Fairfax County’s parking lots and streetscapes could look a little greener.
At a land use policy committee meeting on May 16, planning staff proposed a new update to the county’s landscaping and screening ordinance — the first major change in 40 years — that would make developers add more green landscaping to more parking lots and street frontages.
For parking lots, the current ordinance requires trees to be installed at any surface parking lot with 20 spaces or more. The new ordinance could expand that requirement to any lot with 10 parking spaces and increase the amount of tree coverage from 5% to 10%.
New parking garages, meanwhile, would be required to have 10% of their top decks covered with shade, although utilizing solar canopies could lead to a reduction in that percentage.
The ordinance also introduces “street frontage landscaping” — requiring developers to provide trees on private property provided they’re along private or public streets, not internal drive aisles. Single-family dwellings would be exempted.
One small but meaningful change would also adjust the types of trees seen in these green spaces, as it turns out Fairfax County’s previous specifications weren’t evergreen.
“When it comes to transitional screening a lot of waivers are applied for to use existing vegetation because they have to have 70% evergreens and that’s not common in Fairfax County,” Sara Morgan, a planner with the Department of Planning and Zoning, said. “This allows us to review [developments] on a case by case basis as we want to further encourage the use of existing vegetation, allowing you to have a mix that is different than [the ordinance] today if you retain existing vegetation.”
Similar to the zMOD update approved in 2021 — then reversed and reinstated earlier this year — county leadership said the landscaping and screening ordinance update is a good step forward on fixing some outdated code.
“It’s been 40 years since we updated these,” Board of Supervisors Chairman Jeff McKay said. “I think this is overall very, very good.”
The board approved new tree canopy standards earlier this year with the hope of encouraging private developers to plant more street trees in the public right-of-way.
Reston Town Square Park (11900 Market Street) and Reston Station (1901 Reston Metro Plaza) will soon come to life with summer entertainment organized by the Reston Community Center.
RCC has organized six series this year, varying from jazz ensembles to family picnics. Some events will feature pop-up treats in other neighborhoods.
“Reston knows it’s summer when the sounds of great music can be heard in our beautiful plazas,” RCC Board Chair Beverly Cosham said. “RCC brings people together to dance, socialize, visit an outdoor restaurant, or share a picnic basket. It’s a Reston tradition we keep expanding and look forward to every year.”
The first concert — a jazz show from singer Darden Purcell — will usher in Memorial Day weekend at Reston Town Square Park tomorrow (Friday).
A complete breakdown of the events is available below:
Take a Break
Thursdays, June 1 – August 31
7-8:30 p.m.
Reston StationBeginning with Don’t Back Down, a Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers tribute band, the Take a Break concerts fill the plaza atop the Wiehle-Reston East Metro station. Other performers include Texas Chainsaw Horns, Loudoun Jazz Ensemble, Scott Kurt and Memphis 59. For the full schedule click here: Take a Break Concerts at Reston Community Center. Concerts are presented by RCC in cooperation with MSE Productions, Inc., and are hosted by Reston Station.
Darden Purcell and Friends
Fridays, May 26 – October 13
5:30-6:45 p.m.
Reston Town Square ParkJazz vocalist and series curator Darden Purcell brings her group to open the summer series of “Darden & Friends” in Reston Town Square Park. This concert will feature exciting new arrangements of Great American Songbook repertoire and jazz standards.
Fab Fridays
June 2 – September 1
7-8:30 p.m.
Reston StationKick off the weekend with Fab Fridays featuring the U.S. Army Blues Big Band, festive rhythms from Dogo from Togo, merengue with Latin pop band Ocho de Bastos and many more. See the full concert schedule here: RCC Fab Friday Concerts. Three hours of free parking are available in the ParkX garage with validation. Concerts are presented by RCC in cooperation with MSE Productions, Inc., and are hosted by Reston Station.
Family Fun Entertainment
Saturdays, June 17 – August 5
10-10:45 a.m.
Reston Town Square ParkBring the kids for magic, comedy, puppets, music and lots of laughs. Family Fun begins on June 17 with Guava Jelly. Other shows include Rocknoceros, Lohr Family Antics, The Uncle Devin Show and Turley the Magician. Family Fun Entertainment is presented by RCC and Reston Town Center Association in cooperation with MSE Productions, Inc. Reston Town Center garages offer free parking on Saturdays.
Sunday Art in the Park with the Shenandoah Conservatory
Sundays, June 11 – August 27
7-8 p.m.
