworth Road.   

Both the Planning and Zoning Department staff and a Mason District task force previously recommended that the storage expansion project not be approved unless it is consolidated with the next-door property occupied by the 3 United gas station.

Related story: Mason Task Force seeks major changes in Public Storage redevelopment proposal

Mark Viani, the representative of Public Storage, told the Planning Commission that attempts to purchase the gas station were unsuccessful, even though he offered well over what the property is worth. He noted that the county eventually plans to widen Ravensworth Road and if that happens, the gas station would have to close. 

Viani asked the Planning Commission to approve the plan amendment now with the promise that Public Storage will make a good faith effort to consolidate the gas station property when it becomes feasible.

The Planning Commission called on Public Storage to continue its efforts to purchase the gas station or  try to convince the Board of Supervisors to revise the plan language to allow the project to go forward without consolidation. The plan amendment will be taken up by the Board of Supervisors on July 27.