Vaccines designed to combat omicron subvariants of COVID-19 are now available in Fairfax County for everyone 6 months and older.
The Fairfax County Health Department has obtained updated or bivalent vaccines for kids 6 months to 5 years old after federal health officials approved the shots to that age group last week.
The shots became available to people 12 and older in August, and eligibility expanded to kids 5 to 11 years old in October.
“The updated vaccines provide protection from both the original virus strain as well as the more recently circulating Omicron variant,” the FCHD said. “Getting the updated booster dose is important because protection decreases over time and as the virus changes.”
Time is running out, though, to get shots from the county’s mass Covid vaccine clinics. As announced last month, the clinic at the Hyland South County Center administered its last dose yesterday (Wednesday), and the Fairfax County Government Center clinic will close at 3:45 p.m. on Saturday (Dec. 17).
The county will still distribute Covid vaccines, but after Saturday, those seeking an appointment at one of the health department’s district offices must contact their call center at 703-324-7404. Other options for getting a shot can be found at vaccines.gov.
Kids under 5 can get the bivalent vaccine as either a booster if they’ve gotten the Moderna vaccine or the third dose in their “primary series” of Pfizer vaccinations.
“Children 6 months-4 years who already completed their three-dose primary series with the original Pfizer vaccine are not eligible for an updated booster dose at this time,” the department said. “The data to support giving an updated bivalent booster dose to these children are expected in January.”
It’s now been almost two years since the county received its first Covid vaccine shipment. In that time, more than 2.8 million doses have been administered to residents of the Fairfax Health District, which also includes the cities of Fairfax and Falls Church.
Over 1 million residents — 85.9% of the population — have gotten at least one dose, including:
- 93% of people 18 and older
- 99% of 16-17 year olds
- 95.6% of 12-15 year olds
- 64% of 5-11 year olds
However, just 21.9% of kids under 5 have received a dose, per FCHD data. While the vaccines don’t provide complete protection against contracting Covid, they lower the risk of serious illness, hospitalization, and both short and long-term complications from the disease, health officials say.
The expansion of eligibility for the bivalent vaccines comes as COVID-19 cases in the Fairfax Health District continue to rise post-Thanksgiving, jumping from a seven-day average of 120.4 cases on Nov. 26 to 249.3 cases today, according to Virginia Department of Health data.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention rate the county’s community Covid level as low based on a case rate of 130.11 per 100,000 residents, a hospitalization rate of 7.7 new admissions per 100,000 residents, and 5.2% of hospital beds being occupied by confirmed Covid patients.
The district is averaging a death per day for the past week, reporting a total death toll of 1,717 people for the pandemic. There have been 253,907 cases and 5,209 hospitalizations due to Covid.
According to the FCHD, testing has increased recently, even as Curative closes its mobile sites in the county today. But the testing positivity rate has climbed from under 10% at the end of October to 17.2%, as of Dec. 4, indicating “a true increase in disease,” a spokesperson told FFXnow.
Though still far below last winter’s surge with the omicron variant’s arrival, the uptick in cases throughout the D.C. region has Montgomery County in Maryland recommending that residents resume wearing face masks. Neighboring Arlington County and Alexandria City are also seeing cases increase.
Fairfax County hasn’t made any changes to its health guidance, but with the flu and other respiratory illnesses also in the air, the FCHD still advises residents to consider masking, especially if they have symptoms, along with other habits that help prevent sickness:
As people spend more time indoors, where there is more crowding and less ventilation, and where there is less attention to other mitigation efforts (distancing/masking/handwashing), it is not surprising to see respiratory illnesses such as COVID-19, flu and other viruses spread. The health department continues to encourage these everyday prevention steps, in addition to staying up to date on COVID-19 boosters as the variants change, and flu shots for everyone over age 6 months. Simply staying home when ill makes a big difference in community transmission, too.
With Covid transmission increasing nationally, the White House has relaunched its program offering four free at-home testing kits per household through covid.gov/testing.
Gold’s Gym has a new resolution for the upcoming year in Reston.
The gym, which is currently at 11674 Plaza America, will relocate early next year, a gym employee told FFXnow.
It’s expected to move to space at 11830 Sunrise Valley Drive.
The company did not immediately return a request for comment on why the business is relocating.
The 165,000-square-foot plaza includes tenants like Whole Foods Market, Michael’s, and Total Wine.
The South American street food restaurant Maizal was expected to open at Plaza America on Halloween, but it’s still listed as “coming soon” on both its website and the mall directory.
The property’s retail broker lists three available, vacant spaces. The Gold’s Gym space, located between Five Guys and CVS, isn’t among them.
