The Virginia Senate will vote today on a bill that would weaken developer proffers, which Fairfax County officials commonly use to get builders to contribute to park, roads and other improvements in exchange for development.
This is important in Reston, which is undergoing a period of multifamily housing growth as it turns towards being a transit-oriented community.
For instance, the Fairfax County Park Authority has said it will seek developer proffers to partially pay for a multimillion indoor recreation center, now slated for Reston Town Center North. The county also has identified more than $2 billion in infrastructure improvements needed in Reston over the next several decades — money that would likely come from proffers, as well as taxes and even a new special tax district.
Features of the bill require that proffers be limited to offsetting impacts that are directly attributable to new residential developments, such as traffic. The Senate version of the legislation does not apply to high-density areas, commercial developments or neighborhoods near Metro stations.
The bill places restrictions on what local officials can ask for in development negotiations. A House version of the bill passed 68-27 last week.
Click here to read the rest of the article written by Karen Goff over at WTOP
