going green

A big change for MetroWest… fewer homes.

UPDATE 7/2010: I noticed a month or two ago that they started to clear the land at the site of the future MetroWest Development in Fairfax, VA.

That means taking down trees, and then grade the land… so there wasn’t any visible sewer or road work from my vantage point at the Vienna Metro. I will try and keep this post updated when I know more. Thanks!

(Original Post)

Town of Vienna officials, Vienna and Fairfax youth sports organizations, and residents have expressed their concerns for years over the impact that MetroWest, a mixed-use development project, will have on the lifestyle of the surrounding communities due to the high number of new residents seeking services such as playing-time on athletic fields.

MetroWest will be located on 55 acres located just south of the Vienna – Fairfax – GMU  Metro Rail Station. This project is part of a Smart Growth or Green initiative with a more urban design concept to promote use of public transit with a stated goal of reducing the number of car “trips” per day.

But just recently, on July 13th, 2009, the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors approved a plan to allow the developers to substitute 700,000 square feet of residential space with an equal amount of office space.

And the big adjustment…

What caught my eye was the sharp reduction in housing units. According to the developer’s web site (circa 2004), there were 2,248 residential units planned and approved, but this change has reduced that number to 1,174 residential housing units. Since the plan was created in the midpoint of the decade there has been a major correction in the housing market.

going green

New bike trail to the W&OD Trail in Northeast Vienna

If you like to bike and use the W&OD trail or if you walk or jog, then you may want to know about this connector trail in Northeast Vienna, just inside the Town of Vienna, VA line. And if you don’t know, the W&OD Trail goes for 45+ miles from Arlington, Falls Church, Vienna, Reston, Herndon, Ashburn and all the way to Leesburg.

About 3/4 of a mile from the Vienna Town Green at the Town line of the W&OD bike trail there is a well marked turn into Northside Park and about a year ago the final phase of the connector was completed. The result is that it’s now incredibly easy to get into the north east side of town, where I live! In my opinion this is a new selling point…

If you like to bike for fun, bike to work, or want a place to walk for exercise then you may have found a new place to live… contact me for other good insider ideas.

There is a gravel trail for horseback riding, walking or running.

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• Bike and Hiking Trails in the Metro DC Region (dougfrancis.com)

going green

Beulah Road and Trees in Vienna

Beulah Road, within the Vienna Town limits, was rebuilt in 2007 after twenty years of debate and multiple redesigns. This reconstruction started with the base road, added a storm water management system, replaced the 10” water main, added curbs and gutters, sidewalks and new above ground utility poles. The road was widened slightly but kept its character as a two lane road through the hilly section of North East Vienna.

Although there was less impact than the original 1980’s design, there was significantly more tree work performed than expected. These things happen during construction projects, but the guidelines regarding utility lines and their “clear zones” resulted in some serious tree pruning.

Now that the project has been completed and many homeowners have landscaped their yards, it will take twenty or more years for the mature trees to fill back in. There are a number of places a (future) large tree could be planted where there is not an overhead power line, and these will set the future look of the area.

Over the years, when I turn off busy Maple Avenue onto Beulah Road, buyer clients have always smiled hoping to find their new home in this part of town. Clients from California or Colorado have told me many times how lucky I am to live in an area where we have such tall, majestic trees.

There are red and white oak, maple, pine, sycamore and elm trees. Some are twenty five years old, but there is one white oak that I feel is one hundred fifty years old across from Holy Comforter Church. These provide the unique canopy that sets this area apart from much of Northern Virginia.

When I lived on Commons Drive in Vienna and was president of the home owner’s association, I had to replace four thirty-five year-old white pines that had been damaged in an ice storm. The result was a unique planting space that was facing Nutley Street and had no power lines to contend with as the tree grew. It was also a corner island in full sunlight with room for the roots to spread without competition. So for this spot I selected an Allee Elm which will grow into a monster street tree, 60’ tall by 50’ wide, and it has been growing like a champion since it was planted in 2003.

I want to inspire the Vienna community to look for open spaces so we can replace the significant number of trees we lose every year to old age and development. The environmental impact is significant since trees create necessary cool zones in our increasingly paved community. It may take some effort motivating the town to sponsor a program in these days of tight budgets and I may establish a plan  myself through a tree foundation of like minded residents… a small local group. If you are interested, contact me right now. With  a clear vision I believe that everyone wins, today and twenty years from now.

going green

Earth Day 2009 in Vienna, Virginia

Happy Earth Day 2009!

I feel like I really chipped-in today by recycling a house built in 1968.  Yes, selling it to new owners! Doug is helping save the planet again. Disclaimer: note that my sale was in Vienna, Virginia and not Hawaii as depicted in this photo.

Did you know that the economic slowdown has had a “green” effect on landfills? The Loudoun County landfill is now projected to have more than a year and a half extra room because trash volume is down. Hey, you didn’t need another new TV anyway.

Here is a hard request that I am going to make to you. A high concentration of the pollution in our waterways is due to fertilizer run-off that we use on our lawns. Now don’t go crazy, but use half the amount of Scott’s LawnMaster IV or find a natural option at the garden center this weekend.

Doing your part can be as simple as turning the lights off when you leave a room.

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