Arlington Catholic Diocese Parish
David Lause stated that the Arlington Diocese is interested in building a parish campus on Centreville Road. It is expected to be a 20-year project and includes a sanctuary, elementary school, pre-school, social hall, and rectory. The buildings will be constructed in phases: the elementary school will be constructed first. The congregation will determine the order of construction after that. This project is unusual in that the plans are moving forward although a pastor has not yet been selected. When selected, he may modify the plans. Therefore, this presentation is essentially a template of what will eventually be constructed. The Diocese is moving quickly because the parcel is available.
The parish is necessary because both St. Joseph's in Herndon and St. Timothy's in Chantilly are at maximum capacity. The parish boundary is Lees Corner Road. It is expected that approximately 10,000 Catholics will eventually reside in this area of Fairfax County of which 5,000 will be registered parishioners. It is the last planned parish for western Fairfax County.
Gary Kirkbride presented the overall site plan. A special exception must be granted for the elementary school. There are three proffers on the special exception that the Diocese is asking to waive: improvements on Centreville Road, the entrance on Centreville Road and the trails proffer. A proffered condition amendment is also necessary as an industrial access road connection between Centreville and Barnesfield Roads is shown as a future improvement and runs through the property. Barnesfield Road will not connect with Route 28, therefore, this connection should not be necessary. The sanctuary is a by-right use as the land was rezoned I-5 in l981. The parcel is designated for mixed use on the Comprehensive Plan, adopted in 1993 and is just north of the Storage USA facility on Centreville Road, across from Franklin Middle School. The parcel is partially in the Dulles Airport Noise Impact Overlay District at this time, but will no longer be when new noise contours are adopted. Virtually all of the parcel is within the Sully Historic Overlay District (SHOD). There is a 200 foot buffer adjacent to the plantation. The FAR is 0.19, less than the 0.35 permitted in the SHOD, and the 0.5 permitted in I-5.
Centreville Road will eventually become a six-1ane road in that area. If the special exception is granted the Diocese will dedicate the land necessary for widening. but will not make the improvements. One entrance/exit is currently planned and left and right turn lanes on Centreville Road each of standard length (200 feet). There will be a 24-foot circular vehicular road around the sanctuary with three exit lanes. Four hundred seventy parking spaces are planned, increased after the Architectural Review Board (ARB) expressed concern over a lack of parking spaces. The pastor may want to look into the new off-street parking ordinance if additional parking is deemed necessary. The ARB was also concerned about a second point of ingress/egress. There is the possibility that a second entrance may be constructed where the dry pond is now shown. Interparcel access may be possible if permitted by the owner of the northern parcel, now undeveloped. At this time a transitional barrier is not planned: however, a berm or fence nay be considered. This seems important as children could stray during recess periods.
Jim O'Brien presented preliminary plans. The 25,000 square foot sanctuary will accommodate 1,200 seats. The building is a t-shape and seating wilt be fan-shaped. The main entrance is near the campus core, farthest from Centreville Road. The baptismal font is in the narthex and a small day chapel is located on the east side. The buildings will have brick exteriors with cast stone sills; the pastor will chose the remaining building materials. The ARB has asked that the chimney on the rectory be lowered as it is too high.
The elementary school will hold classes from kindergarten through eighth grades and will accommodate 500-550 students. The 47,000 foot facility is 400 feet long and will have 21 classrooms. There will also be science, art and music rooms, as well as a gymnasium/multi-purpose room. The latter will initially serve as the main worship space until the sanctuary is built. It will accommodate 800 comfortably but can seat up 1,000. There will also be a cafeteria-style kitchen. The church may not own buses, like some other private schools, it may rent or charter buses that are parked off-site. If the elementary school is not needed years from now, it could be renovated and become a senior center. Soccer and baseball fields are planned in the northwest area of the parcel.
The parish center is two-story, 28,000 square feet, and will house parish offices, CCD classrooms, a preschool for 50 students, a social hall, and community life classrooms. The rectory is 10,000 square feet with a central hall entrance, living, entertainment, and dining rooms, kitchen, garage, pantry and an ADA accessible suite for a retired priest. The priest's quarters, as well as two associate priests and two guest suites, will have a private study, bathroom, and bedroom.
The school will be built first and is expected to cost $75.00 to 82.00 per square foot; the sanctuary may cost $100.00 per square foot.
A dry pond is planned for the southeast comer of the property to fulfill storm water management facility requirements. A basic church sign will be erected at the Centreville Road entrance. Although Franklin Middle School has its entrance/exit on Lees Comer Road, there was a question about staggering school times so there is less traffic congestion. A traffic light may be necessary at the entrance. The Land Use and Transportation Committee agreed that a second confirmed entrance is preferred and there could he interparcel access. The public hearing before the Planing Commission will be scheduled in June and the Board of Supervisors public hearing will be in July. The site plan will take approximately one year, three to six months will be spent obtaining permits and construction should begin no latter than 1999.
Supervisor Frey's annual town meeting will be held Wednesday, March 19th at 7:3O at Chantilly High School.
The widening of Centreville Road from McLearen Road to Route 50 is expected to cost $25 million.
Martha Barton announced that the Navy Vale Community League will sponsor a meeting with Emerald Development at Navy Elementary School on Tuesday, March 11, 1997 at 7:30 p.m., to discuss concerns with the Thompson Road out-of-turn plan amendment. Although it is generally understood that the land will be developed, there are outstanding concerns with the amendment, including: increased density, support of R-l cluster development, changing the elementary school boundaries, the lack of amenities for seniors and children. The Navy-Vale League has not taken a position at this time. An attempt to rezone the property to PDH-3 was turned down years ago.
With no other business, the meeting was adjourned at 8:57 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Carol A. Hawn
For the Land Use and Transportation Committee