1. Attendance:
   1. Members: Martha Barton (Navy-Vale Community League), Jim Hart (Heritage Forest HOA), Carol Hawn (Singleton's Grove HOA), Mark McConn (Bull Run Civic Association), Jeanne Pujanauski (Camberley East HOA), Ralph Rodina (Alden Glen), Dick Schneider (Camberley West HOA), Glenn Stroup (Franklin Farm), Larry Tessier (Franklin Glen)

   2. Guests: Ray Wertheim

2. Carol Hawn called the meeting to order at 7:33 p.m.

3. HOV Enforcement - Glenn Stroup presented a resolution on behalf of Franklin Farm for the enforcement of HOV restrictions in the appropriate lanes on I-66 (see attached), and made a motion to recommend that the Sully District Council general membership take a position on this issue at its May meeting. Bill Ritchie seconded. During discussion, Larry Tessier stated that there should not be HOV restrictions on I-66, rather, the shoulders should be opened to permit more lanes since there seems to be a lack of enforcement outside the Beltway. Enforcement is more prevalent inside the Beltway. Mark McConn noted that enforcement occurs approximately once a week in each direction, often at the new ramp near the Vienna metro stop. Although many vehicles appear to have only one adult in them, many vehicles have infants in rear car seats. Jim Hart asked who is responsible for enforcement and proposed a friendly amendment deleting "Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT)" and adding "Fairfax County Police" in the sixth statement; Glenn Stroup accepted the amendment. Motion carried unanimously and will be presented to the general membership at its May meeting.

4. Thompson Road Out-of-Turn Plan Amendment - On April 24, 1997, the Planning Commission voted 5-3-1 to recommend approval by the Board of Supervisors of the Thompson Road out-of-turn plan amendment. The Land Use and Transportation Committee needs to determine whether to again take a position on this amendment. In December 1995, this body voted to oppose a change in the Comprehensive Plan. The Council normally takes positions only on issues with district- and/or county-wide ramifications. It is plausible that this amendment has county-wide ramifications as Sully District is already in need of additional resources for schools and roads, funds needed in older areas of the County for revitalization. With regard to the impact on schools and on roads, Martha Barton mentioned that the Navy-Vale League is concerned about the domino effect of an amended plan; specifically, if amended, it will be much easier to do so in the future with respect to the 400 acres across Oxon Road. Glenn Stroup noted that Franklin Farm opposes amending the plan. The overarching issue is whether the current plan works. Adjacent areas are developing in accordance with the plan without difficulty; therefore, why change it. The current parcel owners have a right to build based upon the plan. There is a continued concern that out-of-turn plan amendments are meant for "emergency situations", based upon compelling reasons, this does not appear to be.

   With regard to the text approved by the Planning Commission, the amended plan language seems inadequate, ambiguous, and doesn't mean very much. There is no correlation between opening the new intermediate school at McLearen and Centreville Roads, in September 1998, and the development of the property. The enrollment numbers used at the Planning Commission meeting did not show current school overcrowding; no one is sure what year's projections were used in the statistics. Another elementary school is not planned in this area of the District for quite some time, if at all.

   The "[p]rovision of efficient roadway circulation and singular coordinated access to Thompson and West Ox Roads" needs to be defined, as it is non-specific. Does this include donating the right of way to widen West Ox Road? VDOT does not plan to widen West Ox Road until 2002 at the earliest (from Lawyers Road to Oxon Road). The remaining portion of the road will not be widened until after that year. The internal road connecting Thompson and West Ox Roads will be lined up with one of the Century Oaks entrances as VDOT will not approve a third intersection with Thompson Road. Furthermore, the interparcel road is not shown on the Comprehensive Plan at this time. If the road is going to exist, it needs to be shown on the transportation plan map, and cannot exist solely via the language of the Comprehensive Plan.

   The provision of interparcel access to unconsolidated parcels is a right, and not an additional benefit. The substantial buffers need to be specified whether it means 30, 50, or 100 feet. The percentage of tree save areas should also be clarified. One of the problems with Oakton Chase in terms of clearing the land dealt with the fact that there is no longer a County staff arborist. The larger lot size buffer only entails six (6) lots along the northern boundary. What will two acres provide in the way of active recreational facilities? One regulation-size baseball field consumes almost two acres.

   Dick Schneider noted that area residents were told that it is not possible to develop the property at R-1, as current owners cannot receive a fair value for their property. The problem seems to be that there are too many layers in the pie; if a large, single builder, not a land developer, purchased the property, it would be easier and more cost-effective to build at R-1. There seems to be a large builder interested in developing the property at R-1 who would purchase the property at a fair price for the current owners.

   Although the tax base would increase, the break even point for County services is with homes in the $450,000.00 range as it costs approximately $1.45 for services per dollar. Changing the plan will overburden services already in short supply. The price point for the proposed development has fallen to around $350,000.00.

   At this time, nine homeowner associations in the surrounding area are opposed to the plan amendment: Camberleys East and West, Dartmoor, West Ox Estates, Century Oaks, Franklin Farm, Wynwood, Southern Oaks, and Shade Tree. Four of these associations are members of the Sully District Council.

   Ralph Rodina made a motion that the Sully District Council Land Use and Transportation Committee takes a stand on the out-of-turn plan amendment. Jeanne Pujanauski seconded. Larry Tessier noted that the issue does not directly affect the entire district. Further, he would like the opportunity to hear from the 16 current parcel owners. Bill Ritchie stated that the Council should not take a stand as it has not done so since it was formed. In addition, County staff recommends disapproval. Glenn Stroup noted that if it was a rezoning issue, we should not be involved; however, it is a plan issue. The vote was five ayes (Hawn, McConn, Pujanauski, Rodina, Schneider), three nays (Hart, Ritchie, Tessier), and one abstention (Stroup). Glenn Stroup made a motion that the Sully District Council Land Use and Transportation Committee recommend to the general membership that the Sully District Council take a position of concern with changing the Comprehensive Plan at this time with an out-of-turn plan amendment. Further, if S95-III-UP1 is approved, the language of the amendment needs to be strengthened and more specific in what is required by the developer. If necessary, the plan amendment can be referred to the Annual Plan Review Task Force. Ralph Rodina seconded. The motion carries unanimously.

5. Other Business - Jim Hart noted that Thompson Road is not the only area that developers are attempting to amend the Comprehensive Plan, another huge example concerns the Trinity Centre property. The WFCCA has been meeting with KSI, Inc., on the parcel. There appears to be many inconsistencies between what is on the Comprehensive Plan and what KSI is proposing. One example of this inconsistency is that Richard Hauser continues to state that a Zany Brainy (children's) store may be built. A final example appears to be west of Virginia Run Community Association, on the Hunt Chase parcel. The latter ended up in court; the County barely won that case.

   Glenn Stroup mentioned that the County is setting up focus groups prior to writing the request for proposal for renewal of the cable franchise. They are interested in citizen input prior to writing the request. Carol Hawn will attempt to set up a meeting when called.

6. The next meeting of the Sully District Council Land Use and Transportation Committee will be Monday, June 2, 1997 at 7:30 p.m. in the conference room adjacent to Supervisor Michael Frey's office, 5900 Centreville Road. With no other business, the meeting adjourned at 9:00 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,

Carol A. Hawn
For the Land Use and Transportation Committee