Reston Town Square ParkWind down your weekend with classical, jazz and cabaret-style music provided by faculty and students from Shenandoah University’s acclaimed music conservatory. The series starts June 11 with Ellington Caravan paying tribute to Duke Ellington. This series will run through August 27. Visit Sunday Art in the Park for the complete schedule. Reston Town Center garage parking is free on Sundays. Sunday Art in the Park is presented by RCC and Reston Town Center Association in cooperation with Shenandoah University.
Family Picnic Days
Saturday August 5 – Temporary Road Pavilion
Saturday, August 12 – Pony Barn Picnic Pavilion
Saturday, August 19 – North Hills Picnic Pavilion
4-6 p.m.Bring a picnic, your family and friends to Family Picnic Day. Play family-friendly lawn games, enjoy local performers and have some fun! Family Picnic Days are presented by Reston Community Center and Reston Association.
Fairfax County staff have released their final word on a draft version of the Reston Comprehensive Plan, a guiding document for holistic community planning that was last updated in 2015.
Released yesterday (Wednesday), the staff report shortens and tweaks the first version of the plan, which was developed by a Reston Comprehensive Plan task force, a 31-member group convened by Hunter Mill District Supervisor Walter Alcorn in 2020.
In response to concerns raised by the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors, staff’s recommendations for the plan tighten prescriptive policy language in the first proposal and condense several separate sections into one chapter on planning for the new town of Reston.
“This chapter of the proposed plan does not break new policy ground, nor is it prescriptive,” the report states.
In the report, staff noted that their version of the plan aims to maintain the existing residential densities in Reston’s village centers, removing the option of housing in non-residential portions. Any changes would require another amendment to the plan.
The proposal also aims to preserve existing market and affordable housing in Reston — although that language is an encouragement, rather than a mandate.
The idea of biophilia — a designation given to communities that protect and cultivate nature while creating deep connections with the natural world — is also emphasized in future planning and development in Reston.
As alluded to during previous discussions in April, the latest plan includes a chapter called “Planning a New Town” that combines the principles of equity, community health and economic development under an umbrella chapter instead of separate ones.
“I am looking forward to reviewing the staff report to ensure that it includes the essence of goals from that Board Matter three years ago. Last updated in 2015, the Reston Comprehensive Plan is the guiding document for land use and development decisions in Reston,” Alcorn wrote in his weekly newsletter to constituents.
The task force’s initial version drew consternation from the board, which saw it as overtly prescriptive and an overstep of what the county can require by law. The board also worried it would set a precedent of establishing separate principles of community health and equity for one community within the county.
The staff’s version of the report also departs from the task force’s version on several key points.
The task force sought to remove an exemption in the plan that removed ground-level retail located in office, hotel and residential buildings from calculations when determining how much a developer should pay into the county’s housing trust fund.
Staff recommended keeping the exemption, which covers Reston’s Transit Station Areas (TSAs), because ground-floor retail provides “substantial contributions to the mix of uses and vital public facilities envisioned in the TSAs.”
Staff also suggested removing language that requires at least 12 full-size athletic fields, including one in or nearby each of the three TSAs. Staff said the need for athletic fields could also be met by increasing capacity at existing fields located near the TSAs.
“Full size athletic fields are typically destination facilities that require approximately 2.5-5 acres for the field alone,” the staff report states.
The chapter on environmental stewardship was also heavily edited in response to concerns about its length and complexity, redundancy with policy plan guidance, and possible difficulties in interpretation and implementation.
Staff also disagreed with the task force’s suggestion to realign the overpass at South Lakes Drive due to grading and geometric concerns, along with possible conflicts with the Washington & Old Dominion Trail.
County staff did agree with the task force’s recommendation of a road between American Dream Way and North Shore Drive to “increase overall connectivity.”
The plan will go before the Fairfax County Planning Commission on June 14 at 7:30 p.m. If the commission recommends approval, the Board of Supervisors will hold a public hearing on July 25. Typically, the board votes following public hearings.
Planning Commissioner John Carter, who represents the Hunter Mill District, is hosting a public hearing on June 6 at South Lakes High School. The meeting will begin at 7:30 pm and will include a presentation followed by a discussion.
