For years, Fairfax County leaders have been using carrots to encourage property owners to adhere to the county’s Human Rights Ordinance. Now, some of them want to start using the stick.
During a meeting on Tuesday (May 16) discussing the Metropolitan Washington Regional Fair Housing Plan, staff laid out how Fairfax County fits into a regional push for more affordable housing and better protections for residents.
In addition to regional goals, the plan includes specific goals for each locality in the region. For Fairfax County, that includes enforcement of the Human Rights Ordinance passed back in 2010.
The 46-page ordinance has a detailed list of prohibited forms of housing discrimination, including employment or credit, as well as protection against retaliation for filing a discrimination complaint.
Hunter Mill District Supervisor Walter Alcorn said, given that it’s been 13 years since the Human Rights Ordinance was passed, it’s high time to take the gloves off and double down on enforcement.
“We’re doing the testing, we’re identifying where we need to do more work; I’m all for that, but frankly, at some point, we have to do real law enforcement,” Alcorn said. “We’re going to have to pivot. If we’re not making progress, it’s time to take a more aggressive law enforcement stance with this. If we don’t see progress moving forward, I think we’d want to see an option for a more aggressive law enforcement approach.”
Amanda Schlener said Fairfax County publishes testing reports every two years and the most recent, from fiscal year 2022, indicated the county filed 22 enforcement complaints against private companies. Of those, 11 were settled for monetary conciliation agreements.
Fairfax County isn’t alone in seeing housing discrimination. Alexandria officials recently shared that property owners have evicted residents for receiving public assistance.
Staff also said the county could do more to let local residents know about their rights.
“Sometimes people are not 100% sure of what their rights are,” said Deputy County Executive Ellicia Seard-McCormick. “The carrot is in teaching people what we’re trying to achieve.”
Overall, the plan includes seven regional goals and eight local goals. The local goals are:
- Increase home-ownership opportunities
- Increase housing choice for voucher holders
- Deliver more affordable housing
- Preserve multi-family and manufactured units
- Increase awareness of existing and upcoming affordable homeownership and rental opportunities in communities of color and other vulnerable communities.
- Increase community awareness of Fair Housing rights by developing and providing new Fair Housing training and outreach activities.
- Enforce the Fairfax County Human Rights Ordinance through testing-initiated complaints that identify areas of concern.
- Increase the accessibility of fair housing services for individuals with disabilities and for whom English is not their first language.
The plan also has proposed actions to achieve the goals, like co-locating housing with public facilities on county-owned sites and developing closer relationships with community organizations that can help reach out to non-English-speaking communities.
“This is not the be-all, end-all of our affordable housing policy…but this document is indeed very valuable,” Board of Supervisors Chairman Jeff McKay said. “We can have the best goals in the world, but if we don’t have strategies and implementation and monitoring, we’re stuck not knowing what progress we’re making.”
(Updated at 2:25 p.m.) Reston Town Center’s family of falcons are officially live in more ways than one.
Town center owner BXP — formerly known as Boston Properties — announced yesterday (Thursday) that a webcam similar to the Giant Panda cam at the National Zoo in D.C. has been installed to keep an eye on the area’s resident peregrine falcons.
This year, the mother falcon laid three eggs on the rooftop of a building in the town center and had three female babies. The neighborhood has been home to falcons ever since a pair of chicks were found on Market Street in 2015.
“Reston Town Center is committed to supporting the conservation of declining populations by providing a thriving ecosystem and habitat for survival,” BXP said.
Peregrine falcons were on the decline due to the impacts of DDT, a pesticide that was widely used in agriculture until it was banned in the 1970s.
(Correction: This article initially said peregrine falcons are currently declining. The species has started to recover since DDT was banned, getting taken off the endangered species list in 1999.)
Identification bands are placed on the falcons in the town center.
The falcons have attracted local attention — including an attempt by Reston Now readers to name them “Free” and “Parking” in reference to opposition against paid parking at RTC in 2017. They are then named Robert and Anne after Reston’s founder Bob Simon and Lake Anne.
A spokesperson for BXP didn’t return a request for comment from FFXnow by press time.
