Brief on FAR 5 Zoning Ordinance--UPDATED

THE FAR 5.0 ZONING ORDINANCEAMENDMENT, A RESTON PERSPECTIVE:

Its Meaning, Appearance, & Some Impacts

Terry MaynardReston 20/20 Committee

The key proposed ZOA changes:

2

PDCDistricts

Reston 20/20 Committee

The latest language for PDCs:

The language for PRMs is identicalexcept that the baseline MaximumFAR is 3.0.

Reston has 3 TSAs potentially affected by this ZOA if it isapproved.

3

Revised plans for these 3 areas were the topic of years of discussion by the Reston TaskForce between the community and the county before arriving at new ones.


Why should densities be allowed to increase in the face of years of Board-approved community planning?

The Key ZOA Issues: What is the point of a zoning ordinanceamendment that would allow density increases that--

• Are at least 25% greater than the Comprehensive Planproposes?

• Will not be needed to meet demand in the next quartercentury?

• The County has the neither financial reserves norpolitical intent to provide the needed infrastructuresupport?

Reston 20/20 Committee 4

Key ZOA assumption is vibrant office spacegrowth which is not supported by growth trends.

3.99 4.013.69

2.532.86

2.29

15.5%

10.0%

6.8%

3.0%2.0% 1.5%

0%

4%

8%

12%

16%

20%

-

0.5

1.0

1.5

2.0

2.5

3.0

3.5

4.0

4.5

1975 -1989

1980 -1994

1985 -1999

1990 -2004

1995 -2009

2000 -2014

Aver

age

% C

hang

e pe

r Yea

r

Aver

age

Annu

al C

hang

e in

Offi

ce S

pace

(Mill

ions

GSF

)

15-Year Intervals

New Office Development (GSF) byOverlapping 15-Year Intervals, 1975-2014

MM GSF per Year% Change/Year

9.9

9.7

11.7

16.1

18.5

17.3 17.7 19

.0

19.2 20

.6

20.4

9.6%

9.2%

10.9

%

14.5

% 16.4

%

15.3

%

15.6

% 16.7

%

16.7

%

17.7

%

17.5

%

0%

3%

6%

9%

12%

15%

18%

21%

5

10

15

20

25

Vaca

ncy

Rat

e

Mill

ions

of S

quar

e Fe

et

Total Vacant Office Space & Vacancy Rate,2005 – mid-2015

5

• Office space growth has declined for decades and officespace vacancies are at all-time highs.


Looking ahead, CRE space at FAR 5 would overwhelmforecast job demand for Fairfax County (MWCOG Round 8.4).

• Achieving FAR 5 in all the Selective Areaswould mean adding up to 340MM GSF ofCRE (all varieties, mostly office) inbusiness-focused development plan.

• MWCOG projects County-wideemployment in 2040 would require onlyabout 250MM GSF of CRE, a net increaseof only 27MM GSF.

• Building PDCs to FAR 5.0 in the SelectiveAreas could generate a CRE supplydouble projected demand and PRMswouldn’t meet the space required.

• Assumes no growth anywhere else in theCounty, including Tysons.


224187

566

216251

-

100

200

300

400

500

600

CurrentCRE

CurrentOccupied

CRE

FAR 5.0Potential

(PDC)

FAR 5.0Potential(PRM)

Forecast2040

Demand(MWCOG

8.4)

Mill

ions

of G

SF

Millions of Gross Square Feetof Commercial RE

On a County-wide basis, the FAR 5.0 ZOA offers thepotential for multi-family housing to exceed forecastdemand by 200 MMGSF.• Achieving FAR 5.0 in all the Selective

Areas would mean tripling multi-familyhousing in a PRM.

• MWCOG 8.4 sees total Countyhousehold growth of about 110,000 unitsto 2040, a 27% increase.

• We estimate 83,000 (72%) of those newunits will be multi-family.

• PRMs would have double the supplyof multi-family housing required.

• PDCs would exceed expected demandby more than 60MM GSF (19%).

• Assumes MFDU’s share of marketgrows 2% every 5 years.


138 130

287

434

238

-

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

400

450

500

Current DUSupply

OccupiedDU Supply

FAR 5.0Potential

(PDC)

FAR 5.0Potential(PRM)

2040Demand

(MWCOG8.4)

Mill

ions

of G

SF

County Multi-Family HousingSupply & Forecast (MM GSF)

The County has approved a FAR 4.06 office building nearReston’s Town Center with above ground parking.


• Akridge Building• 1760 Reston Parkway• 420,000 GSF• 23 stories• 330’ tall• 2.4 acre parcel

• The Akridge building will include 18 stories of office space, 5 stories of parking,and ground floor retail.

