Comments Accepted For Lighting At Clermont Park In Franconia

FRANCONIA, VA — A proposal to add lighting to areas of Franconia's Clermont Park is in the public comment period. Comments can be submitted by close of business on Monday, Aug. 26.

Clermont Park is a 40-acre site at 4100 Franconia Road, Alexandria surrounded by single-family homes, townhomes and Loftridge Park. It has four baseball and softball diamonds, about 30 acres of undeveloped land with a conservation easement and a parking area.

Local athletic groups first proposed lighting at the 90-foot baseball diamond, one of three 60-foot baseball diamonds, and the parking area to extend their playing time. Deed restrictions currently prohibit this lighting at Clermont Park.

Last fall, the Fairfax County Park Authority staff and the Lee District Supervisor’s Office held informal community meetings to share information about field lighting technology and the potential to add lighting. Based on overall positive feedback, the supervisor's office began looking into removing the deed restrictions to allow lighting.

The park authority began a public input process in July. The park authority's board will receive the public comments, and the next step will be requesting the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors to remove the deed restriction. The master plan amendment with the lighting will then go to the park authority's board for final approval.

Lighting designs for the park meet criteria of the International Dark-Sky Association, which aim at stopping light pollution. Based on the criteria, the lighting design would minimize local spill and glare, have greatly decreased offsite light trespass and sky glow, and minimize lumen densities to reduce energy consumption.

There are no proposed changes to anything beyond lighting, and the conservation area will remain the same.

A public meeting kicked off the public comment period on July 25. To submit comments, email Parkmail@fairfaxcounty.gov or mail to: Pat Rosend, Project Manager, FCPA Planning & Development Division, Suite 406, 12055 Government Center Parkway, Fairfax, VA 22035.