Missing Oakton Man’s Car Found — “Shenandoah National Park announced Wednesday morning that a gray Honda belonging to Mateo Luis Cabo Zevallos, 21, was found in a parking lot at mile 21 on Skyline Drive. Zevallos was last seen May 5 leaving his home in Oakton en route to George Mason University.” [Inside NoVA]
First Ride Suggests I-66 Trail Criticisms Merited — The newly opened 66 Parallel Trail segment between the Vienna Metro and Cedar Lane is “not a very pleasant ride, but it’s not as bad as the pictures make it out to be,” DCist’s transportation reporter says. On the upside, the trail has “direct connections to places people want to go,” but concerns about noise and vehicle fume exposure in places next to the highway “bear out.” [DCist]
Dulles Airport Could Let VIPs Skip Terminal — “The airports authority is advancing plans for a VIP remote passenger processing service for commercial airline flights at Dulles. A committee of the authority’s board voted Wednesday to issue a presolicitation for a firm to develop, lease and operate the facility at 45041 Compass Court…Departing passengers would be transported directly to their scheduled commercial aircraft from the new facility.” [Washington Business Journal]
Dulles Toll Road Revenues Rise — “A post-COVID back-to-work culture, aided by some help from Mom Nature, helped fill the Dulles Toll Road’s coffers during the opening third of the year. Toll Road revenues for the first four months of 2023 stood at $66.5 million, up 33 percent from a year before and 7.6 percent above budget, according to figures reported May 17 by the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority.” [Gazette Leader]
FCPD Hires IT Director — “Chief Davis from Fairfax County Police Department (FCPD) is pleased to welcome Smitha Tumuluri as the new Director of its Information Technology (IT) Bureau…Director Tumuluri will work with FCPD’s administrative and uniformed team leaders to develop IT strategies and solutions that align with the agency’s mission.” [FCPD]
Oakton HS Student Wins State Beauty Pageant — “Ashley Wang is a sophomore making history beyond the pageant stage. Ashley is the first East Asian and the second Asian to win the title of Miss Virginia Teen USA…As Ashley gears up to represent Virginia in the Miss Teen USA competition, she is spreading a message of self-love and encouraging everyone to embrace the unique qualities that make them different.” [FCPS/Facebook]
Lorton Picnic Area Is Getting Restrooms — Fairfax County Park Authority contractor, Bright Construction Group, will be mobilizing next week to build the Laurel Hill Central Green Restroom. Expected to finish in spring 2024, the $2.5 million “project includes construction of a restroom facility, accessible walkway and supporting infrastructure to include sanitary sewer, electric and water lines.” [FCPA]
County’s Oldest Boy Scout Troop Reaches 95th Anniversary — “Boy Scouts, Cub Scouts, parents, grandparents, elected leaders, Boy Scout officials, and former scouts celebrated the 95th anniversary of Troop 150 on May 15…Troop 150 is the oldest troop in Fairfax County still operating and is among the oldest in Northern Virginia.” [Annandale Today]
It’s Friday — Partly sunny, with a high near 73. Southeast wind 7 to 11 mph. At night: A chance of showers after 2 a.m. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 57. Southeast wind 5 to 9 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30%. [Weather.gov]
(Updated at 9:50 a.m. on 5/19/2023) A slate of four candidates running to represent Reston in the House of Delegates aired their ideas on housing affordability, mental health issues and post-pandemic recovery at a candidate forum last night (Wednesday).
Organized by the Greater Reston Chamber of Commerce and the nonprofit Cornerstones, the forum at the Northern Virginia Hebrew Congregation (1441 Wiehle Avenue) challenged the District 7 candidates with questions from a panel, followed by meet-and-greet time with the audience.
The race is among the most crowded in years, as longtime delegate Ken Plum retires.
The most fundamental differences between the four Democratic candidates arose in a question about the one piece of legislation they would propose if elected to office.
Paul Berry — a teacher who frequently referenced his experience as a board appointee in former governor Ralph Northam’s office — said he would introduce an optional firearms buyback program. The program wouldn’t be mandatory in order to get Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s signature.
(Correction: This article previously said Paul Berry is an attorney who worked in Northam’s office. He works as a teacher and in data science, and his role in Northam’s office was as an appointee to advisory boards, according to his campaign website. Fellow candidate Karen Keys-Gamarra is an attorney.)
Karen Keys-Gamarra, an at-large member of the Fairfax County School Board, said she would go a step further by advocating for an assault weapons ban. Shyamali Roy Hauth, an Air Force veteran who previously worked in the office of Hunter Mill District Supervisor Walter Alcorn, said she would get rid of a disability waiver waitlist that has existed for years.
