COMPREHENSIVE PLAN AMENDMENT - CPA #18-01, SOUTH ELDEN AREA PLAN,

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1 STAFF REPORT Planning Cmmissin Title: COMPREHENSIVE PLAN AMENDMENT -, SOUTH ELDEN AREA PLAN, t amend the cmprehensive plan fr the general area f the crridr alng Elden Street, between Herndn Parkway and Sterling Rad including existing retail, ffice, and multifamily residential prperties. The general purpse f the plan amendment is t cnsider lng range planning fr sustaining a vital crridr by prviding guidance and allwances fr the redevelpment f lder prperties t urban residential, retail and ther ptential uses. Staff Cntact: Summary: Dana Heiberg, Senir Planner (703) r dana.heiberg@herndn-va.gv On June 5, 2017, the Planning Cmmissin requested preparatin f an area plan fr the Elden Street crridr nrth f the Khl s prperty and nrth f the Wrldgate prperties t Sterling Rad. The Twn Cuncil then infrmally directed staff t wrk n a cmprehensive plan amendment fr the area. The Twn Cuncil adpted a frmal initiating reslutin fr the cmprehensive plan amendment n July 10, 2018 (Reslutin 18-G-43). The staff has engaged in varius aspects f evaluating the Elden Street crridr as generally described abve t determine the ptential fr redevelpment. The findings were that sme increase in density might be apprpriate based upn water and sewer estimates and under certain circumstances, such as establishing well-designed mixed-use areas and maintaining cmpatibility with established residential areas. On June 26, 2018, a public meeting was held t prvide the cmmunity with infrmatin abut the study area and t elicit initial public cmments. The meeting was well-attended, and a range f cmments were expressed. Several peple ppsed any change t the Crridr f the existing cmprehensive plan, while many thers supprted transfrmatin frm the suburban strip cmmercial frm with large parking lts alng the street frntages. Fllwing the June 26, 2018 meeting, the cmmissin advertised this item fr their July and August public hearings t btain additinal public cmment and t infrm residents f the planning effrt. Further study has addressed lng term traffic study as well as public facility issues such as parks and schls. The attachments t the staff reprt dcument the results.

2 Descriptin: If adpted, this cmprehensive plan amendment wuld prvide guidance and allwances fr the redevelpment f lder prperties t urban residential, retail and ther ptential uses at a density higher than currently allwed. The prpsed plan prvides flexibility and a range f density in fur subareas r tiers, as described belw and n the attached map. Fiscal Impact: As the twn plans fr the eventual redevelpment f aging prperties, infrastructure planning ccurs n a twn-wide basis. Anticipating redevelpment ver the next 5 t 25 years and lnger requires the twn t make infrastructure investments. T this end investment is being made in water and sewer capacity and grants are being sught fr imprvements t Elden Street. Any future redevelpment, guided by the plan amendment and requiring a zning map amendment, will be studied t ascertain the fiscal impact t the twn. With redevelpment there is the generatin f fees as well as enhanced prperty values that lead t increased revenues that ffset infrastructure csts. Alternatives: 1. Apprve the reslutin recmmending t the Twn Cuncil fr adptin int cmprehensive plan. 2. Amend and apprve the reslutin t recmmend t the Twn Cuncil fr adptin int the cmprehensive plan. 3. Cntinue the public hearing n the attached reslutin until Octber 1, Amend and apprve the reslutin t recmmend denial f plan amendment. Staff Recmmendatin: Recmmend cntinuatin f Suth Elden Area Plan (alternative 3). A reslutin t apprve and recmmend the plan amendment t the Twn Cuncil with draft plan language has been prvided, shuld the cmmissin wish t act at this time. Staff Cmments: Existing Cnditins: The Elden Street crridr nrth f the Khl s prperty and nrth f the Wrldgate prperties t Sterling Rad is cmpletely develped, except fr ne small lt, with ffice, retail and residential prperties in a suburban frm, generally with a single use n each prperty. Sme f the develpment alng Elden Street is at a life cycle pint that culd incentivize redevelpment in the cming years. Currently, zning and planning within the crridr presents little pprtunity fr grwth r updating f develpment frm. The study area presents a lw-rise prfile with a mixture f uses. It cnsists f abut 76 acres split between residential (22%), ffice (28%), and retail/service/htel uses (49%). Althugh retail/service/htel uses cnsume the mst land in the study area, they ffer a smaller prprtin f grss flr area (35%), while ffice uses cmprise the greatest prprtin f flr area, fllwed clsely by residential flr area. 2

