Proposed design guidelines calling for a plethora of parks, open spaces, attractive buildings and a network of pedestrian paths in the McLean Community Business Center (CBC) await approval from Fairfax County supervisors on Sept. 12.
The guidelines, which are flexible and offer design guidance only, are intended to further the CBC’s comprehensive-plan goals, county officials said.
That plan, adopted by supervisors in June 2021, calls for three development zones in downtown McLean:
• A 75-acre Center Zone in the vicinity of Beverly Road and Elm Street will have the highest development intensity and allow buildings up to 92 feet tall. One consolidated property of up to 6 acres will be permitted to have buildings up to 128 feet tall, provided the site has a two-thirds-of-an-acre public park or open space.
• A 54-acre General Zone will surround the Center Zone, and buildings there will be up to 68 feet tall.
• An 85-acre Edge Zone will separate the General Zone from adjacent neighborhoods and feature mostly three-story buildings.
The proposed design guidelines center around the concept of a “neighborhood village,” based upon results from a community workshop held in March 2022. An advisory group, chaired by Dennis Findley, and staff from the Fairfax County Department of Planning and Development’s Community Revitalization Section worked from that foundational idea to provide more specific guidance on parks, building design, streetscapes and other factors.
The initiative also received input from the Fairfax County Park Authority’s Planning and Development Division and the consulting firm of Bradley Site Design Inc.
The guidelines recommend that new CBC developments should take into account historical block patterns in central McLean and, where possible, include historical elements such as McLean historical figures, vernacular building styles and materials, public art and educational signage telling about the community.
The guidelines suggest new developments should avoid sameness from building to building and incorporate high-quality, natural building materials such as masonry. Building façades facing streets should be varied to enhance visual interest, provide overhangs that complement the streetscape and use materials that will not deteriorate after regular cleanings, the document read.
Buildings should step down as they approach less-densely zoned areas and have a variety of frontages that contribute to a “village feel,” especially at the key intersection of Beverly Road and Elm Street, according to the guidelines.
The recommendations also suggest increasing the amount of trees and green space in streetscapes and public areas in order to lessen “heat island” effects and reduce stormwater runoff. New developments and retrofitted older buildings should employ energy-efficient and sustainable designs materials.
Areas between streets should be connected with pedestrian-friendly pathways that link outdoor spaces and restaurants, the guidelines suggested. These should be enhanced with public art, greenery, lighting, wayfinding signage, and distinctive paving and furnishings.
A signature urban park of at least two-thirds of an acre, and located in the “bonus height” section of the high-density Center Zone, should have retail and restaurant uses nearby to bolster activity during day and evening hours and linked to with a network of green spaces.
To echo the community’s history as a streetcar suburb the signature park also could feature a salvaged streetcar converted into a cafe and perhaps integrate steel rails into paving patterns, according to the guidelines.
Park spaces in McLean’s CBC also should be multi-functional, enhance the community’s sense of place and be integrated with surrounding amenities such as retail areas, the guidelines read.
McLean’s CBC also would benefit from signage and landscaped “gateway” features that denote entrances to the community and copious usage of public art, including some elements that reflect local history.
Public comments so far about the proposed design guidelines drilled down into specifics.
One person expressed concern about where benches would be located in the CBC, especially with regard to the southeast side of the CBC near single-family residential areas. County staff responded that benches generally would be spaced 200 feet apart.
Another resident wanted the guidelines to allow architects to design glass façades for buildings in the CBC. County staffers said the proposed guidelines do not discourage such façades, but they must be designed properly and be bird-friendly.
To see the entire document, visit www.fcrevite.org/mclean/design-guidelines.
