Developers of an 11-acre parcel of land located within the Gum Springs Community, just south of Sherwood Hall Lane off of Richmond Highway, withdrew their nomination to increase the density of residences in that area.
The site is adjacent to the planned future Hybla Valley/Gum Springs Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) station. The nominators withdrew the plan prior to a Tuesday evening meeting of the Mount Vernon Task Force as a part of the South County Site-Specific Plan Amendment (SSPA) process.
Staff from the Fairfax County Department of Planning and Development had previously recommended that the nomination not be added to the Comprehensive Plan Amendment Work Program.
They cited the need to wait for further community engagement before a decision is made on the best way to redevelop that area. Specifically, County staff mentioned the recently approved heritage resources survey, scheduled to conclude in 2021, that will determine if that area is eligible for inclusion in the County’s Inventory of Historic Sites, Virginia Landmarks Register and/or the National Register of Historic Places.
Additionally, staff mentioned the need to look at the area surrounding the Gum Springs neighborhood as a whole and not just the site mentioned in the nomination.
The nominators agreed with County staff that the results of the heritage resources survey and additional community feedback were necessary.
