4 Richmond Highway Land Use Proposals In Latest SSPA Process

MOUNT VERNON, VA — Four Richmond Highway corridor nominations for land use changes will be considered in Fairfax County's 2022-2023 Site-Specific Plan Amendment process.

On Tuesday, Fairfax County Board of Supervisors accepted the nominations list, which means they may be considered through the Site-Specific Plan Amendment process.

The Site-Specific Plan Amendment process is the county's process for reviewing proposed land use changes to the comprehensive plan for specific sites. Nominations for the latest process were accepted in October.

In the Mount Vernon District, Richmond Highway corridor nominations are for 6034 Richmond Highway, Alexandria, VA 22303; 8850 Richmond Highway, Alexandria, VA 22309; 7927 and 7925 Richmond Highway, 3119 Sherwood Hall Lane, 3109 Kingland Road, and 3122 Douglas Street, Alexandria, VA 22306; and 6100 Richmond Highway and 6130 Richmond Highway, Alexandria, VA 22303.

The 6034 Richmond Highway nomination calls for residential use with a density of 50 to 65 dwelling units per acre. The current use is residential with 20 plus dwelling units per acre. There's a range of densities, from Berkshire townhouse developments with 8 to 12 dwelling units per acre to high-rises with 35 to 40 dwelling units per acre permitted. The land use change is requested by an affordable housing developer to add more units as long-term affordable housing.

The 8850 Richmond Highway nomination seeks a multifamily residential use up to 35 feet in height and approximately 30 dwelling units per acre density. The site at Richmond Highway and Jeff Todd Way is currently planned for office, retail, hotel, conference center use up to a 0.50 floor area ratio. The nominator envisions a multifamily development with approximately 245 units split into three buildings.

The proposal for 7927 and 7925 Richmond Highway, 3119 Sherwood Hall Lane, 3109 Kingland Road, and 3122 Douglas Street calls for changing the land use to residential with a density of 8 to 12 dwelling units per acre. The current land use is office residential use with a density of 2 to 3 dwelling units per acre. A land use change could allow redevelopment into single-family attached housing as a "gateway to Gum Springs. The nomination visualizes 65 townhouses on private streets as a possibility.

The 6100 and 6130 Richmond Highway proposal calls for a multifamily residential land use with increased height and density. The site currently includes two parcels — the Days Inn Motel and Hawaiian Pool and Spa. A land use change would support the nominator's vision for a multifamily development up to 400 units over six stories and density of approximately 87.33 dwelling units per acre.

Community meetings will be held in January, and the Planning Commission will wok on the nominations and a mark-up of the work program in February. Board of Supervisors action on the revised work program is expected in March.

A full list of nominations and their documents are available here.