It’s another stifling day in Fairfax County with no immediate relief in sight.
As of 11 a.m., temperatures at Fort Belvoir had reached 90 degrees, but thanks to 65% humidity, it likely feels closer to 103 degrees outside, according to the National Weather Service.
An Excessive Heat Warning will remain in place until 8 p.m. today — only for another alert to take effect from noon to 8 p.m. tomorrow (Saturday). The NWS warns that “dangerously hot conditions” can be expected on both days, with the heat index potentially climbing up to 111 degrees.
To help community members, particularly those who are unhoused, Fairfax County has activated its Heat Plan for both today and tomorrow, establishing public facilities like libraries and recreation and community centers as designated cooling centers.
“When Fairfax County’s heat plan is activated, cooling centers around the county will be available during normal operating hours for individuals needing relief from the heat,” the county said. “These cooling centers will also have supplies available including bottled water, sunscreen, insect repellant, and body wipes.”
.@NWS_BaltWash has issued an Excessive Heat Warning for today, July 28, from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. You can expect dangerously hot conditions with heat index values around 110 degrees.
In response, we've activated our heat plan, which includes cooling centers and supplies. pic.twitter.com/BtVB7qOC7i
— Fairfax County Government
(@fairfaxcounty) July 28, 2023
The county is also distributing supplies through partners who work with unsheltered residents and at homeless shelters, drop-in centers and meal distribution sites.
In addition, overflow capacity is being allowed at the county’s three emergency shelters for adults: the Katherine Hanley Family Shelter in Fairfax (12970 Katherine Hanley Court), the Embry Rucker Community Shelter in Reston (11975 Bowman Towne Drive) and the Patrick Henry Family Shelter in Seven Corners (3080 Patrick Henry Drive).
Here’s more from the county on how to handle the high temperatures that have lingered since Thursday:
Extreme heat and humidity will significantly increase the potential for heat related illnesses, particularly for those working or participating in outdoor activities.
Drink plenty of fluids, stay in an air-conditioned room, stay out of the sun, and check up on relatives and neighbors. Young children and pets should never be left unattended in vehicles under any circumstances.
- Take extra precautions if you work or spend time outside.
- When possible reschedule strenuous activities to early morning or evening.
- Know the signs and symptoms of heat exhaustion and heat stroke.
- Wear lightweight and loose fitting clothing when possible.
- To reduce risk during outdoor work, schedule frequent rest breaks in shaded or air-conditioned environments.
Anyone overcome by heat should be moved to a cool and shaded location. Heat stroke is an emergency! Call 9- 1 -1.
If the air temperature hits 100 degrees, it would be the first time that the D.C. area has seen that level of heat since 2016, according to the Capital Weather Gang. Temperatures appeared to be slightly below the pace needed to hit that mark.
The combination of heat and humidity could lead to some storms later today and tomorrow night, the NWS forecast says. Fortunately, an approaching cold front could finally break the heat wave on Sunday (July 30).
Extreme #heat is forecast once again today. It's already 91 degrees at 11am! Be sure to:
Drink plenty of fluids
Take frequent breaks
Find shade, use sunscreen#LookBeforeYouLockKnow the signs of heat exhaustion and heat stroke: https://t.co/J0cPVdWlch pic.twitter.com/r4guyfWGD3
— VDOT Northern VA (@VaDOTNOVA) July 28, 2023
88 at 10a in DC. Feels like 98 (heat index). https://t.co/VTD1kqxxiy
— Capital Weather Gang (@capitalweather) July 28, 2023
(Updated at 4:30 p.m.) Local police have made an arrest in connection with the robbery of a 66-year-old woman in the vicinity of the North Shore pool.
Police arrested and charged the 38-year-old Reston resident with robbery on Wednesday (July 26).
The incident happened at 8:20 p.m. on Monday (July 24) near a Metro bus in the 11000 block of North Shore Drive.
“The victim was on a Metro bus near the Hunter Woods shopping center,” police said.
The victim reportedly left the bus, where she was conversing with the female suspect, and sat down on a bench.
Police believe the suspect sat down next to her and took her wallet.
“A physical struggle occurred between the victim and a suspect, at which time the suspect ran from the scene and was not located,” the Fairfax County Police Department said.
No injuries were reported.
The suspect is being held on no bond.
Correction: This story previously said the robbery occurred near the Hunters Woods Village Center. The police news release suggests that the victim was riding the bus near that shopping center, but the actual incident took place roughly three miles away on North Shore Drive.
