Hank Silverberg, wtop.com
FAIRFAX,Va. – What will Tysons Corner look like once the vision of an urban city begins to take shape?
Developers now have some recommendations after the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors endorsed new Urban Design Guidelines.
The guidelines have no force of law but they do give developers examples on everything from tree planters to block size.
“Things like the streetscaping that we are looking for, bike racks for the bicyclists, the urban parks, our pocket parks and recreation facilities,” says Supervisor Linda Smyth.
She says it’s not a cookie cutter approach and there’s a lot of leeway for developers.
Jay Klug from JBG Corporation with the Tysons Partnership says the guidelines are not an issue for developers.
“It gives the developers a measure of predictability which is extremely important,” he says.
Fairfax County is in the process of transforming Tysons Corner from a shopping oriented area into an urban living, walkable, community that will include four new Metro stops on the Silver Line currently under construction.
It would eventually include hundreds of housing units as well as a mix of corporate and commercial buildings.
Board of Supervisors Chairman Sharon Bulova says it’s important to note that the guidelines have no force of law.
“We’re not dictating to the development community what they have to do, we’re giving helpful suggestions,” she says.
The guidelines were drawn up at a series of public meetings held last fall.
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