Grandfather Accused of BASE Jumps — Police believe that a 70-year-old grandfather — a former local runner — is the prime suspect in several BASE jumps from area skyscrapers. It’s possible that Chuck Moeser got away with as many as six plunges, including a 32-story plunge over evening traffic. [The Washington Post]
Local Houseplant Swap Today — Residents can swap houseplants today at 1 p.m. at Reston Regional Library. Registration is required for the event. [Reston Regional Library]
Taxi Certificates on Hold — The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously to maintain the area’s current fleet of taxi cabs. The limit for taxi certificates stands at 654 as demand for other transportations options like Uber and Lyft grows. [Sun Gazette]
Metro to Restore Some Cars — Metro may begin restoring some 7000-series railcars as the system transitions back to service. The move comes after a go-ahead from the Washington Metrorail Satefy Commission, which said it has no technical objections to the plan submitted by Metro. [Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority]
Fairfax County’s growth has come with deadly and dangerous roads for pedestrians, congestion for drivers, and other consequences that planning leaders hope to reverse.
At a Tysons committee meeting on Thursday (Dec. 9), the Fairfax County Planning Commission cited downtown Falls Church, Merrifield’s Mosaic District, and Reston Town Center as examples of what developers and governments should strive to make: mixed-use communities where people can live, shop, work, and play.
Deputy County Executive Rachel Flynn said the emergence of major thoroughfares, shopping meccas, and other projects have dramatically changed how pedestrians interact with streets, which were increasingly built with the goal of getting vehicles from point A to point B as quickly as possible.
“We shifted how we built…our roads,” she said, noting how 100 years ago, pedestrians shared roads with bicycles, horses, streetcars, and automobiles, and speed limits were about the same pace as pedestrians themselves.
She said streets used to be considered “owned” by everyone, used for everything from a marketplace for businesses to playground for kids.
“Everybody got to use the street equally,” she said.
Is Mixed-Use Development Helping?
Mixed-use projects like Reston Town Center and the Mosaic District present an alternate path forward that more consciously balances the needs of different road users, Flynn said, pointing to The Boro in Tysons, Comstock’s Reston Station, and the upcoming Halley Rise complex in Reston as other examples.
“Whenever you see people just walking in the street, you know you’ve a great street. You know it’s safe,” Flynn said.
Suggesting their walkability is closer to what might be seen in a city, she said these projects have proven successful for developers and the public, creating places where people want to live as well as destinations.
However, with lower parking requirements and other measures aimed at reducing vehicles, such projects haven’t always come with community support. The pending Campus Commons redevelopment caused an uproar over congestion at Wiehle Avenue and ultimately included changes to accommodate concerns.
The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors also recently approved an expansion of The Boro that some feel lacks sufficient accessibility accommodations and traffic controls, particularly across Westpark and Greensboro drives.
How We Got Here
Fairfax County’s road network is hardly alone in privileging cars, with everyone else as an afterthought.
With the rise of mass-produced vehicles, the automobile industry campaigned to change how streets were used and designed. Lobby groups pushed the term jaywalker to shift blame for crashes onto pedestrians, and the rise of highways and sprawling suburbs in the mid-20th century — not to mention some conspiring by oil and car companies like General Motors and Standard Oil — led to the demise of rail-based transit systems.
As time went on, regions across the country expanded lanes to allow more vehicles to travel, but as the D.C. region knows all too well, those changes can have the opposite effect, accommodating congestion that brings traffic to a stop.
Flynn noted that 71% of people drive alone to work in Fairfax County — a number she says the county should “get down to 50%” by including multimodal improvements in road and development projects.
“We’re not going to widen our way out of this,” she said.
What Could Happen Next
To establish a more comprehensive vision for walking, bicycling, and other non-motorized forms of travel, the county started developing an ActiveFairfax Transportation Plan last year.
Expected to be completed at the end of 2022, the project incorporates a “Complete Streets” concept that emphasizes safety and mobility for all road users and prompted the creation of a Safe Streets for All initiative.
