Studies

To spur new ideas and new ways of thinking about planning and land use, the City often engages outside groups to prepare conceptual plans and studies for different areas of the City or for topical issues. In the past, these groups have included students from local universities, established professionals at the Urban Land Institute (ULI), and consultants.

The list below includes recently completed studies and reports. These reports and plans are not adopted and do not constitute City policy.

Virginia Tech Graduate Studies

In preparation for updating of Comprehensive Plan in 2011, the Planning and Economic Development Offices commissioned Virginia Tech’s Graduate Planning Studio to study four important commercial areas: 

Urban Land Institute (ULI) Report

The ULI recently conducted a Technical Assistance Panel (TAP) to explore land development options for the schools-related parcels.

Transportation Demand Management (TDM) Report

With funding from the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (MWCOG), area consulting firm Foursquare Integrated Transportation Planning developed a TDM Report for the City.

West Falls Church Transportation Study

With funding from the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (MWCOG) Transportation/Land-Use Conections (TLC) program, national transportation planning consulting firm Nelson Nygaard conducted a study of the transportation network in the West Falls Church area.    

Park Avenue: A Civic Great Street

The Transportation Chapter of the City of Falls Church Comprehensive Plan, titled “Mobility for all Modes”, calls for turning Park Avenue into a civic “Great Street”. The Park Avenue report explores Great Streets in other communities identifying common streetscape elements. The report then applies those elements to Park Avenue and develops a concept plan for changes that could be made to improve the look, ambiance, and functionality of the street.

City of Falls Church Public Art Policy 

The City of Falls Church engaged University of Virginia Masters of Urban and Environmental Planning Degree Candidates (“Student Consultants”) by a Memorandum of Understanding to create the City’s first official Public Art policy. Over the course of several months, site visits and tours allowed for a thorough review of existing conditions and materials as well as an inventory of existing Public Art throughout the Little City

South Washington Street Corridor Study (2008)

South Washington Street corridor has the ability to become a vibrant pedestrian space. Many challenges lie ahead, as the area is characterized today by sprawling suburban style development that is primarily oriented to motor vehicle travel. With ongoing and future redevelopment opportunities, now is the time to redesign the corridor to achieve a balanced transportation system that equally accommodates all modes.

Economic Development Authority (EDA) Commercial Parking Study (2020)

As a result of revitalization efforts by City leadership, the City of Falls Church has successfully attracted commercial and mixed-use projects to the downtown business core, replacing low-rise buildings with higher density development and creating a live, work, play environment. The goal of the study is to quantify current parking adequacy, project future parking needs, and develop parking management and planning policy recommendations to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the downtown parking system in Falls Church.