Excessive Heat Warning Issued for Today — The alert will take effect in the D.C. area, including Fairfax County, from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. With “dangerously hot conditions with heat index values around 110 expected,” the “potential for heat related illnesses” is increased, especially “for those working or participating in outdoor activities.” [NWS]
Proposed Apartments Could Displace Annandale Retailers — “The Eastgate mixed-use development proposed for John Marr Drive in Annandale will have 280 apartments, ground-floor retail, and an above-ground garage…The six-story apartment building will displace The Block, the Pelicana chicken restaurant, Kimen Ramen & Izakaya, and B-Thrifty,” though the food hall could move to the new building’s ground floor. [Annandale Today]
No Changes for Trans Student Athletes Planned — “Virginia High School League’s executive director, John ‘Billy’ Haun, told school leaders Monday he recommended the league’s existing policies, which allow transgender athletes to participate on teams that match their gender identity under certain conditions, not be changed,” despite the state’s new “model” policies. [Associated Press/WTOP]
Metro to Add Fare Boxes at Rear Bus Doors — “Metro this fall will begin to allow passengers to enter from both doors to speed up the boarding process and decrease wait times and delays, transit officials said Thursday, a major milestone in the agency’s years-long plan to transform bus operations.” [The Washington Post]
Applications Open for Historic Mount Gilead Curator — “The Fairfax County Park Authority is pleased to announce that it is now accepting applications from resident curators for the rehabilitation and long-term maintenance of the historic Mount Gilead house at 5634 Mount Gilead Road in Centreville. All applications must be submitted by 5 p.m. on Monday, Sept. 25, to be considered.” [FCPA]
County Promotes Resources to Address Drug Abuse — “In 2022, more than 90% of fatal overdoses in the Fairfax County Health District involved fentanyl. ‘It’s something that’s really a community-wide problem,’ said Ellen Volo, the Opioid and Substance Abuse Task Force Coordinator…This is why Fairfax County is counting on everyone to help prevent it.” [ABC7]
Safeway May Sell Closed Hybla Valley Store — “The Fresh World international market chain hopes to replace Safeway at a Fairfax County retail center, though its ability to do so hinges on Safeway’s willingness to relinquish its space there.” Despite closing its store in 2017, Safeway has the Mount Vernon Square space leased through April 30, 2026 and is looking at “several potential new tenants” for a sale or sublease. [Washington Business Journal]
Fairfax Station Community Center Nears 50 Years — “Community members are invited to join Braddock District Supervisor James Walkinshaw and staff of the David R. Pinn Community Center for a celebration and cake marking the center’s 50th anniversary on Saturday, Aug. 5, 2023, at 10:30 a.m.” The site’s legacy goes back to its origins in the early 1900s as a church with classes for Black children and community events. [Neighborhood and Community Services]
It’s Friday — There is a 40% chance of afternoon showers and thunderstorms with mostly sunny and hot conditions, reaching a high of 98°F and a heat index of 109. At night, there’s a 30% chance of showers and thunderstorms before 8pm, with partly cloudy skies and a low of around 76°F. [Weather.gov]
A decision on Comstock’s proposed changes to the Reston Row neighborhood has been delayed.
At a meeting on Tuesday (July 25), the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously to defer a decision on the application.
Hunter Mill District Supervisor Walter Alcorn said the deferral was the result of an “affidavit issue.” The board is now expected to vote on changes to the neighborhood on Sept. 12.
At a Fairfax County Planning Commission meeting in June, the project was criticized for shifting public park space into a private dining space for Ebbitt House, an upcoming restaurant that will mark a comeback for Clyde’s of Reston to the area.
Comstock also wants to reallocate 280,000 square feet of unbuilt but previously approved office space from Reston Station — the neighborhood near the Wiehle-Reston East Metro station — to Reston Row.
Notably, the company wants to increase a residential building from a height of 180 to 350 feet and from 250 to 350 residential units.
Staff recommended approval of the application, even though the project doesn’t fully satisfy the county’s urban parks standards for the area. The total density between the two projects — Reston Row and Reston Station — remains unchanged.
Several deferred proposals to change land uses in Reston are coming to light once again.
