A flawed plan for Tysons Corner

By Rob Jackson,
McLean

Stu Mendelsohn, chairman of the Fairfax County Chamber of Commerce, made a spirited plea supporting the Tysons Corner landowners’ quest for increases in density, which had been recently rejected by the Planning Commission [“The plan for Tysons is too important to get wrong,” Local Opinions, June 20].

Residential development is good for Tysons, but only if it is supported by adequate public facilities. The chamber supports “unlimited residential development within one-half mile of Metro stations” but fails to address needed infrastructure. For instance, Mr. Mendelsohn touted the county’s “abundant parks,” but Tysons lacks sufficient parks and other recreational facilities, and developers have opposed efforts to require adequate infrastructure there.

Mr. Mendelsohn also noted Fairfax’s top-notch school system, but he ignored the threats posed by his proposed increase in residential development. How many classrooms and trailers will be needed for the additional children? How will they be paid for?

The chamber touts the benefits of Metrorail but neglects to mention that even the Planning Commission’s scaled-down plan requires more than $1.4 billion in road improvements, including massive work on the Dulles Toll Road. The chamber’s arguments for more density are lacking. The Planning Commission has already considered and rejected them for good reason. The Board of Supervisors should do the same by accepting the planners’ basic recommendation.

The writer is president of the McLean Citizens Association.