Mary Barthelson, a systems engineer at SAIC who squared off against Plum in the 2021 Democratic primary, said she hopes to study entry barriers to Virginia’s workforce.
Affordable housing
All candidates said they would oppose state legislation to override local zoning ordinances in order to permit more dense housing, a move championed by one-time 86th District delegate Ibraheem Samirah. Arlington recently passed legislation that effectively ended single-family-only zoning in the county.
But the proposed solutions to combat housing affordability issues varied.
Barthelson said increasing the capital gains tax and incentivizing developers to include more affordable housing was her priority, along with using commercial buildings for transitional housing.
“I think I’d look at a multifaceted approach,” she said.
Berry prefaced his answer by stating that high eviction rates are particularly alarming.
“Before we start taking about supply in the future, I want to keep people in their homes right now,” he said.
He added that there may be opportunities to transform paved and underutilized surface areas into affordable housing.
“The value has to be there for a developer,” Berry said.
Hauth said she hopes to provide local boards of supervisors with the tools they need to boost their affordable housing stock. Read More
A board-commissioned workgroup is calling for changes to Fairfax County Police Department’s use of force policies and expanded independent oversight.
At a Fairfax County Board of Supervisors safety and security committee meeting on Tuesday (May 16), a 10-member Police Reform Matrix Working Group (MWG) created by the board released a broad 46-page report that establishes the need for policy changes and additional accountability.
The report builds on more than 300 recommendations from a community-wide survey of residents that evaluated the FCPD’s public safety and security responsibilities. It was influenced by the death of Timothy Johnson, who was shot and killed by an officer who pursued him for reportedly stealing sunglasses at Tysons Corner Center.
The officer who shot Johnson was fired but not indicted. A second officer who also fired his gun remains with the department.
“The MWG could not overlook the totality of these events and the context within which we received and created an actionable set of policy and program initiatives,” the report said.
As noted by the report, the FCPD has had eight police shootings in the past 15 months after the prior decade averaged 1.5 per year. Starting in 2022, police officers have killed four people, including Brandon Lemagne just last week.
In a recent study, a team from the University of Texas San Antonio found Black civilians are almost two times more likely than white civilians to experience high levels of force. Additionally, Black civilians were 1.2 times more likely than arrested white civilians to have force used against them.
Board Chairman Jeff McKay said the report is working document that will inform continuous change in the FCPD, which he said is in a much better place than it was in 2015.
“To be a great police department, you have to constantly evolve,” McKay said.
Hunter Mill District Supervisor Walter Alcorn said he appreciates the recommendations — some of which are already going forward — particularly the co-responder model, which emphasizes coordination between police and mental health professionals.
“This is not easy. This is complex fraught with emotion, human emotion,” Alcorn said, adding that the rise in shootings by officers is not acceptable.
But Springfield District Supervisor Pat Herrity said he struggled to reconcile the report with high levels of confidence reported by recent community surveys.
“We don’t have broad community input into this. We’ve got a group of police reform folks that got together and hasn’t heard the other side of the impact,” Herrity said.
Looking forward
The report argues that most recommendations by the county’s Use of Force Community Advisory Committee — a group charged with reviewing the university’s report — weren’t adopted in full, despite revisions to FCPD’s use-of-force general order in 2022.
It emphasizes that any force must be proportional to the risk of harm to the officer or others, and the events leading up to the use of force have to be taken into account. It also says the FCPD should add pointing a gun or other weapon to its definition of force, revising a current standard that treats it as a separate reportable action not subject to a use-of-force investigation.
Other recommendations include a foot pursuit policy dictating when officers can chase a suspect. After civil rights groups decried the lack of an existing policy in the wake of Johnson’s death, the FCPD said it will implement one based on guidance from an outside review of recent police shootings.
The report also calls on the FCPD to expand its co-responder team, which is currently only staffed from 2-10 p.m. The model intends to ensure behavioral health professionals are the first point of contact for people who are disoriented, intoxicated or in a behavioral health crisis.
That recommendation comes on the heels of the shooting death of Jasper Aaron Lynch in August 2022. Lynch was shot and killed at a home in McLean while experiencing a mental health crisis.
Non-voting members on the working group include representatives from the FCPD, the Civilian Review Panel (CRP), and the Office of Independent Police Auditor (IPA).