At a Fairfax County Board of Supervisors meeting on Tuesday (July 25), Hunter Mill District Supervisor Walter Alcorn proposed that the county begin considering a set of 10 Site-Specific Plan Amendment (SSPA) proposals that were deferred earlier this year due to ongoing work to update Reston’s Comprehensive Plan.
Alcorn asked the county to begin work on the applications, which are part of a countywide set of nominations submitted through its Site-Specific Plan Amendment process.
The move formally seeks to move the applications from tier three of the work program — the lowest priority — to tier one of the program. The work program includes authorized current and future planned studies and amendments to the county’s comprehensive plan.
Tier one applications are focused on areas of development or support a priority explicitly identified by the county, such as affordable housing. Those applications receive the highest priority for staff resources and timing, according to the county’s website.
“While the ultimate outcome of each of these SSPA nominations is still to be determined, there are common themes across the nominations in Reston that would greatly benefit from staff research and analysis that has not yet started,” the board matter states.
The timeline for the approval of the overhaul of the Reston Comprehensive Plan was delayed to Sept. 12 due to recent changes in state codes affecting public hearings. If the change had not been instituted, the plan would’ve been up for consideration at the board’s meeting on Tuesday.
Generally, Reston’s SSPAs favor more housing opportunities and less office development. Areas targeted by the developer proposals include Reston Town Center North, Michael Faraday Court, Commerce Metro Center, Lake Fairfax Business Park and more.
All of those applications will now be moved up and combined into a broad study of Reston’s Transit Station Areas.
Local officials are in the midst of developing a data-driven way to prioritize and implement spot transportation improvements throughout Fairfax County.
The spot improvement screening program, which was discussed at a Fairfax County Board of Supervisors’ transportation committee meeting on July 18, lets the county identify priority locations for new transportation improvements, especially along intersections.
The program also intends to prioritize safety as a metric to evaluate transportation.
So far, the county has identified 287 projects as high priority out of a total of 3,966 reviewed locations. Roughly 46% of the spots already have a planned project nearby, according to the county.
The Dranesville District had the most spots, but the majority of them were categorized as “low priority.” The Franconia and Mason districts led the way in terms of high-priority spots.
Underway since 2021, the county’s methodology prioritizes safety while also considering equity and the multimodal nature of the area, Fairfax County Department of Transportation staff said.
The county is in the midst of finalizing locations for each district. Evaluation and implementation is contingent on approval by the Board of Supervisors.
FCDOT staff recommend focusing on high priority locations and working with the Virginia Department of Transportation to strategize funding for projects. Staff also suggested further narrowing spots where there are no programmed safety-related projects.
If approved, the spot improvement program could get renewed every three to five years.
While the full list of possible spot improvements was not released at the meeting, Vanessa Holt from FCDOT’s traffic engineering section said that public input will be solicited on projects.
“Our program recommendations include focusing on the high priority spot locations,” Holt said.
At the meeting, supervisors asked staff to consider other elements in their evaluations. Hunter Mill District Supervisor Walter Alcorn suggested incorporating near-misses, camera data from VDOT, and other data points into the prioritization process.
“I really like the process, the drivers being data-driven,” Alcorn said.
The program, which is not yet funded, is different from the county’s active transportation program, which sets aside $100 million for improvements for pedestrians, bicyclists and other non-motorized travelers.
Board Chairman Jeff McKay also emphasized that not all traffic fatalities are linked to road safety issues.
“Unfortunately, we do have fatalities in some corridors of the county. It’s not a road design issue at all,” McKay said.
He also added that the proximity of other projects to prioritized spot improvement locations shouldn’t automatically downgrade a project from the list. Instead, the location may be a strategic area to kill two birds with the same stone.
Others like Springfield District Supervisor Pat Herrity noted that funding for these projects may not be available for several years, resulting in the need to manage public expectations about implementation.
Holt acknowledged that the public’s feedback is critical as the process moves forward.
“We recognize that data analysis is not perfect when we have that human element in transportation safety,” Holt said.