Hat tip to Adam Rubenstein; photo via Gold’s Gym/Facebook
This is a sponsored column by attorneys John Berry and Kimberly Berry of Berry & Berry, PLLC, an employment and labor law firm located in Northern Virginia that specializes in federal employee, security clearance, retirement and private sector employee matters.
By Melissa L. Watkins, Esq.
On November 23, 2022, the Office of Personnel Management (OPM), announced in the Federal Register significant proposed changes to the current landscape of forms utilized to establish trustworthiness of federal employees in positions of trust or requiring access to classified information.
OPM’s proposed changes would result in the adoption of a new form, called the Personnel Vetting Questionnaire (PVQ), which would consolidate and replace the current forms used in this process: the SF-85, SF-85P, and SF-86. The PVQ will exist as a single document, containing four parts, A through D, where the parts flex based on the suitability requirements and needs of the agency submitting the application.
In addition to changing the structure of the questionnaire itself, OPM has also proposed significant changes to the questions contained within the questionnaire.
Questions The Form No Longer Will Include
The PVQ will no longer require applicants to provide information related to gender or selective service. Questions related to Selective Service Registration are being proposed for removal given that such information is available to agencies through other means. For gender, OPM explains that questions related to sex or gender were previously included to assist in identity matching. However, the utility of this information has been reduced by changes at the state and municipality levels.
At present, approximately 45 states allow an individual to amend their birth certificate to match their gender, and 15 states allow an individual to choose a non-binary option. Given the differences among jurisdictions and the possibility that an individual’s self-identified sex may differ from what was previously provided, the effectiveness of using an individual’s self-identified sex as a tool for identity verification has decreased. OPM has concluded that asking an applicant or employee to indicate “Male” or “Female” no longer has utility in the investigative process to justify the burden of requiring it from respondents.
The PVQ also intends to adopt gender-inclusive terminology, such as parent and sibling, rather than terms that are not gender-inclusive, such as mother, father, sister, brother. These changes have been proposed, in part, to align with the current Administration’s priorities.
On June 15, 2021, President Biden issued Executive Order (E.O.) 14035, which directed that steps be taken “to mitigate any barriers in security clearance and background investigation processes for LGBTQ+ employees and applicants, in particular transgender and gender non-conforming and non-binary employees and applicants.”
Questions That The Form Changes
Arguably, the most significant change being undertaken by the PVQ relates to cannabis use. Questions regarding illegal drug use on the PVQ will be divided into separate areas to distinguish between use of marijuana or cannabis derivatives containing THC and use of other illegal drugs or controlled substances, in recognition of changing societal norms.
OPM’s goal in revising this section is based on the desire to increase and improve the applicant pool for those who may have fairly recently used marijuana, particularly in states where it was legal. The new questions will change the timeline for cannabis use such that a person would only be asked about consumption that occurred within the past 90 days, unless they used while working in a criminal justice, public safety or national security position. In those cases, the forms would ask about use that occurred at any time.
In contrast, the relevant forms that applicants are currently required to fill out ask about any marijuana usage within the past one, five or seven years, depending on the security level of the position they are applying for. The new form also makes clear that use of cannabis products containing less than 0.3 percent THC does not need to be disclosed because those products meet the federal definition of legal hemp.
That’s notable given that several federal agencies in recent years have cautioned employees against consuming hemp products like CBD oil because of the risk of mislabeled THC content that could potentially trigger positive drug tests. Additional information on recent changes to the government’s position on marijuana can be found here.
The PVQ will also reflect changes to the psychological health section. In 2016, security questionnaires were revised to shift the focus away from questions about seeking mental health treatment while allowing for the collection of information regarding potentially serious or uncontrolled conditions that could substantially affect judgment or reliability. While the intent this area of questioning has always been to surface any concerns regarding the individual’s judgment or reliability, the approach has shifted from asking about all mental health treatment or counseling to a more tailored set of questions regarding hospitalization and specific diagnoses.
The PVQ seeks to further reduce perceived stigma associated with seeking mental health treatment or counseling by further limiting the scope of questioning. The PVQ will focus on serious mental health illnesses that have very low base rates in the general population. Respondents receiving treatment or counseling for the most common mental health issues, such as depression and anxiety, as well as those seeking treatment or counseling after experiencing trauma or other stressful events, are unlikely to answer affirmatively to any of the items in the PVQ.
Two other areas seeing changes from prior forms will be related to an applicant or employee’s handling of protected information and association record. The PVQ will now include questions that inquire as to whether the respondent has deliberately violated rules or regulations for safeguarding protected information.