The report also calls on expanded independent oversight, including allowing the review panel and IPA to delineate when they should monitor FCPD investigations or conduct independent ones.
It says the panel should be allowed to review FCPD administrative investigations involving allegations of bias or profiling, and that the IPA should be allowed to recommend when the Commonwealth’s Attorney should proceed with independent criminal investigations of officers.
Maintaining and improving police officer excellence also ranked high on the report’s recommendations, including the need for evaluating officers’ understanding of escalation tactics and crisis intervention skills and training. Emphasis on community engagement was also flagged as a need for improvement.
The report also notes a need for more data transparency. For example, public data overstates the proportion for white arrestees because Latino individuals are included in that category. Additionally, data on police stops and searches of pedestrians isn’t made public.
“These shortcomings increase the challenge of building and sustaining community trust by suggesting there is something to hide, even though FCPD’s approach is consistent with historical policing practice throughout much of the country,” the report states.
Use-of-force incidents should be analyzed to determine if disparities persist, examine full details on those encounters, including escalation measures taken, and flag any officers who repeatedly escalate initially minor encounters.
“Additionally, full transparency and a ramped-up effort to communicate broadly the status of these recommendations is of the utmost importance in building trust and community confidence in the ongoing efforts by the County and the FCPD to achieve protective, equitable, responsive, and respectful policing,” the report said.
Franconia District Supervisor Rodney Lusk said the board will get Fairfax County Police Chief Kevin Davis’s review of the report at a future meeting.
“They have worked diligently to figure ways to share more data,” Lusk said.
MWG member Vernon Walton said the erosion of trust in police can make it difficult for a community to be its “best self.”
“Jasper Aaron Lynch, Timothy McCree Johnson cannot simply be names added to a list,” Walton said. “But their names, and particularly their deaths, should propel us to greater reflection, rigorous reform, practical policy, and a more caring community.”
Photo via FCPD/Facebook
Plans to convert a drive-thru bank into a fast food restaurant in Reston’s South Lakes Village Center are on hold.
At a June 21 meeting, the Fairfax County Planning Commission plans to indefinitely defer the application, which would have converted the bank into drive-thru restaurant.
The applicant had hoped to convert the 1,675-square-foot space into a fast-food restaurant.
“The establishment of a fast-food restaurant at this location complements existing uses, including those of other fast-food businesses in the village center,” the special exception application said.
Most recently updated in February, the application said South Lakes Village Center had hoped to maintain the structure of the building and “broaden the retail options” available to area residents.
The shopping center is anchored by Safeway and includes tenants like Starbucks, Chipotle, Red’s Table, Custom Ink and Truist.
South Lakes Village Center did not immediately return a request for comment from FFXnow. A Fairfax County spokesperson confirmed to FFXnow that the applicant asked for the deferral.
Capitol Police Push to Expand Presence After Assault — “The U.S. Capitol Police wants to increase the number of field offices it has around the country to investigate threats to members of Congress, as well as more funding to beef up cooperation with local police departments, the agency’s chief said Tuesday, a day after a man…attacked staff members of Rep. Gerald E. Connolly” [The Washington Post]
Sister of Man Killed by FCPD Speaks — Nechelle Lemagne, sister of the man shot and killed by police in Penn Daw on May 11, says her brother “was definitely murdered,” expressing bafflement at Fairfax County Police Chief Kevin Davis calling the officers heroes. “Nechelle said she isn’t defending her brother’s actions but questions the way police handled it.” [ABC7]
One Injured in Vienna Townhouse Fire — Around 8:30 p.m. yesterday (Wednesday), Fairfax County Fire and Rescue units responded to a townhouse fire in the 700 block of Hunter Court SW. All occupants were evacuated, but one person was taken to a hospital “with non life-threatening injuries. No reported firefighter injuries.” [FCFRD/Twitter]
Metro Got Hacked From Russia — “A former WMATA contractor using a personal computer in Russia breached Metro’s computer system earlier this year, according to a report from WMATA’s Office of the Inspector General, revealing ‘grave concerns’ for the system’s cyber vulnerabilities.” [DCist]
