Annual Homelessness Count Starts Tonight — “Fairfax County, along with the greater Washington D.C., Maryland, and Northern Virgina region, will conduct a ‘Point-In-Time’ count of individuals and families experiencing homelessness, beginning in the evening on January 24, 2024, and continuing through the morning of January 25.” [Housing and Community Development]
Region’s Economy Lagging, Forum Speaker Says — “The Vienna Department of Economic Development’s first-ever ‘State of the Economy’ event provided information, spectacle, tasty food and town-promoting swag to about 70 people who filled the Vienna Community Center’s auditorium Jan. 18.” Keynote speaker Keith Waters said the D.C. region’s “economic output has been lagging the nation’s for about 13 years.” [Gazette Leader]
New Fairfax City Music Venue Has Opened — ” Earp’s Ordinary moved into a 10,000-square-foot space at the end of 2023 with room for 290 patrons on Main Street in the City of Fairfax. The stage is much bigger than the one in Earp’s old space, and there’s a better sound system, says owner Michael DeMarco.” [Annandale Today]
Artists Wanted for Mural Projects — “The Fairfax County Community Revitalization Section invites artists to apply for a new murals program. ‘Paint It, Fairfax!’ is aimed at building a database of talented artists interested in creating community-focused public art in the county’s eight commercial revitalization areas.” [Annandale Today]
Bill on Retail Theft Punishment Dies — “A move to repeal a new Virginia law that makes organized retail theft a felony punishable by up to 20 years in prison was defeated for this year after members of a House subcommittee voted Monday to send the bill to the Virginia State Crime Commission for further study. The new law, which went into effect in July, was passed by the state legislature last year with bipartisan support.” [Associated Press/WTOP]
Annandale Man Charged With Assault — City of Fairfax Police have charged a 34-year-old man from Annandale with assault, petit larceny, and disorderly conduct charges stemming from a recent incident at Giant Food. Officers were called around 4:19 p.m. last Thursday (Jan. 18) after a man reportedly began acting disorderly, pushing an employee and taking food without paying for it. [Patch]
County Creates Veterans and Military Families Commission — “Supervisor James Walkinshaw, who represents the Braddock District, which is home to several Purple Star Schools, introduced the proposal to create the commission as part of his board matters Tuesday morning.” The commission proposal comes after the county added a veterans coordinator position “to connect veterans, active-duty members, retirees, and military families with resources.” [Patch]
Reston Office Owner Defaults on Loan — “Reston Eastpointe at 11091 Sunset Hills Road is owned by a joint venture of Lincoln Property Co., Ritz Banc Group and Masic, which acquired the property in 2016. The venture’s $38M CMBS loan has gone into special servicing, and the lender has sent a notice of default…after the owners failed to pay off the debt ahead of a Dec. 1 maturity, the servicer, LNR Partners, wrote.” [Bisnow]
It’s Wednesday — Expect cloudy conditions with a high near 46 and a 40% chance of rain, as calm winds become southerly at 6 mph in the afternoon. There’s a 70% chance of rain Wednesday night, mainly after 1am, as temperatures rise to around 52 by 4am. [Weather.gov]
Fairfax County Public Schools (file photo)
The upcoming capital projects plan for Fairfax County Public Schools comes with questions and uncertainties about future planning to address overcrowding and school capacity issues throughout the school system earlier this month.
Unveiled earlier this month, the new Capital Improvements Program (CIP) covers fiscal years 2025 through 2029. It sets the location, timing and funding of new schools, renovations and other capital projects over a five-year period.
At a Fairfax County School Board work session on Jan. 9, staff shared that the CIP accounts for cost increasesassociated with inflation, labor and materials increases, and prevailing wage.
Mason District Representative Ricardy Anderson pressed staff for answers how when schools in her district — namely Weyanoke Elementary School, Belvedere Elementary School and Luther Jackson Middle School — will be slated for renovation.
“Their buildings are highly problematic,” Anderson said.
Janice Szymanski, the school system’s chief of facility services and capital programs, a newly created position, said staff are working on building consensus on the renovation queue, which was last updated in 2009. The new line-up that’s currently under development isn’t reflected in the CIP at the moment.
FCPS Superintendent Michelle Reid also acknowledged that the renovation process has become “a bit muddled over time,” raising the need for the new queue.
“We don’t intend to be weasely as staff, but I do think we’re building the process while we take the input, so I want to manage expectations,” Reid said.
Major projects within the next five years include construction of Dunn Loring Elementary School, capacity improvements at Justice High School and the renovation of 22 schools.
