Nearly 250 acres of land in Lorton that once served as a dumping ground for construction debris could soon become a haven for families and birding enthusiasts.
Waste Management, the owner of the former Lorton Landfill site at 10001 Furnace Road, broke ground on Sept. 2 on a new public park that will feature trails, a playground, an amphitheater, restrooms, and scenic views for taking in birds or the Potomac River to the east.
“We’re thrilled that work is now underway to turn Overlook Ridge Park from a landfill into a destination for birders, photographers, families and nature lovers in the Lorton area and across Fairfax County,” Fairfax County Park Authority (FCPA) spokesperson Andy Grabel said in response to questions about the project.
Expected to open to the public in summer or fall 2027, Overlook Ridge Park has been in the making for two decades now.
EnviroSolutions, the waste company that owned the Lorton Landfill until its closure in 2018, first proposed turning the construction and demolition debris disposal site into a park in 2006 — on the condition that operations would be allowed to continue for another 12 years, the Washington Post reported at the time.
Approved by the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors in January 2007, the special exception amendment also allowed EnviroSolutions to increase the height of the mountain of industrial waste that had accumulated on the landfill since it began operating in 1981 to 412 feet.
In 2009, however, concerns that it could be held liable for any health or environmental issues related to the methane gas leaking from the mountain of industrial waste on the site led the park authority to back out of plans to assume control of the future park.
An effort by EnviroSolutions to extend its landfill operations through 2040 was shot down by the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors in early 2014, and Waste Management assumed ownership of the property once it ceased operations in 2018. The Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) confirmed its final closure in 2021.
Updated plans to convert the site into a park that would be operated and maintained by the park authority were submitted to the county in 2022. The application called for bird sanctuaries, hiking and equestrian trails, an amphitheater with an earthen stage, picnic and open play areas and exercise stations, along with scenic overlooks, sculptural gardens and increased parking, per a county staff report.
According to the FCPA, the closure agreement between Waste Management and DEQ included regular testing requirements, including for methane and other gases.
“There is a protocol for closing the park should we notified by WM and DEQ of any issues,” Grabel said.
Despite some lingering questions about the site’s safety, which Waste Management and FCPA officials repeatedly stressed was a top priority, the Fairfax County Planning Commission approved the project plans in June 2022.
A revised site plan was approved in September 2024, and a compliance inspection conducted by DEQ that month “found no apparent violations” of the property’s solid waste permit or state regulations, the Fairfax County Department of Land Development Services said in its most recent inspection report, dated Feb. 7, 2025.
Occupying the highest point in Fairfax County, Overlook Ridge Park will provide views that can’t be found anywhere else in the region, the FCPA said, allowing visitors to see as far as Tysons, Old Town Alexandria, the Potomac River and foothills in the Shenandoah mountains.
The amphitheater is expected to host concerts, educational programs, community gatherings and other events.
“The amenities are needed in the area, and the birding and panoramic views are a wonderful new opportunity for county citizens to spend time at the highest elevation in Fairfax with amazing views of the Potomac River and surrounding area,” Grabel said.
Waste Management is fully responsible for the park’s construction, but the park authority is providing approximately $40,000 to help install a sewer line for the restrooms.
Mount Vernon District Supervisor Dan Storck, who represents the Lorton area and attended the groundbreaking with other elected officials, thanked the park authority, Waste Management, DEQ, the South County Federation and “countless community advocates” for making the landfill’s conversion into a park possible.
“This is yet another major investment in Lorton and a tremendous community accomplishment, bringing more parkland and open space where residents can gather, explore, and enjoy the sweeping views of Northern Virginia and the Potomac River,” Storck said in a statement. “I am pleased to see this long-held community vision finally becoming a reality.”
The county also recently completed a 5-megawatt solar array — its largest solar project so far — on a closed portion of the nearby I-95 Landfill Complex at 9850 Furnace Road, though staff are still reviewing proposals for developing another landfill site where a planned indoor ski resort failed to materialize.
