Environmental Sustainability Council

Minutes Falls Church Environmental Services Council Thursday, Sept 17, 7:30 ‐ 9:30 pm Dogwood Room, City Hall  West Broad St: Connecting Falls Church o Why have Small Area Plans  Develop common vision for future  Coordinate city policies  Council vision  Comprehensive Plan  Master Plans  Meet city fiscal needs  Manage City share of regional growth o Other SAPs (in order of priority)  North Washington St (adopted summer 2012)  South Washington St corridor (adopted Fall 2013)  Downtown (adopted summer 2014)  West Broad St corridor  Earliest completion 10/15  ’05 Comprehensive Plan area 3  West Broad St  Earliest completion 10/15  ’05 Comprehensive Plan area 4  Gordon Rd Triangle  Earliest completion 12/16  ’05 Comprehensive Plan area 1  West End  Earliest completion 12/16  ’05 Comprehensive Plan area 2  Schools & Related Parcels  Earliest completion 12/16  2013 boundary adjustments  Eastern Gateway/7 Corners  Earliest completion 12/17  ’05 Comprehensive Plan area 8 o West Broad St  One of planning opportunity areas from Comprehensive Plan  Not up to enviro standards  Not contributing fiscal return o Planning process  Events to date  Community meetings  City Council work sessions  Planning Commission work sessions   Board & Commission work sessions  Future Events  10/5 City Council walking tour  10/19 Planning Commission walking tour  11/2 Planning Commission action  11/16 Joint Council/Planning Commission work session  11/23 Council action o Discussion Focus & Previous ESC Comments**/***  Mobility  Walking & biking, automobile alternative  Electric vehicle charging stations  Building design  Energy efficiency  Rooftop uses  Land use  Mixed‐use developments  Environment  Stormwater impacts o Developing a common vision**/***  Council vision  Comprehensive Plan  Local context  Regional context  Together, lead to common vision o Policies  Council vision  World class public schools  Outstanding government  Sound finances  Successful development  Vibrant neighborhoods & public spaces  Diverse community  Environmental harmony  Innovative outlook  Special Place  Comprehensive plan  Commercial and residential neighborhood  Mixed use instead of strip commercial  Consistent architecture  Pedestrian‐oriented o Local Context  Population north of West Broad is 2996; population south is 5823  Over 50% of City population is near the area  Connections to adjacent residential uses   Any individual development proposal must still go through review process; council approval in November is done by resolution approving general policy for what city is looking for in area o Regional context  Surrounding activity centers  Tysons Corner  Mosaic district  Seven Corners  Rosslyn‐Ballston corridor  Washington, DC  Transportation connections  I‐66  I‐495  VA‐7 (Leesburg Pike/Broad St)  US‐50 (Arlington Blvd)  Great Falls St  Shreve Rd  Wilson Blvd  Lincoln Ave  West St  Fairfax Dr  Williamsburg Blvd  Lee Hwy  Annandale Rd  Haycock Rd  Westmoreland St  Metrorail Orange Line  Metrorail Silver Line o ** o Vision  The West Broad St. Opportunity Area will become a vibrant, economically viable, diverse, walkable, bike friendly destination along one of the City’s major commercial corridors. Redevelopment will reinforce the concept of unique business and shopping nodes designed to be environmentally sustainable and that enhance the character of the City.  Currently, there are truck restrictions on 50 that prohibit trucks inside 495; no such restrictions on 7  Working w/ VDOT & Arlington to reverse this o Goals  Community guide for development  Great place  Interact with existing fabric  Redevelop underutilized spaces  Office & retail nodes  Open space  Environmental sustainability  Transportation options o Concept chapter  Key Concepts  Respectful building design  Innovative development  Create connections  Develop nodes  Long term goals, short term actions  Concept maps  Redevelopment and infill opportunities  Possible land uses o Office and retail nodes o Open space  Possible building heights o Step down to residential  Pedestrian access o Decrease block lengths  Overall concept   Concept 300 block  Concept 400 Block  Do we want to use eminent domain to take stone wall in front of Bedo’s in order to complete streetscape? Owner has been unwilling to negotiate o Concept 500‐800 blocks  o St James area   o Concept Broad & West  Fiscal sustainability o City staff working on fiscal impact analysis o Question: what will proposed plan concept have on net operating expenses  ***  Real Estate value o Overall  Buildings: $254, 253, 900  Land: $155, 740, 300  Total: $409, 994, 200 o Excluding redevelopment since 2010  Buildings: $79, 755, 700  Land: $93, 935, 300  Total: $173, 691, 000  Discussion o Potential for rain gardens along VA‐7?  Comparative to rain gardens in DC on 19th above M NW  Come up with comments and send back to presenter  Make sure to mention things like to make it known there are supporters  Climate & Energy o EPA Green Power Community  Need higher pct green power when have lower total consumption  4.63% now (up from 3), based mostly on Dominion clean power program signed up for through energy bills o Possible portion being supportive of GHG inventory?  Priority probably energy  Pilot residential compost pickup program ($5/6 months for signups) o 15‐20 signups in past 3 weeks o Any food, not just vegan  Announcements o Volunteer opportunity at Fall Festival promoting composting Sat 9/19 o National Wildlife Federation ceremony 10:30 9/19 o Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments Leadership Forum, 10/5 9:30‐4 on Regional Energy Issues o Household Hazardous Waste event 10/3 9‐1 o City cleanup 10/10 o Tree Planting 11/7 o CFD next Tuesday 9/22