In addition, questions regarding use of information technology systems that were previously asked only in the SF-85P and SF-86 will be presented to all respondents in Part A. The PVQ will also contain changes to questions under the Association Record section. On his first full day in office, President Biden directed his national security team to lead a comprehensive review of U.S. Government efforts to address domestic terrorism.
As part of that review, interagency experts identified the possibility that domestic terrorists could attempt to exploit or abuse authoritative positions or sensitive access and recommended potential modifications for security questionnaires. The PVQ contains some new questions as well as some updated questions that have been modified to reduce complexity and further compel candid responses to address concerns related to domestic terrorism.
If you are an employee in need of employment law representation, please contact our office at 703-668-0070 or through our contact page to schedule a consultation. Please also visit and like us on Facebook and Twitter.
The preceding sponsored post was also published on FFXnow.com
Reston Association is working on the creation of an equity group with a focus on its lakes.
If created, the work group would focus on maximizing the enjoyment of Reston’s four man-made lakes for its members.
“The Equity Working Group will develop an equity framework that clearly defines current use policies, usage by demographics, opportunities for improvement and make policy recommendations that focus on equity and improved access for all,” says a proposal set to go before RA’s Board of Directors at its meeting tonight.
The group could focus on improving access to lakes, equal opportunities for recreation, and non-discriminatory signage or use policies.
Reston has four man-made lakes: Lake Anne, Lake Thoreau, Lake Audubon and Lake Newport, which collectively span 125 acres.
According to the meeting agenda, the proposed group could consist of:
- A voting member representative from each of the four lake communities
- Four voting member representatives from non-lake condominium or apartment communities in each district
- A voting staff representative selected by RA’s CEO
- Two non-voting staff liaisons, including RA’s watershed manager and human resources director
The idea came at the suggestion of director Erwin Flashman and board president Sarah Selvaraj-D’Souza.
County Seeks Feedback on Parking Changes — “Residents are encouraged to review the draft recommendations for parking requirements and submit feedback on the Parking Reimagined webpage by midnight Monday, Jan. 16.” Virtual meetings to discuss the proposed changes, including off-street parking standards based on density and bicycle parking requirements, will be held on Jan. 5 and 12. [Fairfax County Government]
Fairfax City Supportive Housing Approved — “Fairfax City Council voted unanimously Tuesday night to approve the Lamb Center/Wesley Housing’s application to redevelop the Hy-Way Motel property on Fairfax Boulevard to include permanent, supportive, low-income housing.” [Patch]
Water Rate Increases Proposed — “Members of the public will have a chance to tell Fairfax Water what they think of the proposed rate increases at a public hearing on Thursday, Dec. 15.” Changes that could take effect on April 1, 2023 include an increased “base commodity charge” for residents and a higher peak use charge for established accounts. [Annandale Today]
Grand Opening Set for Huntington Housing — “The Arden, a 126-unit residential development just south of Alexandria, is opening early next year. The development from housing nonprofit Wesley Housing is set to host a grand opening on Jan. 13, marking the completion of a major affordable housing project for an area in desperate need.” [ALXnow]
New Chamber of Commerce Launches — “The local business community and Fairfax County officials came together Dec. 9…to celebrate the official launch of the newly branded Mount Vernon Springfield Chamber of Commerce…The chamber — formed by the merger of the former Mount Vernon-Lee and Greater Springfield Chambers of Commerce — serves businesses in eastern Fairfax County” [On the MoVe]
McLean Startup Draws New Investors — “McLean’s FireTail Inc., which is developing software meant to secure the communication between multiple devices and systems, has raised $5 million in an early-stage seed round…The company plans to wrap up early development of the API security software next year.” [DC Inno]
FCPS Shouts Out Championship-Winning Teams — “Congratulations to all the FCPS student-athletes who participated in the 2022 fall sports season. This year four teams and two individuals won the Virginia High School League (VHSL) Class 6 championship in their respective sports, and three teams and three individuals were the state runners-up.” [FCPS]
Call Issued for Farmers Market Vendors — “The Fairfax County Park Authority (FCPA) is beginning the Vendor Application process for the 2023 farmers market season…The New Vendor Interest Meeting will be held on Jan. 20, 2023, and applications will be open on farmspread.com from Jan. 20 to Feb. 10, 2023.” [FCPA]
It’s Thursday — Rain throughout the day. High of 47 and low of 33. Sunrise at 7:21 am and sunset at 4:49 pm. [Weather.gov]
Ice on tree branches in Reston (photo by Douglas H. Errett)
Updated at 8:05 p.m. — Fairfax County Public Schools will open two hours late tomorrow in response to the anticipated inclement weather.
Earlier: Fairfax County may get its first serious taste of winter weather for the season overnight.