One Injured in Fair Oaks Kitchen Fire — “Units are on the scene of a small kitchen fire in the 12000 blk of Ridge Knoll Drive in the Fair Oaks area. The fire is out. All occupants are accounted for. One civilian suffered minor injuries. No reported firefighter injuries.” [FCFRD/Twitter]
Tire Thefts at Tysons Dealership Under Investigation — “Fairfax County Police are investigating after the tires and rims were stolen off of four vehicles that were parked at a car dealership in Tysons Corner. It happened around 7 a.m. on May 10, at the Ourisman Honda of Tysons Corner dealership.” [WUSA9]
Metro Seeks Feedback on Future Train Design — “Metro is holding a series of pop-up events through the end of the month so riders can weigh in on the design of the forthcoming 8000-series trains…The trains will have new features like open gangways that allow you to walk the length of two cars. They will also have more space for bikes, luggage, and strollers.” [DCist]
Ribbon Cut on James Madison HS Expansion — “Madison was honored to have Dr. Reid, members of the school board, our own Principal Calvert, and other distinguished guests in attendance at the official ribbon cutting to mark the end of our construction! #ONEKindactVienna #OurFCPS” [Madison HS/Twitter]
Applicants Wanted for Schools Audit Committee — “Fairfax County Public Schools invites applications from community members interested in serving on the School Board Audit Committee…Applicants must reside within the boundaries of Fairfax County or Fairfax City. The Board will be appointing two committee members for a term ending June 30, 2025.” [Elaine Tholen]
Burke Student Orchestra Honored by State Legislators — “The Lake Braddock Chamber Orchestra under the direction of Clayton Allen received a Virginia House Resolution on Tuesday, May 16, commemorating the Chamber Orchestra’s performance at the National Association for Music Education conference.” The award is the highest bestowed on the orchestra program in its 49-year history, Allen said. [FCPS]
Wolf Trap Kicks Off Summer Season — “Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts is a popular destination for summer concerts at its Filene Center, an outdoor amphitheater. Summer concerts kick off Thursday as The Avett Brothers perform on three nights. Families can then enjoy a free concert with fireworks.” [Patch]
No Lane Closures Over Memorial Day Weekend — “The Virginia Department of Transportation is suspending most work zones and lifting lane closures for the busy Memorial Day weekend. VDOT predicts the heaviest congestion on Interstate 95 from Fredericksburg to D.C. both directions through Monday…Tolls on the Interstate 66 Express Lanes inside the Beltway will also be suspended on Monday” [Inside NoVA]
It’s Thursday — Partly sunny, then gradually becoming sunny, with a high near 71. North wind 8 to 11 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph. At night: Mostly clear, with a low around 51. Northeast wind 3 to 7 mph. [Weather.gov]
Changes to Reston Station and Reston Row — mixed-use developments near the Wiehle-Reston East Metro Station — are barreling towards approval.
At a meeting yesterday (Tuesday), the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors unanimously passed a motion to set a July 25 public hearing date for the joint proposals, which would shift approved but unbuilt residential density from one block of Reston Station to Reston Row.
Reston Row is an extension of Reston Station, a nearly 10-acre development at the Metro station. Reston Row includes two office buildings that will be anchored by Puttshack, an indoor mini-golf destination, and VIDA Fitness.
A third building includes 93 condos over a JW Marriott, while an apartment building labeled Building D will be anchored by the restaurant Ebbitt House.
Comstock wants to shift roughly 165 units or 264,000 square feet of space that was not used in Reston Station to the Ebbitt House apartment building. Nearly 10,000 square feet of space would be dedicated for a roof deck on top of another building for Founding Farmers and a future building in a different block on the property.
“Critically, the Applicant is not requesting one single square foot of additional density over and above what was approved and is entitled to be developed when Reston Station and Reston Row are aggregated,” the application said.
The developer argues that shifting the residential density would allow it to deliver workforce dwelling units sooner “than it otherwise would have” and in a better location for the county’s residents, according to the application.
The Puttshack building is set to delivered December of next year, while Building D is expected to deliver in November 2026, according to a board matter introduced yesterday by Hunter Mill District Supervisor Walter Alcorn.
In the matter, Alcorn states that the changes shift density to a “more logical, Metro-proximate, and resident-friendly location at Reston Row.”
From a logistical standpoint, the two separate applications for the project can be voted on concurrently. The July hearing before the Board of Supervisors will be preceded by a June 28 public hearing by the Fairfax County Planning Commission.
More local legislators are pushing back against a federal proposal to allow more long-distance flights at National Airport (DCA).
The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously yesterday (Tuesday) to oppose the push to increase the number of flights that travel beyond 1,250 miles from the airport in Arlington.
In a letter to the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science & Transportation, the board argued that the effort would undermine Dulles International Airport (IAD), resulting in “detrimental” impacts on the local economy.
The legislation pushed by the Capital Access Alliance, a coalition of business groups, continues a long-running battle over slot and perimeter rules originally enacted in the 1960s.
The board argues that changes would disrupt the balance between the region’s two major airports and compromise the operating environment for air traffic. The letter also says flight paths for arrivals and departures to the south of DCA have caused major noise issues over residential areas in the county following the implementation of a federal Next Generation Air Transportation System, also known as NextGen.