D.C. Area Braces for Heat Wave — “The heat could challenge several calendar day records for both afternoon highs and warm nighttime lows. And there’s a chance Washington could see the air temperature touch the century mark for the first time since Aug. 15, 2016. Significant relief…is not anticipated until Sunday.” [Capital Weather Gang]
Heat Cancels Pickleball in Herndon — “Attention pickleball players! Due to the high heat index and moving summer camps inside, drop-in pickleball for Thursday, July 27, is canceled. Your safety is our top concern, and we apologize for any inconvenience. Stay hydrated and cool, and we’ll resume soon!” [Herndon Parks & Recreation/Twitter]
Electrical Issues Close Reston Pool — The electrical system that powers Autumnwood pool’s filter pump is beyond repair, according to Reston Association. While staff pursue replacement parts, the pool has been closed, and hours have been extended through Aug. 6 at the North Hills swimming pool. [RA]
Oakton Family Grapples With Invasive Worms — “The Ambrose family clears dead hammerhead worms from their driveway in Oakton every morning. It’s been a ritual for the past two months, when they first spotted a 14-inch hammerhead worm slithering in front of their home.” [DC News Now]
Chicken Restaurant Coming to Seven Corners — “Raising Cane’s Chicken Fingers will take over the former Dogfish Head Alehouse building at 6220 Leesburg Pike in the Seven Corners Shopping Center. The restaurant will open in the middle or end of 2024, a company spokesperson says.” [Annandale Today]
McLean Community Center Fills Vacated Board Seat — “The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors on July 25 tapped Matt Colsia to a recently vacated seat on the McLean Community Center Governing Board. Colsia succeeds Shivani Saboo, who resigned from the body earlier in the month due to a job transition.” [Gazette Leader]
FCPS Sees Strong Turnout for Job Fair — “Despite the well-known challenges associated with being a teacher, a job fair for prospective teachers drew large crowds Wednesday at Luther Jackson Middle School.” Fairfax County Public Schools “was seeking more employees for positions, such as teachers, counselors, instructional assistants and substitute teachers.” [WTOP]
Metro GM’s Tenure Off to Promising Start — “When Randy Clarke was hired as Metro’s General Manager a year ago, some people wondered if a guy who ran just one commuter rail line and less than 100 bus routes in Austin, Texas could cut it at Metro, the struggling second-largest transit agency in the country. But after a year at the helm, Clarke is so popular, he’s getting asked for selfies in the checkout line at Trader Joe’s.” [DCist]
It’s Thursday — There is a 50% chance of showers and thunderstorms after 2pm today, with sunny and hot conditions and a high near 98°F, feeling like 105°F. Tonight, expect a 70% chance of showers and thunderstorms mainly between 8pm and 2am, with mostly cloudy skies and a low around 75°F. [Weather.gov]
Hunt Club Cluster residents in Reston are pushing back against a potential redevelopment of a 9-acre property just north of Lake Fairfax Park that encompasses a possible slave cemetery and a 1790s-era log cabin.
SEM Fairfax Land Associates has been working to secure approval from Fairfax County to build Fairfax Hunt Estates, a community of eight single-family homes, at 1321 Lake Fairfax Drive and preserve the log cabin known as Fairfax Hunt Club, according to the application submitted on Nov. 22, 2022.
Tonight (Wednesday), the Fairfax County Planning Commission will decide whether to green-light the developer’s ambitious construction plans at a public hearing.
Hunt Club resident and former Associated Press reporter Heather Greenfield has been following the story since she and her next-door neighbor discovered several gravestones in the greenscape behind their townhome complex in 2013.
Greenfield says she and her next-door neighbor worked with the Fairfax Cemetery Preservation Association from 2013-2015 in hopes of preserving the site as the Johnson cemetery, named after its 1860 owner Mildred Johnson. While researching the land’s historic 19th-century roots, she learned that Johnson was a Union abolitionist and mother to 11 who played a large role in “protecting African Americans” by housing at least one freedman named Courtney Honesty.
“Reston was founded on this principle of diversity…so I found it fascinating that [the Johnson family was] sort of living the principles of Reston before Reston was even created,” Greenfield said.
Though the county still refers to the area as unnamed cemetery #FX242, Greenfield feels strongly that the area is a burial site for individuals enslaved by the Johnson family and their descendants. The site includes an engraved marker for Mildred’s husband, Thornton Johnson, and gravestones that Greenfield believes belong to several African American individuals.
“We think the rest of the two acre cemetery were African American graves because even though the [Johnson] family all had headstones, African Americans likely did not,” Greenfield said. “And [what we found] were mostly headstones and footstones that were more crude stones arranged in kind of wheel patterns around some of the cedar trees.”
The developer began scouting out the site in May of last year, sending contractors to landscape the area “in order to facilitate locating the graves during their archaeological survey,” according to a statement from Fairfax County Park Authority Public Information Officer Benjamin Boxer.