A Winter Weather Advisory will be in place for the D.C. region from 1 a.m. to 1 p.m. tomorrow (Thursday), according to a National Weather Service alert issued this morning.
The NWS initially forecast that the anticipated freezing rain and ice could begin at 10 p.m. today but later revised the time frame.
“Wintry precipitation begins overnight and continues into Thursday morning,” the NWS said. “Warmer air should push in later Thursday morning into Thursday afternoon changing the precipitation to rain.”
More from the alert:
…WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY NOW IN EFFECT FROM 1 AM TO 1 PM EST THURSDAY…
* WHAT…Freezing rain expected. Total ice accumulations of a glaze to around one tenth of an inch. Highest ice amounts will be in the northern and western suburbs of Washington and Baltimore.
* WHERE…The Washington and Baltimore Metropolitan areas including the city of Baltimore and the District of Columbia as well as northeastern and central Maryland.
* WHEN…From 1 AM to 1 PM EST Thursday.
* IMPACTS…Difficult travel conditions are possible. The hazardous conditions will likely impact the morning commute on Thursday.
The Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department warns that the rain could affect tomorrow’s morning commute, and Fairfax Connector says it will be monitoring the potential storm, advising that riders watch out for slippery or icy sidewalks.
The Virginia Department of Transportation began mobilizing crews yesterday to prepare roads for the wintry precipitation, noting that it has made some procedural adjustments in the hopes of avoiding a repeat of January’s I-95 shutdown.
The risk of ice tomorrow is expected to be highest further to the west in Virginia, where an Ice Storm Warning has been issued.
Nearly a dozen proposals to possibly open up Fairfax County’s comprehensive plan for land use changes to allow development in specific areas of Reston and Herndon are moving forward.
The requested changes largely circle around a common theme: aging office buildings are no longer competitive and more housing stock is needed, according to the applications.
Of the 15 nominations in the Hunter Mill District submitted through the county’s Site-specific Plan Amendment (SSPA) process, a handful did not make it to the next screening phase.
Specifically, plans to replace Reston’s two golf courses — Reston National and Hidden Creek Country Club — with residential development and open space did not get a favorable vote from the board.
In a Dec. 6 statement, Hunter Mill District Supervisor Walter Alcorn emphasized that he does not support any proposal to change the comprehensive plan’s golf course designations for those sites unless there is support from surrounding communities.
“Even after considerable community engagement and outreach by the owners of the golf courses, nearby residents — by a large majority — and their cluster association leaders contacted my office and clearly stated that they did not support changing the zoning comprehensive plan designation of the two golf courses. My commitment to community-based comprehensive planning is unchanged,” Alcorn wrote in the statement.
Nine Reston nominations advance
In the Town Center North area (1760 Reston Parkway), RTC Partnership LLC wants to build a 419,000–square-foot residential building instead of the 23-story office building that was approved for the site in 2016.
The developer says the project provides “needed multifamily residential housing,” while boosting “Reston’s economic vitality by helping drive the demand for retail and locally-serving office uses.”
“The proposed nomination would also provide a catalyst redevelopment project in the Town Center North area which would, hopefully, encourage adjacent owners to move forward with similar projects,” according to the application.
Near the Wiehle-Reston East Metro Station, developers are reimagine the future of aging offices surrounded by surface parking.
On Preston White Drive, the developer says in its application that office buildings built in the 1980s “are struggling to survive’ in their current state.
Instead, the developer is seeking the county’s approval for a project with 60-85% residential uses, 5-10% of office space, 5-10% of retail and up to 5% hotel uses.
Highbrook Investors, the owner of property at 12120 Sunrise Valley Drive, wants to demolish the vacant office building on the property and replace it with a higher density residential building than originally planned.
Although the Property has good pedestrian access to the Reston Town Center Metro Station, it is a real challenge for the existing office building to compete with newer, three larger office buildings at the Metro station that provide more amenities, more usable office space configurations, and easier access to Metro for office employees (who tend to not be willing to walk as far as residents to transit).
In a deviation from the push for more housing, at Commerce Metro Center, the developer wants to up the development intensity and allow more space for offices. CP Management Center would demolish an office building in the development to create a new mid-block road and an urban plaza area with street-level areas.
“The Nominator’s proposal supports the County’s essential economic development objectives and will maximize the region’s substantial investment in the Silver Line,” the nomination states.
The development team behind Reston Corner is seeking flexibility to add a residential component to the office park. Citing skyrocketing office rents and more demand in Reston’s urban core, the development team argues that residential uses are a better fit for the project.
They hope to work with the county to create a two-lane road through the site that can connect Sunrise Valley Drive to the southern portion of the property.