Board Chairman Jeff McKay emphasized that the issue resolves around public safety. He said that many airline pilots that fly out of DCA say that is one of the “most dangerous” airports to fly in and out of because its designed for specifically-sized airports in the landing area.
“This is not just wrong to impose these changes without a lot of public input, it’s not just wrong for parochial reasons, but it’s wrong to do it in the name of public safety as well, and I think that’s one of the things that’s important for us to emphasize,” McKay said.
Proposing to allow 28 more long-distance flights out of DCA, the bill was introduced on May 10 by Reps. Burgess Owens and Hank Johnson, who represent Utah and Georgia, respectively. It has already faced opposition from Virginia’s senators, a community group looking at the airport’s noise issues, and the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority, which manages both DCA and IAD.
Congress is expected to consider the proposal this fall.
Mount Vernon District Supervisor Dan Storck and Mason District Supervisor Penny Gross said the issue of airport noise is particularly problematic.
“Mason District is not on a direct path of the airplanes for National, but we are getting increasing numbers of complaints about airplane noise and helicopter noise. So, I’m glad that we’re stepping up and doing this,” Gross said.
Storck said he hopes other efforts can be undertaken to tackle airplane noise, especially in his district. He noted that County Executive Bryan Hill is working with Alexandria and Arlington officials to enlist a consultant that will study ways to mitigate noise impacts.
The county says that maintaining existing perimeter and slot rules is necessary in order to spur growth at Dulles, which is supported by the arrival of Metro’s $6 billion Silver Line extension.
“The interconnectedness of Virgnia’s and the mid-Atlantic’s aviation system makes the continued success of both airports vital to both the Commonwealth of Virginia and the Washington Metropolitan Region,” the letter states. “As such, we request your support in preventing further efforts to modify the perimeter and slot rules to protect the balance between the capacities of our region’s airports.”
Belle View Pet Store to Expand With Dog Spa — “Pampered Pet and Boutique Barkery, a pet boutique that opened in October 2021 at Belle View Shopping Center, is expanding its presence there with the summer 2023 opening of a dog spa. Pampered Pet Bark Bath will open in mid-to-late July in a space two doors down from the pet shop, said Karencita Echeverri, owner of both businesses.” [On the MoVe]
Chantilly Man Raises Concerns About Liquor Lottery — “A state-run lottery to give Virginians first dibs on pricey whiskeys suffered from what was likely a human-induced flaw that wildly skewed the results, allowing several lucky participants to win multiple times…Something seemed awry as the winners posted about their good fortune online or discussed it in online chats, said Gus Guimond, 30, a Chantilly resident who belongs to the ‘DMV Bourbon Drinkers’ club on Facebook.” [The Washington Post]
Reston Couple Make Big Donation to Inova — “Inova has received ‘a transformational gift’ of $75 million from long-time supporters Dwight and Martha Schar to support the hospital system’s heart and vascular programs. The gift is one of the largest to advance heart health in the country,” Inova Health System said, announcing that its expanding heart and vascular institute will be renamed after the Schars. [Inside NoVA]
Merging Architecture Firms Plan Tysons Move — Little Diversified Architectural Consulting “has acquired Hughes Group Architects Inc., a Sterling firm that specializes in designing things like fire stations, schools and recreation centers…The two firms will also soon vacate their respective spaces in Arlington and Sterling and take up recently leased space at 1753 Pinnacle Drive in Tysons.” [Washington Business Journal]
Springfield Offices Demolished for Amazon Data Center — “AWS recently launched the demolition of the Belvoir Corporate Campus. Amazon acquired 7951 and 7961 Loisdale Road for $28 million in February 2021…The buildings, which delivered in 2013 but were never occupied, will be replaced with a 100-foot-tall data center and adjacent 55,500-square-foot generator yard.” [WBJ]
Motorcycle Ride Returns to Fairfax for Memorial Day — “Fairfax City’s 23rd Annual Ride of the Patriots ‘Rolling To Remember’ event on Memorial Day weekend is part of a nearly 160-year tradition that pays tribute to military personnel who lost their lives in service to their country.” The weekend-long event will kick off Friday (May 26) with a candlelight vigil at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial at 5 p.m. [Patch]
Great Falls Citizen Group Leader Steps Down — “After seven years as president of the Great Falls Citizens Association (GFCA), William Canis has decided it’s time for someone else to head the organization. But he’s happy with what the group has accomplished and hopeful it will stay vigilant in its central objective of preserving the community’s semi-rural character.” [Gazette Leader]
Local Rotary Club to Tackle Human Trafficking — The Bailey’s Crossroads Rotary Club “has joined the Rotary Action Group Against Slavery, an initiative calling for Rotarians to engage stakeholders in combatting trafficking, increase community awareness on the issue, and work with schools to prevent students from becoming victims.” [Annandale Today]
It’s Wednesday — Mostly sunny, with a high near 81. Northeast wind around 5 mph. At night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 54. South wind 5 to 15 mph becoming north after midnight. Winds could gust as high as 21 mph. [Weather.gov]
The Lake Thoreau pool is under renovation (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)
Reston Association’s pool season has officially kicked off, although the opening date of Lake Thoreau pool is not yet known for this season.