The 10-year plan projects new construction of a Silver Line elementary school and a western high school, Pinewood Lakes Early Childhood Center, Tysons Elementary School, Pimmit Hills, and Virginia Hills.
Seema Dixit, the board’s new Sully District member, said she was especially concerned about overcrowding issues on the western side of the county.
“That’s where we have to put our brains together and find some creative ways,” Dixit said, noting that land acquisition for some schools is coming far too late.
Staff hope to lay out a new renovation queue that will establish how renovations — major and minor — are planned. The current renovation line-up has funding for planning, design or construction projects through 2031.
So far, a consultant worked with stakeholders in early 2023 to create possible criteria for new facilities. Phase two of the update includes compiling data and reviewing a new queue. The final phase of the project would incorporate the new system into the annual CIP and future bond referenda.
School board members also lamented a lack of sufficient progress on pursuing net-zero energy goals. Solar power purchase agreements are in place for Annandale High School and Mason Crest Elementary School.
At-large board member Ryan McElveen said he was particularly dismayed about limited progress on ensuring schools are ready for solar power, adding that he and fellow returning at-large member Ilryong Moon developed a list of 90 schools that were on track for being solar ready when they left the board in 2019.
“That is a major blow. Obviously there are reasons for all of this and this is not just an FCPS problem. This is a county problem as well,” McElveen said, referencing the challenges that the county government has faced in implementing solar projects.
Overall, total student membership is expected to remain flat over the next five years. The county’s demographic report also projects a decline in the school-aged population through next year.
School board action on the budget is expected on Feb. 8, followed by official release of the final CIP in mid-February. A public hearing was held on Jan. 18.
A new Uyghur restaurant is bringing some new flavors to the Town of Herndon.
Bostan Uyghur Cuisine, which also has a location in Arlington, quietly opened its doors in November at 1141 Elden Street.
A representative for the business told FFXnow that the restaurant aims to bring a different taste to Herndon.
“There is not any Uyghur food [in] Herndon,” the business representative said.
Uyghurs are a majority-Muslim ethnic group native to Xinjiang, China, where they’ve been subject to persecution for years. A sizable Uyghur community congregated in the D.C. area over the years, leading to an emerging food scene that also includes Mim’s Food and Eerkin’s in Fairfax and Dolan Uyghur Restaurant in Chantilly.
Like at its Arlington location, Bostan in Herndon serves halal food. Items on the menu include a mix of Uyghur kabobs, noodles, laghman — a mix of pulled meat, noodles and vegetables — and dumplings.
The Herndon location is open from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Amid a docket of new policy proposals, a Virginia Senate panel heard a familiar one Monday when Sen. Jennifer Boysko again presented legislation to require employers to list a wage or salary range in all job postings and prohibit them from asking prospective employees for a salary history.
“This is the eighth time I have introduced this legislation,” Boysko told the Senate Commerce and Labor Committee before vowing to keep reintroducing the measure until it reaches the governor’s desk.
Boysko has pitched Senate Bill 370 as a way to help remedy gender pay gaps by deterring employers from relying on prior salaries to craft future compensation. The idea is that because women in Virginia as a group still make less than men, basing salary offers on past wages could perpetuate those disparities.
“Salary history is often a reflection of past discrimination,” Emily Yen, a lobbyist for the Virginia Education Association, told lawmakers.
Last April, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that in Virginia, the median usual weekly earnings of women who worked full-time were 80% of what their male counterparts received. Full-time workers were considered people who usually worked 35 or more hours per week at their sole or principal job.
Women’s labor advocates have also argued requiring employers to disclose wage or salary ranges provides needed transparency that can dampen inequalities by putting male and female applicants on more equal footing in compensation negotiations.
“When employers negotiate without giving salary range information to job applicants, applicants are more likely to rely on their past pay as a negotiation reference point, which perpetuates existing pay gaps,” wrote the National Women’s Law Center in a brief.
Boysko’s legislation would not prohibit prospective employees from “voluntarily disclosing wage or salary history, including for the purpose of negotiating wages or salary after an initial offer of employment.”
Employers who violated the new rules would be subject to civil penalties of between $1,000 and $4,000, depending on their history of violations, as well as potential damages.
The Senate committee passed Boysko’s legislation on a 9-6 party-line vote after concerns from Republicans about whether the bill offered employers a right to appeal any violation determinations by the state Commissioner of Labor and Industry.
“If you’re having a penalty, you should be able to appeal it to a court,” said Senate Minority Leader Ryan McDougle, R-Hanover.
