Introduction and Background

In 2001, the Prince William Board of County Supervisors reviewed the 34-square mile corridor surrounding U.S. Route 1 and found that the area had multiple underutilized assets, and that there were unrealized opportunities for community benefits, leaving the corridor behind as development and redevelopment progressed elsewhere in the County. Regardless, the private market was beginning to recognize the potential of the area, evidenced by an increase in purchases of remaining vacant land up and down the corridor by private developers. At the same time, the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) was moving ahead with their proposal to widen U.S. Route 1 to improve traffic flow along the corridor, significantly impacting the existing development pattern.

In 2002, the Potomac Communities Revitalization Plan was conceived as an alliance of individuals, neighborhoods, businesses and community organizations, partnering with state and local government in order to leverage the many opportunities the region offered – rich historical ambiance, increasing diversity, a strong military presence, unparalleled waterfront and natural assets, excellent transportation access, and varied, numerous civic assets – so that the community could evolve into a premier destination for residents, businesses, and visitors. Several plans since, either related to the Potomac Communities or the Triangle area specifically, have identified Triangle as an “opportunity area” for increased density and more mixed-use development that activates the streetscape, increases identity/placemaking, and connects Triangle with surrounding communities. Triangle has also been identified as an ideal location for office development oriented around defense contractors, due to its proximity to Marine Corps Base Quantico.

As a part of the Potomac Communities, and as the southern gateway to Prince William County, the Triangle area is well-positioned for revitalization through new approaches to mixed use, particularly along Fuller Heights Road, and in pockets throughout the community, to support MCBQ contractor needs, to provide new residential housing types, and to foster stronger community connections. As part of the Potomac Communities and as the southern gateway to Prince William County, Triangle is already well-positioned for growth. To achieve these goals, however, existing community assets may need to be re-positioned as “destinations,” and should be readily identifiable and accessible, creating the sense that Triangle is a place where people want to live, work, and play, and not just a “pass through.”. The overarching intent of the Triangle Small Area Plan (the Plan) is to provide the framework for the entire community to work together to achieve the vision – a community of choice for residents, businesses, and visitors that serves as a welcoming entrance to Prince William County. 

An analysis of existing conditions highlights opportunities to grow. The plan also outlines potential challenges to growth, identifies potential roadblocks to implementation, and states the relationship of each section to the larger goal of the Small Area Plan. By aligning these sections, this plan will guide the County in building upon existing development while also creating new opportunities for both the area and the county overall. By understanding and reevaluating the existing conditions, the plan will assist the County in helping Triangle transition into a live/work/play mixed-use community. The Plan is designed to support and strengthen ongoing efforts to enhance the Triangle area’s desirability as an attractive place to live, as well as an ideal location for the development of new businesses that align with the needs for contractors of adjacent Marine Corps Base Quantico. The Triangle Small Area Plan recommends strategies to streamline the layers of the development process within the Triangle study area to facilitate development of a wider range of uses, incorporating retail, office, residential, entertainment, and other use types to create a cohesive sense of place.

The intent of this Triangle Small Area Plan (the Plan) is to serve as the basis for the long- term vision for future development of the Triangle planning area. The Plan will replace portions of other plans that include the Triangle area, such as the Prince William County Comprehensive Plan (2008) and incorporate portions of the Potomac Communities Plan Prince William County (2002), among others as set out in Section 1.3. This Plan builds on the relevant elements of those existing plans and seeks to update or refine the development proposals and guidelines therein, ideas, such as promoting defense-oriented office development and highlighting the path for Triangle to become a Community of Choice within the County with higher-density mixed-use development, public parks, public facilities, high-quality public realm and streetscape, and strong connections with adjacent communities. 

The purpose of this Plan is to create a cohesive guide for Triangle that drives the creation of a community with a clear sense of place, that is economically viable, and that is sustainable for current and future generations. The vision and goals of the Plan will be realized through the implementation of the action items established herein. The preparation of the Small Area Plan has involved research, stakeholder and public engagement, visioning, and formulation and refinement of development proposals and guidelines. 

The Plan serves as an extension of the Comprehensive Plan and defines a vision for future development within the Triangle planning area. While the Plan does not grant or ensure subsequent rezonings, special use permits, or other development applications, it serves as the basis for determining the consistency of future rezoning or special use permit requests for the properties which are located within the plan area. The vision and goals of this Plan are realized through the completion of the action items which are established in the implementation section of this document. The Triangle Small Area Plan will provide a guide to developing a mixed-use environment supplemented by a multimodal system with transit that creates a place in which people will live, learn, work and play.