• It will be the tallest building in Reston by more than 120’.• Construction pending an anchor tenant needing at least 150,000 SF.• 0.8 miles from Metro station—Outside the ½-mile ring for walking distance

Reston Town Center’s “Block 4” will have 549 dwellingunits in 2 buildings & underground parking at FAR 2.38.

• The complex will be nine stories tall& 9 levels of underground parking.

• It will include 1.85 acres of openspace (40%), which includesalready existing park space.

• It will include a variety of amenities,including vegetated roofs.

Boston Properties “Block 4”• FAR 2.38• ~660,000 GSF,• 6.35 acre parcel• 549 DUs

9Reston 20/20 Committee

Reston is likely to have FAR 4 office-centric density inthe immediate Town Center station area.

• Boston Properties’ next-to-last conceptual plan calls for FAR 4-level development nearthe station, including a major performance center, as called for in the Reston MasterPlan. It has since dropped the Performing Arts Center.


What does FAR 5 mean in a TSA tapering from FAR 5to FAR 1 in 1/10th mile increments?


• The overall density for the TSA would beabout FAR 2.2.

• A “bullseye” TOD area has concentricrings of reduced density around theMetrorail station.

Key assumption: FAR 5 applies only to the immediate area focal point (e.g.—Metrostation), NOT the entire area. If all at FAR 5, area density would be 109MM GSF.Under the proposed FAR 5.0 ZOA, the FAR 5 density could extend to the outeredge of the TSA, that is, no tapering, with plan amendments.

Increment Area (SF) Area (Acres) Development FAR0-.1 mi. (FAR 5) 613,078 14.1 3,065,388 5.1-.2 mi. (FAR 4) 2,890,223 66.4 11,560,890 4.2-.3 mi. (FAR 3) 4,379,125 100.5 13,137,375 3.3-.4 mile (FAR 3) 6,130,775 140.7 12,261,550 2.4-.5 mi. (FAR 2) 7,882,425 181.0 7,882,425 1Overall 21,895,626 502.7 47,907,629 2.2

Development Parameters

Alternative development scenarios yield differentdensity mixes in a tapered FAR 5.0 TSA.

12

Office55%

Other10%

Residen-tial, 35%

Share (GSF) of Business-centric TSA (PDC)

Office45%

Other10%

Residen-tial 45%

Share (GSF) of Balanced TSA(PRM)


Percent GSF Percent GSFOffice 60% 28,744,577 45% 21,411,916Other Non-Res 10% 4,790,763 10% 4,791,074Residential 30% 14,372,289 45% 21,701,818Total 100% 47,907,629 100% 47,904,808

PDC PRM

Overall Density:FAR 2.2

The infrastructure impact of these scenarios, especiallyresidential, it’s always large in a TSA.

• Overall, jobs could reach70,000-90,000 in such a TSA.

• It would have 24,000-36,000residents at build out.

• The number of people livingthere would require:

• Two new elementary schools• Expansion of existing

intermediate and high schools.• 45-60 areas of parkland under

county guidelines—which areroutinely ignored.


ImpactJobsPopulationDwelling UnitsChildrenSchools School-age Requirement School-age Requirement

Primary (K-6) 932 2 1,407 2 Junior (7-8) 266 0 402 0 Senior (9-10) 532 0 804 0Parks (Ac--UPF) 45.2

PDC PRM71,82436,17018,085

3,617

61.4

23,95411,977

2,395

92,774

Reston Town Center/Town Center North is being developed as abusiness-centric (PDC-like) TSA.• Total development would more than double & residential space quadruple.• The ZOA would allow the doubling of the existing space for jobs and increase it

40% over the RMP.• While the number of workers would double over existing conditions, the growth

from the current RMP would be about 20%.• Would mean a much worse J:HH ratio from both existing and RMP, a dramatically

increase traffic congestion.


Reston Town Center & Town Center North

Existing Scenario G(RMP)

FAR 5.0 ZOA(Business) FAR 5 vs. RMP

Development (MMGSF)Residential 3.3 15.2 14.2 0.9Non-Residential 14.4 21.5 30.9 1.4

TOTAL Development 17.7 36.7 45.1 1.2Jobs 46,400 65,633 94,328 1.4Residents 17,348 25,370 23,667 0.9Dwelling Units 3,298 12,685 11,833 0.9# of People 63,748 91,003 117,995 1.3J:HH Ratio 5.3 5.2 8.0 1.5Elementary Schools 0 2 2 0.9Park Acres (FC UPF) 24 35 38 1.1

The Wiehle TSA is currently intended to be less dense and morebalanced (like a PRM) than RTC/TCN.