The bill was amended in committee to outline an appeals process. It now heads to the Senate Finance and Appropriations Committee for review.
Photo via Tim Gouw on Unsplash. This article was reported and written by the Virginia Mercury, and has been reprinted under a Creative Commons license.
A Tysons-based organization is bringing a polar dip to Lake Anne Plaza in Reston.
The Kiwanis Club of Tysons plans to host the event on Feb. 10 at Lake Anne Village Plaza (1609 Washington Plaza North) to raise funds for Reston-area organizations. The event is organized in partnership with the Lake Anne Washington Plaza Merchants Association.
Check-in opens at 12:30 p.m., and jumping begins at 2 p.m. The club hopes to raise $25,000 for Food for Neighbors, Friends of Reston and Kiwanis youth programs in the area. A portion will also go towards Camp Sunshine, which provides a retreat for children with life-threatening illnesses.
To supplement the event, the merchants association will host a winter market with opportunities to shop and take part in children’s crafts and other activities. Registration is open online.
Sponsors of the event include Reston Association, Reston Community Center, Fairfax County Cold Water Dive Team, Kalypso’s Sports Tavern, Quickspin Quick Planning and photographer by Scott Ripley.
The Kiwanis Club of Tysons was founded in 1998 and is part of Kiwanis International, a worldwide community service organization that includes adult clubs and youth service clubs.
Camp Sunshine had previously organized a polar dip at Lake Anne Plaza, a run that ended last January. Known then as the Virginia Polar Dip, the event raised over $1 million over 18 years.
D.C. Area Restaurant Week Extended — “The Restaurant Association of Metropolitan Washington has decided to keep Winter Restaurant Week going from Jan. 22 to Jan. 28, doubling the amount of time visitors to participating D.C. restaurants can get multi-course meals at high-end restaurants for much cheaper prices. RAMW decided on the extension after this week’s snowstorms moved through the area.” [NBC4]
Fairfax Man Pleads Guilty to Having Machine Guns — “A 67-year-old Fairfax man pleaded guilty on Friday to one count of possessing an unlawful machine gun, according the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. [The man] admitted in court that he possessed four fully automatic machine guns” without “a valid Federal Firearms License or a Special Occupational Tax.” [Patch]
Taco Rock Ready for Lorton Opening — “Cordero Hospitality, a group of restaurant concepts run by chef and restaurateur Mike Cordero, plans to open its newest Taco Rock location Jan. 24 at Liberty Market in Lorton. The grand opening event starts at 11 a.m., and the first 50 guests will receive a free classic taco and a Taco Rock swag bag, according to a flyer from the store.” [On the MoVe]
New Police Conduct Standards Move Forward — “Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s office has advanced temporary regulations meant to hold law enforcement officers accountable that are slated to go into effect in March, more than two years after state law required them to be in place. The delay appeared to be at least partially related to the administration’s so-far unsuccessful effort to revise the standards behind closed doors.” [VPM News]
Local Civic Groups Set Priorities for 2024 — “Civic associations in Great Falls, McLean, Vienna, Oakton and Providence District are not letting up in their monitoring of local affairs, advocacy with government officials and provision of community events.” Concerns include the county’s anticipated budget shortfall, school capacity issues and the impact of development. [Gazette Leader]
Chantilly Rec Center Adds Drop-In Child Care — “Great News for Parents at Cub Run Rec Center! We are thrilled to announce the launch of our brand-new Drop-In Childcare service! Now, you can hit the gym, swim, or even take a fitness class knowing your infants and toddlers are in safe and caring hands. Visit the childcare room and meet with staff on Saturday, Jan. 27 to learn more!” [Fairfax County Park Authority/Facebook]
McLean-Based Mars Opens Chocolate Testing Facility — Last week, Mars Inc. “opened a $42 million research and development hub at its Goose Island campus in Chicago, where the headquarters of its snacking business is located. The 44,000-square-foot facility will allow the candymaker to create and refine new products, and is seen as a key component of its efforts to double the revenue of its snacking business — which includes famous brands like M&M’s and Snickers — to $36 billion in the next decade.” [Washington Business Journal]
Burke Teen Helps Launch Research Competition — “Emma Tukhi, a Robinson High School junior, is part of the first International Research Olympiad, created and run by student science researchers. In the past, Tukhi said, students grades 6-12 who were looking for research opportunities at local universities and summer programs lacked the research skills to make a practical contributions to such programs. The IRO competition is working to change that.” [WTOP]
It’s Tuesday — The weather will be mostly cloudy with a high temperature near 41 degrees and calm wind. Tuesday night, there’s a 30% chance of rain primarily after 1am, accompanied by mostly cloudy conditions and a low temperature around 34 degrees with a light east wind. [Weather.gov]
(Updated at 4:20 p.m.) A state-level push to ease restrictions on accessory residential units could put Fairfax County at odds with one of its own senators.