Inova Mount Vernon Opens Region’s First Post-Acute Care Unit — “Inova Health System held a ribbon cutting Tuesday for its new post-acute care specialty hospital in partnership with Select Medical. The specialty hospital serves critically ill patients who need extended care but no longer need the intensive care of an acute care hospital. The first patients will be welcomed on Tuesday, May 23.” [Patch]
Tree Trimmings May Affect Traffic Next Week — “Dominion Energy will trim and/or remove trees along Blenheim Boulevard between Great Oaks Drive and Ridge Avenue. This work will reduce hazards to overhead lines and reduce the potential for residential power loss during storms. Work is expected to last one day. Residents are advised to slow down when they see the orange cones.” [City of Fairfax]
GMU Swim Coach Announces Retirement — “George Mason University men’s and women’s swimming and diving coach Peter Ward has announced his retirement after starting the program 25 years ago. Hired in fall 1998, Ward built a Division I program and led the men’s and women’s teams to several team titles in two different conferences.” [Inside NoVA]
Scotts Run Fire Station Celebrates New Engine — “FS44 Scotts Run (A-Shift) held a push-in ceremony for their new Engine 444. Shout out to @SupvPalchik staff for stopping by! Thank you to the @fairfaxcounty residents and leadership for providing us with the latest cutting-edge equipment needed to serve the county.” [FCFRD/Twitter]
South Lakes HS Tops Local Theater Awards — “South Lakes High School received 18 nominations for the prestigious National Capital Area Cappies, which are considered the Tony Awards for high school theater in the DC region. It received the most nominations in 2023 of all DC area schools for its production of ‘Bright Star.'” [Patch]
It’s Thursday — Sunny, with a high near 69. Northeast wind 6 to 8 mph becoming southeast in the afternoon. Tonight: Partly cloudy, with a low around 52. Southeast wind 5 to 9 mph. [Weather.gov]
Herndon High School’s Pride of Herndon will celebrate its 75th anniversary later this month with a spring bash.
The band — which served as a landmark program in the county — was established in 1947. Since then, the program has ballooned into a program with nearly 200 students.
Here’s more from the program on the band’s legacy and accomplishments:
The Pride was established in 1947 by dedicated parents and citizens who convinced Vladamir Johnson, a Russian interpreter and part-time music teacher from Washington, D.C., to rehearse with a group of fledgling musicians in the rural town of Herndon. At the time of the first rehearsal, most of the students had never seen, let alone played a musical instrument, yet the band’s first performance was a short eight weeks later. Over the years the band program at Herndon High School has grown from the initial group of 40 musicians and 6 majorettes to almost 200 students. The band program has been recognized with countless awards and honors, traveled abroad, and instilled a love of music in countless students.
This year, the program includes 115 students overall, who fill a variety of roles in marching band, symphonic band, wind ensemble and other groups.
Alumni will take part the spring concert, which is slated for May 25. The program is slated to begin at 7 p.m. in the school’s auditorium (700 Bennett Street). The event includes a work called “Like Diamond, Shine” specially commissioned for the anniversary.
Rising construction costs have created a funding gap for the widening of East Spring Street.
The Town of Herndon is seeking roughly $3.1 million in federal funding for the project, which is administered by the Virginia Department of Transportation.
The move will require a 20% match from the town. In a memo to the Herndon Town Council, staff said that the funding shortfall was caused by increasing construction costs.
“The full amount of the funding gap would otherwise be borne by the Town of Herndon,” staff said in the March 16 memo.
The project would be funded under the federal Community Project Funding program, which selects projects through a congressionally-directed application process.
The nearly $11.5 million project will widen Spring Street and Herndon Parkway at the intersection of those two roads.
It will also add a cycle track on Herndon Parkway to connect with the Sugarland Run Stream Valley Trail, high-visibility crosswalks, a sidewalk on the south side of Spring Street to connect with the county sidewalk under Fairfax County Parkway, and new traffic signals and accessible pedestrian signals.
The project is currently under construction and is expected to warp up in late 2024, according to VDOT.