“Reston Corner is able to provide a more affordable rental opportunity for smaller businesses looking to enter the Reston market,” the application states. “All office users are not of the size to afford ‘Reston Town Center rents’ and having a diversity of office buildings and rental rates supports the County’s and Reston’s economic objectives, tenants, users and smaller businesses.
The owners of 1950 Roland Clarke Place also want to remake their site with a more heavily residential project than the currently approved mix of 85% residential and 25% non-residential.
“While fortunate for Fairfax County in a lot of ways, this scenario presents significant challenges for areas like Roland Clarke Place that will likely never have strong demand for meaningful commercial development because they are not proximate enough to transit and not where the future of retail/office uses is headed,” the application states.
Ten low-rise suburban sale office buildings on Association Drive could also see big changes. The developer wants to incorporate more housing than originally approved.
On Samuel Morse Drive, the developer Pulte wants to construct multifamily residential buildings and stacked townhouses by demolishing office buildings. The site is located next to the Lofts at Reston Station.
At Lake Fairfax Business Park, developer EYA wants to retain some office space and build new residential units. The infill development would include seven properties located along on near Business Drive.
“EYA’s vision includes a village-style mixed-use community that complements and builds on Reston’s successful Village Centers, introducing new life and open spaces into the Park,” the application states.
The Hunter Mill District received the highest number of SSPA nominations. Overall, the county received 75 nominations.
The board selected which ones will move forward for review by staff and the Fairfax County Planning Commission on Dec. 6. Their review will evaluate if the proposals are consistent with county policies and priorities relative to other planning considerations.
The nominations will then be evaluated, and public hearings will also be held.
Tysons, Virginia, will soon welcome The Mather, a Life Plan Community with anticipated Phase 1 completion in 2024. The community is the latest offering by Mather, an 81-year-old not-for-profit organization dedicated to creating Ways to Age Well.
“The Mather will offer apartment homes for those age 62+ and better with innovative smart home technology, amenity-rich community spaces, and luxury of a different kind for those who wish to plan ahead to live life to the fullest,” said Gale Morgan, Senior Vice President of Mather.
The Mather, located on Westpark Drive near Tysons Galleria, will include two residential high-rise buildings which are connected by a multi-story concourse. On-campus amenities include a fitness center featuring an exercise studio and large indoor pool, multiple restaurants, spa, and three acres of outdoor space.
There are a variety of apartment homes within The Mather, ranging in size up to 3,300 square feet. Each apartment home is designed with a modern open floor plan and floor-to-ceiling windows to maximize natural light, along with a gourmet kitchen that will appeal to even the most seasoned cook — with custom finishes including gas top ranges and pull-out/soft-close pot drawers and pantries. And each is equipped with smart home technology and comes with an automation hub that can be integrated with smartphones, tablets, and home computer systems.
“While people want to downsize, they also want to be able to host guests,” said Morgan. “Many of the homes feature multiple baths designed to work as dual masters or private guest suites.”
Building upon Mather’s decades of experience and success in providing residences and services for older adults, The Mather is expected to provide significant public benefits to Tysons and Fairfax County with a publicly accessible urban park with nearly three acres of green space, employment opportunities of nearly 200 team members, and a commitment to sustainability, as it will seek LEED Gold certification.
Together in a unique partnership with Fairfax County, The Mather will provide wellness and lifelong learning programs for residents ages 50+ living in the community-at-large. Programming will take place in a dedicated portion of the more than 14,000 square foot first floor commercial space.
More than a luxury residence, The Mather is smack dab in the middle of it all — in an enviable walkable, urban neighborhood destination: Tysons, Virginia. “Our depositors are well-traveled and looking for a diverse community that will support their continued personal growth with programming, fitness, concierge services, and educational opportunities,” said Morgan. “They are interested in their local communities and want to stay connected — looking for a more urban, walkable lifestyle in a location they love, with culture, sports, the arts and entertainment options that are easily accessible.”
See photos, floor plans, and more, at TheMatherTysons.com. To speak with a team member, call (703) 348.8522 or email [email protected].
The preceding sponsored post was also published on FFXnow.com
The Metro stations at the Dulles International Airport and Ashburn have been the busiest stations since phase two of the Silver Line opened in the middle of November.
So far, more than 60% of entries at the new stations happen during peak periods, according to Martha Coello, who works with the Fairfax County Department of Transportation’s special projects division.
At a Board of Supervisors transportation committee meeting yesterday (Tuesday), Coello noted that customers of the six new stations appear to generally be coming from or going to downtown D.C. The most frequented points of origin or destinations are Farragut West, McPherson Square, Foggy Bottom and Metro Center.
“A lot of the common starting and ending points…are actually in downtown D.C.,” she said.