The proposed Senate Bill 304 from state Sen. Saddam Salim (D-37) would require localities to permit accessory dwelling units (ADUs) in residential districts and prohibit them from setting certain conditions, including the provision of dedicated parking for the unit.
Fresh off a primary upset of longtime senator Chap Petersen and a comfortable general election victory over Republican Ken Reid, Salim says he’s “proud” to sponsor the bill in his first term representing the 37th Senate District, which includes Tysons, Vienna, Merrifield, Oakton and the cities of Fairfax and Falls Church.
The legislation was crafted “to help Virginians with the skyrocketing cost of housing,” he told FFXnow in a statement. Filed on Jan. 9, the bill was referred to the Senate’s committee on local government, which met this morning (Monday) but didn’t list this on its docket.
“I have heard from so many Virginians who are being priced out of our communities due to a shortage of diverse and creative housing options,” Salim said. “This bill promotes housing affordability and addresses the growing housing crisis by taking action to increase our housing stock. ADUs provide additional living spaces, accommodating diverse housing needs without the need for extensive new construction.”
Defining an ADU as an independent, secondary unit on a single-family lot with its own living, bathroom and kitchen space, the bill would bar localities from requiring a special permit for the units, which must instead be permitted in residential districts as an accessory use. In Fairfax County, that means they would be generally permitted with only an administrative review.
Localities could impose a permit fee of up to $100 and require a one-ADU-per-lot limit, a rental period of at least 30 days, replacement of the main dwelling’s parking if it’s eliminated by the accessory unit, a maximum square footage of 75% of the main dwelling, and compliance with building codes, stormwater standards and other zoning rules.
However, localities wouldn’t be allowed to require dedicated parking for the ADU, lot sizes or setbacks that exceed the ones for the primary residence, a relationship or “affinity” between the primary and accessory dwelling occupants, owner occupancy of either unit, or “redundant water, sewer, or septic capacity for the ADU.”
The prohibitions on special permits and parking and ownership occupancy requirements clash with the regulations that Fairfax County adopted first in 2021 and, again, in May 2023 as part of its Zoning Ordinance Modernization Project, or zMOD.
With its first comprehensive zoning code update since 1978, the county allowed accessory living units (ALUs) — a renaming of ADUs to avoid confusion with affordable dwelling units — via administrative permit if they’re located in a basement or otherwise fully contained by the main dwelling without any exterior changes.
To be eligible for an administrative permit, rather than a special permit, which comes with its own standards, ALUs must meet size limits, have at most two occupants and two bedrooms, and have at least one parking space in addition to what’s required for the main residence. The county also requires that the property owner live in the primary or accessory dwelling.
Even with those restrictions, the addition of an administrative option expanded the viability of ALUs in the county, which previously limited them to residents 55 and older and people with disabilities. Fairfax County Board of Supervisors Jeff McKay has compared the changes to the end of single-family-only zoning in Arlington and Alexandria in their potential to address the region’s constrained housing supply. Read More
(Updated at 9 a.m. on 1/23/2024) Reston will be dropped from consideration for a future casino in state legislation filed last week by state Sen. Dave Marsden (D-35).
In a letter to members, Reston Association CEO Mac Cummins confirmed that Marsden agreed to exclude Reston as a possible location for a casino. Instead, Tysons — specifically an abandoned auto dealership — is the target of the controversial project.
“This is due significantly to the outreach from RA and its membership and we thank Senator Marsden for meeting with us, listening to the concerns of our community and taking action that addresses those concerns,” Cummins wrote in the statement.
Since news of the proposal surfaced late last year, community opposition has mounted against a future casino in Reston. Reston Patch reported in October that Reston Station developer Comstock had its eyes on a casino near the Wiehle-Reston Metro Station.
Reston Association’s board of directors issued a statement last fall opposing the potential casino, urging its members to advocate against Marsden’s impending bill before the General Assembly convened for its 2024 session on Jan. 10.
Hunter Mill District Supervisor Walter Alcorn has also expressed opposition to the possibility of a casino.
“I want to reiterate that I am against a casino in Hunter Mill District and will continue to work to defeat any legislation that could lead to what I consider a bad outcome for our community,” Alcorn wrote in a newsletter to constituents last week.
