On February 21, SFDC sent in the following text to the Fairfax County Planning Commission as public comment with respect to Embark Richmond Highway (Plan Amendment 2015-IV-MV1):
For reasons of cost-efficiency, community resiliency and aesthetics, the Southeast Fairfax Development Corporation (“SFDC”) recommends as a general policy the undergrounding of utilities along Richmond Highway. For that portion of Richmond Highway that falls within the widening proposed by the Virginia Department of Transportation (“VDOT”), SFDC recommends that utilities be undergrounded as part of that project. For that portion of Richmond Highway that lies outside of the VDOT widening project, SFDC recommends that the County explore financing mechanisms (i.e. bonding) to permit the undergrounding of utilities in a manner which does not impose direct cost on property owners. SFDC aligns itself with the positions on utility undergrounding taken by the Mount Vernon Lee Chamber (Mount Vernon-Lee Chamber Letter dated January 24, 2018) and the Mount Vernon Council of Citizens Associations. Thank you for your consideration of the SFDC’s concerns on this matter.