Coello said that Fairfax Connector bus service changes in the Herndon and Reston area are going smoothly, with new routes providing more than 500 passenger trips per day.
The 11.4-mile extension into Loudoun County sees about 3,500 daily boardings. Around Thanksgiving travel time, that number hovered closer to 5,000 boardings, Coello said.
As of yesterday afternoon, the county was still waiting to finalize the execution of its maintenance and operations agreement with Metro for facilities in the county. That step is simply contingent on the receipt of documents, Coello said.
The installation of a sidewalk on Sunrise Valley Drive near Reston Parkway is still ongoing. The project is currently in the land acquisition phase, with construction anticipated in the spring of next year.
The county is also working on the removal of bus bays near the Wiehle-Reston East Metro station. That project will wrap up in the next few months.
After bus services were realigned, there is no longer a need for the bus bays.
The bays were primarily used by Loudoun County buses and are a “surplus at this point,” Coello said.
Longtime Vienna Photographer Dies — “For decades in the town of Vienna, T.R. Cook was the man who took people’s portraits and photographed business and community events, recording the town’s history. Cook, who died Dec. 11 at age 93, made the town a better place and was a strong advocate of young people, friends said.” [Sun Gazette]
Rape Case Dismissed Over Missed Deadline — “A woman sitting in a Fairfax County courtroom Monday morning was ready after decades to finally confront the man she says raped her as a child. Instead, she watched in horror as a judge abruptly dismissed the case over what was characterized as ‘prosecutorial error.'” [NBC4]
Fire Department Distributes Toy Donations — “[On Monday], along with community partners and @FairfaxCountyPD, #FCFRD distributed over 3,000 toys to kids who would otherwise not receive gifts at Station 11, Penn Daw. School counselors and community groups will distribute throughout the county. #HolidaySeason” [FCFRD/Twitter]
Woodson HS Drummer Recognized by NFL Band — “After hearing about the inspiring story of a Fairfax County Public Schools student who is the first deaf drummer in his band, the Baltimore Marching Ravens recognized Michael Gouin’s hard work and musical accomplishments with a gift at a Monday night concert.” [ABC7]
Local Options for Getting a Christmas Tree — “Get into the spirit by visiting one of these Christmas tree farms in Northern Virginia, Christmas tree lots, and nurseries to get your tree. Northern Virginia not only has the best places to buy a Christmas tree, but also tons of opportunities to create holiday traditions and memories.” [Visit Fairfax]
Teen Developing App to Address Food Insecurity — Nirav Ramchandani, a high school student in Fairfax County who founded the nonprofit Cease Hunger in May 2021, is developing an online app “that connects restaurants and other businesses with food banks and pantries, he said. The app, called Food Box, is in the final stages of testing and is expected to be ready soon.” [WTOP]
Lorton Area Golf Courses Plan Renovations — “Several golf courses in the area are planning — or currently undergoing — significant renovations to improve their facilities for golfers and other guests.” These include the Pohick Bay Golf Course and Laurel Hill Golf Club in Lorton as well as the Fort Belvoir Golf Club. [On the MoVe]
New Wolf Trap Shows Announced — “On Tuesday, Wolf Trap announced its final shows for the Barns, which has a season extending into spring 2023. One of the two newly-announced shows is Marty Stuart and His Fabulous Superlatives on April 6 and 7…The other performance is by singer and songwriter Karla Bonoff on April 19.” [Patch]
It’s Wednesday — Mostly cloudy throughout the day. High of 40 and low of 26. Sunrise at 7:21 am and sunset at 4:49 pm. [Weather.gov]
Fairfax County is seeking more state support for education, a return of $39 million for regional transportation projects and more in its recently approved legislative priorities for next year.
At a meeting last week, the Board of Supervisors approved the adoption of the county’s 2023 legislative programs for both state and federal lawmakers. It passed by a 9-1 vote with only Springfield District Supervisor Pat Herrity opposing.
The approval on Dec. 6 was, more or less, a formality with most of the discussion and debate happening in legislative committee meetings throughout the fall.
In addition to trash collection changes, here are a few of the most notable priorities in this year’s agenda:
Increase state support for education
Jointly with Fairfax County Public Schools, the county wants the state to better address the differences between “high cost-of-living jurisdictions like Fairfax County” and other Virginia localities when funding public education.
State education funding is based on complex formulas and varies from year to year. The county has long argued that the formulas don’t adequately account for its higher cost of living compared to other areas.
“Public education funding in the Commonwealth is enshrined in the Virginia Constitution as a joint responsibility of both state and local governments, so it is essential that the state fully and appropriately meet its Constitutional responsibility to adequately fund K-12 education,” the state legislative program says.