The proposal was assigned to a Senate subcommittee on gaming last week and appears on its docket for tomorrow (Tuesday).
Cummins described the news as a “positive turn and one that shows our legislators are indeed listening to the views of the community.” Reston Association says it will continue monitoring the bill as it moves through the legislature.
FFXnow previously reported that a former Aston Martin and Bentley dealership in Tysons is the likely location for the future casino.
If the bill passes, Fairfax County voters would still have to approve a referendum to allow a casino. Virginia currently has five localities eligible for a casino.
This story has been updated to better reflect the status of the casino bill, which hasn’t officially excluded Reston. However, state Sen. Dave Marsden has said he’ll introduce an amendment that will take Reston out of consideration.
The Town of Herndon is laying out a new plan for the final resting place of nearly 4 acres of Chestnut Grove Cemetery (831 Dranesville Road).
At a Herndon Town Council work session last Tuesday (Jan. 16), town staff laid out a new plan for the final set of undeveloped land on the property, which was transferred to the town as a gift in 1997.
The town intends to work with consulting firm The Tribute Companies on a revised master plan for the undeveloped northwest corner.
Randy Schell, chief program and project manager, said the new master plan is intended to bring the development up to new trends for burials and customs.
“The cemetery is running out of plots for burials, and burials customs have changed through the years,” Schell told the council at the meeting.
The plan will include an updated stormwater management facility, ground slopes and changes to the road infrastructure to address longstanding drainage issues on residential property west of the cemetery.
The master plan for the cemetery was created in 1999.
Construction on the project would begin in the fall, with completion anticipated sometime in the summer of 2025. Buffer landscaping would wrap up in the fall of that year.
The revised layout increases the number of columbarium spaces from 920 to 1,450 and reduces the number of cremation garden sites from 600 to 190. The number of mausoleum crypts is also significantly slashed from 940 to 352.
Image via Town of Herndon
Fairfax County’s only electric scooter provider will continue operating even after filing for bankruptcy last month.
The company, Bird, will also maintain its scooters in Fairfax City, where it’s one of two companies in a pilot program.
“We expect to continue operations in Fairfax and Fairfax County as normal and we look forward to working with the city and county administration as a partner into the future,” a Bird representative wrote in an email to FFXnow.
The county and city have both been told by the company that service will go on. Bird has permission to operate 300 devices in Fairfax County, while the City of Fairfax generally permits up to 250 devices per company.
Bird and Superpedestrian’s LINK got permission to bring their products to Fairfax County in July 2021 following a November 2019 county board ordinance regulated shared mobility devices. Superpedestrian recently stopped all U.S. operations, though it had already been dropped from the county’s operator list after failing to renew its permit in January 2022.
The county doesn’t appear to have any new partners in the offing at the moment.
“Anyone may submit a Shared Mobility Device Operator Permit Application for review,” wrote Rebecca Makely, director of the county’s department of cable and consumer services, in an email to FFXnow.
Bird’s shared mobility devices saw nearly 20,000 rides between July and December 2023, according to data provided by the county, with an average ride distance of just over a mile during that period.
FairfaxCity authorized a shared mobility pilot program of its own in May 2019, but has yet to establish a permanent program. Bird and San Francisco-based Lime are currently authorized under the pilot, which the city council unanimously voted to extend through June 30, 2024 at a Jan. 9 meeting.
City staff expects to develop a proposal for a more permanent program by the time this extension ends.
“There was a lot of bumpiness during Covid, but a lot of the operations and usage have stabilized, and we feel like we can now begin to transition to a more permanent, long-term program,” Chloe Ritter, the city’s multimodal transportation planner, said at the meeting.
While the city doesn’t expect Bird’s bankruptcy filing to have immediate effects, it could inform program planning.
“We can’t predict what’s going to happen in six months or two years, but I think it’s a good reminder for us to keep our program flexible to respond to those kinds of things,” Ritter said.
In neighboring Arlington County, scooter and e-bike provider Veo recently declined to renew its permit, citing market conditions. Superpedestrian is also exiting Arlington as it shutters its U.S. business.
Bird and Bird-owned Spin still operate in Arlington, as does Lime, which announced near the end of 2023 that it had logged 500 million total rides on its devices.
