Brightview Senior Living, the company that builds, owns, and operates more than 40 senior living communities along the east coast, continues to face opposition from residents who live near the site of the proposed facility at 9439 Leesburg Pike. 

The project, which began about three years ago, had been put on hold because of the pandemic. Meetings with neighboring homeowners’ associations (HOAs) and others resumed in Summer 2021.

At a meeting hosted by the Land Use & Zoning Committee of the Great Falls Citizens Association on September 8th, Brightview Vice President David Holland presented the company’s revised concept for the Wolf Trap Nursery site to residents of the A County Place subdivision. Also in attendance were John Ulfelder, Vice Chairman of the Fairfax County Planning Commission, and Ben Wiles from Supervisor Foust’s office.

The original plan, which had been shared with residents of the Ciara Estates and A Country Place HOAs in July, has been modified based on Brightview’s interpretation of the feedback it received from that earlier presentation, that the scale of operations was too large, the buildings and parking area were too close to the neighborhoods, the three-story structure would loom over the nearby single-family homes, and traffic and daily activities at the facility would be disruptive. 

While the plan presented in July included the proposed purchase of vacant land on the east and south of the fire station, the updated plan eliminates those in favor of purchasing a triangular parcel of land east of the proposed facility, on Leesburg Pike closer to Atwood Road. This change requires Brightview to reduce the number of units from approximately 175 to between 135 to 140 units. As an attempt to address the community’s concerns, the updated plan also has a design that moves the building completely off of the “fire station property” by locating it to the east, reduces the height of the wing closest to the A Country Place neighborhood from three stories to two, and relocates the parking spaces that were in view of some homes. Since Brightview no longer plans to buy the two lots adjacent the fire station under the updated plan, Holland indicated that the project would be financially viable even though the number of people who could be accommodated in the facility would be less.

The residents participating in the meeting expressed appreciation that Brightview was responsive to the community’s concerns and welcomed the opportunity to review and comment on the revised plan. However, the underlying apprehension raised at the earlier meeting remained: that the long-term care facility is a commercial, for-profit operation that would not be compatible with the neighborhood. While the County’s Zoning Ordinance qualifies the proposed use as “residential” and not “commercial,” the Comprehensive Plan states there should be no commercial development between the Dulles Toll Road and the Loudoun County line.

The neighboring residents stated their surprise that Brightview would not be purchasing the vacant property adjacent to the fire station. That land would have created a “green space” buffer, deterring further development. Without those two parcels as a part of the Brightview project, some community members present voiced their fear that the land could be built-up in the future.

Another concern that was raised was that of traffic safety and the potential for dangerous conditions caused by the volume of vehicles using Route 7 at Atwood Road. Specifically, several attending the meeting thought that the project will result in increased cut-through traffic in the neighborhood and a greater number of accidents on Route 7. Meeting attendees theorized that drivers approaching the Brightview site from the east would need to do a U-turn at Beulah Road/Forestville Drive and those leaving the site who want to travel westbound would either need to cross three lanes of traffic to make a U-turn at Atwood or turn right on Atwood, then right on Beulah, then turn left at the light on Route 7. It was further posited that, as large trucks leaving the facility may have difficulty making a U-turn in order to head west, more trucks could use Atwood unless that use is prohibited. Acknowledging their concerns, Holland indicated that those issues are best directed to VDOT.

A joint meeting with both HOAs was proposed to ensure that all residents have the same understanding about aspects of the project and the impact on their respective neighborhoods.