Some options for improving street safety in dense population centers like Tysons and Reston include slowing speeds between 25 to 35 mph, limiting certain roads to six thru-lanes, adding on-street parking, and pursuing other ways to calm traffic, Flynn said.
She wants the county to make “beautiful boulevards,” not “car sewers.” Addressing I-95 congestion and the use of Route 1 in the Lorton area to bypass problems, Flynn suggested the county could rethink how to discourage cut-through traffic.
“We’d be glad to have you,” she said. “You can come here, but it’s going to take you a little longer and this is our main street. This is not our 95 anymore.”
Flynn also said inadequate crosswalks create problems, noting that seniors, people of color, and poorer people are disproportionately among the pedestrians killed in crashes, according to D.C. advocacy group Smart Growth America.
Planning Commission representatives expressed their support for a less car-centered mindset, saying they would like involve the Virginia Department of Transportation and other organizations in discussions.
At-Large Commissioner Timothy Sargeant said the county’s planners have already changed their thinking, embracing seemingly bad grades for traffic efficiency.
With fatal crashes, merchants losing business, and limited space for development, several cities have shifted away from the volume-based metric are highlighting another model: reducing vehicle miles traveled.
Flynn also suggested infrastructure improvements can help create a sense of place and show people “we care about you,” praising the presence and beauty of the Arlington Memorial Bridge.
Planning for the Town Center Parkway underpass, which would extend the parkway under the Dulles Toll Road, is officially underway.
A $1 million feasibility study completed by consulting firm Volkert has found that the project, which key to relief congestion in the area and near the Reston Town Center Metro Station, is possible.
The project is expected to cost upwards of $166.8 million, the report estimates.
“The construction of this extension is possible but there are many important steps before this can become a reality,” the report states, adding that stormwater management and coordination with Metro officials, the owners of RTC West and RTC Next, and other design constraints could make the project more challenging.
The underpass would run underneath the Dulles International Airport Access Highway and tracks laid down by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority. Two bridges are proposed to support eastbound and westbound traffic over the Town Center Parkway.
Two signalized intersections would also be needed at the intersections of Sunrise Valley Drive and a future road. Construction would need to be conducted in three phases.
The project extends Town Center Parkway southward from the intersection with Sunset Hills Road to the intersection with Sunrise Valley Drive. Construction of the project would take roughly three years. The study does not set forth a specific construction timeline.
“Fairfax County is pursuing funding for the Town Center Parkway Underpass project. The schedule will not be set until funding is identified and the project is initiated,” Dan Reinhard, senior project manager with VDOT told Reston Now.
The project was first proposed in 2012 based on a Dulles Corridor Special Study Transportation Analysis and again in the 2018 version of the county’s comprehensive plan for Reston.
The report estimated that a minimum of 255 parking spaces would be impacted by the project — resulting in property damages amounting to roughly $3.4 million. Further evaluation is needed to determine how the project would impact businesses and parking spaces.
The complete report will available online.
Image via Google Maps
Hunter Mill District Supervisor Walter Alcorn is reaffirming his stance on the future of Reston National Golf Course in response to a another community call for his position on the golf course’s possible development.
In a Dec. 8 letter to Alcorn, elected representatives of nine clusters and condominium associations near the golf course called on Alcorn to release another formal statement on the golf course’s future. Alcorn made an Oct. 23 statement in which he opposed plans to redevelop Hidden Country Club.
He noted that there appears to be little to no support to redevelop the golf course. Wheelock Communities has been contemplating redeveloping the golf course into a 100-acre park with 1,000 residential units.
At a recent meeting with Alcorn, representatives from area clusters noted that a recent survey of 457 residents found that nearly 96 percent of respondents sought to preserve the land use designation of Reston National Golf Course as a public golf course.
The survey included only 54 percent of all units represented by the clusters and condominiums.
