By Christy Goodman
Thursday, August 12, 2010; VA17

Compromises can be made between Arlington County and Virginia transportation officials on the loss of commuter parking at the East Falls Church Metro station, said Arlington County Manager Michael B. Brown.

"There is reconciliation that has to take place," Brown said.

The proposed East Falls Church Area Plan is intended to provide guidance in developing about 10 sites around the Metro station, including replacing a commuter parking lot with a six- to nine-story building. The plan calls for more retail, pedestrian-friendly crossings and a central plaza.

Throughout the three-year community planning process, Virginia Department of Transportation officials have opposed losing more than 400 parking spaces next to the East Falls Church Metro station and the right of way along Interstate 66. They want to keep the spaces or provide equivalent parking nearby.

The 44 comments from VDOT officials submitted to the county last week echoed those sentiments.

"Our biggest concern is the proposed loss of parking for Metro," said Paul Kraucunas, an engineer with VDOT's land development section. "We own the land the parking lot is on, so we are not going to give it up without having our concerns addressed."

Kraucunas acknowledged, however, that Metro stations are not required to have parking.

The East Falls Church plan is "indicative of what Arlington has been doing" for years, Brown said. He said state transportation officials are following their mission to ensure roads function well, but the community is looking forward to how that transit corridor will change.

"East Falls Church has always been a village station," said Brown, who listed the neighborhood as a crossroads for farm deliveries in the past and now for commuting. He commended the county and its residents for planning for the changes coming to the I-66 corridor, including Metro's Silver Line.

"The question is how to align their goals," Brown said.

Arlington resident John Shumate, a plan opponent, argued that VDOT's preferred parking scenario would "put a huge constraint on the capacity of that site."

He said I-66 and the Metro right of way reduce the amount of land that can be built on by one quarter. He estimated that the parking would take up to 150,000 square feet that the plan proposes to use for residential and retail development.

"What is strange is since these requirements have such a profound effect on the capacity of the site, why is there no alternative shown incorporating those requirements?" Shumate asked.

Michael Nardolilli, chairman of the East Falls Church Task Force, which drew up the plan, said, "We asked the folks who opposed the plan to come up with a suggested alternative . . . and received silence."

The VDOT comments also questioned the methodology and accuracy of a traffic analysis, which Richard Tucker, an Arlington senior planner, said "is not unusual."

The county will consider the transportation recommendations and provide answers, Tucker said.

Brown had instructed staff members to answer preliminary questions about the proposed plan and report back to the County Board next month. A final report will be presented to the board after that.