N. Va. Officials Push State to Pay More for Metro — “In Virginia (as usual), the funding picture is more complicated. The state pays a little less than half of the regular bill for Metro, with the six Northern Virginia jurisdictions served by Metro picking up the rest of the tab. Now, those jurisdictions say they’re counting on the state to also go halfsies on the stopgap funds.” [DCist]
Rules for Temporary Outdoor Dining Advance — “Proposed new outdoor-dining rules, modeled on ones implemented during the pandemic, on Jan. 10 earned the unanimous recommendation of the Fairfax County Planning Commission.” Hunter Mill District Commissioner John Carter got support for a motion to have no size limits on outdoor dining areas and an amendment to require the same operating hours as the restaurant. [Gazette Leader]
Housing Filling Up on Richmond Highway — “Between mid-July 2023 and early January 2024, the unit availability rate at two of the corridor’s newer higher-end properties, South Alex and The Belhaven, fell significantly, according to CoStar data…The increase in occupancy came despite the two properties’ average rent of over $2,300 per month, which is among the highest around the corridor.” [On the MoVe]
Chantilly Area an Outlier in Office Market — “Fourth-quarter reports from several major brokerage houses show a curious pattern: The office vacancy rate in Fairfax County’s Route 28 South submarket is relatively low. Cushman & Wakefield, for example, has vacancy in Route 28 South at 13.8%, well below…21.5% for Northern Virginia as a whole.” An “atypical confluence of government agencies and the contractors they attract” may explain the difference. [Washington Business Journal]
Youngkin Signs A.I. Directive — “As artificial intelligence becomes easier to access than ever before, Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin has signed an order that will implement guidelines in state schools and businesses…Youngkin said that $600,000 of the state’s ‘Unleashing Opportunity’ budget will be used to ‘launch pilots’ that evaluate the effectiveness of the new standards in the executive order.” [WTOP]
Legislators Urge Support for Nonprofit That Helped Afghan Refugees — “Northern Virginia Emergency Response System (NVERS), which coordinates the region’s services during mass-casualty events, stepped in with aid for thousands of Afghans during what was a lapse in federal support in the weeks after the Taliban took control of Kabul…After repeated attempts to recoup nearly $700,000 in costs incurred during that period, the State Department has still not paid the nonprofit, states the letter” from Virginia’s senators and Democratic representatives. [Washington Post]
Police Stop Erratic Driver in Vienna — “Fairfax County police on Jan. 12 at 3:47 p.m. issued a lookout for a man in a vehicle who was driving erratically and recklessly on Maple Avenue, at times driving onto the sidewalk, Vienna police said.” The man was ultimately apprehended after parking at the Emmanuel Lutheran Church and attempting to run away from pursuing officers. [Gazette Leader]
Dog Licenses Due at End of the Month — “Every dog four months or older must be licensed yearly with Fairfax County, and licenses are valid until Dec. 31 each year. Licenses cost $10 — except for service dogs which are given licenses for free. PetData charges a $2 service fee for credit or debit card payments.” [Fairfax County Government]
It’s Monday — Expect sunny skies and a high around 37 degrees as a calm wind shifts to the south at 5 to 8 mph during the morning. For Monday night, conditions become partly cloudy with a low of around 25 degrees and a southwest wind blowing at 3 to 6 mph. [Weather.gov]
As the Virginia General Assembly reaches its deadline for legislators to file bills for the 2024 session, Fairfax County’s representatives hope to pass bills on rent gouging, campaign finance reform and opioid prevention in schools.
The General Assembly convened in Richmond last Wednesday (Jan. 10) for a 60-day session ending March 9. With Democrats controlling the House of Delegates and the Senate, lawmakers could see at least some of their proposals become law. Here are some notable measures put forward:
Local anti-rent gouging authority: SB 366 would allow any locality to adopt provisions that prevent landlords from significantly raising rents and require them to notify tenants two months before an increase. The bill, sponsored by Sen. Jennifer Boysko (D-33), would require notice and a public hearing prior to adopting any legislation.
Transportation
- Expanding the use of speed cameras: The identical bills HB 20 and HB 905 would allow local governments to install speed cameras in “any location deemed necessary.” Introduced by Del. Mike Jones (D-77) and Irene Shin (D-8), the legislation would allow for penalties up to $100.
- Funding for electric vehicle charging stations: Introduced by Sen. David Marsden (D-37), SB 457 would create a Driving Decarbonization Program and Fund to help developers cover some costs associated with installing electric vehicle charging stations.
- Towing fee regulations: SB 450, also from Marsden, tells the State Corporation Commission to analyze current regulations of towing fees “and identify policy options for the commission to assume all or part of such regulation.” The proposal requires the SCC to report its findings to the General Assembly by Nov. 30, 2024.
