Community-wide Charrette on Richmond Highway Design Guidelines

In March 2018, the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors adopted the Embark Comprehensive Plan (the Plan) amendment (Plan Amendment 2015-IV-MV1). The Plan envisions the revitalization of the Richmond Highway corridor through mixed-use redevelopments that support walking, biking and a bus rapid transit (BRT) system that runs along Richmond Highway. The corridor is envisioned to be transformed into a series of distinctive and vibrant urban environments that are integrated into a range of multimodal transportation options, including a connected street network, pedestrian and bicycle connections, and nine potential BRT stations. Among its many components, the Plan contains a number of urban design principles and recommendations.

Following the adoption of the Plan, the Board directed County staff to work on a number of implementation tasks. One of these is the creation of urban design guidelines to elaborate on the urban design guidance in the Plan, to include the overall design, appearance, character and function of streets and streetscapes, parks, and plazas; the form of buildings and their relationship to streets and public spaces; and, specific information related to street furnishings and other streetscape details.

This effort builds on Volume I: Urban Design Guidelines for Commercial Revitalization Districts and Areas , which includes broad recommendations and urban design ideas applicable to all of the County’s Commercial Revitalization Districts (CRDs) and Commercial Revitalization Areas (CRAs). The Design Guidelines for the Richmond Highway Corridor will serve as a companion document that is tailored to the community’s specific preferences for the Richmond Highway corridor area.

It is anticipated that the Design Guidelines for the Richmond Highway Corridor will be completed and presented to the Board for its endorsement by the summer of 2019.

Community participation is an essential part of the development of these urban design guidelines. To that end, an advisory group representing a broad spectrum of stakeholders has been created. Please attend this community-wide charrette where design guidelines for the Richmond Highway Corridor will be outlined and discussed. In addition, please check http://www.fcrevit.org/richmondhwy/designguides.htm for information about the project, including future public events, which will include two pop-up studios and a community open house.

For more information, contact:

JoAnne Fiebe
Program Manager at the Office of Community Revitalization
revitalization@fairfaxcounty.gov
703-324-9300