3 Image: Lking Nrtheast n Elden Street at the Intersectin with Alabama Drive Distributin f Land Uses in the Suth Elden Street Study Area, 2018 Based n Fairfax Cunty Real Estate Tax Parcel Infrmatin land area (sf) flr area (sf) % land % flr area Residential 718, ,035 22% 32% Retail 1,405, ,771 42% 29% Office 925, ,997 28% 34% Service 97,947 9,375 3% 1% Htel 147,189 46,320 4% 4% Vacant Land 36,952-1% 0% ttal 3,332,085 1,094, % 100% While ffice and retail vacancy rates fluctuate in the area, mst f the prperties usually have viable businesses. With tw banks, fast fd restaurants, tw grcery stres, service statins, and ther uses, the area is frequented by persns frm inside twn and ut. Office wrkers in the study area, and nearby residents, find a wide array f cnvenience uses within easy walking distance. The study area includes a cmbined 364 residential units in the Berkdale Apartments and the Dulles Glen Apartments. The area currently has excellent public transit access with service frm Fairfax Cnnectr bus rutes 924, 926, 937 and 950. When Metr service begins alng the Dulles Crridr in 2020, the study area will lie abut a mile frm the Herndn Metr statin t the sutheast and the Innvatin Center Metr statin t the suthwest. Fairfax Cunty has plans fr varius changes and imprvements fr bus service t the Herndn Metr Statin. Residents and visitrs in the study area will reach the statin via a restructured Rute 950. Prpsed Plan: Since June f 2017, when the Planning Cmmissin requested the plan amendment, the twn staff has studied tw facets f the area. First, lng range water and sewer capacity needs fr the twn have been under study by the Department f Public Wrks. This 3

4 plan is nly a part f that study, which affects whether land use intensity culd be increased within the plan area and thrughut twn. Secnd, the twn btained an Urban Develpment Area Technical Assistance Grant t establish a cncept fr multi-mdal design alng suth Elden Street. As well as studying these tw facets and ther existing cnditins, the twn staff interviewed a number f representatives f cmmercial prperties alng suth Elden Street t gauge perceptins and ideas fr the future. The utcme f this evaluatin effrt is that mixed uses alng suth Elden Street wuld be apprpriate, including allwing residential uses in areas therwise thught f strictly as a business crridr. Cnversin frm a 1970 s suburban cmmercial land use pattern t a design with walkable neighbrhd centers, intercnnected streets, mre diversity f land uses, and easy access t jbs, husing and recreatin by a variety f travel ptins wuld be a cmmunity asset. The prtin f Elden Street between Sterling Rad and Herndn Parkway (suth) has been listed in the twn s Cmprehensive Plan since 1997 as a twn minr arterial in need f imprvements. Therefre, an investment in street imprvements wuld aid in the cnversin t a better planned area with a mre efficient use f land. The general cncept fr street imprvements alng the 0.4-mile length f Suth Elden Street between Herndn Parkway and Sterling Rad is t cnvert it frm a five-lane sectin t fur lanes with a raised median and prtected left turn lanes. The purpse f the street prject is t relieve existing and future cngestin by reducing the instances f cnflicting traffic mvements and t imprve safety and multi-mdal circulatin fr drivers, pedestrians, bicyclists and transit riders. A 10-ft-wide sidewalk is prpsed n the west side f the street t better accmmdate a mix f bicycles and pedestrians and t minimize impact n private prperty and prject cst. On-rad cycle lanes were deemed nt t be a viable ptin due t right f way cnditins. The prject, as part f an verall Elden Street imprvement strategy, is included in the Nrthern Virginia Transprtatin Authrity Transactin 2040 Plan, the Transprtatin Planning Bard s Cnstrained Lng-Range Plan, the Twn f Herndn 2030 Cmprehensive Plan and the Twn f Herndn FY Capital Imprvement Prgram. The attached memrandum f July 11, 2018 frm Kay D. Rbertsn, Senir Prject Planner, includes the traffic study with the results fr the lng-term build-ut f the prpsed plan. The study reveals that traffic cnditins wrsen in the 2040 N-Build Scenari, since reginal traffic frm the MWCOG Rund 9 Cperative Frecast has a significant impact. Mst intersectins hit level f service E r F either in the AM r PM r in bth peak perids. The Dulles Park Shpping Center unsignalized entrance reaches F in the AM peak and E in the PM peak. The Herndn Parkway/Elden Street intersectin reaches D in the AM peak and F in the PM peak. Cnditins imprve with the 2040 Build Scenari including the build-ut per the plan amendment f residential and mixed-use develpment due t a reductin in ffice develpment. The nly intersectin reaching F is Sterling/Lcust Street in the PM peak hur. The study presents ptential signal phase and timing mitigatins as well as lane cnfiguratin changes t imprve the results at this intersectin. Signalizatin at the main Dulles Park shpping center entrance n Elden Street is mdeled and the result benefits ther intersectins as well as decreasing the uncntrlled turning mvements that cause a higher rate f accidents. The prpsed plan re-designates all prperty within the plan area as Adaptive Area, replacing the current cmprehensive plan designatins which are either Business Crridr, Office Parks 4