Special grand juries: Sponsored by Del. Karen Keys-Gamarra (D-7), HB 167 requires a circuit court to impanel a special grand jury when a law enforcement or correctional officer kills an unarmed person. The bill also directs the court to appoint a special prosecutor who can be present during an investigation and interrogate witnesses if requested by the special grand jury. Last year, a special grand jury indicted the Fairfax County police officer who fatally shot Timothy Johnson in Tysons.
Prohibited personal use of campaign funds: HB 40 “prohibits any person from converting contributions to a candidate or his campaign committee to personal use.” The bill from Del. Marcus Simon (D-53) lets any individual subject to the ban request an advisory opinion from the State Board of Elections. It advanced out of a subcommittee on Wednesday (Jan. 17) with amendments.
Education
- Tax to support schools: Sponsored by Sen. Jeremy McPike (D-29), SB 14 would authorize all counties and cities to impose an additional local sales and use tax of no more than 1% to fund the construction and renovations of schools.
- Naloxone policies and requirements: SB 387, sponsored by Sen. Stella Pekarsky (D-36), requires each local school board to develop plans and policies for every public elementary and secondary school relating to opioid overdose prevention and reversal.
Invasive plants: HB 47 would require all retail sellers to provide signage identifying invasive plant species. The bill, sponsored by Del. Holly Seibold (D-35), would require the signs to say, “Plant with caution: invasive plant species. May cause environmental harm. Ask about alternatives.”
The deadline for state legislators to file bills with the clerk is 3 p.m. today (Friday).
Cinnamon lovers can soon rejoice as a cinnamon roll shop prepares to open in Herndon.
Cinnaholic is set for a grand opening at 2451 Centreville Road in Suite 20 on Feb. 9, according to Jessica Papa, a representative for the Herndon location.
“Customers can create their own rolls with over 20 frostings + toppings or order one of our classics. Our original founders opened the first Cinnaholic bakery in July 2010, which quickly became a local favorite — with lines out the door,” Papa wrote in a statement.
Launched in July 2010 with a bakery in Berkeley, California, Cinnaholic got a boost when it was featured on the reality show “Shark Tank” in 2014, leading it to start franchising. It now has nearly 100 bakeries across the U.S. and Canada, all of which are locally owned and operated.
However, the new, 600-square-foot location in the Village Centre at Dulles will be the company’s first in Virginia.
In addition to cinnamon rolls, which can be customized with over a dozen toppings and types of frosting, the menu includes cookie cakes and other treats that are dairy-free, egg-free and cholesterol free. Seasonal rolls include raspberry cheesecake swirl and maple mocha rolls.
Updated at 6 p.m. — The GW Parkway has reopened after closing for the snow, the National Park Service announced, though both north and southbound traffic is limited to a single lane in the construction area.
Earlier: Like the snow that triggered them, facility closures and service delays are piling up in Fairfax County.
After Fairfax County Public Schools determined last night that it will have a snow day today (Friday), the Fairfax County government announced shortly before 7 a.m. that it will instead close and grant employees administrative leave — a reversal of an earlier plan to operate as usual.
The closure includes the Fairfax County Government Center, which means that early voting for the 2024 presidential primaries won’t start today as scheduled. Instead, early voting will begin tomorrow (Saturday) from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Fairfax County, Mount Vernon and North County government centers.
The closure also applies to all Fairfax County Park Authority facilities and the county’s circuit, general district and juvenile and domestic relations courts. Neighborhood and Community Services has also preemptively postponed the “Stuff the Bus” food collection event that was scheduled for tomorrow (Saturday) outside the West Falls Church Giant (7235 Arlington Blvd).
Due to the snow, the start of #earlyvoting has been rescheduled to tomorrow, Saturday, Jan. 20.
Three locations will be open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.: https://t.co/ma58h6E061#VoteEarly #GoVote pic.twitter.com/LHHTXAI2yc
— Fairfax County Votes (@fairfaxvotes) January 19, 2024
Inclement Weather Update (Friday, January 19, 7 a.m.)
FCPA facilities are closed all day.
Please check the website for more info on closures before visiting: https://t.co/mv3MG2V0md pic.twitter.com/jOs3ypYZFf— Fairfax County Parks (@fairfaxparks) January 19, 2024
For the second time this week, the northern section of the George Washington Memorial Parkway from I-495 in McLean to Spout Run in Arlington has been temporarily closed to traffic due to the weather.
“This closure is necessary to ensure the proper treatment of the roadway and to restore the parkway to safe travel conditions,” the National Park Service said. “Crews will work diligently to treat the road for safe passage of drivers. Drivers should anticipate delays in reopening the northern section of the parkway as crews are required to use smaller equipment than usual to accommodate the lane widths and configurations.”
