Task force weighs 280‑unit Hilltop Village plan amendment amid safety, connectivity and utility concerns

Fairfax County planning staff on the Hilltop Village task force reviewed draft plan text that would allow an option to replace an entitled office building with up to 280 residential units at the Telegraph and Bula corner, and asked the group for feedback on transportation, park and design requirements.

The move would not increase entitled retail beyond what is already approved, staff said. “This proposal would increase the student number by 30,” staff said, adding that school officials indicated they could accommodate that change and that the county’s Capital Improvement Program provides options such as repurposing the Virginia Hill Center for high‑school capacity.

Why it matters: the change would shift an isolated, plaza‑centered site toward a more residential, mixed‑use character. Staff said the draft plan text strengthens requirements for ground‑floor activation, internal connectivity, pedestrian and bicycle facilities, and discourages drive‑throughs along Old Bula Street to improve walkability and integrate new residents with existing shops.

Public safety and utilities: staff told the task force that Fairfax County fire‑rescue and police operations confirmed they have capacity to serve the proposed mixed‑use project. Staff also said Dominion (the local electric provider) indicated there is capacity in the area, but staff and residents acknowledged reliability problems. "We lose power pretty consistently in this area," resident Leah said, urging staff to follow up on circuit stability; staff committed to obtaining additional information from Dominion and to reflect any constraints at the zoning and permitting phases.

Transportation and pedestrian safety: the county’s transportation review placed the proposal at a tier‑one CTA level and found minimal plan‑level vehicular impacts; FC DOT recommended safety and connectivity improvements including multi‑use paths, frontage upgrades, improved bus stop accessibility to ADA standards, internal pedestrian connections and a pedestrian‑activated crosswalk on Bula. Developer representative Evan Pritchard clarified that the traffic analysis "did include weekend days and it still didn't rise to the level of requiring a traffic study." Several task force members pushed for stronger pedestrian and bicycle safety language, citing recent crash data along nearby corridors.

Park on landfill and environmental permitting: staff said the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality permitting process must be completed before any park use is established on the landfill site, and that the park authority and Hilltop Sand and Gravel indicated those permitting steps have been accommodated in past reviews. Staff noted a remaining plaza punch list that the park authority must accept before the park is considered complete.

Design, scope and density: the draft would raise the site F (FAR) slightly to accommodate both existing entitled retail and the residential option; staff emphasized this cap is cumulative for the entire Hilltop Village site and would not be used to add new retail beyond previously entitled amounts. Staff said the 280‑unit figure aligns with keeping building height similar to the previously approved office building, resulting in roughly eight units per acre across the site.

Coordination with Fort Belvoir and next steps: staff retained plan language calling for coordination with Fort Belvoir on building design and vegetative buffering and said they have shared draft text with Fort Belvoir and are awaiting formal comments. No formal action or vote occurred. Staff said a formal staff report will be published before the planning commission review (target: August) and the task force agreed to reconvene; members asked to meet before the staff report is released so staff can report back on outstanding issues (power reliability, Fort Belvoir comments, DOT details). The group set a follow‑up date for June 29 to revisit Hilltop and to review a separate Telegraph Road infill proposal.

What was not decided: the task force did not take a vote or recommend final language; several members said they wanted stronger wording on pedestrian/bicycle safety and clearer sequencing for proffered commitments (for example, work on the private ball field) before consideration by the planning commission.

Next procedural step: staff will circulate slides, follow up with Dominion and Fort Belvoir for clarifications, and publish a staff report in advance of the planning commission review; the task force will meet again on June 29 to review revisions and outstanding answers.