Businesses Oppose Lamb Center Project, Ask Council To Defer Decision

FAIRFAX CITY, VA — A proposal to redevelop the Hy-Way Motel on Fairfax Boulevard and replace it with affordable housing returns for a second public hearing in two weeks at Tuesday's Fairfax City Council meeting.

The Lamb Center, a Fairfax City service provider for the homeless, and nonprofit affordable housing developer Wesley Housing are seeking approval on one special use permit and four special exceptions that would allow them to redevelop the property as a residential/mixed use facility with 54 affordable housing units and office space.

About a third of the people who spoke at the Nov. 29 public hearing owned businesses in the Fairfax Circle area and opposed the project.

Dan Farley, the operations manager of the Farrish of Fairfax car dealership, told council members that while city businesses support the Lamb Center's mission, they have also seen an uptick in issues impacting their businesses, employees and customers since the day shelter relocated in 2016 to its current home on Spring Street.

As an example, Farley pointed to the lack of parking at the current Lamb Center location and on nearby streets. He also described an incident in which a customer of the shelter climbed the fence of the dealership and caused $50,000 worth of damage to multiple customer vehicles.

Related: Lamb Center, Wesley Housing Seek To Redevelop Hy-Way Motel In Fairfax

"Given the lack of oversight from the current center regarding these issues and also given how the Lamb Center sold the community a bill of goods regarding their most recent relocation, I am concerned the same thing is happening now," he said. "I do not support this project unless the Lamb Center and city action to alleviate the current issues that we and the surrounding businesses are dealing with."

Several other Fairfax Circle area business owners spoke at the Nov. 29 meeting, describing instances of Lamb Center customers entering their businesses, harassing their customers, causing damage, and some even defecating on the street.

"My fellow business owners and myself on Fairfax Boulevard have been subjected to daily issues with the homeless community," said Katherine Martel, whose family owns Revolution Darts & Billiards. "I ask the council to take a look at all of the negative impacts that this project has on our residents and the people who work in this community. The health and safety aspect of this project has not been properly analyzed by this council."

The remainder of the speakers at the Nov. 29 public hearing largely spoke in support of the Lamb Center and the proposed project.

"The type of affordable housing that's being proposed, the permanent supportive housing, also includes wraparound services that decrease the chances of a person returning to homelessness," said Leslie Hatch, a resident of the Great Oaks neighborhood. "Permanent supportive housing has been shown to provide stability for the residents and lower the costs for police and health care in the community. Having a place to live helps people take care of their physical and mental health."

Fairfax City resident Kate Brady shared how the Lamb Center assisted her in finding permanent supportive housing.

"After experiencing homelessness for about 10 years, I was a mess," she said. "I had suffered from chronic mental illness and struggled with physical disabilities, for which permanent housing had enabled me to get the help and support, and stability I so badly needed. Because of the community support and housing I received, I came off the street, and am now continuing on the course of wellness and transitioning for independence."

In its presentation before the Nov. 29 public hearing, city staff recommended that city council defer its decision on the application to allow the Lamb Center and Wesley Housing more time to secure offsite parking to bring the project into compliance with the zoning ordinance. Staff also recommended additional edits by the applicant to its plan to bring it into compliance.

At the end of the meeting, the city council voted to extend the public hearing to its next regular meeting on Tuesday, Dec. 13, to give the community more time to provide input.

The Lamb Center/Wesley Housing application was also discussed extensively during the Dec. 6 council work session. While the applicant had made the suggested edits to its plan, offsite parking had not been identified, according to the agenda for Tuesday's 7 p.m. meeting. For that reason, county staff still recommended that the council defer its decision until that issue was resolved.