Planning Commission Takes Next Step in Metro Area Study

The Herndon Planning Commission made a decision to move forward with the fiscal impact study for the Herndon Metro Area Study on Monday night.

Kay Robertson, senior planner for the Town of Herndon, began the meeting with an explanation of where the town is in the process of the study and what consultants at Vanasse Hangen Brustlin, Inc., need from the town at this point. She said the consultants found the town needs to incentivize development on both sides of Herndon Parkway.

Few changes have been made to the plan since the town looked at it during a meeting in May. Changes include higher FARs north of Herndon Parkway, an alternative “Herndon Parkway” road running parallel to the current Herndon Parkway and the Sugarland Run Trail, which would run from the W&OD Trail to the future Metro station.

The newest iteration of the plan calls for a 4.5 floor area ratio on the south side of Herndon Parkway and a mixture of 3.5, 1.5 and 0.7 FARs on the north side.

Floor area ratio, or FAR refers to the square footage of the building in relation to the lot, and is a measure of how dense a piece of land may be. For example an FAR of 1.0 would mean the square footage of the building would be the same amount as the square footage of the lot of land it sits on.

Robertson said the town thought a 3.5 FAR on the north side would provide enough incentive for landowners to redevelop their properties, however the consultants at VHB found that was not the case and it is not a high enough density to spur redevelopment.

The north side of Herndon Parkway would still include a transition buffer of 0.7 between the study area and the residential properties in nearby neighborhoods. Robertson said the consultants also found that the mix of uses on the properties is not as important as the town thought it would be.

Robertson said the FAR of 4.5 between the Dulles Toll Road and Herndon Parkway would be enough density to spur redevelopment, as well as fund the town’s public infrastructure needs in the area through redevelopment.

She said during phase one of redevelopment, between now and 2025, the economically feasible properties could fully fund the estimated public infrastructure costs needed by the end of that phase. The same goes for the second phase, from 2025 to 2035, she said.

The town is planning for a kiss-and-ride facility on Herndon Parkway by 2025, though it would likely happen sooner, Robertson said. She said for study purposes they anticipate being able to have a kiss-and-ride off the street where Metro users could park to drop off and pick up passengers by 2035.

Robertson said growth in the study area is likely to be uneven. She said the town assumes five properties will redevelop by 2025 and 10 more are likely to redevelop by 2035. Most of the redevelopment would be likely to happen closer to the station early on, and move farther away as time goes on.

The next step is to further study financial feasibility to determine what the town might have to look forward to in terms of utility increases, such as water and sewer rates, and associated costs.

Robertson said the reason consultants and town staff are concerned about the FAR, or amount of density allowed, on the north side of Herndon Parkway is because it may make redevelopment uneven.

Herndon Community Development Director Lisa Gilleran said without incentive for redevelopment on both sides of the parkway, the area to the south may take on an urban feel while the area on the north may stay the same. To make the area feel like a cohesive neighborhood with a sense of place, it is important that redevelopment occur on both sides of the parkway, she said.

“At some point you would hope that when someone drives down the Herndon Parkway they really feel like they’re in the center of something,” Gilleran said. She said the parkway should feel like a thoroughfare through a welcoming place that has residential, commercial and offices spaces. She said it isn’t about trying to recreate a Reston Town Center, but simply creating a sense of neighborhood.

Robertson said a 3.5 FAR on the north side of Herndon Parkway is not enough to encourage redevelopment and the consultants recommend the town look at an FAR of 4.5. Planning commissioners said they worry about looking at a higher number without first hearing from area residents, who previously had provided a lot of input for the density in the area north of the parkway.

Robertson said they can look at the higher FAR for the study but do not have to accept it if they feel it is too much or is not the right fit for the area. She said another public hearing would take place before the FARs are set.

Planning Commissioner Melissa Jonas asked whether looking at a 6.0 FAR would be useful. Robertson said it would not be because the town already knows that 4.5 is feasible on the south side and is now trying to find the threshold between the 3.5 and 4.5 FARs where redevelopment does become feasible for property owners.

Robertson said they could also look at implementing a 3.0 FAR and asking for property improvements in order for property owners to reach a full 4.5 FAR, such as streetscape improvements and improvements that will help protect adjacent neighborhoods.

East said no matter what the town does he doesn’t think anything will happen on the north side for quite some time because it is not directly adjacent to the Metro station property. He said as development progresses and station use goes up and traffic patterns develop, he thinks the dynamics of the neighborhood will start to be felt and property owners on the north side will begin to consider redevelopment.

At that point the north side of Herndon Parkway may become more attractive to developers, East said. He said he isn’t averse to studying the potential financial impact of re-designating the north side of Herndon Parkway to a 4.5 FAR but he’s concerned about the Planning Commission agreeing to study being seen as an endorsement for a 4.5 FAR.

“I, frankly, don’t see it,” East said. He said he thinks its more likely that economic pressures in the future will spur redevelopment when property owners are looking to get a higher return on their investment dollars. He said perhaps by 2025 or 2035 a 3.5 FAR will be enough for property owners to want to redevelop.

Robertson said in that case the next step is to study the fiscal impact of the area at the current densities being looked at. She said after seeing the results at its July 18 meeting the Planning Commission can decide if they would like to see the study done again with a higher FAR on the north side of the parkway.

The Town has contracted for the consultants to complete the study twice with directives from the Planning Commission and town staff. East said using the current numbers the Planning Commission will at least be able to figure out if the town’s costs will be covered.

“I would opt for the more conservative fiscal analysis right now, but at the same time, having said that, I would suggest that the infrastructure requirements be at the higher density,” East said. He said he would like to see the consultants plan as if the infrastructure capacity—such as sewer and water—can handle development up to 4.5 FAR, while only having an actual density of 3.5 FAR.

East said it will be a while until things start to happen on the north side of Herndon Parkway, but if the town prepares for the higher density of 4.5 FAR, and eventually development does increase to that level, the infrastructure will be there to reach that capacity and the town will not have to tear up streets to increase capacity again.

The Planning Commission and town staff will now direct the consultants at Vanasse Hangen Brustlin, Inc., to study the plan’s fiscal impacts on the town under the current densities, with public infrastructure that can support the higher density of 4.5 FAR, and public services studied at the lower density of 3.5 FAR.