The complete pool schedule — which is divided into five seasons — is available online.
RA says it has hired 85% of its lifeguard staff, overcoming labor shortages that often plague these positions. Last year, two pools were temporarily closed when staff members contracted COVID-19, but staffing was generally not an issue.
“Seasons four and five toward the end of the summer continue to be the most challenging for aquatics staff recruitment and retention as students return to school and start fall activities,” RA spokesperson Mike Leone said. “We continue to recruit lifeguards.”
North Shore’s heated pool and spa and Ridge Heights heated pool opened first on May 13. RA is actively hiring for more lifeguards online.
It’s still unclear if and when Lake Thoreau Pool, which is undergoing major renovations, will open this year.
Leone said the decision will depend on the timing of the project’s completion and approval from RA’s Board of Directors.
“At this point, the pool is close to 70% completed and we anticipate an early September completion,” he said.
(Updated at 4:20 p.m.) The current admissions process for Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology (TJ) does not discriminate against Asian American students, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit has ruled.
A majority of the three-judge panel backed the Fairfax County School Board’s argument in support of admissions policy changes intended to increase diversity at the prestigious magnet school, reversing a lower court’s ruling that sided with the Coalition for TJ.
The advocacy group filed a lawsuit against the school board in March 2021, arguing that the changes adopted in 2020 were intended to reduce the number of Asian students at TJ in violation of the Constitution.
In an opinion published today (Tuesday), Circuit Judge Robert King says the Coalition failed to prove that the school board intended to discriminate against Asian students, who have, in fact, seen “greater success in securing admission to TJ under the policy than students from any other racial or ethnic group.”
“After thorough consideration of the record and the appellate contentions, we are satisfied that the challenged admissions policy does not disparately impact Asian American students and that the Coalition cannot establish that the Board adopted its race-neutral policy with any discriminatory intent,” King wrote.
Since taking effect with the Class of 2025, the admissions changes — which included dropping a required test and application fee and taking into account a student’s economic, special education or English-learner status — have resulted in offers going to a broader range of students in terms of race, geography and income.
The Class of 2025 was the first in a decade to accept students from all middle schools. It also saw an uptick in Black, Hispanic and economically disadvantaged students, Fairfax County Public Schools reported. Both that year and last year, Asian students still received a majority of offers.
“The court reached the correct decision, and we firmly believe this admission plan is fair and gives qualified applicants at every middle school a fair chance of a seat at TJ,” John Foster, the school board’s division counsel, said in a statement. “We look forward to offering seats to a new group of remarkable and incredibly well-qualified young scholars in the years to come.”
U.S. District Judge Claude Hilton had ruled in February 2022 that Asian students were “disproportionately harmed” by the admissions changes, which he said were implemented in a “remarkably rushed and shoddy” process.
Hilton ordered that FCPS stop using the new policy, but the appeals court agreed to let it stay in place while the lawsuit continued.
While King said that Hilton’s judgment “went fatally awry” in not addressing how racial and ethnic groups other than Asians fared under the new policy, Circuit Judge Allison Rushing argued a dissenting opinion that the changes were “passed with discriminatory intent and disproportionately impact a particular racial group,” even if they appear race-neutral on paper.
“The twelve-member Board plainly stated its intention to craft an admissions policy for TJ that would reform the racial composition of the student body to reflect the racial demographics of the district,” she wrote.
The Coalition for TJ says it wasn’t surprised by the ruling and intends to take the case to the U.S. Supreme Court.
“We are disappointed by today’s ruling, but we are not discouraged,” Pacific Legal Foundation attorney Erin Wilcox, who has been representing the coalition, said. “Discrimination against students based on their race is wrong and violates the Constitution’s guarantee of equal protection. We look forward to asking the Supreme Court to end this illegal practice once and for all.”
The Supreme Court is already considering a case on affirmative action in college admissions. Some universities have started to review their practices, with the mostly conservative justices expected to defy precedent by declaring race-conscious admissions unlawful.
