March 4, 2004
Supervisor Joan Dubois
McLean Government Center
1437 Balls Hill Road
McLean, VA 22101
RE: Winchester rezoning application RZ 2003-DR-031
Dear Supervisor Dubois:
The Westhampton Civic Association would like to convey its concern
that the
rezoning application by Winchester Homes to build 102 homes near
our community
of about 180 households may result in school crowding, traffic and
loss of
green space and historical landmarks without appropriate mitigating
measures. We
are located across Great Falls Street from the proposed development,
bounded
by Haycock Road, I-66 and the Dulles Connector Road.
The schools impact analysis conducted by the Fairfax County Public
Schools
indicates that the rezoning for this new development would generate
49 new
students. Based on the county's approved proffer guidelines of $7,500
per student,
this would justify a $367,500 proffer for schools to ensure that
there is not
overcrowding, the student to teacher ratio is not compromised, etc.
We join with the existing communities across Great Falls in opposing
a street
connection between the new development and Hutchison Street that
would
greatly increase congestion at the Hutchison/Great Falls intersection.
This
intersection is already dangerous, difficult to negotiate, and badly
in need of a
stoplight. We understand that the developer is willing to eliminate
the
connection but that county staff insists on its inclusion.
We recommend that traffic impact and signal warrant studies be
conducted.
Great Falls is already highly congested during rush hours, with
the Hutchison
and nearby Haycock intersections especially difficult. Adding over
100 new
homes would add many more vehicles, thus aggravating problems. If
the proposed
development proceeds, a stoplight will become essential at the intersection.
Otherwise it will become impossible to make a safe left turn from
Hutchison onto
Great Falls during rush hours. Some thought must also be given to
improving
the Great Falls Street/Haycock Road intersection.
The additional vehicles would also increase dangerous traffic cutting
through
our neighborhood to avoid delays at the Great Falls/Haycock intersection.
Official counts on Turner show far more daily trips (c. 1400) than
could be
accounted for by residents of Westhampton. Cars cutting through
often speed,
thereby endangering residents, especially children. Regardless of
the outcome of
the Winchester application, we favor traffic calming for our local
neighborhood streets, such as signs prohibiting non-local traffic,
speed bumps at
appropriate intervals, and stop signs.
We also join our neighbors in lamenting the potential loss of green
space,
trees, wildlife habitat, and natural watercourses. We support increasing
the
buffer between the new development and the existing park to 50 feet,
locating
limits of clearing and grading at least 35 feet from all property
lines, and
designating the area surrounding Burke's Spring and Burke's Spring
Branch as a
Resource Protection Area. Street plans should be adjusted so that
the spring
and springhouse foundations are preserved, and so that there is
no disturbance
within 100 feet of the stream. A bridge should carry the proposed
road over
Burke's Spring Branch, thereby avoiding the velocity increase that
would be
caused by the proposed piping and the consequent deterioration of
stream bottom
habitat.
In addition, an entire complex of natural and historical features
would be
severely affected by the proposed development: the two-century-old
Dye-Burke
farmhouse, the century-old McConvey farmhouse, the Donovan Estate
and its
arboretum of labeled trees dating from the 1930's, and a number
of large trees
dating from the 19th century.
A little adjustment and imagination by the developers and the county
might
artfully incorporate the spring, streams, old houses, and notable
trees into the
new community, thereby preserving them for posterity and enhancing
property
values.
In sum, we propose that the Planning Commission and Board of Supervisors
work
with the developer and the relevant county and state transportation
agencies,
where appropriate, to:
· Limit the density of the application, either by restricting
the number of
units built and/or eliminating the townhomes in favor of single-family
homes.
· Include in the proffers package $367,500 to address the
increased demand on
local schools.
· Improve the Great Falls Street/Haycock Road intersection,
possibly by
adding and extending turn lanes.
· Eliminate a second entrance/exit for the development onto
Great Falls at
Hutchison.