Even over a year later, Greenfield vividly recalls the day developers came in “bulldozers blazing and chainsaws going.”
“I woke up at 6:30 in the morning to chainsaws, and they continued for 12 hours that day and then they came back and did the same thing the next day,” Greenfield said.
Though Greenfield suspected that contractors were not authorized to cut down trees in the area, the county says permits from Land Development Services for vegetation removal are only required when the land disturbance exceeds 2,500 square feet.
“It appears vegetation was removed in May 2022 in order to complete the archeological delineation of the cemetery,” a county urban forester wrote. “Urban Forestry’s Forest Conservation Branch was not aware of the vegetation removal at this time and would not have reviewed it.” Read More
(Updated at 2:05 p.m.) A Heat Advisory will take effect tomorrow (Thursday) for the D.C. area, including Fairfax County, with temperatures expected to near 100 degrees.
Released by the National Weather Service this morning, the alert is slated to be in place from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. tomorrow.
While currently forecasting a high temperature of 97 for Fairfax County, the NWS warns that the day could feel more like 105 degrees based on the heat index, which factors in humidity. An Excessive Heat Watch has also been issued, predicting “dangerously hot conditions with heat index values up to 110 possible.”
A Heat Advisory has been issued for Thursday. Maximum heat indices in the advisory area are expected to be 105-109 degrees. Outside of the advisory, it will still be hot. Heat and humidity will increase the potential for heat related illnesses, particularly for those outdoors. pic.twitter.com/kgggr7V88z
— NWS Baltimore-Washington (@NWS_BaltWash) July 26, 2023
“Heat and humidity will increase the potential for heat related illnesses, particularly for those working or
participating in outdoor activities,” the alert said.
The NWS is urging community members to take some precautions if they have to spend time outside:
Drink plenty of fluids, stay in an air-conditioned room, stay out of the sun, and check up on relatives and neighbors. Young children and pets should never be left unattended in vehicles under any circumstances.
Take extra precautions if you work or spend time outside. When possible reschedule strenuous activities to early morning or evening. Know the signs and symptoms of heat exhaustion and heat stroke. Wear lightweight and loose fitting clothing when possible. To reduce risk during outdoor work, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration recommends scheduling frequent rest breaks in shaded or air conditioned environments. Anyone overcome by heat should be moved to a cool and shaded location. Heat stroke is an emergency! Call 9 1 1.
The Fairfax County government shared a reminder of the symptoms of heat exhaustion or stroke, which can include fainting, dizziness, muscle cramps, headaches, nausea and either excessive or no sweating.
“During hot and humid weather, your body’s ability to cool itself is challenged in ways you may not expect,” the county said.
During hot and humid weather, your body’s ability to cool itself is challenged in ways you may not expect.
Stay #WeatherReady by learning the symptom of heat-related illnesses: https://t.co/DiDPYHsJm1 pic.twitter.com/72uTMvAT2t
— Fairfax County Government
If the advisory unfolds as scheduled, the county will activate its extreme heat response, opening up a number of public facilities as cooling centers and providing supplies like water and sunscreen at those locations and homeless shelters.
The county has also recently bolstered its response to extreme heat events by improving its process for alerting unsheltered residents and offering free Fairfax Connector bus passes to cooling centers.
In addition to heat, tomorrow’s forecast holds a 30-40% chance of thunderstorms after 2 p.m.
Over the next year, a major redevelopment project involving the Crescent Apartments at Lake Anne Plaza in Reston may be on the horizon.
The Fairfax County Department of Housing and Community Development will work with county partners for the next year to develop a process for the redevelopment of the Crescent property, according to Tom Fleetwood, the department’s director.
The news comes as work on a visioning study to determine the future of Lake Anne continues. Consultant Street Sense is formalizing a vision for the village center area after working with residents and other stakeholders.
“The redevelopment is anticipated to reflect the guidance from the economic visioning study and comport to the board’s intent when it purchased the property in 2006: to preserve and expand the affordable housing opportunities on this site, and to contribute to the economic vitality of historic Lake Anne Village,” Fleetwood wrote in a statement to FFXnow.
Both pieces — the economic visioning study and the development plan — will work in tandem to explore ways to reshape the area.
“The goal is to merge the local market’s pulse with the aspirations of the Lake Anne community and shape a prosperous future for everyone,” said Elizabeth Hagg, director of the community revitalization section in the Fairfax County Department of Planning and Development.