Alcorn said that his stance on the golf course has not changed. Here’s what Alcorn told Reston Now:
“Earlier this year representatives of Reston National contacted me about their plans for a series of community outreach events concerning the current status and future use of their golf course property. I reminded them that the Fairfax County Comprehensive Plan clearly designates this property as a golf course, and my long-standing position that unless and until communities surrounding the golf course indicate their desire to initiate a change in the Comprehensive Plan I will oppose any such change. Community outreach by property owner representatives continues, and I look forward to hearing more from surrounding community members.”
Development at both golf courses requires a change to Reston’s comprehensive plan.
Weller Development Cos. And War Horse Cities purchased the property from RN Golf LLC, a partnership between Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance and Billy Casper Golf, in 2019.
Fairfax County police can now temporarily take guns away from people deemed a risk.
The procedures allow law enforcement to intervene before violence occurs, rather then retroactively responding to crimes, according to county leaders, who touted Virginia’s legislative change that went into effect July 1 last year.
Advocates suggested the law can help prevent domestic violence, suicides, and school shootings.
“Help us to prevent another gun tragedy,” Commonwealth’s Attorney Steve Descano said yesterday (Monday) during a news conference at the county’s Public Safety Headquarters.
Previously, law enforcement’s hands were tied, Descano said. Now, people can call or text 911, which initiates a Fairfax County Police Department investigation.
If a court determines with probable cause that a person poses a risk of harming themselves or others with a firearm they have or could get, the court can prohibit them from purchasing, possessing, or transporting those weapons.
In addition to D.C., 18 other states have introduced similar measures, dubbed “red flag laws,” starting with Connecticut in 1999. It has been upheld in courts because it has a due process element, said Paul Friedman, executive director of the Alexandria-based nonprofit Safer Country, which advocates for gun violence prevention.
While critics have argued that red flag laws take away Second Amendment rights, Descano said that those affected are given a full hearing.
Intended as the launch of a new communications campaign to increase awareness of the new law, the press conference took place one day before the nine-year anniversary of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting in Connecticut on Dec. 14, 2012, when 20 children and six educators were killed.
Friedman also noted the 2018 Parkland, Florida, high school shooting that left 14 students and three staff dead, and parent Fred Guttenberg, whose daughter was one of the victims, has said he wished the state had a red flag law at the time. Florida later created one.
“We are now living in a world with…a gun violence crisis,” said Friedman, whose organization advocated for the change in Virginia. “We can save lives with this law.”
The law allows a law enforcement officer or the Office of the Commonwealth Attorney to petition a court through an emergency substantial risk order, which can be used to enforce a temporary removal and purchase restrictions on weapons.
The court has to hold a hearing no later than 14 days later, where the affected party has the right to attend and can be represented by counsel. The court then rules on whether the removal should be turned into a substantial risk order for 180-day periods, which can be renewed indefinitely, if a court finds cause to do so.
Belinda Massaro, a mobile crisis unit manager with the Fairfax-Falls Church Community Services Board, said family members are often in the best position to know about potential issues, noting that suicide is a leading cause of death in the U.S.
She also challenged the harmful narrative that violence stems from mental illness, noting that serious mental illness is only involved 4% of violent acts in the country.
“People with mental illness are more often victims of violence than the cause of violence,” she said. “Studies have shown that people with mental illness are 23 times more likely to be victims of a violent crime than others.”
However, the future of the red flag law is uncertain, as Virginia prepares for a legislature and governor’s office now led by Republicans, who could dismantle the measure amid pressure from the National Rifle Association.
A reversal would remove Fairfax County’s power to use it, Friedman told FFXnow. He said it would survive if Democratic legislators who narrowly hold a majority in the Senate keep their stances the same.
Descano said he wanted the law strengthened, suggesting a 180-day provision could be doubled to provide more comfort to families.
Fairfax County authorities said they’ve used the law for 34 emergency substantial risk orders and 18 substantial risk orders. They encouraged people to speak up if they notice a potential issue.