Clemyjontri Carousel Temporarily Stalled by Birds — “The Fairfax County Park Authority took its Americans with Disabilities Act-accessible carousel at Clemyjontri Park in McLean out of operation May 5 because the birds had placed nesting material in its main gear.” The carousel is expected to resume operations this weekend after staff removed the material and installed a Plexiglas barrier to prevent the birds from returning. [Gazette Leader]
Man Who Assaulted Connolly Staffers Previously Called Office — Rep. Gerry Connolly “said that staffers had previously talked to the man on the phone and he seemed off. Pham’s father said in an interview that his son was schizophrenic and has been ill since his late teens. The father said that his son had been refusing to take his medication and that he had unsuccessfully sought help for him.” [The Washington Post]
Car Crashes Into School Bus in North Springfield — Yesterday “around 8:45am in the 5200 blk of Inverchapel Rd, a sedan struck a school bus. No children were injured as a result. The driver of the white sedan was treated for minor injuries and was charged with having a phone in hand. U text. U drive. U pay.” [FCPD/Twitter]
State Trooper Injured in I-66 Collision — “A woman struck the back of a Virginia State Police SUV, propelling it into a state trooper and knocking him into incoming traffic on Interstate 66 late Monday afternoon, law enforcement says.” The crash occurred around 4 a.m. after the trooper stopped a pickup truck near the 50-mile marker for speeding. [WTOP]
New Restaurants Coming to Annandale — “A Wingstop restaurant is coming to the new shopping center on the corner of Little River Turnpike and John Marr Drive in Annandale…Another restaurant is under construction next door. Moby Dick House of Kabob is opening at 7042-J Little River Turnpike at one end of that retail center, and Patient First is coming to the other end.” [Annandale Today]
Results Are In for FCPD Anti-Speeding Campaign — “The Fairfax County Police Department shared the results of the agency’s ’50 Means 50′ campaign, which aimed to deter dangerous driving behavior on the Fairfax County Parkway…Officers issued 890 traffic summonses and 163 warning tickets, totaling 1,053 violations.” [WUSA9]
Vienna Repeats With Fitness Challenge Win — “For the second consecutive year, Team Vienna emerged the victor in the annual Mayors’ Fitness Challenge. The friendly competition between the Town of Vienna and Falls Church and Fairfax cities encourages residents to get moving and log their minutes of exercise in the name of community spirit and team pride.” [Town of Vienna]
Library Fandomania Returns to Providence Community on Saturday — “‘Geek out’ at our sixth annual celebration of comic books, science fiction, fantasy, TV, movies and more. Meet Ben Hatke, author and illustrator of the Zita the Spacegirl series and other titles…Show off your costuming skills in a cosplay contest, learn how to paint gaming miniatures, browse the vendor and artist hall, take a snack break at a food truck, and be sure to pick up some free swag.” [Fairfax County Public Library]
It’s Wednesday — Sunny, with a high near 72. North wind 11 to 14 mph, with gusts as high as 21 mph. Tonight: Clear, with a low around 47. Northeast wind around 8 mph. [Weather.gov]
Reston Row is under construction (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)
Fairfax County government staff said a proposal (action item 3) that aims to right-size how much developers pay for their transportation impacts could negatively affect funding for local projects.
Currently, developers have to pay to offset their transportation impact of added density if the development exceeds the limits established in the comprehensive plan for areas like Tysons, Reston or Centreville.
With the county trying to emphasize public transit in many of its denser areas, proposed changes could reduce the estimated “trip generation” of new development, and past contributions to programs offsetting that development impacts could be adjusted to the new standard.
Back in August, the Board of Supervisors directed staff to reevaluate guidelines for the county’s road funds in order to maintain the county as an appealing destination for developers, according to the board matter introduced by Chairman Jeff McKay.
“Recently, the County has been experiencing various forms of redevelopment, including repurposing buildings for different uses and the redevelopment of sites with new developments where other buildings had been rendered obsolete and torn down,” McKay wrote. “This redevelopment is vital in keeping the County economy competitive, as well as resilient…However, the adopted guidelines do not anticipate how to handle the new reality we are experiencing.”
McKay said some of the current contribution requirements for developers don’t reflect the reality of how much traffic the new developments are putting on roads:
For example, a project in Fair Lakes where an obsolete office building paid into the Road Fund in the 1980s is being replaced by townhomes. The townhomes will generate a lower trip rate than the office building. As such, and absent guidelines on how to address these instances, County staff was only able to give the developer credit for the previous contribution. However, that contribution was at a much lower square foot rate since it was made 40-years ago. Staff did not have the latitude to consider the lower trip generation rate, or how much the rates have increased over time when evaluating the Road Fund contribution.
But while that could benefit developers, staff also said that change could be a hit against the county’s transportation funding — and at-risk populations are most likely to be impacted.