At a June 8 meeting on the economic visioning study, Hunter Mill District Supervisor Walter Alcorn emphasized that he wants to ensure the vision for Lake Anne aligns with the redevelopment of the Crescent site.
“I wanted to make sure if at all possible what happens with the Crescent is consistent with what else is happening at Lake Anne,” Alcorn said at the meeting.
Yesterday, Alcorn requested an additional $200,000 from the county for the third phase of the economic visioning project.
The current land use plan for the site was approved in March 2015.
But that December, a long-awaited, 1.7-million-square-foot revitalization plan for the area was pulled. The application covered land unit D of the village center, which includes the Crescent parcel and the gas station. It called for 935 new development units, 15,800 square feet of retail, and 30,000 square feet of office space.
Per the county’s comprehensive plan, there are two options for the site: a redevelopment option and a full consolidation option.
The redevelopment option limits the area to 902,000 square feet of development, with a cap on residential uses of up to 750 apartment units and a non-residential component of up to 2,000 square feet, not including the gas station.
Under the option of full consolidation of the area, the number of residential units is capped at 1.1 million square feet or 935 units and up to 48,000 square feet of non-residential space. The gas station would be consolidated and redeveloped.
The county is currently reviewing an update of its comprehensive plan for Reston, but since the economic visioning study is still underway, the language related to Lake Anne is largely unchanged from the existing plan.
In 2015, the county’s private partner — Lake Anne Development Partners (LADP) — said the development plan was not feasible at the time. LADP had originally intended to break ground later that same year.
New Dunkin’ Donuts Coming to Woodlawn — “The next-generation Dunkin’ under construction at Woodlawn Shopping Center is tentatively slated to open toward the end of third quarter 2023, according to the public relations firm for the ownership group. The store originally had hoped to be open for business early this year.” [On the MoVe]
Taller Metro Fare Gate Installations Begin — “After more than half a year of testing, Metro has finalized a taller faregate design that will roll out across the entire rail system in the coming year. The goal is to reduce fare evasion, which costs the agency about $40 million a year.” Vienna will be the first Fairfax County station to get the new gates, likely in early fall. [DCist]
County Board Recognizes Pride Month Organizers — The “Fairfax County Board of Supervisors recognized and thanked on Tuesday the many companies, organizations, and individuals who contributed to the celebration of Pride Month across the county in June…Bri Morgan of Reston Pride accepted the board’s proclamation on behalf of all the organizations” [Patch]
Reston Community Center Seeks Board Candidates — “Reston Community Center (RCC) is seeking interested candidates to run for seats on its Board of Governors…Candidates must complete a Candidacy Statement to have their names placed on the Preference Poll ballot. Candidacy Statements will be available at RCC facilities or online…beginning at 9:00 a.m. on Tuesday, August 1.” [RCC]
Farmers Market Launches in Tysons Tomorrow — “New @The PARC! Potomac Farm Market and Celebrate Fairfax are working in partnership to bring the farm to you every Thursday through October 19th from 12pm-7pm…In celebration of National Ice Cream Month, this grand opening will also feature FREE ICE CREAM while supplies last from Tysons Creamery.” [Celebrate Fairfax/Facebook]
McLean HS Students Celebrated for Quiz Show Win — “The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors on July 25 honored the McLean High School ‘It’s Academic’ squad of the 2022-23 school year. The team became the first in Fairfax County Public Schools’ history to win back-to-back annual championships.” [Gazette Leader]
Annandale Church Dedicates Renovated Sanctuary — “Hundreds of church members celebrated the completion of the new sanctuary at St. Ambrose Catholic Church on Woodburn Road in Annandale last week at a dedication ceremony and special Mass. The old church building had become too small for the growing parish and needed extensive repairs.” [Annandale Today]
Frying Pan Farm Park Awaits Return of 4-H Fair — “Celebrate Fairfax County’s agricultural traditions and enjoy some old-fashioned fun as the Fairfax County 4-H Fair and Carnival returns to historic Frying Pan Farm Park in Herndon, Va., Aug. 3-6, 2023…The 4-H Fair kicks off with the Opening Ceremony on Saturday, Aug. 5, 2023, at 10 a.m.” [Neighborhood and Community Services]
It’s Wednesday — The forecast for Wednesday is sunny and warm, with a high near 90 degrees and a calm wind that will pick up to 5-7 mph from the south in the afternoon. The night will be mostly clear, with a low around 75 degrees. [Weather.gov]
(Updated at 5 p.m.) The final phase of the economic visioning of the Lake Anne area is nearing.