Proposal to Beautify Plaza Awaits Approval — A group of Lake Anne owners has promised to pay $45,000 to cover a $250,000 beautification project. [Reston Patch]
Holiday Message from Reston Association — Acting CEO Larry Butler says that the new year will bring improvements to several recreational facilities and new capital projects. Butler also encourages members to vote in the upcoming board election in March. [RA]
Police Recruitment Fair This Week — The Fairfax County Police Department will have recruiters on sight at the Merrifield Sports Fitness Center from 5-8 p.m. tomorrow. [FCPD]
Photo by Marjorie Copson
New buildings going up around Tall Oaks Village Center could be completed in 2022, according to developer Stanley Martin Homes.
The new condo flats, starting in the upper $400,000s, have had 15 units sold so far, and the first building could be complete this May, a representative tells Reston Now.
Per Stanley Martin’s website on the neighborhood:
Tall Oaks is a neighborhood of townhomes and 2-level condos, is now offering 1-level condominiums in two new elevator buildings. … The 4-floor elevator buildings will feature underground parking and secure building entry with multiple floorplans to choose from.
The second building hasn’t had units for sale yet, and it’s slated to be completed by the fall or end of 2022, according to the company.
The neighborhood expands upon the real estate company’s presence there, where new homes abut a small village center.
The community is replacing a former Giant Foods that anchored the village center before it closed in 2007, part of a difficult history of vacated commercial stores that have been tucked away from a major thoroughfare.
Construction equipment has also been staged in a central area that’s also slated for housing, which could begin in the spring or summer and be completed by the end of 2022.
Fairfax County’s current COVID-19 surge has now surpassed the late summer wave fueled by the delta variant’s arrival.
The county is averaging 216.7 new cases per day for the past week — the most since Feb. 19, when the weekly average was at 228.9 cases, according to Virginia Department of Health data.
While cases have been rising since early November, the weekly average has increased by 100 cases since Nov. 28, suggesting the county is starting to see the effects of Thanksgiving gatherings and other holiday activities.
Fairfax County added 338 cases on Wednesday (Dec. 8) and another 361 cases yesterday (Sunday). Prior to this week, the county had not seen more than 300 cases in one day since Feb. 13, though the number of new cases dropped to 139 today (Monday).
At this rate, the Fairfax Health District’s case total for the pandemic could reach six digits within the next week. The district, which includes the cities of Fairfax and Falls Church, has reported 99,541 COVID-19 cases so far, along with 4,212 hospitalizations and 1,228 deaths, two of them in the past week.
Virginia as a whole has now surpassed 1 million cases, and the Commonwealth identified its first infection by the emerging omicron variant last Thursday (Dec. 9), though it hasn’t confirmed any additional cases from that strain since.
With community transmission levels now high, the Fairfax County Health Department has urged residents to get a COVID-19 vaccine or a booster shot, for those who have already been vaccinated, before meeting with family and friends during the upcoming Christmas and New Year’s holidays.
According to FCHD data, 915,160 Fairfax Health District residents — 77.3% of the population — have gotten at least one vaccine dose, including 87.3% of people 18 and older, almost 89.7% of adolescents aged 12-17, and 38.3% of 5-11 year olds.
813,245 residents, or 68.7% of the population, are fully vaccinated, including 79% of adults.
216,150 residents have received a booster or third dose, including 383 people aged 12-17. Booster shots of the Pfizer vaccine became available to 16 and 17 year olds on Friday (Dec. 10) after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention expanded its recommendation to include that age group.
The CDC is also now recommending that individuals conduct a self-test for COVID-19 before participating in an indoor gathering with people who aren’t in their household.
After its initial batch of kits ran out within an hour of their availability, Fairfax County Public Library received an additional 30,000 rapid COVID-19 testing kits last week and reported that all branches had some in stock as of Friday afternoon.
Testing is also available through health care providers, retail pharmacies, FCHD sites, and other locations in the community.
While the Fairfax Health District has seen a decline in testing encounters over the past week, the testing positivity rate has jumped from a seven-day average of 3.4% on Nov. 23 to 5.4% as of Dec. 9.
The weekly planner is a roundup of interesting events over the next week in the Herndon and Reston area.
We’ve searched the web for events of note. Want to submit a listing? Submit your pitch here!
