An unexpectedly robust outpouring of concern by property owners and other stakeholders on the West Broad Street commercial corridor of the City of Falls Church led to a decision to slow down action on the so-called ‘West Broad Street Small Area Plan” by the F.C. City Council Monday night, even though the plan is only a guiding document with no force of law.

The plan, the fourth to cover commercially-zoned areas of the tiny City’s 2.2. square miles (following previous adoption of the others being S. Washington, N. Washington and City Center), is designed to “allow the City to take the lead on redevelopment” by “prioritizing public investments and showing desired development to private investors,” concerned stakeholders mostly because it suggested to constrain height limits in key areas of the West Broad strip between the 300 block at Little Falls St. and where the W&OD trail crosses W. Broad in the 1100 block.

The Council will mull the plan at its work session next Monday night, but plans to finally adopt it on Feb. 22 now seems likely to be delayed.