OPINION: Thanks, League of Women Voters!

Many thanks to the Falls Church League of Women Voters for bringing to residents’ attention changes planned to the City Center by the project’s developer.  City Center is a big deal for Falls Church — the largest development in the city in years.  Residents should be aware of changes and have an opportunity to understand them.  Clear explanations of the changes should be made widely available, and major alterations should reopen the special exception process by which the project was approved.  Kudos to LOWV for staying on top of this important issue.

Design of City Center South Changing

Atlantic Realty, the developer of City Center South, is planning changes in the project’s design due to rising construction costs. Sara Fitzgerald, speaking in behalf of the League of Women Voters (LWV), raised concerns about the changes at the November 24 session of the Falls Church City Council.

According to Ms. Fitzgerald the new plan is significantly different from the one approved as a special exception. She stated her understanding is that under such circumstances the process is re-opened and the proposal re-evaluated under the guidance of the special exception ordinance. She urged that to insure a proper review of the design revisions the Council, the Planning Commission, and other involved parties hold open meetings with ample public notice and that revised site plans be made available at the library and on the City website.

In response City Manager Wyatt Shields acknowledged that he had recently noted Atlantic Realty’s intentions when speaking to the League and the Village Preservation and Improvement Society. He stated that the building intended for the current Bowl America site could be lowered by two floors in certain places and that the setbacks on both the Gibson and Maple Street sides of the building may be changed.

Mr Shields further stated that Atlantic Realty also has discussed reducing the size of the City Center’s active adult building and that the company was still in the process of recruiting a hotel chain for the site. He maintained that by and large the planned use of the buildings remains within the concept as approved by the Council and that the changes were essentially aesthetic.

Mayor Gardner declined to open this topic to debate. She stated that it would be discussed publicly at the Council’s Economic Development Committee meeting on November 25 and at a Council work session on December 4.

Councilman Maller suggested that a closed meeting also be held on this issue as it may present what he termed a negotiating situation which would be inappropriate to discuss in public. He stated that advice may be required from the city manager, city attorney, and other staff to determine how to respond to Atlantic’s potential changes.

Dems Sweep AND FC Wins Turnout Challenge

It was an historic election as Barack Obama became the first black president of the US as well as the first president born outside the continental US, the first to be too young to have attended Woodstock, and the first to have a last name ending in a (non-silent) vowel (learn more from the Reliable Source).

However, Obama trailed fellow Democrat Mark Warner and only edged Jim Moran as Dems swept the race for Falls Church.  Obama received 70% of the Falls Church City vote while Warner claimed 75%, and Moran 68%.

And there is a bust of Thomas Jefferson headed to Falls Church City as city officials in Charlottesville conceded they had lost their somewhat rash voter turnout challenge.  Falls Church recorded 82% of active voters voting, exceeding Charlottesville’s still respectable 69%.