After much discussion and public comment, The Town of Vienna has granted conservation and parking easements to the Northern Virginia Regional Park Authority.

As a result, the Vienna Train Station parking lot will be expanded and people using the W&OD Trail will no longer have to take up parking spaces on Church Street that can be used by customers.

Near the intersection of Dominion Road N.E. and Ayr Hill Avenue N.E., the train-station lot contains 23 parking spaces. But its use has been restricted to trail users and visitors to the train station.

But when there’s a great deal of park use – especially on the weekends – the recreational users are parking on the streets, instead, much to the dismay of the business owners. Indeed, the merchants and businesses along Church, Mill Street and Dominion have long complained that there’s not enough parking.

However, the Park Authority said it could build 16 more spaces on the east side of the train-station lot and make that entire lot available for public parking, as well as for trail users. In return, Vienna would grant it a conservation easement on Town-owned, unimproved, wooded land near Ninovan Road, adjacent to the W&OD Trail.

BUT SOME NEIGHBORS whose houses back up to the trail objected. Instead, they’d hoped to buy all or part of that property to prevent it from being developed so close to their homes. They want it to stay as is, as a natural barrier between their houses and the trail.

But the land wasn’t for sale and, according to Town attorney Steve Briglia, “The purpose of the easement is to preserve the land in its natural state with only low-impact or educational activities on it.” So things should actually work out the way the residents wanted, after all.

At the June 16 Vienna Town Council meeting, Councilwoman Laurie Cole made the motions to approve both the conservation easement and the parking easement, with Councilman Howard Springsteen seconding. Cole also noted that the existing trails and access paths will be preserved.

As for the residents’ concerns, she said, “I appreciate how strongly the citizens came out and expressed themselves about this. Protection of the buffer for the residents’ homes will be stronger by having it in a conservation easement.”

Furthermore, said Cole, “The extra parking in the Church Street corridor is important to the business community, the residents and recreation. So I support these easements.”

Agreeing, Springsteen said, “I believe it’s the best thing for the Town.” Vice-Mayor Carey Sienicki said it “makes sense” for Vienna, and she also thanked the Park Authority for its cooperation.” The Town Council then approved both easements unanimously.

EXPANDING THE TRAIN-STATION PARKING LOT will also cause the children’s Discovery Garden – which has been there for 10 years – to be moved. However, Parks and Recreation Director Cathy Salgado has assured both the Council and the members of the Ayr Hill Garden Club, who maintain the garden, that it can be shifted to the caboose site in the nearby Centennial Park area.

She said the Town would partner with the garden club to construct a raised bed there and install a walkway around its perimeter. The Town will provide the materials for the raised bed and will work with the club to help with the move.