· Request traffic impact and signal warrant studies to review
the merits of
putting a stoplight at the intersection of Hutchison and Great Falls.
· Implement traffic calming measures on the Westhampton neighborhood's
streets.
· Develop a proactive plan with specific measures for preserving
trees and
other natural and historical features.
We would be grateful for your consideration of the above matters
and would be
pleased to meet with you to offer further explanation.
Sincerely,
Francesca Bravo, President
Westhampton Civic Association
2126 Grayson Place, Falls Church, VA 22043-1617
March 4, 2004
Commissioner Nancy Hopkins, Dranesville District
Fairfax County Planning Commission
12000 Government Center Parkway, Suite 330
Fairfax, VA 22035-0042
RE: Winchester rezoning application RZ 2003-DR-031
Dear Commissioner Hopkins:
The Westhampton Civic Association would like to convey its concern
that the
rezoning application by Winchester Homes to build 102 homes near
our community
of about 180 households may result in school crowding, traffic and
loss of
green space and historical landmarks without appropriate mitigating
measures. We
are located across Great Falls Street from the proposed development,
bounded
by Haycock Road, I-66 and the Dulles Connector Road.
The schools impact analysis conducted by the Fairfax County Public
Schools
indicates that the rezoning for this new development would generate
49 new
students. Based on the county's approved proffer guidelines of $7,500
per student,
this would justify a $367,500 proffer for schools to ensure that
there is not
overcrowding, the student to teacher ratio is not compromised, etc.
We join with the existing communities across Great Falls in opposing
a street
connection between the new development and Hutchison Street that
would
greatly increase congestion at the Hutchison/Great Falls intersection.
This
intersection is already dangerous, difficult to negotiate, and badly
in need of a
stoplight. We understand that the developer is willing to eliminate
the
connection but that county staff insists on its inclusion.
We recommend that traffic impact and signal warrant studies be
conducted.
Great Falls is already highly congested during rush hours, with
the Hutchison
and nearby Haycock intersections especially difficult. Adding over
100 new
homes would add many more vehicles, thus aggravating problems. If
the proposed
development proceeds, a stoplight will become essential at the intersection.
Otherwise it will become impossible to make a safe left turn from
Hutchison onto
Great Falls during rush hours. Some thought must also be given to
improving
the Great Falls Street/Haycock Road intersection.
The additional vehicles would also increase dangerous traffic cutting
through
our neighborhood to avoid delays at the Great Falls/Haycock intersection.
Official counts on Turner show far more daily trips (c. 1400) than
could be
accounted for by residents of Westhampton. Cars cutting through
often speed,
thereby endangering residents, especially children. Regardless of
the outcome of
the Winchester application, we favor traffic calming for our local
neighborhood streets, such as signs prohibiting non-local traffic,
speed bumps at
appropriate intervals, and stop signs.
We also join our neighbors in lamenting the potential loss of green
space,
trees, wildlife habitat, and natural watercourses. We support increasing
the
buffer between the new development and the existing park to 50 feet,
locating
limits of clearing and grading at least 35 feet from all property
lines, and
designating the area surrounding Burke's Spring and Burke's Spring
Branch as a
Resource Protection Area. Street plans should be adjusted so that
the spring
and springhouse foundations are preserved, and so that there is
no disturbance
within 100 feet of the stream. A bridge should carry the proposed
road over
Burke's Spring Branch, thereby avoiding the velocity increase that
would be
caused by the proposed piping and the consequent deterioration of
stream bottom
habitat.
In addition, an entire complex of natural and historical features
would be
severely affected by the proposed development: the two-century-old
Dye-Burke
farmhouse, the century-old McConvey farmhouse, the Donovan Estate
and its
arboretum of labeled trees dating from the 1930's, and a number
of large trees
dating from the 19th century.
A little adjustment and imagination by the developers and the county
might
artfully incorporate the spring, streams, old houses, and notable
trees into the
new community, thereby preserving them for posterity and enhancing
property
values.
