Heart of Downtown Destined For Parking or Green Space?

Fairfax City is divided over the redevelopment of a block in the heart of downtown. Council members, commissions and some residents want to create a sense of place and attract shoppers with a brand new green space. Many business owners, however, fear that no one will come if there's nowhere to park.

"Business owners are very concerned about this, because it will drive away people from already struggling businesses in Old Town," said Stan Darke, owner of at a Jan. 10 outreach meeting.

Darke claims his vintage t-shirt store is one of several new businesses in Old Town Fairfax who will leave in five years if business doesn't get better.

What's the big deal? Council members will soon decide whether to expand Kitty Pozer Garden to the west along University Drive and North Street, where the temporary parking lot currently stands. 

It's a discussion that's heated up in recent months with the rare opportunity to redevelop Kitty Pozer/George Mason Square with $2.4 million left over from the construction of the new . Since city staff got news that the funds were available, council members held two outreach meetings and public hearings to get feedback on about 10 concept designs.

The latest design would move the temporary gravel parking lot along University Drive at North Street a block east, to North Street and Old Lee Highway. Even though the plan keeps the same number of parking spaces available to shoppers, nearby businesses worry that shoppers won't walk an extra block to get to their shops.

"Places like Havabite, , , and  have no parking," said Eric Snyder of the Downtown Fairfax Coalition. "This is the parking they rely on."

But council members counter that the block was always meant to be transformed into green space.

Fairfax City and the Economic Development Authority (EDA) partnered up to purchase the properties years ago. According to Councilman Dan Drummond, the block was never intended to be a parking lot. A temporary parking lot was added in 2005, but it was supposed to be just that, temporary. The block was still listed as one of the city's green spaces in a 2008 open space report.

As of now, taxpayers pay about $120,000 a year in interest-only debt tied to the purchase of the property, according to Michael DeMarco, chair of the EDA.

"These are my goals for the development," Drummond said. "We support businesses with no net loss of parking, we pay off the $2.3 million debt we owe on it, and we expand open space."

Several city commissions back the green space plan, including the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board, Community Appearance Committee, Historic Fairfax, Inc. and Commission of the Arts.

"This is a subject that's been in the city for many years, and many people, including the council, former councils and the mayor have worked very hard on this," said John Petersen of the EDA. "This is important. This is the center of Old Town. This is an area that no longer has any open space."

The Downtown Fairfax Coalition likes the idea of a park at North and University, but is wary of moving what they consider an essential parking lot farther from businesses.

The latest concept design cuts parking beside Old Town Hall to 12 spaces and adds additional spaces at the corner of North and Old Lee, around where the farmer's market usually stands.

"I'm a little concerned about having open space next to a freeway, which is North Street. You have cop cars and regular cars driving over and ," Darke said.

Darke lamented the lack of pedestrians and shoppers in the downtown during weekend afternoons and other supposedly high-activity times. He believes the biggest reason Old Town Fairfax isn't as active as other city centers, like Del Ray and Alexandria, is because people can't find parking.

"Moving parking away is scary to me because that's moving people away from Subway, Havabite and all these businesses. If you can't park and go there in five minutes, grab a sandwich, and run out, that business is going to close."

Fairfax resident Catherine Read, who supports the open space project, pointed out that additional parking spaces won't necessarily bring more people downtown.

"You talk about Del Ray and Old Town Alexandria and you have to realize they have high density housing there and public transportation and a thriving city center," she said. "We need different businesses. I don't think it's a parking issue."

Fred Codding, owner of the Codding Building situated behind the and Draper House, doesn't like the proposed project for another parking reason.

"I don't think you should compress the parking and push it back onto other people, such as me," he said, adding that he already has trouble keeping people from taking over his private parking lot.

"I've been physically threatened, I've been cursed by people parking in my six-space lot," Codding said.

Council members will hold one more public hearing on the project on Jan. 24 before taking a vote.

Read Fairfax City Patch's previous story on this issue . The city website also offers other concept design options and information here.