Citizens Appointed to Plan Salona's Future

Nine McLean residents from an array of community interests have been appointed to create a plan for Salona that combines public use with preserving the historic heritage of one of McLean's oldest homes.

The citizen task force resulted from a disastrous public hearing held in November 2010. Then, the Fairfax County Park Authority presented a plan for Salona's future that proposed building two playing fields, a parking lot for 100 cars and a dog park in Salona's front yard.

More than 200 residents turned out at that public hearing to tell the park authority: No way.

Salona, the reported refuge of U.S. President James Madison when he fled Washington before the British invasion of 1814, consists of  51 acres located at Dolley Madison Boulevard and Buchanan Street just east of downtown McLean. In the early 1950s, Clive and Susan Duval bought the neglected property and restored it. A historical marker now stands on Dolley Madison Boulevard near the house.

"As a result of the public meeting on Salona master planning held by the Park Authority ... the PA realized that what they had envisioned as a master plan was rather far removed from what most folks had in mind," said Frank Crandall, chair of the Environment, Parks and Recreation Committee of the McLean Citizens Association.

Dranesville Supervisor John Foust, who appointed the Salona task force, said, "I want them to reach out to the community and solicit ideas, vet ideas and make a recommendation to the Parks Commission about the ultimate use of the park."

Beth Chung, of McLean Land Conservancy, a leading opponent of the 2010 plan who is Foust's representative in the task force, said, "The future of Salona is of concern to many area residents, because of its rich history, considerable size, and special conservation values" including the three former agricultural fields that are now wild meadows flanked by hedgerows.

"The Park Authority master plan offered too much development overall and the wrong kind of development on the site, in my opinion. The master plan proposed several uses that were of questionable wisdom for Salona, considering the potential environmental impact on the property and nearby stream (i.e. dog park and rectangular fields)," she said.

Why develop the site at all? In 1971, the house, built in the early 1800s, and about 10 acres surrounding it, were declared a historic preservation area. In 2005, Fairfax County negotiated a conservation agreement with Dan Duval, son of Clive and Susan Duval, and his wife Karen to turn the remaining 41 acres into parkland with 10 acres designated for active recreation use. Fairfax County paid $16 million for the 41 acres — a price well below its market value.

The easement agreement called for: No synthetic turf, no lights, no cutting of major trees, no non-agricultural buildings. The easement also requires buffers between the two-story brick house and the field.

"The county has spent a significant amount of money for the property and we want to maximize its value to the public while preserving its historical value," Foust said.

Beth Chung: "My hope would be that we could discuss with the community how to achieve a balance of conservation (as the primary goal) and low impact use of the site, allowing area residents to enjoy and learn there, while preserving options for enhancing other aspects of the property in the future."

The nine task force members are:

Name                          Representing:

Beth Chung               Dranesville Supervisor John Foust

Ed Pickens                 Dranesville Representative to the Park Authority Board

Whit Field                  Northern Virginia Conservation Trust

Margaret Malone      McLean Citizens Association

Mark Turner              Greater McLean Chamber of Commerce

Joel Stillman              McLean Youth Athletics

Carole Herrick           Fairfax County History Commission

Sybil Caldwell             Surrounding Neighborhood

Dan DuVal                   Owner of Salona, Conservation Easement Grantors