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A plan to replace the Franconia Governmental Center with 120 affordable apartments has cleared the Fairfax County Planning Commission, despite objections from some nearby residents.

Commissioners voted unanimously on Feb. 4 to recommend approval of the proposal from Franconia Development Partners. The consortium wants to build a four-story apartment complex on 3.3 acres of county-owned land at 6121 Franconia Road.

The apartments would serve individuals and families earning no more than 60% of the area median income. For a family of four, the income limit would be just under $100,000 per year.

Plans call for 49 one-bedroom, 45 two-bedroom and 26 three-bedroom apartments. Estimated monthly rents would range from $1,679 to $2,341.

“People can live there in dignity,” said Mark Viani, a Bean, Kinney & Korman land-use attorney representing developers SCG Development, NFP Affordable Housing Corp. and Good Shepherd Housing.

The proposal now heads to the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors, which is scheduled to consider the rezoning and conceptual development plan at a Feb. 17 public hearing. The planning commission also approved the project’s final development plan, over which it has final authority.

Opponents continued to raise concerns during the commission’s review. Joy Wahler, vice president of the North Franconia Civic Association, said residents were “overwhelmingly opposed” and characterized the proposed 99-year lease of the county property as “developer welfare.”

Elaine Anderegg of the Franconia Forest Homeowners Association cited the building’s density and height, along with potential effects on traffic and safety. She also questioned its placement next to one gas station and near four others.

Anderegg said she had “very little expectation” that county officials would press the developers with difficult questions before approving the project.

Other residents credited the review process with producing improvements. Cindy Marisch said community feedback during the previous year had led to changes in the building’s design and placement.

“I’m satisfied that the developer not only addressed but accommodated requests from local residents to ensure the building fits into the fabric of the neighborhood,” Marisch said.

Franconia District Commissioner Chris Landgraf acknowledged that the community remained divided over issues including the building’s height and potential exposure to gasoline fumes. He nevertheless praised revisions made in response to public concerns.

The developers agreed to move the apartment building farther from Franconia Road to reduce its perceived mass. Brick will also be added to the exterior to help the complex blend with the surrounding neighborhood.

The development would provide 156 parking spaces. Roughly 40% of the property would remain open space, including parkland available to the public.

Redevelopment is possible because the existing Franconia Governmental Center is preparing to close. Its operations are expected to move this spring to a new campus at 7130 Silver Lake Blvd.

The 90,000-square-foot facility will contain a district police station, the Franconia District supervisor’s office, an active adult center and a museum. It will also house an expanded Kingstowne Library upgraded to serve as a regional branch.

McLean subdivision gains commission backing

At the same Feb. 4 meeting, commissioners recommended approval of a rezoning request for 1348 Spring Hill Road in McLean, where Wormald Companies plans to build 14 single-family homes on five acres.

The requested change from a low-density residential district to a planned development district would allow the project, called Spring Hill Reserve, to move forward.

The site sits about 150 feet north of the Dulles Toll Road and is largely surrounded by single-family homes. The subdivision would be accessed from Spring Hill Road and terminate in a cul-de-sac.

Plans include a community courtyard, a tree-preservation area and space for passive recreation.

Dranesville District Commissioner Alyssa Batchelor-Causey said there had been several previous attempts to develop the property. She described the current plan as responsive to nearby residents who had opposed denser proposals.

The commission approved the final development plan and recommended that the Board of Supervisors approve the rezoning following a public hearing scheduled for March 17.

Chantilly office expansion moves forward

Commissioners also recommended zoning changes that would permit additional office construction at Westfields International Center in Chantilly.

Property owner Corporate Office Properties Trust said in its application that an unidentified federal government tenant wants to expand at the secure, 62-acre property at 4850 Stonecroft Blvd. The tenant’s existing footprint includes four office buildings with a combined 926,119 square feet.

The application, first submitted in September 2023, would make minor changes to the footprints of two previously approved but unbuilt office buildings. Each could rise 120 feet.

A seven-level garage containing 2,765 parking spaces would be constructed on the office park’s western side. The four current office buildings, an existing garage and much of the surface parking would remain. The project would not disturb a cemetery on the property.

A complete buildout would give the parcel more than 1.92 million square feet of gross floor area.

Several commissioners emphasized the need to manage the expansion’s effects on pedestrians. Sully District Commissioner Evelyn Spain said she expected the owner to meet pedestrian-access requirements in its agreement with the county, but urged concerned residents to “keep an eye on” the property.

Those requirements include crosswalks and links to existing pedestrian refuges at the northern and western entrances. Improvements are also planned at Stonecroft Boulevard’s intersections with Conference Center Drive and Lee Road, subject to Virginia Department of Transportation approval.

Pedestrian signals would be installed at those intersections if VDOT permits them. An existing four-foot-wide asphalt trail along Stonecroft Boulevard would be widened to eight feet.

Spain praised the developer’s work with the surrounding community. The Board of Supervisors is scheduled to consider the rezoning application at a Feb. 17 public hearing.