Supervisors approve adult daycare center

The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors on June 25 approved a zoning special exception for an adult daycare center on the second floor of an office building in the Ravensworth Industrial Park.

The facility will be operated by the Friends Health Care Team at 8003 Forbes Place, close to Port Royal Road and the Ravensworth Shopping Center.

The facility would serve up to 175 adults over age 65 with cognitive and functional impairments. It would provide activities and meals for the clients, along with transportation to the site.

The Friends Health Care Team previously operated an adult daycare center at the Calvary Church of the Nazarene on Little River Turnpike in Annandale, but was forced out in 2022.

Related story: Church plans to evict adult daycare center

There would 40 employees on site. Operating hours are limited to 6:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Mondays through Saturdays.

During previous meetings, concerns were raised about having mobility-impaired seniors on the second floor in case of an emergency. To address safety issues, the applicant and county staff worked with the Office of the Fire Marshal to establish a designated “area of refuge” with a two-hour safety rating for people unable to exit the building.

The applicant has also committed to multiple conditions to regulate ingress, egress, accessibility, and fire protection.

Most clients will arrive by bus or minivan. The applicant has agreed to provide two safe drop-off spaces for loading and unloading participants near the main building entrance. ADA-compliant curb ramps will be installed adjacent to these spaces. A handrail will be installed along the sidewalk connecting the drop-off area with the building entrance.

Five accessible parking spaces will be located at the main entrance and two at the side entrance. A narrow, outdoor 1,250-square foot recreation area will be constructed between the building and the adjacent parking lot. It will include a deck with benches and railings for safety and security.