Residents Rebel Against 'Bedroom Community' Label: Report

Although residents and stakeholders are happy living in the Dulles community, recent research shows that they shared several concerns and recommendations for improvement, according to the Dulles Community Outreach Project final report.

The report, which was presented to the Loudoun Board of Supervisors on September 16, took four and a half months to compile.

Dulles, for this report was defined by the following boundaries: Ryan Road in the north, Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD) and the Fairfax County line to the east, Braddock Road in the south, and Northstar Boulevard and the 500kV power line easement to the west.

Staff utilized online surveys for residents and businesses, focus groups for youth and senior citizens, electronic outreach, including a web-based forum and crowdsourced mapping, and four community work sessions to get feedback on what they would like to see in the community, stated a Loudoun County news release.

The report revealed that residents demonstrated significant pride and saw a sense of promise in the community but also had several concerns.

“Right now, Dulles is a bedroom community, you live there but work, shop, and eat elsewhere,” Joe Griffiths, Project Manager, Loudoun County Department of Planning and Zoning told Patch.com. “Ideally, we would like to see it turn in to complete community.”

Residents and Stakeholders also shared concerns of the inadequate road, bicycle, and pedestrian networks, wanting more varied retail, cultural, and employment options.

A ‘complete community’ as defined in the report is one that offers the full range of amenities and opportunities for a satisfying and sustainable life.

“Under this core vision, staff organized specific community concerns, potential alternatives, and final recommendations around the five themes of Connectivity, Placemaking, Corridors, Innovation, and Balance,” the report stated.

Some recommendations that were highlighted in the report include:

• Encourage walkable mixed-use development in the Dulles Community that promotes local entertainment, dining, and retail destinations
• Develop targeted strategies attracting medical industry uses to the US Route 50 corridor
• Engage local high school students to design and help construct a central public space in the community
• Develop alternatives for increasing the stock of affordable housing in Dulles

Community members will take the information and lead to a follow up study to focus on subjects such as finding funding, adding strategic planning, and seeing which recommendations to follow and prioritize, added Griffiths.

To read the full report, click here.