This Small Area Plan calls for progressive transformation over time of selected areas of Triangle from auto-dominated, single-use development to pedestrian-friendly, mixed- use development. There are three new mixed-use activity centers located near the intersection of Route 1 and Quantico Gateway Drive, along the northwest of Joplin Road between Route 1 and I-95, and along Fuller Heights Road between Route 1 and the entrance to Fuller Heights Park. Fuller Heights Rd is imagined to be a horizontal mixed-use destination that creates a focal point for the community to attract visitors. New mixed-use areas along Quantico Gateway Drive and north of Joplin Road are envisioned to cater to contractor uses as related to Marine Corps Base Quantico through the provision of offices, higher density residential typologies, and supporting commercial services and amenities. The planning of these areas will be coordinated with the Town of Dumfries with respect to their Main Street plans as well as the economic opportunities and security needs of the Marine Corps Base Quantico.

The Plan consists of eight major components (see below). The analysis of existing conditions, organized according to the same eight themes, precedes the presentation of the policies and guidelines.

1. Vision and Thematic Principles - Establishes the long-term vision and supporting goals for the creation and guidance of the Triangle Small Area Plan.
2. Placetypes - Consists of a land use plan with development standards including density, form, and layout. The transect identifies the relationship between density and mobility. An illustrative plan shows what the full build out of the plan could look like.
3. Design Guidelines - Outlines design standards for pedestrian-scaled private and public development with graphic precedents to ensure high-quality design within the Small Area Plan.
4. Mobility Plan - Mobility has a close relationship with land use; this plan calls for multimodal mobility to include roads, transit, bicycle and pedestrian facilities.
5. Green Infrastructure Plan - Ensures that open space, active recreation, and passive recreation is supported in the Plan. With additional density of people living, working, and playing in Triangle, there will be a demand for outdoor spaces and a requirement for environmental protection.
6. Cultural Resources Plan - Plans for the identification and preservation of architectural and archaeological sites, historic districts, cemeteries, battlefields, cultural landscapes, museum objects, and archival materials in the study area.
7. Economic Development Plan – Encourages the attraction and retention of diverse high-quality businesses and services that strengthen the economic vitality of this area.
8. Level of Service Plan - As Triangle changes and grows over the next 20 years, it is necessary to ensure that level-of-service infrastructure improvements are programmed into the Plan. 

The action strategies and infrastructure projects recommended by the Plan are summarized in the Implementation Plan. This plan is a matrix that identifies the action strategies and establishes how and when they will be implemented in the short, mid, long term, and ongoing time frames to ensure the plan is actualized by 2040. Additionally, a summary of the proposed infrastructure and facilities are outlined at the end of the plan.

Triangle today is a small, mostly residential community of approximately 1,400 people, located in the southeastern corner of Prince William County consisting of 376 acres. It is the southern gateway to the County. Triangle’s southern boundary, Fuller Road, separates Triangle from  Marine Corps Base (MCB) Quantico , a 55-acre military installation with more than 28,000 military, civilian, and contractor personnel that supports thirty-plus federal agencies. The area is well-positioned to benefit from and contribute to the development associated with the proposed “defense corridor,” which will stretch along Route 1. The entrance to  Prince William Forest Park , a 15,000-acre park with over 37 miles of trails, is also less than a mile from Triangle.   Despite its prominent location, stakeholders noted that Triangle has struggled to brand itself as a destination.

While being one of the most affordable communities in Prince William County, some stakeholders noted that it lacks a “sense of place” ³  and distinct identity. MWCOG Transportation Analysis Zone (TAZ) data projects that Triangle’s population will grow at a low rate of nearly three percent annually over the next twenty years, setting the baseline for this plan to build on.

 ³   _{Sense of place is often defined as a characteristic, or set of characteristics, that make a place special or unique, as well as to those that foster a sense of authentic human attachment and belonging.} 

As previously noted, the Triangle planning area has been included in several background studies and County plans. Relevant findings from these studies and plans are summarized below.

