Letters to the Editor: July 20 – 26, 2017

Development Impact on Neighbors Will be Huge

Editor,

The Falls Church City Council might want to further examine the impact of the George Mason High School site density and building height on residential neighborhoods.

In your article about the school site, the News-Press reported, “Council member Letty Hardi said that the campus location “is one of the few spots in the City where building high will not have an impact on residential neighborhoods,” and that citizens may want to know what the revenue yield will be on buildings five stories high compared to ones 10 stories high. Also, “eight to 13 stories” was reported in the March 30, 2017 edition. The impact on nearby residential neighborhoods will be huge, but many do not have any voice nor vote in Falls Church because many are Fairfax County residents. As for impact, in the 2016 Well & Assoc. traffic “Intersection Level of Service”, Highland Ave/N. West Street is graded “F” due to commuters taking a shortcut from Haycock to West plus parents dropping off and picking up children at Mt. Daniel Elementary School, which is due to expand greatly next year and not counting the new West/Broad development. The traffic impact from both new density projects will make Grove and Highland Ave. parking lots most of the day.

The promised maximum enrollment of 660 students at Mt. Daniel will be blown through if there any new children in the West/Broad or George Mason projects or both. If children are bussed or driven to TJ, then there will be an impact on residential neighborhoods near TJ. Perhaps TJ will need to be “upgraded” to a 5-10 story school?

No impact?

John Naman

Falls Church

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