Public input sought for urban design guidelines

An example of a pleasant streetscape from the OCR Urban Design Guidelines. [Rhodeside & Harwell]

What kind of paving should be used on sidewalks in redevelopment areas? How can streets be designed to promote walkability? Should large, open parking lots be discouraged?

These are the kinds of questions addressed in the Urban Design Guidelines that are being updated by Fairfax County’s Office of Community Revitalization (OCR).

JoAnne Fiebe gave presentations on the guidelines at a community meeting July 26 and before the Mason District Land Use Committee July 24.

The guidelines are used by developers, county staff, and the public to determine whether proposed projects meet the goals in the county’s Comprehensive Plan for Commercial Revitalization Districts (CRDs), such as Annandale and Bailey’s Crossroads/Seven Corners.

Volume 1 of the draft guidelines addresses general design issues that would apply to all those areas. Volume 2 will contain specific recommendations and examples targeted to the individual areas. The section on Bailey’s Crossroads and Seven Corners is farthest along.

The guidelines in Volume 1 cover such elements as:

• Streetscape design, including intersections, crosswalks, and sidewalks. 
• Open spaces and parks.
• Building design, covering the placement and form of buildings, signage, lighting, utilities, and sustainable building practices.
• Parking and access, such as a recommendation for parking to be in the back or on the side of buildings, rather than facing the street.  
• Other design elements, such as public art, water features, and landscaping.

The guidelines embrace the “complete streets” concept in which streets are designed for pedestrians, cyclists, people with disabilities, and transit riders, as well as drivers. “The more things you have between cars and people, such as a bike lane and trees, the more comfortable it is to walk,” Fiebe says.

The Board of Supervisors is expected to endorse Volume 1 in October as a “board matter,” which means there won’t be a public hearing.

The area-specific guidelines in Volume 2 for Bailey’s Crossroads/Seven Corners will address the unique character of the area, such as the streetscape design for Columbia Pike and Leesburg Pike and the locations of future parks spaces, and the design of bus shelters and streetlights.

When the guidelines for that area were discussed at a meeting of the Bailey’s Crossroads Revitalization Corporation last month, there was a consensus in favor of neutral paving materials for sidewalks, rather than the red brick pavers currently used.

The guidelines for Annandale in Volume 2 are expected to have just minor modifications, as they were created six years ago. OCR plans to start working on the Annandale guidelines by the end of the year and publish them in early 2019.

Community members can take an online survey on the guidelines or submit comments to [email protected].