• In January 2021, the Dumfries Town Council passed an amendment to its Comprehensive Plan to include a new Small Area Plan (SAP) to guide the redevelopment of Main Street.
• The Council also approved two new zoning districts to support and regulate development within the SAP boundary. The Planned Main Street District (PMSD) regulates development along Main Street, from Fraley Boulevard south to Quantico Creek. The Residential, Off Main Street (R-OMS) district regulates development of the residential neighborhood north of Main Street and is intended to introduce new forms of housing as a complement to Main Street.
• The Main Street plan puts into place the elements necessary to transform the area into a vibrant, walkable district. Dumfries Main Street will welcome new businesses, a new mix of land uses, and new forms of multi-family housing.

• The study seeks to ensure future land development adjacent MCB Quantico is compatible with the mission of the base.
• Located within the MCB Quantico Special Planning Area, the study identified key issues for the planning area, including traffic congestion; growth and land use development on and off base; air and range operations affecting citizens; shared infrastructure services; protection of environmental resources; and coordinated contracting opportunities.
• The study recommends maintaining the rural character of natural areas immediately surrounding Triangle.
• The study recommends coordinating with Triangle and Prince William County on transportation and infrastructure issues of mutual concern.

• The study identifies eight priorities for MCB Quantico and the surrounding jurisdictions with the goal of alleviating incompatibilities between entities as MCB Quantico grows.
• The study’s recommendations include increasing coordination and collaboration on transportation, stormwater management, and new development.

• Identifies Triangle as an “opportunity area” for increased density and more mixed-use development that activates the streetscape, increases identity/placemaking, and connects Triangle with surrounding communities.
• Provides design guidelines for future development.

• The Long Range Land Use Plan, included as part of the overall Comprehensive Plan identified the part of Triangle immediately south of Dumfries, and the western part of the study area south of Anderson Road, as potential locations for defense-oriented office development.
• The Long Range Land Use Plan also identified multiple areas within Triangle for additional residential density.
• The Community Design Plan recommended incorporating the Iwo Jima Memorial into Triangle’s gateway element.
• The Transportation Plan recommended improving connections within Triangle along key corridors, such as Fuller Road and Old Triangle Road.

• The plan promotes strategies for infill, redevelopment, and revitalization within the study area.
• The land use plan calls for more regional commercial and office space.
• Action strategies important for Triangle include:
  • Exploring more opportunities for Public Private Partnerships (PPPs)
  • Finalizing a coordinated streetscape design that ties the community together
  • Add more wayfinding signage directing residents and visitors to Fuller Heights Park and the Marine Corps Heritage Museum
  • Explore opportunities to leverage proximity to the Potomac Heritage National Scenic Trail
  • Explore opportunities for innovative stormwater management

• This plan promotes the idea that Triangle and Dumfries are ideal locations for federal office development and should serve as principal gateway to Prince William County from the south and from MCB Quantico.
• Much of the focus of the recommendations relevant to Triangle is on integrating MCB Quantico and Triangle as a denser, mixed-use area, particularly along Route 1.

• Several small area plans are evaluated for their ability to host targeted industry clusters, and were categorized as “Good Location,” “Needs Work,” or “Poor Location.” Triangle was categorized as a “Needs Work” for clustering:
  • Advanced Manufacturing: infrastructure and transportation access, but a lack of industrial zoning and small parcels.
  • Federal Government Contracting: proximity to military and industrial infrastructure, but lack of class A office space.
  • Information Communications Technology: good location except for the lack of education and entrepreneurship assets.

• Although this plan does not make any specific recommendations for Triangle, it recommends a number of strategies for Prince William County to become a “Community of Choice,” with a stronger, diversified economy, a streamlined development process, multiple mobility options, safety/security for all residents, and workforce development opportunities for residents who need them.

• The 2015 Route 1 Multi-Modal Study provided guidance for the improved performance for transit, bicycle and pedestrian, and vehicular conditions and facilities along the U.S. Route 1 corridor to support long-term growth and economic development.
• The 2019 Route 1 Widening Project is the Virginia Department of Transportation’s project to widen U.S. Route 1 from four to six lanes between Mary’s Way and Annapolis Way.
• The 2020 Prince William County Safe Routes to School (SRTS) Gap Analysis and Priority Recommendations.

