The Sept. 20 front-page article about Poplar Terrace ["N.Va. Neighbors Hoping to Raze, Rebuild, Profit"] minimized the effect of the proposed development in Fairfax County.
About 4,000 residential units are being planned. That means about 10,000 additional people within a mile. The projects include Fairlee (2,350 residences), Poplar Terrace (1,326 residences), Saintsbury Plaza (115 units) and another near Regent's Park (250 units).
To have 10,000 more people next to Interstate 66 (two miles from the Capital Beltway) will overwhelm our roads and schools. The county changed the comprehensive plan once to allow denser development; now it wants higher high-density development.
Also, Metro is selling three acres of land and losing about 650 parking spaces. The developers even want to cut down 10 acres of trees in a county park for a storm-water pond.
Fairfax County is being plundered by developers, with the approval of the Board of Supervisors.
MARK TIPTON
Fairfax
The writer is a member of Fairfax Citizens for Responsible Growth.
