On November 15, 2021, MCA’s Executive Committee approved a resolution prepared by the Environment, Parks, and Recreation Committee regarding the Fairfax County Park Authority’s (FCPA’s) Clemyjontri Park Revised Master Plan Proposal. The resolution provides for conditional support of FCPA’s proposed Phase III development plan for the park, provided that local history programming be included and MCA has an opportunity to review the stormwater, invasive control, tree and screening planting, parking, and safe access plans in advance of implementation as the project moves forward. The FCPA presented its proposed plan for the park in a public meeting on October 28, 2021 and the public comment period ended on November 27, 2021. To read the MCA Resolution click here - Resolution re Clemyjontri Park Revised Master Plan Proposal.
Clemyjontri Park features a unique playground where children and adults of all abilities can play side by side. The land was donated to the county by Adele G. Lebowitz and the original FCPA Master Plan for the park, approved in 2002, reflected her vision. Phases I and II of the Master Plan were completed in 2006 and 2019. The FCPA’s Phase III proposal would include a new Arts Center in the park that would seek to engage the community through accessible, artistic, educational opportunities, including nature-based educational programming and outdoor public art.
Attendees at the in-person FCPA October 28, 2021 public meeting offered a number of comments on FCPA’s proposed Phase III plan, including the importance of adequate vegetative buffer screening for adjacent residential areas, the size and height of the proposed new building, the need for bamboo and invasive removal and control, the need for a new arts center, and the adequacy of proposed parking facilities to accommodate expected arts center visitors and playground users. In addition, stormwater management on the park grounds is a critical challenge. MCA has expressed conditional support for the initial concept of Phase III, provided that local history programming be included and MCA has an opportunity to review the stormwater, invasive control, tree and screening planting, parking, and safe access plans in advance of implementation as the project moves forward.