Monday, Dec. 13
- Meadowlark’s Winter Walk of Lights — 5:30-10 p.m. at Meadowlark Botanical Gardens — Enjoy lights and holiday scenes in this annual transformation, which will stick around through Jan. 2. Tickets start at $18.
Tuesday, Dec. 16
- Erynn Marshall & Carl Jones — 7:15 p.m. at Amphora’s Diner Deluxe-Herndon — A married couple from Galax, Virginia participate in their first performance with The Folk Club. Tickets start at $10.
Wednesday, Dec. 15
- Senior Movie Day — 9:15 a.m. to noon at Reston Town Center’s Bow Tie Cinemas — Watch Tom Hanks portray children’s show icon Fred Rogers in “A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood.” Registration is not required. Free.
Thursday, Dec. 16
- American Mah Jongg — 9:30 a.m. to noon at RCC Hunters Woods — A drop-in program for players of all skill levels invites adults to participate. Free.
Friday, Dec. 17
- “Every Christmas Story Ever Told (And Then Some!)” — 8 p.m. at NextStop Theatre Co. with recurring performances throughout December — A three-member cast brings together this satirical and irreverent holiday production featuring traditional carols to pop-cultural references and of course, Christmas icons ranging from Santa to the Grinch. Tickets start at $25.
Saturday, Dec. 18
- Snow Much Fun — Fountain Square at Reston Town Center — Enjoy festive performances throughout the day from community groups, featuring the Northern Virginia Ukulele Ensemble from 11:30 a.m. to 12:15 p.m., Northern Virginia Ukulele Society from 12:30-1:15 p.m. and caroling from from 2:30-4:30 p.m.
Sunday, Dec. 19
- Equity Matters: Moving Forward to Equal Justice – “Crescendo” — 3 p.m. at CenterStage — Follow the extraordinary tale on screen about an Israeli-Palestinian youth orchestra and its overtures for peace in the Mideast. Registration is required. Free.
Local police are searching for a man who escaped after being handcuffed by police on Sunday.
The man — who is suspected of robbing a business on the 700 block of Grant Street — was able to escape police custody before he was transferred to the backseat of a police cruiser.
Police believe he left the area in a gold Honda Pilot that was reported stolen from Nicklaus Court on Nov. 11. The man reportedly left the scene as a passenger in the stolen car.
So far, police have not been able to locate the man. That is despite a helicopter-assisted search.
The stolen car has Virginia tags that read UBB-2337.
Photos via Herndon Police Department
Brx American Bistro Robbed — The restaurant, which is located at 1025 Seneca Road in Great Falls, was robbed. The incident happened on Dec. 6 at around 9:30 a.m. [Fairfax County Police Department]
Boosters Now Available for Teens — Teens between the ages of 16 and 17 can now receive a COVID-19 vaccine booster shot. Appoints in the county can be made online through the state’s vaccine administration management system. [Fairfax County Government]
Search for Schools Superintendent Underway — The school system has recruited GR Recruiting to help hire a new superintendent. Community engagement opportunities are planned for this month, including a school board work session today to discuss the process and timeline moving forward. [Fairfax County Public Schools]
Photo by Marjorie Copson
An apartment fire that displaced 44 people Dec. 2 in Herndon has drawn responses from numerous services and community members to help as families embrace a holiday season much different than they expected.
Help has come through an outpouring of donations as well as help in staying in hotels for the short term, following the fire that officials say was linked to a charging cable.
“We are working to help make sure that these families have all of their short-term and long-term needs placed,” Cornerstones spokesperson Margaret Ann Lara said.
The nonprofit Cornerstones has been working with the Fairfax County Emergency Operations Center, county schools, a helpline for residents known as Coordinated Services Planning (703-222-0880), the American Red Cross of the National Capital & Greater Chesapeake Region and other safety net providers to address the “devastating impact of this fire,” Lara also said in a statement.