The Herndon Town Council is poised to approve its capital projects plan.
Known as the Capital Improvement Program (CIP), the six-year schedule sets funding plans for the town’s infrastructure projects and is incorporated as part of the operating budget.
This year’s $25.4 million plan includes new projects like sidewalk improvements along Spring Street and Locus Street. In recent years, residents have called on the town to improve safety and security for pedestrians in those specific areas.
The town is proposing nearly $1.4 million in funding to construct ADA-compliant 5-foot-wide sidewalks and curb-and-gutter along both sides of old Spring Street. The project would also include curb-cuts and crosswalks, extending from Locust Street to the new Spring Street.
The Locust Street project — which would also cost nearly $1.4 million — also includes sidewalks and curb-and-gutter along both sides of Locust Street. It would extend from old Spring Street to Elden Street.
Both projects may need to be constructed in phases, according to the proposal.
The Herndon Town Council is expected to discuss the proposed CIP for 2025-2029 at a work session tonight (Tuesday).
This year’s program continues to benefit from federal funding through the American Rescue Plan Act.
In a presentation, staff noted that many of the projects included in the plan are “addressing aging and deteriorating infrastructure.” The presentation described the plan as “reasonable,” given the current financial climate faced by the town and throughout the country.
A new project to implement life cycle updates at Herndon Community Center is also on the books.
The life-cycle projects, which would cost roughly $1.4 million, are not yet set in stone. The town plans to complete an analysis of the project’s scope by fiscal year 2029 in order to determine what areas need upgrades and replacement. The proposal notes that the roof needs to be replaced.
According to the proposal:
The racquetball court, fitness room, locker rooms, and gym HVAC units were last replaced in 2005 with a useful lifespan of 20 years. An analysis should be completed in FY28 to determine the project scope, estimated replacement schedule and construction costs. This project will replace and upgrade the units and address any duct and related infrastructure work needed to facilitate the new units.
The town also anticipates replacing the floor of three racquetball courts, which was last installed in 1989, and additional work on the sidewalls.
(Updated at 10:15 a.m.) Reminder: Richmond Highway Speed Limit Lowered Today — The speed limit on Richmond Highway (Route 1) will decrease from 45 to 35 mph between I-495/I-95 and Mount Vernon Memorial Highway, starting today (Tuesday). The change is intended to improve safety on the roadway, which has seen at least 12 fatal pedestrian crashes since 2015. [DCist]
Missing Oakton Man Found Dead in Shenandoah — “The body of missing George Mason University student, Mateo Cobo Zevallos, 21, was believed to be found Sunday afternoon around 12:15 p.m. at Shenandoah National Park, according to the National Park Service.” The Fairfax County Police Department confirmed yesterday (Monday) that Zevallos was found deceased, with no foul play suspected. [WUSA9]
Police Investigate Springfield Commercial Burglary — “Police responded to the burglary at Smoke Bazaar, 6715 Backlick Road in Springfield, around 14:40 a.m. Sunday. According to police, a stolen 2013 silver Hyundai Elantra was driven through the storefront, and four suspects entered. The suspects stole merchandise and left in a stolen 2019 black Hyundai Elantra.” [Patch]
Herndon Digital ID Company Acquired — “Herndon’s Airside Mobile Inc. has sold itself to a London identity verification firm, a deal it completed late last year but is only now disclosing.” The firm, Onfido, has turned Airside’s 2,000-square-foot office at 13500 Dulles Tech Way into its new U.S. headquarters. The now-combined companies sell technology that helps businesses verify identities. [Washington Business Journal]
Bailey’s Crossroads Has a New Thai Restaurant — “Mum Aroi, the new restaurant that replaced Rabieng at 5892 Leesburg Pike in Bailey’s Crossroads features the cuisine of northeastern Thailand with a modern twist…Mum Aroi, which means ‘delicious’ in Thai, opened [last] week after the longtime owners, the Duangrat family, decided it was too much to maintain two restaurants.” [Annandale Today]
Herndon Church Provides Education on Drug Addiction — “Floris United Methodist Church in Herndon…opened its doors [on Sunday] to facilitate an important but often uncomfortable conversation on drugs and addiction. The church held its first Drugs & Addiction event, in response to rising overdose numbers across Fairfax County and concerns expressed by the congregation.” [ABC7]
Free Train Rides Offered on Fridays — “Virginia Railway Express is going fare-free on Fridays this summer. The commuter rail service announced Monday that from June 2 to Sept. 1, all Friday rides will be free.” VRE reported an uptick in ridership when it offered free rides last September in response to Metro’s Yellow and Blue line shutdowns. [Inside NoVA]
Spring Concerts Return to Meadowlark Gardens — The Virginia Chamber Orchestra is once again delivering a “Music in the Gardens” concert series at Meadowlark Botanical Gardens in Vienna. Taking place at 3 p.m. this Sunday (May 28) and on June 11 and 25, the concerts are free, but admission to the park is $3 to $6. [VCO]
It’s Tuesday — Partly sunny, with a high near 76. East wind 7 to 10 mph. At night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 53. East wind 3 to 8 mph. [Weather.gov]
Several pieces of the massive Arrowbrook Centre development in Herndon are barreling toward approval by the Fairfax County Planning Commission.
