local news from Fairfax County, Virginia

The Reston Town Center expansion will require less parking than previously anticipated.

During its May 7 meeting, the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors agreed to release the parking rebate it granted developer Boston Properties (BXP) when the project, known as RTC Next, was originally approved in 2018 .

At that time, BXP planned to provide a total of 7,834 parking spaces for the 4.8 million square feet of mixed-use development planned in the northeast quadrant of the intersection of Town Center Parkway and Sunset Hills Road. That would have been up to 660 fewer parking spaces than the county’s zoning ordinance called for — a 7.8 percent reduction.

But after the county completely updated its parking bylaw last fall, the proposed number of spaces is now higher than the minimum requirements, prompting a transportation consultant hired by BXP to call for the 2018 reduction to be waived.

Under the new parking rules, the developer must provide just 0.4 spaces per bedroom for multifamily residential buildings, rather than the previously approved rate of 1.1 to 1.6 spaces per unit, depending on the number of bedrooms, according to a staff summary. Rates for hotel and retail development are also lower.

Allowing RTC Next to follow the updated regulations would be “one component of an effort to reduce car travel and enhance environmental benefits by de-emphasizing ample and free parking,” county staff wrote.

Staff noted that the 33-acre development site is adjacent to the Reston Town Center Metro Station, where community members have access to trains, local bus service and bicycle facilities, including a Capital Bikeshare station.

However, Hunter Mill District Supervisor Walter Alcorn, who represents Reston, says there are still gaps in the area’s transportation network, especially for short trips into Reston.

“It’s important to plan for more localized transportation options to help residents and workers get around and through Reston’s transit station areas,” Alcorn said in a statement to FFXnow. “Metrorail cannot meet all these shorter hop needs. The county’s recently updated parking requirements require the use of other modes of transportation, such as local transit, cycling or walking, so we need to plan for this when developers make their proposals.”

At the May 7 board meeting, Alcorn said his office is looking at potential transportation improvements for the Reston Town Center area, including “longer-term transportation improvements.”

While he did not specify which proposal is in the works, he praised Boston Properties for providing free shuttle service from the subway station to downtown sites without being asked or solicited by the county. LinkRTC transfer operates from Monday to Friday from 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM

BXP is also building a pedestrian bridge over the Washington and Old Dominion Trail, which is expected to finish construction later this year.

“This is a step toward bringing the parking requirements for this particular project in line with the updated ordinance that we passed fairly recently,” Alcorn said of the parking reduction holiday. “…But this is part of a larger discussion we’re having about the long-term needs to attract people to that part of Reston. So for everybody to understand, this is kind of the beginning of that part of the discussion.”

When fully built out, the Reston Town Center expansion will boast 2.2 million square feet of office space, 93,000 square feet of retail, 2,010 residential units and a 570-room hotel. Two office buildings have been completed and the hotel – a dual-brand Marriott AC and Residence Inn – is expected to be finished this year. A 40-story residential tower called Skymark is on track for delivery in 2025.