The NPS has said that it will shut down the roadway, which is under construction, if two or more inches of snow are forecast.
Other travel impacts include reduced Metrobus service, including some suspended routes and detours. Fairfax Connector is operating regular service, but some routes are making detours, particularly in the Herndon area.
A light snow is expected to continue falling into this afternoon, potentially adding another one to two inches, according to the Capital Weather Gang, which reported that more than three inches had already been recorded at Dulles International Airport before 9 a.m.
That snowfall comes on top of the two to five inches that fell on Monday and Tuesday, most of which hadn’t yet melted. That storm was the first time that the D.C. area had gotten over an inch of snow since 2022.
The National Weather Service, which has a Winter Weather Advisory in effect for the D.C. area through 7 p.m., warns that visibility will stay reduced along the I-66 and Route 50 corridors.
Light to moderate snow and reduced visibilities continue along and north of I-66/US-50 through this afternoon. Slick travel concerns will continue with a refreeze tonight as low temperatures fall into the teens. #MDwx #VAwx #WVwx #DCwx pic.twitter.com/p8klfUSsqV
— NWS Baltimore-Washington (@NWS_BaltWash) January 19, 2024
8:47 am: Light snow falling now seems likely to persist into afternoon. Some bands moderate/briefly heavy. 1-2″ can fall before it winds down: https://t.co/fqTPCFWPIS
So far..
2.3 inches at National (6.4 this week)
3.1 inches at Dulles (7.5 this week) pic.twitter.com/ZGjmA15RKh— Capital Weather Gang (@capitalweather) January 19, 2024
Audit Identifies Metro Safety Issues — “Metro workers responsible for maintaining key safety systems that help prevent collisions are not following internal procedures, and the engineers who are supposed to oversee them sometimes don’t notice because they aren’t looking at the data, according to an audit by the transit agency’s independent regulator.” [Washington Post]
Bomb Threat Reported at Lake Braddock School — Security at Lake Braddock Secondary School was stepped up yesterday (Thursday) after an anonymous student made a threat to bomb the school on TikTok. Activities continued “as regularly scheduled after the building was cleared” ahead of students arriving at 7:30 a.m. [WUSA9]
Investigation of Annandale Shooting Continues — Fairfax County police detectives are looking for a male suspect and two “associates” in connection to Tuesday’s shooting at the Fairmont Gardens apartments. The victim, an adult woman, was driven by a friend to a hospital, where she was treated for non-life-threatening injuries. [FCPD]
Fairfax City Pauses Yard Waste Collections — “Curbside collection of brush and debris will be suspended for the rest of the week (through Jan. 19) due to winter weather conditions. Please leave items at the curb until they are collected. Refuse and recycling collection will continue without interruption.” [City of Fairfax]
Missing Man Found Dead in Herndon — “Fairfax County Police Department officers were called to the 2400 block of Masons Ferry Drive for a death investigation around just before 5 p.m. on Tuesday. Someone had found a body behind an apartment building in the area.” Police identified the body as a man who went missing on Jan. 11, stating that “no foul play is suspected.” [WUSA9]
Meals Tax Revenue Dips in Vienna — “The Vienna town government is on solid financial ground midway through fiscal year 2024, although its meals-tax revenues have taken a minor hit and housing costs continue to escalate. ‘We are in good financial shape,’ town finance director Marion Serfass told the Vienna Town Council when presenting the town’s mid-year financial report Jan. 8.” [Gazette Leader]
Fire Department Adds Medical Specialists — “This week #FCFRD launched 3 EMS Specialist postions to support our EMS providers. 3 Lieutenant/Paramedics will provide support during emergency incidents allowing for a greater skillset & more advanced interventions available. They will also provide EMS training throughout FCFRD.” [FCFRD/Twitter]
Advocates Urge Virginia to Let Localities Ban Leaf Blowers — Members of Quiet, Clean NOVA let loose on four gas-powered leaf blowers outside the Virginia State Capitol in Richmond on Jan. 11 “to raise awareness” of the noise and air pollution they generate. Bills introduced by Del. Rip Sullivan (D-Great Falls) and Sen. Saddam Salim (D-Fairfax) would give cities and counties the authority to prohibit the tools. [Patch]
It’s Friday — Snow is expected mainly before 1pm, with a high near 34 and a 90% chance of precipitation. New snow accumulation will be less than an inch. Friday night, there is a slight chance of snow showers before 1am, with partly cloudy conditions and a low around 19. The chance of precipitation drops to 20%. [Weather.gov]
