Fairfax Citizens for Responsible Growth -- FairGrowth
GREATER TYSONS CITIZENS
COALITION PREDICTS LOCAL PARK FACILITIES WILL BE OVERWHELMED BY
PROPOSED TYSONS CORNER EXPANSION
April 25, 2008 - The Greater Tysons Citizens Coalition (GTCC) is
concerned that local park facilities will be overwhelmed by the
proposed Tysons Corner expansion. The land use prototypes proposed by
the consultants to the Task Force show “significant impacts to the
already deficient park system in Tysons Corner, particularly in the
urban core along Route 7,” according to a recent Fairfax County Park
Authority (FCPA) memorandum.
Fairfax County currently has 24,091 acres of parkland, or roughly 22
acres per 1,000 residents. To maintain that ratio after the addition of
the 70,000 new residents currently proposed by Task Force consultant PB
PlaceMaking, the county would need to add 1,540 acres of parkland to
the county inventory. To escape this problem, the Park Authority has
developed a new “urban park service level standard” for Tysons, which
recommends 1.5 acres of publicly accessible urban parkland for every
1,000 residents, and 1 acre for every 10,000 employees. Using this
standard, the two land use prototypes that have been proposed by the
consultant would require only 96 to 132 additional acres of parkland.
The majority of this park space would be composed of small, mostly
privately owned pocket parks or plazas ranging in size from one-quarter
acre to one acre. These areas would contain features such as outdoor
cafes, fountains and performance spaces. A second proposed tier of
parks would range in size from one to five acres and would include many
diverse uses such as playgrounds, open lawns, multi-use courts and dog
parks.
The prototype plans for the Tysons area also feature one large,
centrally located park of 6 acres. Included among the suggested
features for this park are a synthetic turf field, a baseball diamond,
an asphalt trail system, restroom facilities, an amphitheatre area for
performances, benches and seating areas, bike racks, a large open lawn,
and parking for approximately 200 cars. By contrast, Lewinsville Park
in McLean (population 38,237) is comprised of 37 acres and contains one
baseball diamond, 3 rectangular fields, 6 tennis courts, community
garden plots, a playground, and parking for 100 cars.
The Park Authority memorandum notes that Tysons is also served by
nearby parks including Spring Hill, Lewinsville, Lake Fairfax, and
Salona. But according to Joel Stillman, President of McLean Youth
Athletics, Inc., the area surrounding Tysons already suffers from a
severe shortage of both soccer and baseball fields, and of indoor
athletic facilities for youth and adult basketball, volleyball,
wrestling, dance, and fitness.
“Our community has the lowest percentage of indoor recreational
facilities in Fairfax County,” notes Stillman. “Spring Hill Recreation
Center, which is the only public indoor facility in this area, doesn't
even have a gym in spite the fact that a gym has been in the master
plan for decades."
According to an impact statement prepared by Fairfax County Public
Schools, the projected increase in population in Tysons may add up to
3,800 additional children to the local population.
“How will our local sports organizations be able to integrate this
influx of kids?” wonders McLean resident Darren Ewing. “The additional
trips to and from Tysons and our local parks will further overwhelm our
overcrowded roads.”
The capacity of passive recreation facilities is also being pushed to
the limit. Local resident Susan Turner reports that on some weekends,
she can no longer find an available parking place at Scott’s Run Nature
Preserve, located 3 miles from Tysons Corner.
A cost estimate for the proposed new parks at Tysons Corner is being
compiled by the Park Authority, but is not yet available.
The Greater Tysons Citizens Coalition (GTCC), an umbrella group for
citizens and civic associations in Fairfax County, was formed in recent
months to give the surrounding communities a stronger voice in
decisions being made about development and density in Tysons Corner.
The GTCC meets every 2nd and 4th Thursday at 7:30 p.m. at the McLean
Community Center. For more information, contact GTCC at: GTCitizens@yahoo.com.