Additional Parking Approved For Tall Oaks Assisted Living Center

RESTON, VA — Fairfax County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously to approved a proposal by Tall Oaks at Reston, L.C., to install additional parking at the Tall Oaks Assisted Living Center in Reston.

The 2.5-acre property the board voted on at its Tuesday meeting is part of the Tall Oaks Village Center and an adjacent mixed-use property, which is currently under construction to replace the Village Center Shopping Center. The property is located next to Reston Association open space to the north and the Villa Espana Townhome Association to the east, with the rest of the Tall Oaks property located to the south.

"Currently, 44 spaces are available on site," said Joseph Onyebuchi of the Fairfax County Department of Planning and Zoning, during Tuesday's board meeting. "The applicant is proposing 29 additional parking spaces for a total of 73 spaces to serve the assisted living facility."

Tall Oaks of Reston also requested the board approve a concurrent parking reduction to permit a 26 percent reduction in the required parking spaces from 99 to 73, according to Onyebuchi. The applicant also requested a waiver from the barrier requirement as well as a modification of the transitional screening requirement along the property's eastern side.

"Tall Oaks Assisted Living has existed since 1988 and due to increasing staff needs, as well as the adjacent redevelopment at Village Center, there is a need for additional parking, which this application seeks to rectify," said Sara V. Mariska of Odin Feldman and Pittleman PC, who was representing the applicant.

Mariska confirmed that Tall Oaks was in agreement with the conditions that were approved on the May 5 Fairfax County Planning Commission meeting. These included providing three secure bicycle racks within 200 yards of the front of the building and ensuring that 2 percent of the proposed parking spaces be pre-wired for electric vehicle charging stations.

County staff supported the applicant's proposals and requested waiver.

Hunter Mill District Supervisor Walter Alcorn made a motion to approve Tall Oaks' application, which the board supported with a unanimously vote.