Supervisor Boddye Shapes The Glen’s Final Site With Walkability and Transit in Mind 

On May 12, 30 years after The Glen was first conceived, the Board of County Supervisors approved the final piece of this 120-acre planned community that combines residential, commercial, and civic uses at the intersection of Old Bridge Road and Prince William Parkway. The unanimous vote clears the way for a commercial development featuring modern architecture, walkability, and activated outdoor space at 3909 Old Bridge Road.

Occoquan Supervisor Kenny Boddye sympathized with residents who have grown attached to the wooded parcel over the years and understands why not everybody welcomes the change. He noted, however, that the question before the Board was never whether commercial development would occur, given the property’s longstanding B-1 zoning, but what kind of project would best serve the surrounding community.

“Not just any project would do,” said Boddye, who worked with the applicant for nearly three years to guide improvements to the proposal.

Boddye said the final piece of The Glen needed to add value to what already exists in the neighborhood. The site sits in an area that includes homes, a library, recreation center, sports fields, assisted living, and nearby businesses. It is also adjacent to major transportation improvements that will make the area easier and safer to navigate whether driving, walking, or biking.

The applicant originally proposed two drive-through restaurants and an office building. Boddye said that use was too intense and challenged the applicant to be more innovative.

The applicant returned with a reimagined project featuring a single drive-through nestled in a more welcoming, community-oriented space with outdoor seating, internal sidewalks, landscaped gathering areas, and a mix of uses intended to invite people in rather than simply move cars through. With Dunkin’ Donuts as a confirmed tenant, the development also includes plans for a sit-down restaurant, retail, office, and service-oriented commercial spaces designed to complement the surrounding community.

One of the most significant improvements came through discussions around pedestrian access. The developer did not believe a rear pedestrian connection was feasible because of the site’s topography, or necessary, due to the lack of sidewalk on Old Bridge Lane. But Boddye and transportation officials emphasized that residents pointed to an informal “goat path” to emphasize that nearby neighbors are already walking through the area.

“In my household, nothing will get between my teens and a matcha latte. The applicant is creating a destination, and people will be walking here,” quipped Boddye. “We must legislate to reality, meeting people where they are.”

At the Supervisor’s urging, the developer incorporated an internal trail connection that allows pedestrians to enter without crossing through travel lanes and dedicated right-of-way to the County for a future sidewalk. Additionally, when it appearted that VDOT that would not support adding a traffic signal at the project site, Boddye worked with the applicant to secure a first-of-its-kind microtransit contribution to Omniride, advancing the Supervisor’s vision for more flexible neighborhood-scale transit options in Lake Ridge.

The improved plans for 3909 Old Bridge earned the support of the Lake Ridge Occoquan Coles Civic Association, which has helped to shape The Glen since the 1990s. “This is a great project,” said LOCCA member Clancy McQuigg, praising the applicant’s responsiveness to public feedback. McQuigg highlighted the walking trail as a particularly meaningful improvement and said he would welcome the developer back to the community for future projects.

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