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Falls Church’s long-range plan for growth is already changing how the 2.2-square-mile city approaches development, transportation, climate goals and housing—without abandoning the small-town identity that residents value.

The City Council unanimously adopted its 2040 Plan in 2017, laying out a vision for an inclusive community known for education, environmental sustainability, multiple transportation options and vibrant economic development. The plan calls for investments in neighborhoods, schools, parks, public facilities and commercial areas while preserving the city’s history and character.

Mayor Letty Hardi, then a new council member who helped shape the plan, said progress requires the city to look forward.

“Growth could mean population growth, could mean economic development, but it’s the fact that we weren’t going to stay anchored in the past or look backwards,” Hardi said. “What I often say is we can tax our way to those services, or we can grow our way into those services.”

Growth funds public priorities

Since the plan’s adoption, Falls Church has welcomed several mixed-use developments, including Founders Row, the Broad and Washington project and the West Falls development. The projects have added housing, businesses and tax revenue while helping fund renovations to City Hall, the library and the high school.

That development is tied to Falls Church’s environmental and transportation goals. About a year and a half ago, the city adopted its Community Energy Action Plan and Government Operations Energy Action Plan. Together, they set targets of cutting carbon emissions by 50 percent by 2030 and reaching carbon neutrality by 2050.

Transportation is one of the largest sources of greenhouse gas emissions, making walkability a central part of the city’s strategy. Although Falls Church developed as a car-oriented suburb in the 1940s, it now has a walkability score of 93, and 70 percent of the city lies within walking distance of a grocery store.

Hardi said sidewalks and crosswalks are only part of that equation. Residents also need useful and inviting destinations, such as shops, cafés and parks. The city has also added pedestrian-safety features, including new HAWK signals on Broad Street.

Falls Church’s compact layout has supported other environmental initiatives. It was among the first Virginia cities to offer curbside composting, and officials are now working toward making it a standard citywide service, following the path recycling took when it became compulsory in the 1980s.

Equity shapes investment and housing

The city has also sought to make equity a more explicit part of its decisions. Hardi said the City Council committed to applying an equity lens following George Floyd’s death and the nationwide reckoning over racial inequality in summer 2020.

One focus has been South Washington Street, a corridor that historically received less economic and civic investment. A completed improvement project brought new landscaping, lighting and green space. Historical panels and a mural now recognize Tinner Hill, home of the first rural branch of the NAACP.

Housing is another major part of that effort—and a personal priority for Hardi. She and her husband arrived in Falls Church as newly married young professionals in 2003, but rising living costs have made that path increasingly difficult for today’s young adults and families.

The city’s affordability strategy begins with preserving lower-cost homes already in place. Hardi has argued that maintaining existing affordable units is more efficient than replacing them, pointing to city grant support for units nearing expiration in the Reed Building.

Falls Church is also negotiating permanently affordable homes in new mixed-use developments, replacing earlier arrangements that allowed affordability requirements to expire after 15 or 20 years. Permanently affordable units account for between 6 percent and 12 percent of the homes at Founders Row, Broad and Washington, and Modera Falls Church.

Officials are simultaneously trying to expand the types of homes available. Zoning changes have enabled construction of 32 townhouses along Park Avenue, providing an option between small apartments and large detached houses.

The city has also legalized accessory dwelling units, sometimes called backyard cottages. Those units can provide flexible living arrangements for seniors, young adults and renters.

For Hardi, housing connects directly to equity, education and efforts to limit urban sprawl. Her goal is to keep Falls Church accessible to residents with varied backgrounds and incomes.

Parks and participation build connections

The 2040 Plan treats urban design as an influence on physical, mental and social well-being. Pocket parks and other open spaces provide room for recreation, strengthen environmental sustainability and create gathering places. U.S. News & World Report has named Falls Church “America’s healthiest community.”

“You’ll see it on Broad Street, like on a beautiful Friday or Saturday night, like people are actually walking on the streets, getting ice cream, hanging out in pocket parks,” Hardi said. She added that social connection can help counter the isolation experienced in many communities.

The plan also calls for responsive and accountable government. For roughly 10 years, Hardi has written a blog explaining council meetings and local decision-making, combining factual information with her own perspective.

Other civic programs are designed to make government more accessible, particularly to younger residents and underrepresented groups. Falls Church Forward has hosted a boot camp explaining how local government works and how residents can participate.

Community members can serve on local and regional committees, boards and commissions, often with a commitment of one or two hours per month. Volunteer activities range from collecting trash to painting crosswalks.

Hardi has also held conventional and “walking” office hours in local parks. She said those conversations offer a more useful exchange than the restrictive format of public-comment sessions.

“You have your three minutes and you’re done,” she said. “I would much rather have a two-way dialogue with people.”

Nearly a decade after the 2040 Plan was drafted, Falls Church has grown while retaining the identity Hardi considers its defining achievement. The city remains a community of roughly 15,000 people within just 2.2 square miles, where traditions such as the Memorial Day parade reinforce its Little City character.

“No matter how much we grow,” Hardi said, “I think the people are what make Falls Church special.”