Fairfax County, StreetSense show ‘Project Beacon’ designs for Lake Anne, ask for community input

Fairfax County staff and consultant StreetSense presented conceptual designs for a new wayfinding sign family called Project Beacon and sought public feedback at a community meeting. County and consultant representatives said the Project Beacon sign — planned for Baron Cameron — is intended as the public, county‑led element of a larger, owner‑led signage roadmap for Lake Anne.

Jody of StreetSense described the work as a phased process that began with strategy and mapping to locate missing signs and determine sign types, then moved into concept design informed by updated Lake Anne branding and community input. “The purpose of this sign … is to kind of signal the entry to Lake Anne,” Jody said, describing the modular signage family as flexible, low‑maintenance and responsive to VDOT design constraints.

County presenters said the design draws on a mid‑century color palette and imagery linked to Lake Anne and that most signs on private property would be implemented by property owners using the signage roadmap. The county plans to lead on Project Beacon because it sits in the public right of way.

Community attendees who spoke on the call were broadly supportive. A participant who identified herself as Elizabeth said, “I really like it. Um I like it a lot,” and praised the color scheme. Nan Dearborn, who said she lives in Heron House near Lake Anne, told presenters the design was “functionally it’s just very legible” and called it “a little Mondrian‑esque.”

A reporter from FFX Now, Angela Walz, asked where the money would come from and whether funding had already been approved by the Board of Supervisors. County staff responded that the funds are not the earlier study funds but come from the county’s revitalization program and that a final cost estimate is not yet available because the design is still being refined. County staff said they expect to have cost estimates soon and are mindful of materials and maintenance costs.

Officials described the next procedural steps: finish the design development and bid documents; hire an engineering firm to evaluate proposed locations for conflicts with utilities and drainage; obtain a VDOT land‑use permit (which staff said can involve months of back‑and‑forth review); then release bid documents, select a fabricator and install the sign. Staff said Fairfax County will maintain the installed signs over time and that revitalization funds are expected to cover the work.

Presenters said they will post the presentation and recording online, send an email reminder to solicit further comment, and follow up with Supervisor Alcorn and other stakeholders before finalizing the bid package. If the community signal remains positive and permitting proceeds, staff said they will move to pricing, bidding, fabrication and installation.

The county gave no firm schedule or final cost in the meeting. For now, Project Beacon remains at the conceptual design stage pending engineering review, VDOT permitting and finalized cost estimates.