Environmental
Policy for TysonsTysons Sustainability Summit
April 28, 2016
Noel Kaplan, Senior Environmental Planner
Fairfax County Department of Planning and Zoning
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Outline
Overview of Plan
guidance
Policy Plan—
Countywide guidance
Area Plan—Tysons
Corner Urban Center
Planning Commission
Reviews
Looking ahead
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The Comprehensive Plan
• Concept for Future Development and Land Classification System
• Policy Plan
• Area Plans
• Plan Map
• Other maps: Transportation and Trails
• Guidance only—not regulation
• Applied during the zoning process
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Policy Plan—Environment section
Environmental Pollution
Air Quality
Water Quality/Stormwater Management
Noise
Light Pollution
Environmental Hazards
Soil Constraints
Flood Impacts
Pipelines/Transmission Lines
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Policy Plan—Environment Section
(continued)
Environmental Resources
Environmental Quality Corridors
Tree Cover
Conservation Easements
Environmental Coordination
Resource Conservation/Green Building Practices
Chesapeake Bay Supplement
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Tysons Plan
Adopted by Board of Supervisors on June 22, 2010
Mixed use, transit oriented development
Highest development intensities near rail stations
Improved jobs/housing balance
Grid of complete streets
Urban design
Affordable/workforce housing
Environmental Stewardship
Supported by the PTC Zoning District Georgelas graphic—Tysons West/Spring Hill
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Tysons Plan Guidance:
Environmental Stewardship
Tree canopy
goals
Stormwater
management
Green building
design
Energy
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Tysons Plan Guidance:
Tree Canopy Goals
Vision for increased tree
canopy
Planting in existing and
new parks
Urban streetscapes
Rooftop plantings
Maximize sustainable
tree cover onsite
Goal of 10% for
redevelopment projects
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Source: Office of Community Revitalization, Tysons Corner Urban
Design Guidelines
Tysons Plan Guidance:
Stormwater Management On-site retention of first
inch of rainfall
Attain LEED Stormwater Design credits
Flexibility for multiple sites and/or off-site controls
Emphasis on infiltration and reuse
Support for stream restoration and stabilization
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Tysons Plan Guidance:
Green Building Design
Nonresidential: LEED® Silver or equivalent
Residential: Reference to Policy Plan guidance
4+ story multifamily: LEED certified or equivalent
Other residential: Certification under established rating system with multiple green building concepts, including ENERGY STAR®
Qualification or equivalent
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Tysons Plan Guidance:
Energy
Energy and water use reduction
In support of or in addition to green building
Examples provided
Flexibility to accommodate emerging strategies
No specific performance expectations beyond green building guidance
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Proffer to sustainability-related work
Scope defined as two Tysons-related reports:
Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure
Building Energy Technology
Design of today’s buildings/sites to accommodate
emerging technologies in the future
Application to negotiations with developers
seeking zoning approval
MITRE Reports
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Planning Commission Reviews
Both reports referred by Board of Supervisors to
Planning Commission
EV Charging Infrastructure review completed
May 24 presentation to Board of Supervisors Environmental
Committee
Building Energy Technology review continuing
Countywide perspective
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EV Charging Review: Key
Issues
Anticipated future need
for EV charging
Charging stations vs. EV-
ready design
Percentage of parking
with EV charging or EV-
ready design
Residential vs.
nonresidential uses Image provided by Ecotality
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EV Charging Review: Planning
Commission Recommendations
Focus on EV-ready design
Emphasis on residential
charging
Supportive Plan guidance
without quantitative targets
Supplemental informal
implementation suggestionsImage provided by MITRE
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EV-ready levels for consideration as starting points for discussion
10% for residential, with flexibility
100% electrical room sizing, with consideration of alternatives presented by
applicants
Linkage to green building commitment for nonresidential
Perhaps higher levels for hotels and parking associated with transit
Focus on Level 2 charging
EV Charging Review: Planning
Commission Recommendations
(continued)
From: Federal Highway Administration16
MITRE Building Energy Technology
Report—Recommendations
Do not prescribe any
particular technologies
Buildings are systems
Concerns/limitations with
specific technologies
Wind
Solar
Geothermal
Load shifting
District energy
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MITRE Building Energy Technology
Report—Recommendations
(continued)
Support existing performance-based approach
LEED certification
Monitor net-zero and Passive House
Complement with Designed to Earn the ENERGY STAR®
Annual benchmarking with ENERGY STAR’s Portfolio Manager system
Flexibility to support innovation
Publicize building energy consumption performance
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Planning Commission Building
Energy Technology Review
Staff perspectives document
Stakeholder comments
Environment Committee discussions are continuing
Report to Board of Supervisors anticipated in future
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Looking Ahead
Continued implementation of Tysons Plan guidance
Strong support in Plan for innovation
Any county roadblocks? This is not the intent! Let us know!
Strengthening of green building rating systems
Regional strategy to reduce greenhouse gas emissions
Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments
Implications unclear at this time
State/federal mandates?
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Looking for Information?
Transforming Tysons: http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/tysons/
Tysons stormwater: http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/tysons/stormwater/
Environment and Energy: http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/living/environment/
County energy website: http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/energy/
Fairfax County Sustainability Initiatives: http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/living/environment/sustainability/
Energy Action Fairfax: http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/energyactionfairfax/
Electric vehicles: http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/living/environment/electric-vehicles.htm
EV charging permitting: http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/dpwes/publications/electric-vehicle-station.pdf
Geothermal HVAC permitting: http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/dpwes/publications/geothermal_hvac.pdf
Solar tax exemption: http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/dpwes/forms/solarenergy_overview.htm
Green building priority plan review: http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/dpwes/publications/lti/greenbldgreview.pdf
***NEW***!!! Green Business Partners Program: http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/energy/greenbusiness/
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Questions?
Contact me!
Noel Kaplan
Senior Environmental Planner
Fairfax County Department of Planning
and Zoning
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