1. Attendance:
   1. Members: Dick Frank (TAC), Jim Hart (Virginia Run), Carol Hawn (Old Mill), Judith Heisinger (Bull Run CA), Mark McConn (Bull Run CA), Jeff Parnes (Chantilly Highlands), and Larry Tessier (Franklin Glen)

   2. Guests: Stuart Liss (Architect), Sheila Coates (BWWFA), John Camp (Charles Smith), Fran Fisher, Karen Saltus, and Steve So (Citizen); Adam and Louis Glickfield (Marlo Furniture), Ron Koch (Planning Commission), Jerry Jasper and Frank Ojeda (Rock Hill), Keith Martin (Walsh Colucci)

2. Presentations:
   1. 7:30
      • Proponent: Marlo, Keith Martin presenting
        
      • Action: Planned out-of-turn plan amendment S02-III-BR-1, see handouts
        
      • Location: Lee Road and Route 50

      Keith Martin presented the case for an out-of-turn plan amendment requested by Marlo Furniture. Marlo wishes to change the planning for a parcel they own on Lee Rd, about a thousand feet south of its intersection with Route 28, to allow retail where restaurant and entertainment oriented uses are now planned.

      Background:

      • The parcel is part of assemblage that Marlo first purchased in the early 1990s for use for what was then planned as a showroom/warehouse. An EQC runs through the property from the northeast to the southwest cutting off a third of the property from the larger portion to the southeast. A collector road (Chantilly Crossing Lane) is planned to enter the property from Lee Road about a little more than halfway down the western portion of the northwest segment, go east across the EQC and then turn south to access the southeast segment.

      • Marlo had originally hoped to build its larger facility at the northeast corner east of the EQC near the ramp from southbound Route 28 to eastbound Route 50. Upon examination of VDOT's clearing plan for the ramps it found the tree cover too dense so that they would not have the desired visibility. They then sold that portion to Starwood Cerruzzi, and it is now scheduled to have a Target and Costco, among other stores, locate there.

      • With the announcement that the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum annex was to be built on the southeastern section of Dulles Airport, there was consideration given to having an access or exit road at the Route 50/Lee Road intersection. That helped drive the planning for the northwest section of the overall parcel to be planned for restaurant and entertainment uses. Although the plans for the access to the annex were eventually oriented to Barnesfield road and Route 28, as recently as last year's Area Plan Review cycle saw a plan amendment introduced and approved that transferred some of the density from the south of this parcel's access road to the north so that Marriott could build a bigger facility hotel. That left the parcel south of Chantilly Crossing Lane and west of the EQC with enough density to build an eighty-room hotel. Marlo's commercial agents have tried to market the property for hotel use, and were told that with the after effects of 11 September there may be an overcapacity situation in this area as shown by the large percentage of suite (long-term) facilities as opposed to straight one-room (short term) hotels, and that it was too far back from Route 50. With the change of Marlo's store approach, now with a central warehouse located elsewhere, all that they are looking for is room for a show room rather than the showroom and warehouse site for which they were originally looking. This parcel south of Chantilly Crossing Lane fits their needs.

      The staff report identifies three areas of concern and recommends against the amendment:

      • Replacing a tourist-oriented use with a local-serving retail use on a site identified in the Plan for tourist-oriented uses in close proximity to the new Air and Space Museum Annex;
      • Allowing a retail use in this location, contrary to Dulles Suburban Center policy to cluster retail uses in designated nodes to prevent strip commercial development along Route 50; and
      • Increasing the amount of retail use in this land unit by more than 60,000 square feet.

      Marlo provided a handout in response to questions raised after they made a similar presentation to WFFCA and in response to the staff report. The handout provided information concerning: other possible sites they considered, traffic generation, architectural renderings, and citizen letters praising them for their concern with the communities wherein their other stores were located. Marlo also brought several "concerned citizens" to support their request, either loyal customers or business owners to the west. The father and son owners of Marlo were there and expressed their person concerns that they be allowed to build on this site. As they feel there's a need for a furniture store to serve Eastern Loudoun and western Fairfax, and they'd like to be the store.

      Committee members were concerned that they had previously expressed concerns about hotel over capacity, and that until the annex was actually open it would be impossible to adequately judge the actual hotel demands. It was suggested that after the annex opens that this might be better considered as part of the regular Area plan review.

      A motion to deny the proposed Out-of-Turn Plan amendment was made but not seconded. No other motion being made, the presenters were thanked for their time.

3. Old Business:
   1. Conservation District Zoning Ordinance Amendment

      As the public hearing for the ZOA has been postponed until next year, while the county and DC United are as far as part, if not further, then they were previously, no further action on the resolution as taken

   2. Traffic Calming on Route 50

      VDOT is still taking comments regarding their preliminary plans for traffic calming on Route 50 from the village of Paris in Fauquier County (Intersection Route 759) to the village of Lenah (Intersection Route 600) in Loudoun County. Maps and other data are available for review at the VDOT Northern VA District office at 14685 Avion Parkway, off Route 50 ½ mile west of Route 28. Written statements may be sent to the department postmarked no later than 9 November 2002.

4. New Business:
   1. A public hearing on the location of the Tri-County Connector is planned for 5 December from 5-8 PM, with a presentation at 6 PM, at Westfield High School. Additional hearings will be held in Prince William and Loudoun counties.

   2. A public hearing on the location of the Route 29 Battlefield Bypass is planned for 12 December from 5-8 PM, with a presentation at 6 PM, at the Holiday Inn at the I66/Route 234 interchange.

Respectfully submitted,

Jeffrey M. Parnes
Chair, Sully District Council
Land Use and Transportation Committee