• Overall density could increase 4-fold from current levels and nearly doubleplan goals.

• Jobs would double over current levels and would be half-again the numberallowed in the current RMP.

• The J:HH balance would improve to a reasonable balance in an area whereresidential development had been proscribed.

Wiehle Avenue

Existing Scenario G(RMP)

FAR 5.0 ZOA(Balanced) FAR 5 vs. RMP

Development (MMGSF)Residential 0 9.0 15.2 1.7Non-Residential 8.2 10.8 18.6 1.7

TOTAL Development 8.2 19.8 33.8 1.7Jobs 26,422 34,800 56,780 1.6Residents - 15,048 25,333 1.7Dwelling Units 0 7,524 12,667 1.7# of People 26,422 49,848 82,113 1.6J:HH Ratio NA 4.6 4.5 1.0Elementary Schools 0 1 2 1.7Park Acres (FC UPF) 4 20 34 1.7

To summarize, the proposed ZOA would:• Solve a supply problem that won’t exist county-wide in the next

quarter century.

• Increase the allowable density in each Selective Area dramatically,even with a tapered development scenario (FAR 5 at center, FAR 1 atfringe, FAR 2.2).

• Destroy placemaking goals in the Comprehensive Plan for thoseareas with no other outcome other than more profitable and taxabledensity at the expense of community goals and quality of life.

• Create tremendous unmet infrastructure development demands:• New schools, especially elementary schools, and major additions to existing

schools.• Require substantial additions of parkland to meet the guidelines of the

County’s own Urban Parks Framework.• Allow traffic congestion to grow tremendously, especially in unbalanced

development scenarios such as PDCs and PRMs.


Alternative ZOA approach:• Do not use a county-wide “one size fits all” approach.

• Potential zoning approvals should fit only the established planplacemaking goals established in the plan for each specificSelective Area.

• The Board of Supervisors should not have the discretionaryauthority to approve densities in excess of those established inthe Comprehensive Plan for a Selective Area under anycircumstances.

• No zoning increases should be approved in a Selective Area,even within the plan, unless and until the County has theresources and concrete commitment to meet the associatedinfrastructure needs in the near term.


Alternative language:

“X. Maximum Floor Area.

A. Transit Station Areas: FAR 5.0.

B. Community Business Centers and Commercial RevitalizationDistricts: FAR 3.0.

However, for all three types of areas--Transit Station Areas, Community

Business Centers, and Commercial Revitalization Districts--the Board

may not approve any increase in proposed development that exceeds the

lesser of the site specific density/intensity or other recommendations in

the adopted Comprehensive Plan.”


Background Materials


So what does FAR mean? A hypothetical look at what FAR 5means in a generic office building on a one-acre parcel.

Floor-area ratio (FAR) is the gross squarefootage (GSF) of floor space on a parceldivided by the square footage of the parcel.

• Roughly half of a parcel isnormally used for the primarypurpose of development aftermeeting other space andarchitectural requirements.

• Many high-rise buildings havetheir required parking in thebase of the building aboveground.

• Parking doesn’t count againstdensity (FAR).

20

Open SpaceHigh-rise Building

over Parking(50%)

Open Space (35%)

Setback/Walks/Driveways (15%)

209’


Office development: A FAR 5 office building occupying half of a oneacre parcel would be some 19 stories tall with above ground parking.

• Total built space would be about416,000 GSF & stand about 231’high.

• It would provide work space formore than 700 employees.

• Parking accounts for nearly half(48%) of the building’s total GSFdue to County parkingrequirements.

• Most office buildings have ground-floor retail.


9 7 5 4 2

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FAR 5 FAR 4 FAR 3 FAR 2 FAR 1

Office Building Stories &Heights at Various Densities

Office Space

Parking

231'

185'

139'

92'

46'

Residential building: A FAR 5 residential building on one acrewith above ground parking would be shorter than an officebuilding.• Residential space would be

about 218,000 GSF.

• It would provide about 182dwelling units (@ 1,200GSF/DU).

• That’s space for about 360residents.

• It would require about 280parking spaces (1.6 parkingspaces/unit).

• Total structure would be about320,000 GSF in size.


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FAR 5 FAR 4 FAR 3 FAR 2 FAR 1

Hei

ght (

Ft)

Residential Building Height at VariousDensities on 50% of Property

Residential @ 12'/floorParking @ 10'/floor

Here is what FAR 3.6 looks like in the area aroundRosslyn Metro core station area.

At the center of the Rosslyn Metrocore above the Metro station are twinhigh rises, one office, one residential,

that have a FAR10.


Documents

Brief on FAR 5 Zoning Ordinance--UPDATED