Public Hearing On Reston Police Station Parking Lot Transfer Approved By Fairfax Board

RESTON, VA — Fairfax County Board of Supervisors approved a motion by Hunter Mill District Supervisor Walter Alcorn at its meeting Tuesday to begin the initial steps that could lead to more affordable housing and a new regional library in Reston.

In his board motion, Alcorn asked for approval to schedule a public hearing to consider the transfer of 1.6 acres of county-owned land to the Fairfax County Redevelopment and Housing Authority. The land in question is currently being used as a surface parking lot by the Reston District Station of the Fairfax County Police Department.

The county recently received an unsolicited proposal from a developer to redevelop a 2.89 acre site at the intersection of Bowman Towne Drive an Towne Center Parkway that includes the parking and property owned by FCHRA.

"This will be for the development of affordable housing with appropriate replacement of secure parking spaces dedicated to police use and subject to the stipulation that in the event the FCRHA no longer pursues the project, the FCRHA will transfer ownership of the property back to the Board," Alcorn said, when introduced the motion to the board.

In making his motion, Alcorn noted that it should not be interpreted as a "favorable recommendation" of the project by the board.

The unnamed developer proposes to build 400 affordable housing units and a new Reston Regional Library. The submission was made under the Public-Private Education Facilities and Infrastructure Act of 2002, a statewide program meant to encourage the private sector to assist in funding and building needed public facilities.

The county's initial response to the unsolicited proposal was to issue a call-out on March 31 for competing bids. Other developers will have 45 days to submit proposals for the Bowman Towne Drive Project.

Voters approved $12 million in funding for a new Reston Regional Library in a 2012 bond referendum.

Related: Reston Town Center North Task Force To Focus On Future Public Projects

"The project cost is closer to $30 million," Alcorn said, in a recent Facebook Live interview hosted by Patch. "So, if this project is ultimately approved, then it would get us a lot closer to finishing off the full costs of that library project."

As part of the redevelopment, a new multilevel garage would be built for the police to use.

"On the one hand, it is a way to allow for the private sector to push, to invest and to actually facilitate and sometimes build and even operate occasionally, these projects and these public facilities," Alcorn said, during the Facebook Live interview. "So, in some ways, perhaps it helps keep our taxes down a little bit. But they also unfortunately do not have a lot of public input, at least in the initial stages of the project."

Alcorn's motion on Tuesday provides the public with its first opportunity to provide input on the redevelopment project. In addition, the project will face all necessary zoning and land use reviews, giving other opportunities for the public to weigh in.