At a meeting today (Tuesday), the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors opened up a request for an additional $200,000 for the third phase of the project.
Consultant Street Sense is wrapping up the first phase of the Economic Visioning Study for the Lake Anne Commercial Revitalization Area. The study intended to build community consensus on a path forward for the area.
(Correction: This story previously said the study’s first phase wrapped up this spring, as indicated by a project timeline, but the Hunter Mill District office says it’s just now finishing.)
“We sought an economic vision that was aspirational, grounded in market realities, and able to strengthen the economic viability and sustainability of the area,” Hunter Mill District Supervisor Walter Alcorn wrote in his board matter. “There was extensive participation by the Lake Anne community to shape the economic vision through a combination of focus groups, an online survey, and several in-person workshops and meetings.”
So far, the plan suggests a concentration of new apartment units on the Crescent property at 1527 Cameron Crescent Drive, added cultural attractions, a parking structure, a centralized green space, connections from the Crescent site to Lake Anne Plaza via a new park, and the restoration of a tunnel to the east side of the area.
Street Sense kicked off the visioning study in mid-February with focus group sessions, followed by several community meetings and workshops. The study came at the request of Alcorn, who sought to build consensus on the economic vision for the area.
In the second phase of the project, Streetsense will work with individual property owners and determine their willingness to take part in implementing the economic vision.
During the final phase, Streetsense and sub-consultants will investigate options for implementation in a more comprehensive manner.
“This information will provide landowners and the county with a clear understanding of options and allow all stakeholders to construct an actionable plan for realizing the economic vision,” the board matter states.
The final phase is expected to kick off in the first quarter of next year. The funds could be allocated this fall via a carryover adjustment from the fiscal year 2023 budget.
Handling 911 calls has never been a regular 9-to-5 job, but a national staffing shortage has increased the hours and pressure felt by call takers and dispatchers across the country.
Fairfax County’s Department of Public Safety Communications wasn’t spared from the workforce challenges that emerged during the COVID-19 pandemic, dropping from close to 180 staffers before 2020 to about 160 people right now.
The gap is sizable enough that workers are required to take about two overtime shifts every four months, but it’s not as drastic as the vacancy levels reported at other sites, even though the DPSC is the biggest 911 center in Virginia and one of the largest in the U.S., Computer Aided Dispatch (CAD) Officer Paul Ballerini says.
For instance, Richmond’s 911 agency, the state’s second largest center, reported earlier this year that it was 30 operators short, while D.C. had 39 call taker and dispatcher vacancies.
“Two additional mandatory shifts per person for a third of the year is not bad, especially hearing [about] other centers, reading online how some other similar-sized agencies are just doing tons of overtime,” Ballerini told FFXnow.
Initially, the pandemic didn’t have much of an impact on the 911 center. With people generally staying home and minimizing interactions with others, the volume of calls declined, according to Ballerini.
However, after a while, DPSC started seeing some of the same turnover that has hit other professions, from the police to trash collectors and restaurants.
“Like most other professions, people just started jumping jobs,” Ballerini said. “Not in a bad way, just people spent more time on themselves and learned about themselves and moved to other professions. So, we were hit the same as everybody else…so we started ramping up hiring and training.”
About 3,952 911 workers across 774 centers in the U.S. left the profession in 2022, often citing the stress of the job and options for better hours, pay and opportunities as their reasons for leaving, according to a study released earlier this year by the International Academies of Emergency Dispatch and National Association of State 911 Administrators.
While 27% saw no change in staffing levels over the past four years, nearly one-third of the study’s respondents reported vacancy rates of 30% or higher, including 13 that said at least 70% of their positions were unfilled.
Ballerini says Fairfax County’s current 911 staffing levels are slightly above its minimum standard after hitting maximum levels before the pandemic.
Every 12-hour shift must have at least four police dispatchers and four fire dispatchers on each of its four squads, which manage two district stations each. There are also ideally 20 call takers per day, though there can be as few as 13 people on the phones depending on the workload.
“Some people get through parts of training and realize it’s not for them and end up dropping out, but we work hard to try to stay consistent levels, not just for the public, but for morale inside the center,” Ballerini said. “I feel we’ve been pretty decent about doing that.”