According to the staff report:
Staff conducted an Equity Impact Assessment and concluded that this action may negatively impact at-risk populations. While there is a realized benefit of allowing developers to reduce their development derived contribution toward County road funds, that benefit comes at the expense of reduced transportation funding. Although the at-risk populations in most road fund areas are primarily within the low to average vulnerability index, the Centreville area has populations that falls within the high to very high vulnerability index. Reduced funding in all areas, especially Centreville, may result in reduced transportation services for populations in need of additional accessibility and transportation options.
In short, if approved, staff said there will be less money to spend on transportation projects.
“The proposed revisions to the road funds may result in reduced developer funds received for transportation projects,” the report said.
The item was docketed for review at a Board of Supervisors meeting on May 9 but was deferred.
A connection has now been solidified between Herndon Metro station and Van Buren Street.
The Town of Herndon has completed construction of an 800-foot trail for pedestrians and bicyclists that connects the Metro station to Van Buren Street by Worldgate Centre.
“The 800-foot trail provides ready access to Metro for workers in the Worldgate and nearby office complexes,” the Town of Herndon said.
The trail goes live as Bike to Work Day kicks off on Friday (May 19). The Herndon area will have pit stops at the Innovation Center Metro station and the Town Hall Green.
Construction on the project began in September 2022. The project was completed roughly two months ahead of schedule, according to town spokesperson Anne Curtis.
The overall project cost $600,000 for design and construction. It was funded through a combination of town funds as well as funds from Fairfax County’s Herndon Metrorail Station Access Management Study.
The trail was officially opened last week, not long after construction finished on nearby improvements along Van Buren Street from Spring Street to Herndon Parkway. That “complete streets” project widened the road, added curb-and-gutter and bicycle lanes, and made some intersection and stormwater upgrades.
Fairfax County Public Schools is proposing some notable updates to its student policies.
At last week’s school board meeting, school officials laid out a number of proposed revisions to its Student Rights and Responsibilities handbook, including how cases of bullying are handled, what’s interpreted as appropriate clothing, and the potential for increased punishment for substance misuse.
The presentation from FCPS Assistant Auperintendent Michelle Boyd was relatively brief due a planned school board work session next week (May 23), which will likely be spent discussing the proposed dress codes updates, Providence District School Board Representative Karl Frisch noted.
Essentially, FCPS is looking to update verbiage around the dress code, which was last reviewed in 2016. The update will not include a ban on pajamas that was initially proposed earlier this year but has since been reconsidered.
Proposed language includes the dress code supporting “equitable educational access” while not reinforcing stereotypes or increasing marginalization:
FCPS’ student dress code supports equitable educational access and is written in a manner that does not reinforce stereotypes or increase marginalization or oppression of any group based on race, color, national origin, caste, religion, sex, pregnancy, childbirth, medical condition, household income, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, marital status, disability, age, or genetic information.
It also clarifies that the same rules apply “regardless of the student’s age or gender” while providing examples of what isn’t allowed, including clothing that depicts or promotes use of weapons, alcohol, tobacco, or drugs.
Any violation and enforcement of the dress code will continue to be addressed in a “discreet” manner, showing respect to the student, and “minimizes loss of instructional time.”
“Violations of the dress code should generally be treated as minor infractions unless they are repeated or egregious in nature (e.g., streaking, hate speech),” the current code says.
However, this can leave much open to interpretation for school staff and administration. Several school board members noted that some language could be included to ensure a more standardized interpertation across the school system.
“I know we are trying to thread a needle here between what kids recognize as appropriate dress and not,” Springfield District School Board member Laura Jane Cohen said.
Also being proposed is a shift in what happens when there are alleged acts of bullying. The school system is now seeking to require that a principal or staff member notify a parent or guardian of every student involved in an alleged act of bullying within 24 hours of learning about the incident.
The update would also better define that bullying involves a “power imbalance” and what that could look like.
“Examples of a power imbalance include, but are not limited to, greater physical strength or size, access to embarrassing information, or greater popularity or social connectedness,” reads the updated definition.
Also proposed are updated definitions of harassment, hate speech, and hazing, along with potentially more severe punishments. For example, hazing could become a Level 5 infraction, which is the most severe and could result in law enforcement getting involved.
In addition, students with a first-time hate speech infraction would be required to participate in “culturally responsive intervention.”
FCPS is also tweaking its handling of substance misuse in response to recent incidents. While incidents involving alcohol, marijuana, and inhalants customarily result in a two-day suspension, the school principal can decide to levy even more disciplinary action if the conduct has “substantially disrupted the instructional program [or] endangered the well-being of others.”