The commission is set to consider the application — which would transform roughly 54 acres of the site into a mixed-use development — at a public hearing on Wednesday (May 24).
The first piece of the application involves redirecting unused density from six completed land bays into Land Bay A, a nearly 10-acre piece of land on the northern edge of the property. The second piece of the proposal seeks the county’s permission to develop a 435-unit apartment building on a 4-acre site.
“The modifications do not negatively impact the previously approved mix of residential, office, retail and hotel uses or overall approved street network,” county staff said in a May 10 report.
Specifically, the developer has proposed shifting the location of office uses, eliminating a parking garage, relocating some residential uses and a hotel, and consolidating two land bays to allow the development of the apartment building.
The apartment building will include three elevated courtyards, an entry plaza, a parking garage and on-street parking.
In its report, staff recommended approval of the applications.
Overall, nearly 32% of the total property will be used as open space. That excludes nearly 20 acres of parkland dedicated to the Fairfax County Park Authority. It will include a lighted, synthetic turf field, a panic shelter, bocce court, tennis courts, a playground, basketball court, and a butterfly garden,
Most of the public road improvements and internal street system have already been constructed. The new application includes a handful of minor additions, including a 6-foot-wide sidewalk around the apartment building and connections to other areas of the massive site.
The application is one of several in the county that was affected by the Virginia Supreme Court’s ruling that temporarily voided Fairfax County’s newly modernized zoning ordinance.
Although the updated zoning ordinance was re-adopted earlier this month, a petition asking the state court to revisit the case is in progress. The current Arrowbrook application was reviewed against both the 1978 zoning ordinance and the latest ordinance, which took effect for a second time after the Board of Supervisors voted on May 9.
Arrowbrook Centre is located south of the Dulles Airport Access Road, bounded by Centreville Road to the east. Upcoming tenants to the development include the South Asian grocery store Hello2India and Ornery Beer Company Public House.
James Rossant’s work is on display at George Mason University through June 30 (courtesy Fenwick Library)
The work of Reston’s master planner James Rossant is on display at George Mason University through June 30.
The exhibit, “Cities and Memory: The Visionary Architecture of James Rossant with Poetry by Juliette Rossant,” displays the work of Rossant alongside poems that reflect on his art by his daughter, Juliette Rossant.
Rossant, who died in 2009, was an architect involved in the New Towns movements in the U.S., which sought to address issues related to urban overcrowding, air pollution and decay.
Rossant and his partner, William Conklin, developed the master plan for Reston in the early 1960s in an effort to create a suburban community that harmonized with urban amenities in park-like settings, according to GMU.
“Rossant’s plan proposed an organic mix of housing types and densities, green spaces, public sculpture, and mixed-use buildings, along with cultural facilities, schools, and churches,” the exhibit organizers said in a press release. “He believed that architecture could — should — be both beautiful and serve to build a better society.”
The exhibit features work from 1972 to 2009. Here’s more from the university on the exhibit:
The artworks in this exhibit range from 1972 to 2008 and give us insight into Rossant’s prodigious imagination and the fantastical processes that underpin his subsequent architectural creations. His subjects vary widely, from modernist portraits to imaginary cities to pastoral landscapes. Uniting them is Rossant’s deep commitment to realizing utopian ideals and visions. As described by architectural critic Joseph Giovannini, James Rossant’s drawings “fly off the grid, off the wagon of rationality, into a surrealism and humor of imagination liberated from the right angle and architectural propriety. […] These are temperamentally joyous drawings, propelled by curiosity and a spirit of exploration.”
His daughter’s poems act as responses to her father’s paintings. Her book — “Planet of the Blue Flowers” — will be published later this year by Finishing Line Press.
The work will be on display in Mason’s Fenwick Gallery during Fenwick Library’s business hours. The Conklin Rossant firm donated the Reston architect’s work to the University’s Special Collections Research Center.
