REST0N PLANNING & ZONING COMMITTEE

OPINION LETTER

RZ#2009-HM-019 and F.D.P.#2009-HM-019

Cathy M. Hudgins Frank de la Fe

Hunter Mill District Supervisor Hunter Mill Planning

Commissioner

12000 Bowman Town Drive

Reston, VA 20190

Dear Supervisor Hudgins & Commissioner de la Fe:

1. Reston Planning & Zoning Committee begins by recognizing the

significant effort by the Developer and the County staff to create a
high quality transit oriented development at the Metro gateway to
Reston, which faces significant site and time constraints. Based on
presentations and review of material received as of March 8, 2010,
P&Z makes the following recommendations:

• We recommend approval of the plans as presented subject to

consideration and possible inclusion of the following comments and
issues in the final agreement between the County and the
Developer.

• We believe that PDC zoning is appropriate for this site, and we

support high density TOD subject to appropriate high quality design.

2. A shadow study must be done of the plaza area as shown on the plan.
If the shadow study results demonstrate the need for lower heights of
the buildings on the south side of the plaza so as to admit more light
and air, the square footage removed from the south side buildings
could be transferred to the buildings on the north side of the plaza.
This would call for a load factor study of the columns used to support
the buildings on the north side. If it is not feasible to transfer the
square footage to the north side plaza buildings, perhaps that footage
could be reserved for additional expansion of building #6 or the
existing Comstock Building. An appropriate design guideline for
purposes of the shadow study would be one that says between the
 months of November and March, 60% of the plaza must receive
sunlight for a minimum of 6 hours a day.

3. Phase 1 construction of the parking garage and beginnings of the full plaza
should include access arrangements from the far west end of the project
(adjacent to the Veach property) to Wiehle Avenue.

4. We strongly support the inclusion of Work Force Housing.

WFH should be provided on this site, be divided among all residential
properties, and be provided at generally the same pace as all
residential development All housing should be developed using
"universal" design principles to address accessibility issues.

5. All buildings to be constructed must meet LEED silver standards at a

minimum.

6. It is important for the developer to agree to some method of

architectural review prior to the approval of construction drawing.
Such review could be done by a board similar to the Reston DRB. The
developer’s proposal to send buildings plans to the Planning
Commission would not be strong enough to insure suitable
architectural review. In addition, any changes or amendments to the
plan including any subdivisions of the plan must be submitted to the
Reston Planning & Zoning Committee for review concurrent with
submission to County staff and prior to any Planning Commission
hearing date. This should be stated in the proffers.

7. The developer should be strongly encouraged to consider a means to

join Reston Association as a minimum for the residential component.

8. The developer is proffering architectural treatment on all four sides of

the private parking garages, but it specifically excludes the County
Metro garage. (See proffer 30.) We recommend this wording be
changed. There is a significant portion of the County Garage that will
be exposed for several levels at the southwest corner of the site and
we want to ensure that we don’t end up with a standard parking
garage treatment on that end of the site. Some added architectural
treatment will be necessary.
9. There should be more green space incorporated into the plaza. Special
attention must be addressed to landscaping throughout the complex
and landscaped rooftop spaces that can provide some natural relief to
the harshness of the intensive development of structures. Fairfax
County should adopt this as a requirement standard in all new urban
spaces.

10. At the Reston Planning & Zoning meeting of March 1st, an outline of a
proposed plan was presented by an attorney for the owner of property
located at 11405 Sunset Hills Road. This is immediately to the east of
the Comstock Building on Sunset Hills Road. The proposed plan would
include an access road from Sunset Hills Road to the Comstock
development. It is possible that this access road could satisfy
requirements of the Comprehensive Plan for parcel G4 which states
that two access roads onto Sunset Hills are desirable. When this plan is
received and accepted by the County, it should be evaluated to
determine its impact on the Comstock development.

11. The Developer and the County should give consideration of

structural support flexibility for air rights over internal streets in the
project for the future.

12. The County and the Developer should negotiate with any willing
related property owner around the project to maximize effective
design.

13. In the area of public art, the Developer outlines a lively,

comprehensive approach to public art installations, both permanent
and temporary. The Developer should coordinate all aspects of public
art pertaining to this project with IPAR and its Master Plan for Reston.
The developer should also be aware that public art in a project such as
this will cost considerably more that the amount they have so far
committed.

14. Although it may be difficult to do at this juncture, the Developer

and County should consider reducing the parking requirements for the
Wiehle Avenue Station development, in order to clearly communicate
that the development is intended to foster alternate modes of
transportation. Such reductions would be in keeping with other urban
counties in the region and are appropriate in increasingly dense Fairfax
County as well.

15. Further careful refinement of the traffic system in and around the site
for maximum functionality is required. Additional reference should be
made to the RMAG study proposals concerning roadway and
pedestrian improvements in the Wiehle Station area to determine what
RMAG recommendations can be adopted. RMAG proposals are listed
below.
Roadway Improvements

• New signal and turn lanes on Sunset Hills Road for access to Wiehle
Station complex. Left turn lane for westbound traffic would be
dedicated turn lane. Addition right turn lane for eastbound traffic at
this point.

• Add a second left turn lane for northbound traffic on Wiehle Avenue to
facilitate Metro access turns into station site, and provide a second
inbound lane on site.

• Add an additional left turn lane on the eastbound Dulles Toll Road
ramp at Wiehle Avenue.

• Add an additional right turn lane for eastbound Sunset Hills Road at
Wiehle Avenue.

• Add a second right turn lane for westbound Sunrise Valley Drive at
Wiehle Avenue.

Pedestrian – Bicycle Improvements

• Upgrade curb ramps.

• Install pedestrian countdown signals at all signalized intersections

within ½ mile of station access.

• Apply high visibility crosswalk marking at all signalized intersections

within ½ mile of station access.

• Reduce curb turning radii.

• Install median refuges.

• Use LPI on all minor street pedestrian crossings.

• Have sidewalks on both sides of major access streets.

• Sidewalks should have a minimum width within ½ mile of station

access.

• Ideally, sidewalks should be separated from roadways with a four foot

wide landscaped buffer.

• Marked crosswalks should be located within 250 feet of all us stops.

• Increase connectivity of all pedestrian and bicycle paths.

 16. The Reston Planning & Zoning Committee members agree that this
Comstock/Fairfax County proposal has not been without its challenges.
While P&Z has many reservations as expressed in this letter, we
expect many will be satisfactorily resolved. Also, while we wish there
were more time to consider more options, we do believe that the
current proposal by the Comstock group, which is before us with
improvements, is far better for Reston than the apparent alternative of
a solitary 8 story above ground Metro garage on the site. Time presses
with the ongoing construction of the Silver line and we understand that
the County must provide a site plan which includes the Metro garage
to the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority soon.

The Reston Planning & Zoning Committee is ready to work with the County
and the developer and the citizens of Reston as this development
progresses.

Very truly yours,

David A. Vanell, Chairman March 10,

2010