Also, both boards oppose “budget cuts that disproportionately target or affect Northern Virginia” and “policies which divert K-12 education funding away from local public schools and toward non-public options.”
Allow traffic safety measures
Local elected county officials have maintained their call for more local authority from Virginia, where localities only have the powers explicitly granted them by the state.
As crash fatalities mount, the county is advocating for General Assembly legislation that lets localities create and post signage requiring motorists to stop for pedestrians in crosswalks.
Legislation is also needed to clarify that counties can reduce speed limits below 25 miles per hour on state-maintained roads that lie in residential districts, according to the program. Without that authority, the county’s options for addressing speeding are limited.
Restore regional transportation project funding
The state diverted $102 million away from the Northern Virginia Transportation Authority (NVTA) in 2018 to the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) to cover Virginia’s share of Metro funding.
In the several years since, $63.5 million has been restored, but the NVTA is still looking for the remaining nearly $39 million to support road repairs, facility maintenance, and other transportation projects in Northern Virginia.
“This [money] will ensure that transportation projects continue to advance in Northern Virginia after decades of state underfunding,” Braddock District Supervisor James Walkinshaw, who chairs the board’s legislative committee, said in his motion at the Dec. 6 meeting.
Boost state funding and support for behavioral services
The state’s support for behavioral health services is underwhelming, Board Chairman Jeff McKay said at November’s legislative committee meeting.
“The state is dramatically underfunding behavioral health services and they need to be much more robust,” he said. “…They’ve got to start to provide funding. I mean, let’s be honest with ourselves here. The starting point leaves plenty of room for improvement.”
Additional resources are needed to implement a Marcus Alert system that adds mental health specialists as responders to certain 911 calls, increase the availability of psychiatric beds and crisis services, provide training to law enforcement, and other initiatives, per the legislative program.
The county also opposes “any state actions which disproportionately rely on local funding for service implementation.”
Relocate FBI headquarters to Springfield
The effort to bring the new FBI headquarters to Springfield has been ongoing for at least a decade. At times, it’s gotten rather competitive, with McKay recently accusing WAMTA of tipping the scales in favor of alternate sites in Maryland.
In its Congressional program, the county is keeping up the full-court press on why the site in Springfield would be the best choice. McKay noted at the November meeting that the proximity of Quantico and the TSA headquarters should be major selling points.
“I do think we need to turn the temperature up a little bit. We need to be a little more proud and pound our chest a little bit more here,” McKay said. “Hopefully, we are in the lead here and we can close this deal.”
Expand the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) program
The county hopes the federal government will expand a program that provides tax credits to developers for acquiring, rehabbing, or constructing rental housing targeted to lower-income households.
The county says the tax credit has resulted in thousands of affordable homes.
“In Fairfax County, approximately 10,000 affordable homes have been constructed, preserved, or rehabilitated utilizing the LIHTC program,” the strategy package for Congress reads. “The ability to encourage private investments in affordable housing through tax credits is critical to helping meet the demand in the County.”
Mason District Supervisor Penny Gross said there might be an inaccurate perception that Fairfax County residents aren’t using the program.
“People do not think of Fairfax County as needing this program, but we know we really do because it serves thousands of people,” Gross said.
County officials met today (Dec. 13) with local General Assembly members to discuss their priorities and will meet with local members of Congress at a later date.
A major mixed-use development near the Innovation Center Metro station could see some tweaks, if Fairfax County approves changes requested by developer Pomeroy Companies.
The applicant behind Aurora Station at Dulles is seeking more flexibility in the previously approved residential makeup in eight planned land bays on nearly 21 acres of the 39-acre property, which is bounded by Frying Pan Road, Sunrise Valley Drive and Mt. Pleasant Baptist Church.
Overall, nearly 1.6 million square feet of residential development is proposed at 13710 Frying Pan Road in Herndon, along with 438,000 square feet of non-residential uses, according to an application submitted on Dec. 9.
Specifically, the developer wants to swap the previously approved land use for one area currently approved for an independent living facility in Land Bay C with 50 residential units. The square footage allotted for that facility would then be shifted to another area — Land Bay F.
Pomeroy is also seeking more flexibility for Land Bay B, whose upper area was approved for 64 townhouses while the lower was approved for 24 townhouses or one multifamily building. Now, the company wants the option of another 93 side-by-side townhouses or 98 stacked townhouses for the upper area and three multifamily buildings for the lower area.
“The options proposed for Land Bays B and C of the approved development further the application’s conformance with the Comprehensive Plan recommendations for the Property and will implement the County’s vision for development in the Dulles Suburban Center,” Scott Adams, a land use representative from McGuire Woods, wrote in a Dec. 9 statement.
