Falls Church planning commission backs place‑based, natural‑feature naming for Fellows Park and approves subdivision plat

The Falls Church Planning Commission on Feb. 18 recommended that City Council select a place‑based or natural‑feature name for the Fellows Park property and approved the subdivision plat that will consolidate seven lots at 500 South Oak Street into a single lot for a public park.

Staff opened the public hearing on the Fellows Tract naming, summarizing the naming criteria: the city permits names that reflect ecological, historical or geographical features, commemorate service by an individual, or help identify the facility’s purpose or use. The Recreation and Parks Advisory Board recommended against naming the park after a person and advised avoiding the word “Oak” to reduce confusion with the adjacent Oak Street Elementary; it proposed three names: Firefly Grove, Firefly Forest Park, and Hidden Harvest Park. No members of the public spoke at the hearing.

Commissioners discussed competing aims: several members supported avoiding personal names and using a geographic or natural‑feature name to make the park easy to locate, while one commissioner urged honoring longtime resident Barbara Graham (formerly of Greenscape) and noted the city paid $4,700,000 to preserve the land. Commissioners also noted park hours are sunup‑to‑sundown, which informed debate over names such as “Firefly.”

After discussion, a commissioner moved the staff‑drafted recommendation that the Council select a name that “include[s] place‑based names that are specific to the park’s local geography within the city or natural features.” The motion passed by roll call; all present voted yes.

On the subdivision plat, staff reminded the commission that the preliminary plat was approved in June 2025 and that staff and internal departments are coordinating remaining site‑plan details (including a crosswalk at Fellows Court and South Oak Street and maintenance access). The public hearing on the plat drew no speakers. Staff said construction would begin April 1 if the plats receive final city approvals.

Commissioners raised questions about handicapped access, the role of a maintenance entrance off Fellows Court, and whether a desire line within the park would be mulched if it became popular. Staff said the maintenance entrance would remain the formal vehicle access and that staff would observe visitor patterns before committing to mulching an informal trail; ADA access changes could require formalized, accessible entrances.

A motion to grant preliminary and final subdivision approval to consolidate lots 1–7 into one lot at 500 South Oak Street carried unanimously on a roll‑call vote.

Next steps: the commission’s name recommendation and the subdivision approval will go to the City Council for final actions and detailed site‑plan review and permitting. If permitting and Council action follow the current schedule, construction work on the park is expected to begin April 1.