GMU Graduates Protest Youngkin Speech — “About a dozen George Mason University students walked out of their graduation ceremony Thursday morning during Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s commencement speech…Of the graduates who did stay, some in the audience held signs reading ‘We will not debate humanity’ and ‘Mason demands action.'” [ABC7]
Democratic Committee Announces Endorsements — In this year’s school board races, the Fairfax County Democratic Committee has endorsed Ilryong Moon, Ryan McElveen, and Kyle McDaniel for the at-large seats, incumbent Melanie Meren for the Hunter Mill District and Mateo Dunne for Mount Vernon. More than 3,300 voters cast ballots in the committee’s first-ever endorsement caucus. [FCDC]
Local School Board Races Are Becoming More Partisan — “In blue Fairfax County, winning a school board seat is difficult without the party’s stamp. So for many school board candidates in the suburbs of Washington, the stakes are not in the days leading up to Nov. 7, they are here, in the private endorsement race to get their name on the party’s slate.” [The Washington Post]
Family Disappointed by Verdict in Hybla Valley Murder Trial — “Terrence Butler was found guilty of voluntary manslaughter for killing 23-year-old Raphael Pierce in the Hybla Valley area in August 2021. County prosecutors asked a jury to find Butler guilty of murder, with a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison. Instead, they convicted him on a lesser charge this week and recommended a sentence of just three years.” [NBC4]
Sen. Warner Stumps for Springfield FBI HQ at Potomac Yards Metro Opening — “Warner repeatedly referenced with hope that the station could be connected to the — still very undetermined — new FBI Headquarters in Springfield that Warner and other Virginia leaders have been advocating for. For Alexandrians, though, the station was in-and-of-itself something to celebrate.” [ALXnow]
Road Closed in Centreville for Pipe Replacement — “Cabells Mill Drive (Route 970) between Walney Road (Route 657) and Northbourne Drive will be closed to through traffic, weather permitting, Monday, May 22 from 9:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Tuesday, May 23 from 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. to replace a stormwater pipe…Drivers are asked to follow posted detour signs.” [VDOT]
Traffic Blocked While Ducks Cross I-66 — “EMS Supervisor 404 arrived just in time to help block traffic while @VSPPIO & @FairfaxCountyPD moved a family of ducks from the middle of I-66. When one broke loose from the brood, the officer’s quick thinking helped get the ducks back safely in a row.” [FCFRD, FCPD/Twitter]
Virginia Releases Data on Covid in Wastewater — “At the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Virginia Department of Health began pushing to use wastewater to track the spread of coronavirus. Now that data is available to the public. The dashboard, now available…uses wastewater from 36 treatment plants throughout Virginia to track and monitor the virus.” [WTOP]
Enforcement of Scott’s Run Alcohol and Swimming Bans Steps Up — “The Fairfax County Park Authority will be working collaboratively with the Fairfax County Police Department to ensure only permitted activities take place in this natural area, that people can recreate safely, and that the rules as they apply to alcohol and use of the preserve are observed.” [FCPA]
It’s Monday — Sunny, with a high near 81. Northeast wind 6 to 8 mph. At night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 57. East wind 7 to 10 mph. [Weather.gov]
The current home page for the Town of Herndon’s website
A revamped version of the Town of Herndon’s website is set to go live this summer.
In the works since last fall, the new site is intended to improve navigation and accessibility for users.
At a Herndon Town Council work session on Tuesday (May 16), town spokesperson Anne Curtis said the town plans to do beta testing before going live with the website this summer.
The new site has fewer menu options on the header and fewer expandable menus in favor of displaying more content directly on the homepage. It also includes several large icons with quicklinks that are popular.
Granicus — the software company the town is working with — also created a mechanism on the site that allows users to switch through a series of drop-down selects to navigate through the site.
For example, a user would be directed to a page on how to pay specific fees and forms based on responses from a drop-down menu.
Staff offered a preview at the May 16 work session, stressing that the work was ongoing. Council members overwhelmingly lauded the new design.
“There’s lot of work still to be done on this website,” Curtis said, adding that departments are now working on populating the pages with content.
A survey of 82 respondents found that residents wanted to see more visible department buttons, better search results and less reliance on drop-down menus.
Based on the town’s analysis, the bounce rates for the site hover around the same levels for most sites with similar content — nearly 61%. Most users appear to use the website for information on meeting agendas, Herndon Community Center, jobs, recreation and the police department’s weekly crime report.
The split between mobile and desktop users was relatively even: 53% for phones and 46% for desktop users.
The translation feature on the website is also rarely used — a feature that may be redundant with in-browser translation that is offered by most browsers or devices.
