Plan Lee Highway: Process, Scope & Timeline

Process

The multi-year Plan Lee Highway process will refine, validate and build upon the community’s vision and the guiding principles and goals as expressed in the 2016 Lee Highway Visioning Study report . The process will include a study of interrelated key planning elements, such as transportation and public space, for the full Lee Highway corridor and potential land use changes within a Core Study Area (see map below). The anticipated outcomes are that the study results in a County Board-adopted plan that establishes a high-level framework for the corridor.

Study Area

Lee Highway is one of Arlington’s major east-west arterial streets, spanning the full length of the County from Rosslyn to East Falls Church. It is a major commuter corridor and gateway from the City of Falls Church. It also serves as a primary commercial destination for the northern half of the County, providing access to convenience goods, services, and dining for many residents. Characterized by low-rise commercial development and prominent surface level parking lots, the auto-oriented public realm and general development pattern is typical of commercial corridors found throughout Arlington.

Timeline

PHASE 1: Gathering Information

Below is a projected timeline of Phase 1. Time frames are subject to change, pending project needs.
As each key event is confirmed, it is posted to the project calendar with complete meeting details. View all scheduled meetings and events.
As each key event concludes, available materials are posted to the study documents page.

TIME FRAME	MILESTONES, ACTIVITIES		KEY EVENTS
Jan – Feb 2019	Project Kick-off	Team kick-offs Share scope Refine schedule Gather input on 2016 Visioning Study	Community Forum & Working Group Meeting #1 (January 30) Community Kick-off (February 12) Initial Focus Group Meetings (February 2019) Open Design Studio (bi-weekly, ongoing)
Feb – Oct 2019	Existing Conditions Analysis	Analysis to focus on planning elements: Land use and zoning Urban design and building form Housing Transportation and connectivity Public spaces Historic and cultural resources Economic vitality Sustainability Public facilities	Working Group Meeting: Kick-off Debrief (March 21) Follow-up Focus Group Meetings (April 2019) Working Group Meeting: Existing Conditions Analysis (May 8) Educational Forum: Land Use and Zoning (June 8) Working Group Meeting: Existing Condition Analysis (June 19) Working Group Meeting: Existing Conditions Analysis (July 10) Open Design Studio (bi-weekly, ongoing)
Aug – Sept 2019	Land Use Scenario Methodology Development	Identify key factors (land values, development costs, density, etc.), performance indicators, and prioritization system that will be used for evaluating land use scenarios in Phase 2 Select a sample node-based redevelopment area to test methodology	Open Design Studio (bi-weekly, ongoing)
Sept – Dec 2019	Community Forum	Results of Existing Conditions Analysis	Community Forum & Working Group Meeting #2 Follow-up Community Forum Meetings Public Space, Mobility and Connectivity Land Use Neighborhood Character and Building Form Open Design Studio (bi-weekly, ongoing)
Winter 2020	Public Workshop	Results of Existing Conditions Analysis Feedback from community events Metrics of success for evaluating Land Use Scenarios in Phase 2 Refinement of vision principles and goals Identification of preliminary character areas	Public Workshop and Educational Forums Educational Forums Character Area Focus Group Sessions Open Design Studio (bi-weekly, ongoing)
Feb – Apr 2020	Character Area Development	Prepare Character Area Development Report, to include: Areas of change and areas of preservation General descriptions of future development patterns for areas of change General recommendations for network-wide planning elements Refined vision principles and goals	Working Group Meeting: Character Area Development Report Open Design Studio (bi-weekly, ongoing)