5 and Flexible Space r Adaptive Area - Residential. The plan map indicates five separate areas within the Suth Elden crridr plan area. Areas nt designated as a tier wuld remain r becme Adaptive Area but wuld cntinue under zning categries already in place. Areas designated as a Tier wuld be eligible fr redevelpment (nt just intensificatin while retaining existing buildings) as Adaptive Area. Increased density wuld be enabled as described belw if the redevelpment prpsal prtects adjining residential uses, by prviding effective buffering, prevents nuisance activities generating nise, dr, light, and ther adverse effects, and prvides site develpment that is harmnius with adjacent uses. Tier 1 wuld allw an increase in allwed density frm 2018 cnditins up t a 0.75 rati f flr area t site area (FAR). Tier 1 land encmpasses sme f the ldest buildings alng the crridr. Current zning wuld permit develpment at a 0.3 FAR, and many prperties are develped under that limit. The prpsed 0.75 FAR, althugh still a mdest FAR, wuld enable mre than a dubling f allwed density. This area leads int the twn s heritage district. Current develpment is aut-centric with surface parking lts dminating much f the Elden Street frntage. Tier 2 - wuld allw an increase in allwed density frm 2018 cnditins up t a 0.85 FAR. Tier 2 land lies ff the crridr and is tucked between cmmercial and residential uses. Althugh used as an ffice park fr a cuple f decades, the land culd be apprpriate fr either residential r nn-cmmercial uses as allwed in the Adaptive Area land use designatin. Tier 3 - wuld allw an increase in allwed density frm 2018 cnditins up t a 1.00 FAR. Tier 3 land lies just nrth f the intersectin f Herndn Parkway n the west side f Elden Street and extends further suth alng the east side f Elden Street t the nrthern bundary f the Wrldgate develpment. This tier plays a part in frming a gateway t the twn, but abuts residential prperty and thus is capped at a 1.0 FAR. The prpsed increased density wuld enable redevelpment t a mre urban frm that is less aut-riented. Tier 4 - wuld allw an increase in density frm 2018 cnditins up t a 1.2 FAR. Tier 4 land has the best access in the study area, lying between the Herndn Parkway and the Dulles Tll Rad. This imprtant area is a significant gateway t Herndn. The increased density wuld help facilitate a style f architecture that has landmark characteristics and helps establish a sense f place fr the suthern end f Elden Street. Furthermre, Tier 4 land des nt abut existing residential develpment. Assuming that the Planning Cmmissin recmmends, and the Twn Cuncil adpts this cmprehensive plan amendment, several additinal steps will be needed t implement it. Zning Ordinance language fr ne r mre zning district will need t be written and adpted. New rdinance language wuld prvide variatins crrespnding t the tiers f density fund in the cmprehensive plan. The zning rdinance amendment prcess is a separate prcess requiring public hearings befre the Planning Cmmissin and Twn Cuncil. 5

6 Fllwing adptin f a zning text amendment t implement the plan amendment, any actual redevelpment wuld necessitate an applicant filing fr a zning map amendment. Zning map amendments require public hearings at the Planning Cmmissin and Twn Cuncil. Additinal apprvals include the administrative site plan and building permit review prcess and at least ne public hearing befre the Architectural Review Bard cncerning the architectural appearance f the prpsed buildings. In previus meetings the Cmmissin requested that the staff prvide infrmatin regarding residential units per acre in additin t FAR. Cnversin frm FAR t units per acre requires an assumptin f square ftage per unit. Assuming 1,800 per twnhuse unit, an FAR f.85 wuld equate t apprximately 20 units per acre. In an actual develpment scenari, 20 units per acre may nt be realized due t ther requirements such as buffers, parking and pen space. Since new multifamily develpment within the district wuld prbably be mixed-use, cnversin is mre difficult because the mix f nn-residential t residential has nt been established. Fr study purpses staff has used a split f 60 percent residential t 40 percent cmmercial. Assuming 1,000 square feet per multifamily dwelling unit, a ne-acre site with an FAR f.75 wuld equate t apprximately 20 dwelling units and 13,068 square feet f cmmercial use. A ne acre site with an FAR f 1.2 wuld permit apprximately 31 dwelling units per acre and 20,908.8 square feet f cmmercial develpment. Attachments [Hard cpies black and white nly]: 1. Reslutin by the Planning Cmmissin Recmmending the Plan Amendment and Certifying a Cpy fr the Review f Twn Cuncil (cntains plan amendment text and map) 2. Letter f July 13, 2018 frm David Bwden, Fairfax Cunty Park Authrity 3. f July 10, 2018 frm Directr Cindy S. Reder, Twn f Herndn Parks and Recreatin 4. Letter f July 26, 2018 frm Marianne Gardner, Directr, Planning Divisin, Fairfax Cunty Department f Planning and Zning 5. Memrandum f July 11, 2018 frm Kay D. Rbertsn with attached Suth Elden Street Crridr material frm traffic cnsultant AECOM including: Attachment 1: Summary Results fr Intersectin Level f Service Attachment 2. Traffic Operatins Technical Memrandum, Existing and N Build Cnditin December 22, 2017 (received by the twn n May 9, 2018) (18 pages nt including the appendices) Appendix A: Traffic Cunts Appendix B: Existing Synchr Reprts Appendix C: 2040 N Build Synchr Reprts Attachment 3: 2040 Build Scenari, Traffic Operatins Addendum July 9, 2018 (11 pages nt including the appendix) Appendix A:2040 Build Scenari Synchr Reprts Staff: Dana E. Heiberg Dana E. Heiberg, Senir Planner Elizabeth M. Gilleran Elizabeth M. Gilleran, Directr f Cmmunity Develpment 6