In sum, we propose that the Planning Commission and Board of Supervisors
work
with the developer and the relevant county and state transportation
agencies,
where appropriate, to:
· Limit the density of the application, either by restricting
the number of
units built and/or eliminating the townhomes in favor of single-family
homes.
· Include in the proffers package $367,500 to address the
increased demand on
local schools.
· Improve the Great Falls Street/Haycock Road intersection,
possibly by
adding and extending turn lanes.
· Eliminate a second entrance/exit for the development onto
Great Falls at
Hutchison.
· Request traffic impact and signal warrant studies to review
the merits of
putting a stoplight at the intersection of Hutchison and Great Falls.
· Implement traffic calming measures on the Westhampton neighborhood's
streets.
· Develop a proactive plan with specific measures for preserving
trees and
other natural and historical features.
We would be grateful for your consideration of the above matters
and would be
pleased to meet with you to offer further explanation.
Sincerely,
Francesca Bravo, President
Westhampton Civic Association
2126 Grayson Place, Falls Church, VA 22043-1617
March 4, 2004
Ms. Angela Rodenheaver
Chief, Site Analysis Section, Transportation Planning
Fairfax County Department of Transportation
12055 Government Center Parkway
Fairfax, VA 22035
RE: Winchester rezoning application RZ 2003-DR-031
Dear Ms. Rodenheaver:
The Westhampton Civic Association would like to convey its concern
about the
traffic impact of the rezoning application by Winchester homes to
build 102
homes near our community of about 180 households. We are located
across Great
Falls Street from the proposed development, bounded by Haycock Road,
I-66 and
the Dulles Connector Road.
We join with the existing communities across Great Falls in opposing
a street
connection between the new development and Hutchison Street that
would
greatly increase congestion at the Hutchison/Great Falls intersection.
This
intersection is already dangerous, difficult to negotiate, and badly
in need of a
stoplight. We understand that Winchester is willing to eliminate
the connection
but that county staff insists on its inclusion.
We recommend that traffic impact and signal warrant studies be
conducted.
Great Falls is already highly congested during rush hours, with
the Hutchison
and nearby Haycock intersections especially difficult. Adding over
100 new
homes would add many more vehicles, thus aggravating problems. If
the proposed
development proceeds, a stoplight will become essential at the intersection.
Otherwise it will become impossible to make a safe left turn from
Hutchison onto
Great Falls during rush hours. Some thought must also be given to
improving
the Great Falls Street/Haycock Road intersection.
The additional vehicles would also increase dangerous traffic cutting
through
our neighborhood to avoid delays at the Great Falls/Haycock intersection.
Official counts on Turner show far more daily trips (c. 1400) than
could be
accounted for by residents of Westhampton. Cars cutting through
often speed,
thereby endangering residents, especially children. Regardless of
the outcome of
the Winchester application, we favor traffic calming for our local
neighborhood streets, such as signs prohibiting non-local traffic,
speed bumps at
appropriate intervals, and stop signs.
All of the above traffic and congestion problems are likely to
be aggravated
by other planned developments in our area: a parking garage at the
West Falls
Church Metro station and a new middle school on the existing George
Mason
campus at Haycock Road and Route 7.
In sum, we request that your office work with the Planning Commission
and
Board of Supervisors to:
· Limit the density of the application, either by restricting
the number of
units built and/or eliminating the townhomes in favor of single
family homes;
· Improve the Great Falls Street/Haycock Road intersection
by adding and
extending turn lanes.
· Implement traffic calming measures on the Westhampton neighborhood's
streets.
· Eliminate a second entrance/exit for the development onto
Great Falls at
Hutchison.
· Request traffic impact and signal warrant studies to review
the merits of
putting a stoplight at the intersection of Hutchison and Great Falls.
We would be grateful for your consideration of the above matters
and would be
pleased to meet with you to offer further explanation.
Sincerely,
Francesca Bravo, President
Westhampton Civic Association
2126 Grayson Place, Falls Church, VA 22043-1617
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