This could mean a referral to the superintendent and a suspension of up to 10 days. There are number of other changes being asked for, including rewordings and clarity in terms of verbiage, but as Boyd said, those are “relatively minor in nature.”
After next week’s work session, a revised draft is set to be presented to the school board at the end of the month. The school board is expected to vote and adopt the updated students’ rights and responsibilities by the end of June.
A 26-year-old Herndon man was arrested yesterday (Monday) in connection with a trio of armed robberies in Sterling over a 36-hour period.
According to the Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office, the first robbery happened at a 7-Eleven in the 700 block of West Church Road. A man brandished a knife and demanded money from the clerk shortly before 1:50 a.m. on Sunday (May 14).
The second robbery happened at a nearby Sunoco gas station at 8:18 a.m. In that incident, authorities believe a man brandished scissors and demanded money from the clerk, according to LCSO.
The final robbery happened at the Exxon gas station on the 45600 block of Falke Plaza. A man approached a clerk with his hand in his pocket shortly after 12:30 a.m. yesterday (Monday) and demanded money, LCSO said.
Authorities believe the man left the stores in a grey Toyota Camry in all three robberies.
The suspect was charged with three counts of robbery. He was arrested at a home in the 700 block of West Church Road opposite of where the first gas station robbery occurred. The road was blocked off yesterday morning in both directions.
Photo via Google Maps
Man in Connolly’s Office Attack Tied to Earlier Assault — “The suspect is accused of attacking another person shortly after 10:30 a.m. Monday. He approached a woman sitting in her car in the Chantilly area, asked her if she was white and then smashed her windshield with a bat, police said. He’ll be charged with a hate crime and destruction of property.” [NBC4]
Youngkin Vetoes Undergrounding Utilities Bill — “On Friday, May 12, Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin vetoed legislation that would have funded an underground electricity distribution line along Route 1 in Fairfax County in support of the Richmond Highway Bus Rapid Transit project. The legislation had passed unanimously in both the Virginia House of Delegates and Senate.” [On the MoVe]
Police Still Looking for Suspect in Culmore Shooting — “Detectives from our Major Crimes Bureau continue to investigate last week’s non-fatal shooting in Culmore.” Police are seeking the public’s help identifying a suspect based on surveillance footage from the May 10 incident, which occurred near a 7-Eleven in the 3300 block of Glen Carlyn Drive. [FCPD]
Reston Area Primed for Housing to Replace Offices — “The Reston-Herndon area saw a 112% spike in Class-A multifamily rents over the three years ending March 31 — the largest of any submarket in the D.C. region, according to Delta Associates’ first-quarter multifamily report…With all this demand, the obsolete office parks that dot the area are due for a reckoning, panelists said.” [Bisnow]
Possum With Babies Relocated From Chantilly Park — “A few weeks ago, our incredible Park Specialist, Kiersten, at Ellanor C. Lawrence Park successfully relocated a mother opossum who was eating out of the trash can. The can was gently lowered so Mom could climb out with all babies tucked away in her pouch. Thank you, Kiersten, for ensuring the mommy and babies were safe and unharmed!” [FCPA/Facebook]
Food Scrap Disposal Expands to All Farmers Markets — “Each of the Park Authority’s 10 Farmers Markets now include food scrap disposal sites where customers can dispose of food waste to be composted. This expansion is the result of a highly successful pilot program that experienced strong customer support in 2022.” [FCPA]
FCPS Settles on Graduation Venue for Next Five Years — “The Fairfax County School Board on May 11 unanimously approved a $500,000-per-year, sole-source contract with Monumental Sports & Entertainment to rent EagleBank Arena at George Mason University’s Fairfax campus for graduation ceremonies. The contract will run for five years and have a total value of $2.5 million.” [Gazette Leader]
Family Bicycle Ride This Weekend in Vienna — “This Sunday at 10:30 am, join Vienna’s Bicycle Advisory Committee for a 6.3-mile family bike ride on local trails and low-volume streets. The ride starts and ends, rain or shine, at the Vienna Community Center, 120 Cherry Street SE. Helmets required.” [Fairfax Alliance for Better Bicycling/Twitter]
It’s Tuesday — Mostly cloudy, with a high near 77. Chance of precipitation is 50%, with possible showers between 1 p.m. and 2 a.m. [Weather.gov]
