With new branches in Centreville and Manassas, Commerce Bank is now proposing to build a 3,600-square-foot facility in Chantilly. It would be at Route 50 and Walney Road on the site of the existing Anita's restaurant.
Attorney Fred Taylor presented details Tuesday night to the West Fairfax County Citizens Association (WFCCA) Land-Use Committee because the bank needs a special-exception permit from the county for its drive-through window.
"WE'RE OPEN seven days a week," he said. "We have Saturday and Sunday hours and extended hours on other days." Taylor said the Chantilly branch would be landscaped "significantly above code" and would have a rose-brick exterior, plus "cast stone and glass, much like the Centreville bank."
Engineer Susan Wolford said customers would make a right in and right out from Walney road. And Commerce would provide a trail across its Route 50 frontage.
"Our application has been accepted by the county, and we expect to hear back [from staff] in a few days," said Taylor. He said Commerce representatives had already met with Supervisor Michael R. Frey (R-Sully) and Sully District Planning Commissioner Ron Koch.
Noting that traffic flow concerned him, WFCCA's Ted Troscianecki said, "This is a community-serving bank but, to me, this is a difficult site to access." But Wolford said the bank would erect on-site signage directing drivers how best to return to Route 50.
Troscianecki asked if there's any pedestrian access for people living south of the proposed bank, and Wolford told him there's an existing trail in that vicinity.
"I think it's a great location for a bank because it's at the intersection of two major roads," said WFCCA's Chris Terpak-Malm. "But I'm concerned about all the asphalt."
However, replied Wolford, "We're actually reducing the impervious area. We're proposing an underground vault to hold [storm-runoff] water."
WFCCA's Carol Hawn doubted that she could support this application "if it's not a consolidation including [the adjacent] Chantilly Cash & Carry [property]. But Taylor said Commerce had already tried to purchase the land, but the price was too steep.
Commerce Bank will return to the WFCCA with project updates at another time.