Notably, the application doesn’t propose any increases to the developemnt’s maximum densities under the original rezoning. In total, the plan calls for a little over 1,000 residential units, retail and commercial development.
First approved in 2019, the conceptual development plan was one of two developments that Pomeroy had in the works at the Innovation station. The developer also partnered with CRC Companies on an adjacent One Sunrise Valley project, which could add up to 1.5 million square feet of residential and retail development as well as the site for a new, public elementary school.
The Aurora application has not yet been accepted for review by the county.
Herndon will soon be home to two Flagship Carwash locations.
A new location is set to open at the Village Center at Dulles, a shopping center located at at 2501 Centreville Road, according to signage posted at the storefront.
There’s no word yet on when it’s expected to open. Flagship’s website simply says coming soon, and the company did not return a request for comment.
The company already has a location on 632 Grant Street in the Town of Herndon.
The business offers automatic tunnel washes, compressed air, vacuums and other services.
The tenant will occupy a little over 3,100 square feet at the tail end of the shopping center. The center currently has eight tenant spaces available, according to the property owner’s website.
All-Day I-95 Toll Lanes Proposed — Northern Virginia leaders, including Fairfax County Board of Supervisors Chairman Jeff McKay, say the I-95 Express Lanes should be open to both northbound and southbound drivers throughout the day. The lanes currently only operate during rush hours, with drivers going into D.C. in the morning and going out during the afternoon. [NBC4]
Police Arrest 94-Year-Old in Pedestrian Hit-and-Run — “A 94-year-old Fairfax City man was arrested Friday morning in connection with a felony hit-and-run crash involving a pedestrian on Nov. 29 in Fairfax City, according to a police release…The pedestrian was taken to INOVA Fairfax Hospital, where they were treated for non-life threatening injuries.” [Patch]
Election Successful Despite Issues, Board Secretary Says — “Erroneous mailings, a flood of address changes and provisional votes, a new registrar and delayed redistricting lines from the state kept Fairfax County election officials on their toes this year.” [Sun Gazette]
Filipino Restaurant Opens in Annandale — “Paolo Dungca has long been pushing the boundaries of Filipino cuisine at places like the late Bad Saint and Wharf restaurant Kaliwa — and recently at his own string of pop-ups and restaurants, including the popular Pogiboy near Dupont Circle. Now, the rising star chef has expanded to Annandale with a new fast-casual concept: Sari Filipino Kusina, an all-day comfort food spot that opened over the weekend.” [Washingtonian]
Hearing on Fairfax Supportive Housing Project Continues — “A proposal to redevelop the Hy-Way Motel on Fairfax Boulevard and replace it with affordable housing returns for a second public hearing in two weeks at Tuesday’s Fairfax City Council meeting…About a third of the people who spoke at the Nov. 29 public hearing owned businesses in the Fairfax Circle area and opposed the project.” [Patch]
General District Court Gets First Female, Asian Judge — “Honored to be a part of the investiture of Judge Dipti Pidikiti-Smith, the 1st AAPI woman on the Fairfax General District Court. An immigrant, former @VA_LegalAid attorney & advocate for marginalized people, she will serve w/ compassion & ensure all have equal access to justice” [Kathy Tran/Twitter]
Fairfax County Public Library Hosts Program on Hamilton — “Many are familiar with Alexander Hamilton from the hit musical, but how much was true about the actual man? In this one hour presentation, Marti Londal will examine some myths from the musical and go beyond the lyrics to learn more about the ten-dollar founding father.” [FCPL]
It’s Tuesday — Clear throughout the day. High of 43 and low of 28. Sunrise at 7:20 am and sunset at 4:48 pm. [Weather.gov]
Pickles, a rescue cat, was trapped in a stormwater drain at Lake Anne in Reston for almost a week.
Her owners unsuccessfully tried to get him out after he became stuck on Dec. 4, his mews audible through a manhole.
After Fairfax County’s animal control staff said they couldn’t humanely trap the cat and the Fire and Rescue Department’s non-emergency line also said they could not do much, the owners turned to the county’s stormwater maintenance team for help.
After working from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Friday (Dec. 9), the team was able to get Pickles out, according to Brittany Catton Kirk, the owner.
“After a laborious first attempt/ he escaped and ran down a second drain. I seriously was going to give up at that point but your team did not. They moved the truck and started again. And this time got him!” Kirk said.
She told FFXnow that the cat was rescued on a freeway in Maryland a year ago.
Kirk said they promise to keep the feral rescue cat indoors from now on and lauded the team for their effort.
“It would have been an entirely different Christmas and trauma to know our cat was dying in a closed dark space, and now he is safe at home,” Kirk wrote.
