A proposed amendment to Fairfax County’s comprehensive plan that could transform Centreville over the next few decades gained a key endorsement from the county’s planning commission this week.
The commission voted Wednesday (June 10) to recommend adoption of the amendment, which envisions a more walkable 2,700-acre area with a defined “town center,” more affordable and mixed-use housing, and enhanced public transportation.
The motion carried unanimously with the exception of Braddock District Commissioner Mary Cortina, who abstained from voting because she was not present for the May 20 public hearing. The amendment will now be considered by the Board of Supervisors, with a public hearing scheduled for June 23.
“The amendment modernizes the county’s vision for Centreville and establishes a clear framework for future growth and reinvestment,” Evelyn Spain, the Sully District commissioner, said.
“The proposed recommendations encourage redevelopment in key areas, supports a more accessible and people-focused environment and creates a framework for future development that is better integrated, thoughtfully designed, and adds greater flexibility to meet the community’s changing needs.”
The plan lays the groundwork for connecting parts of Centreville that are split by I-66. It calls for more pedestrian pathways, makes numerous recommendations for local roadways, and suggests a location for a hypothetical expansion of Metro’s Orange Line.
It also identifies two possible sites for affordable housing: the Stone Road Park & Ride, or a building combined with a new Centreville Regional Library through a public-private partnership.
However, the plan did receive pushback from residents of the Centre Ridge community, who spoke at the May hearing to object to a proposed extension of New Braddock Road. If implemented, the road would be reduced from four to two lanes, and connect with Route 29 at Stone Road.
“I have received several notices from various community members…asking us to vote no,” said Spain.”They’re opposing the vote moving forward because of the extension of New Braddock Road.”
Spain said she had asked staff to share additional information, and address concerns related to traffic and pedestrian safety near Centre Ridge Elementary School if the road is extended.
“This is the comment that was recorded by staff: The extension of the New Braddock Road is currently not prioritized or funded, and any future study of the connection would occur through a public process that would allow for extensive community participation and engagement,” Spain said. “No design work has begun for the potential roadwork extension of New Braddock Road.”
Commissioners emphasized that while the extension has been in the county’s comprehensive plan for decades, it remained “conceptual”—a word that was used several times in the discussion.
Dranesville District Commissioner Alyssa Batchelor-Causey directly asked for — and received — confirmation from county staff that “approving the Centreville study does not approve automatically the extension.”
The vote comes a week after the commission recommended approval of a study for Lorton with similar goals: creating a more walkable, unified, and mixed-use space, with a defined central area. That amendment to the comprehensive plan will also be considered by the Board of Supervisors later this month.
The Centreville study has been underway since October 2022, when the Board of Supervisors authorized consideration. It was developed with extensive input from a Centreville Task Force and other community members from 2024 to 2025.
“This is an impressive amount of work,” said Phil Niedzielski-Eichner, an at-large commissioner and the planning commission’s chair, told staff. “And [I’m] just excited for the future of Centreville, based on what the community has envisioned for itself.”