Relief from mandatory overtime may be in sight for the county’s call takers, who handle incoming calls from the public, and dispatchers, who communicate information to first responders.
DPSC recently welcomed its latest class of trainees, adding six new call takers. As of July 13, all but one of them had completed their on-the-job training, which takes eight to 10 weeks, according to Ballerini.
Another cohort of nine recruits is undergoing 10 weeks of classroom training at the Public Safety Communications Training Academy, which accepts up to 10 people per class. After those recruits finish their on-the-job training this fall, Ballerini says DPSC anticipates that it’ll be able to reduce the amount of overtime required.
Recruiting for this fall’s academy is now underway, with a job posting open through Friday (July 28).
The 911 center is also hiring in preparation for the Lorton District Police Station’s impending opening in September. The new facility will help lighten the load for the Franconia and Mount Vernon stations, which are DSPC’s busiest.
“They’ve been…figuring out how to balance them out, so the quantity of calls or time spent on calls is supposed to be a lot more consistent across all stations,” Ballerini said. “That’s a hope for the future. It’s a police department initiative, but it’s going to benefit us as well.”
(Updated at 1:40 p.m.) A German food truck is officially opening its doors in Herndon.
What The Schnitzel — described as the first and only food truck in the Northern Virginia area that sells German fusion cuisine — is celebrating its soft opening on Saturday (July 29) at Arts Herndon. It will be on site from noon to 5 p.m. at the building (750 Center Street).
Melanie Glover founded the business after growing up in the restaurant industry in Germany.
Working as a personal chef under the business name Coburger Bistro, Glover says she wanted to apply her passion for cooking and sharing food after living the U.S. for 17 years. She runs the truck with her son Devin, who both live in Reston and share a passion for cooking.
They chose Arts Herndon for the launch of What the Schnitzel because of its prime location, according to Glover.
“Arts Herndon is great local spot that has lots to offer, and is also a great friend to us and a business partner as well,” she said.
Glover says she chose to launch a food truck over a brick and mortar location because of flexibility in operations and the ability to reach different customers.
Items on the menu include apple strudel and schnitzel sandwiches from around the world.
Devin came up with the name — WTS for short — in an effort to come up with something funny and catchy.
“The main idea is a schnitzel going around the world, so we felt What the Schnitzel was a perfect name to capture that vision and as well as being something people can easily remember,” Glover said.
(Correction: This story initially misspelled Melanie Glover’s name as “Grover.” We apologize for the error and thank commenter Steve Dyas for pointing it out.)
(Updated at 9:05 a.m. on 7/26/2023) Fairfax County is currently the second largest suburban office market in the nation, with an inventory of 120 million square feet.
However, the current office vacancy rate sits at 16.7% — topping the county’s previous 10-year high, according to Stephen Tarditi, director of market intelligence at the Fairfax County Economic Development.
He called the office market “a lagging economic indicator” when presenting the data last Tuesday (July 18) to the Board of Supervisors economic advisory committee.
Despite the county’s vacancy rate, Tarditi said the demand for office leasing is increasing.
“Last year, we had 6.6 million-square-feet of office space leased, so we’re 37% below our pre-pandemic average,” he said. “And comparing that to 2021, we were about 4.5 million square feet.”
Almost half of the county’s office inventory was built before 1990, and Tarditi said the county is seeing a bifurcation in its office market, where older buildings are not being leased at the same rate as newer buildings.
Almost 5.9 million square feet of office space is slated to be demolished or converted into another use, most of it built before 1990, according to the presentation.
“The class B, class C inventory — that’s not seeing your net new tenant demand. It’s your trophy office buildings. In fact, the trophy office vacancy rate for Fairfax County is right around 10%, which is very healthy,” Tarditi said.
According to the data, coworking space is another strong sector in the office market, with demand increasing among more small businesses.
“I think more and more building operators — if there is vacant space and newer buildings — they’re looking to incorporate coworking space and have them graduate in that space,” Tarditi said.
National economic indicators that could have a potential effect on the county’s office market include mass layoffs and interest rates. Although the county is seeing a high vacancy rate, Tarditi highlighted some statistics that could indicate growth in office demand in the future.
Fairfax County now has 42,000 employee establishments (companies with employees and payroll) — a record number for the county, according to Victor Hoskins, CEO of the Fairfax County Economic Development Authority.
“That shows that there would be future office demand as a new company is established,” Tarditi said.