The Triangle Small Area Plan has benefitted from stakeholder and community participation, including the following activities:

• Internal County stakeholder workshop on March 2, 2020. This workshop first asked participants to help identify existing and ongoing projects that may affect the project area or immediate surroundings, and to brainstorm opportunities and challenges by each of the planning elements.
• 12 virtual stakeholder interviews with Prince William County agencies, elected officials, property developers, and significant property developers held between April and May 2020. Key topics discussed with stakeholders centered around existing conditions, both within the project boundary and as part of the broader
• U.S. Route 1 context; key relationships to build on; and development potential and limitations.
• A virtual two-day community planning charrette on September 30 and October 1, 2020. After reviewing key findings of existing conditions, breakout sessions first focused on collectively developing a vision for Triangle and identifying opportunities and challenges. The focus of the second day was to review and refine the draft vision and develop potential land use scenarios.
• Planning Commission Small Area Plan work session and open house on May 5, 2021.
• VDOT review submitted on May 5, 2021, as part of review of the draft plan.

During the stakeholder and community workshops and interviews, growth and development challenges and opportunities for Triangle were discussed. Summarized below, these challenges and opportunities helped create the framework for next steps and plan implementation.

• The Triangle study area sits within a region that has experienced rapid growth over the last several decades. As previously mentioned, changes along the Route 1 corridor, and the emerging Potomac Defense Corridor, provide multiple opportunities for Triangle.
• Triangle’s proximity to MCB Quantico, which employs approximately 8,000 civilian contractors every year, provides multiple opportunities for synergies with the base. MCB Quantico stakeholders have expressed support for a mix of hotel, convention center, and office facilities. They have expressed an acute need for off-site meeting facilities in particular.
• Triangle is located in a region that has a significantly high concentration of high-tech industries. Building on the opportunity to provide facilities to MCB Quantico contractors, Triangle could also specifically market office/flex space to high-tech sectors.
• Over 4,000 personnel and their families live on-base at MCB Quantico; however, on- base amenities are limited, giving Triangle and opportunity to provide more amenities in close proximity to the installation. MCB Quantico staff have indicated that they would like to see more family-oriented services and amenities along Fuller Heights Road, including new cafes/restaurants, open space, bike trails, and increased programming at Fuller Heights Park.
• Demand for more affordable housing at a broader range of price points in Prince William County and the greater region is sky-high; as an area with an already quiet, residential character, Triangle has the opportunity to attract a significant number of households looking for a greater variety including more affordable housing and a high quality of life.
• There is demand for small-scale neighborhood-serving facilities, such as parks and public gathering spaces, as well as retail and dining facilities, that would complement new and existing residential development in Triangle and help enhance Triangle’s sense of community.
• There are multiple opportunities to retrofit the existing low-density residential development in Triangle into a higher density mixed-use development, however both horizontal and vertical mixed-use options should be explored.

• Although there are opportunities to partner with MCB Quantico on providing more off-base amenities and office/conferencing spaces, there are some challenges associated with partnering with the base, including factoring in fluctuations in contractor demand, and the types of spaces needed.
• As previously noted, stakeholders are concerned that Triangle has become an area that people drive through, versus a destination, and that this may be difficult to change in the short term.
• Building higher-density, vertical mixed-use development in Triangle may be a cost- prohibitive for developers.
• Existing office development in Triangle has struggled; vacancy rates have been relatively high, and rents have not increased significantly over the last decade.
• The coronavirus pandemic may impact current and future demand for commercial space, at least in the short-to-mid-term.
• There are some challenges associated with the remaining developable land in Triangle, including parcel size, soil quality, uneven topography, and proffers connected to rezonings that restrict development.
• Safe crossings for pedestrians and bicyclists across Route 1 are a challenge, but necessary to create strong connections between the west and east neighborhoods of the Triangle area.
• The Quantico Corporate Center in Stafford, and other existing similar developments in the region, are strong competitors for contractor office space in Triangle.

Despite some of Triangle’s current challenges, there are many more opportunities for growth, new development, and placemaking in the study area. With strategy, focus, cooperation, and collaboration, Prince William County is more than equipped to overcome the challenges stated above. The County will continue to coordinate with its partners at OmniRide and VRE to look at transit opportunities.

Comprehensive planning efforts going forward will focus on leveraging Triangle’s many strengths and assets to provide a springboard for development and redevelopment and create a stronger identity and sense of place. The map series found under the existing conditions sections illustrate the current situation of land use with the study area as of February 2020.