The Fairfax County Planning Commission voted to recommend approval of EYA's plan to turn most of Reston's Lake Fairfax Business Center into a mixed-use neighborhood with 1,017 homes, closing out weeks of scrutiny over noise from a data center that would sit just steps from future front doors, according to FFXnow. The vote sends the rezoning application to the Board of Supervisors, which is expected to hold a public hearing on Nov. 17.
EYA is proposing to redevelop roughly 49 acres of the 88-acre business park at 1780 Business Center Drive, converting industrial land into a planned residential mixed-use community, according to FFXnow. The latest version of the plan calls for a 385-unit multifamily building, three condo buildings totaling 132 units, and 500 townhomes, adding up to 1,017 residential units alongside 27,900 square feet of retail and amenity space. The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors had already cleared the way for the project in August, adopting a comprehensive plan amendment allowing residential and retail uses on the property, but EYA still needs the board's sign-off on the detailed development plan and the rezoning itself, shifting the land from an industrial district to planned residential mixed-use.
Data Center Proximity Drove Monthslong Review
The sticking point throughout the review has been the existing data center that would remain on site, with part of the proposed residential area sitting only about 100 feet away — closer than the 200-foot buffer called for under county regulations approved in 2024 for new data center construction, per the same FFXnow account. That proximity pushed county staff to press for noise monitoring that would capture not just intermittent sounds but the constant, low-frequency hum data centers can produce, a concern that FFXnow reported was central to the commission's thinking after the Sept. 23 public hearing.
The commission deferred a final vote after that hearing specifically to give EYA time to address the noise question and other technical concerns raised by staff. EYA responded on Oct. 2 with a noise analysis finding the facility's low-frequency hum would be quieter than the adjacent roadway traffic future residents would also hear, the report notes. The Reston Planning & Zoning Committee endorsed the project at its own meeting on Sept. 28, and county staff ultimately recommended approval of EYA's applications.
Commissioners Weigh In On a 'Complex' Plan
Planning commissioners landed on approval after walking through a long list of revisions EYA made in response to staff feedback. County planning staff coordinator Katelyn Quinn said she agreed the remaining questions about the proposal were resolvable, adding that the development still meets the comprehensive plan despite recommendations for further improvement. Land-use attorney Mark Looney with Cooley said he believed outstanding conditions — including concerns over the Sunset Hills Road streetscape — could be worked out before the matter reaches the Board of Supervisors.
Commissioner Phil Niedzielski-Eichner described the proposal as the right kind of project for the right location. Commissioner Paul Thomas praised EYA's commitments on construction scheduling, a dedicated project manager, collaboration with Public Art Reston, street-grid contributions, and improvements to workforce and affordable housing, and he thanked the developer for agreeing to discuss potential membership for future townhouse residents with the Reston Association and Reston Town Center Association. Commissioner Timothy Sargeant abstained from the vote because he had missed the public hearing, per a report from FFXnow.
Parking Cuts, Park Plans And A School Site
EYA submitted updated development plans and proffers in early October that trimmed parking in Land Bay D/E1 from 79 spaces to 59, relocated three affordable dwelling units from traditional townhouses to stacked townhomes, and added three workforce dwelling units, as reported by FFXnow. The developer also removed unpermitted structures in a resource protection area to address stormwater concerns, committed to additional plantings in that same protected area, and added an Americans with Disabilities Act-compliant ramp for a planned pocket park in Land Bay D/E1.
The plan calls for roughly 20 acres of green space and parks across the site, plus about four acres for a future elementary school. EYA intends to hand over 3.96 acres in Land Bay E2 to the county for that future school, but is seeking an option to buy the land back if the Board of Supervisors ultimately decides not to build there, FFXnow reported FFXnow. Not every staff recommendation made it into the latest revisions — EYA has not committed to monetary compensation in lieu of an athletic field, and it has not added a midblock pedestrian crossing that had been recommended. County staff also opposed townhome balconies hanging over private alleys, citing ownership and maintenance concerns.
From 886 Units To Over A Thousand
The scale of EYA's ambitions for the site has grown since the company first floated the idea. An earlier concept unveiled in February 2025 envisioned 886 residential units on 49.37 acres, split among roughly 325 rental apartments, 56 condominiums, 325 side-by-side townhomes and 180 stacked townhomes, per FFXnow's earlier coverage. That version, like the current one, proposed keeping the existing Lifetime Fitness gym, Homewood Suites hotel, Reston Montessori School and data center building in place, along with the nearby SkateQuest ice rink. A developer-commissioned traffic study at the time found the redevelopment would reduce vehicle trips compared with what's allowed under the existing comprehensive plan, particularly during rush hours.
With the Planning Commission's recommendation in hand, the rezoning now heads to the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors, which is expected to take it up at a Nov. 17 public hearing barring further delays. Whether the board resolves the lingering streetscape, balcony and school-site questions commissioners flagged will determine how much of EYA's reimagined Lake Fairfax Business Center ultimately gets built as proposed.