Cornerstones, the social services organization known for assisting homeless individuals and families, has also provided gift cards so victims can purchase food, clothing and transportation. It’s also working with other agencies to provide support for many suffering from emotional and physical trauma, Lara wrote.
“In that same light, the community’s support is extraordinary. We’ve received generous offers of clothing, furniture, toys, appliances, etc.” Lara said in the statement. “Household and personal items will definitely be needed in the future. But for now, the greatest community support opportunity is to donate gift cards or make direct financial donations through Cornerstones, as we coordinate resources to help with short-term needs and anticipate the long-term supports required for these families over the next 8-12 months.”
The organization plans to partner with local nonprofits, faith and civic groups and corporate as well as individual advocates to help fulfill families’ needs for household goods, furniture, appliances and more.
Fairfax County could be hit by wind gusts of up to 55 miles per hour this weekend, courtesy of stormy weather that could pass through the D.C. region ahead of an expected cold front.
A Wind Advisory has been issued for the area, starting at 4 p.m. tomorrow (Saturday) and continuing until 1 a.m. Sunday (Dec. 12).
The National Weather Service says to prepare for west winds of 15 to 25 miles per hour, with gusts that could reach up to 55 miles per hour. The highest wind speeds are expected to come between 6 p.m. and midnight.
“Gusty winds could blow around unsecured objects,” the NWS said in its alert. “Tree limbs could be blown down and a few power outages may result.”
According to the Capital Weather Gang, the high winds will contribute to a rise in temperatures, which current forecasts indicate could hit an unseasonable high of 70 degrees Fahrenheit on Saturday even with a 70% chance of precipitation during the day.
Temperatures are expected to drop back into the 40s on Sunday.
Planning leaders gave the final OK for a developer to build an eight-story residential block with up to 480 units despite lack of clarity on whether condos will be part of the mix.
The Fairfax County Planning Commission approved the project on Wednesday, which will be part of Brookfield Properties’ 36-acre development known as Halley Rise by the yet-to-open Reston Town Center Station.
The project calls for 15% of the units to be workforce dwelling units, according to a November staff report, meaning up to 72 units would be under a county affordability program: Half of those would be at 100% of the area median income (AMI) and the remaining half would be reserve for 80% AMI and 70% AMI.
An eastern portion will have approximately 366 residential units, and a western portion will have approximately 114 residential units “that will be designed to be condominium ownership to broaden the appeal to the community but depending on market conditions may still be rental apartments,” Gill wrote.
Gill, representing developer Jaco Acquisition, wrote that the possible condominium portion would “provide opportunities for homeownership and appeal to a broader community” but added that the applicant “reserves the right to operate this building as a rental apartment community.”
The project also calls for 9,500 square feet of retail and above-grade parking garage spaces. Among its amenities, the site will include a double row of trees to along the Reston Parkway, bike racks, and an interior courtyard.
“The building will contain two above-grade parking garages, which will be wrapped by residential and retail uses,” Katie Quinn, a county planning staff coordinator, told the commission.
County staff said in a report that the nearly 541,000 square foot building wouldn’t have any urban park area, but Halley Rise overall will eventually have a little of five acres of green space with the addition of two upcoming parks: The Quad and the Gateway. The green space is a little over the square footage of four football fields.
“The heart of it is replacing what is largely a surface parking lot for that existing office building and developing a shared parking garage to provide parking not just for our residential project but also that office building,” Gill said of the Jaco Acquisition project, known as Block C.
A six-story residential structure with a Wegmans is currently being constructed on Block F of the development, which lies north of the Jaco Acquisition residential project. Commission member John Carter, representing the Hunter Mill District, said the Wegmans phase of the project could open toward the end of 2022.
Jaco Acquisition, tied to D.C. developer Akridge, is developing the project, but Brookfield Properties still owns the land. Gill, the land use attorney, said that Jaco is a partnership between Akridge and The Meridian Group.
Wednesday’s action finalizes approvals needed from elected and appointed government boards.
Fairfax County Public Libraries will no longer charge fines for most overdue materials, joining other jurisdictions in the D.C. area in an effort to maintain equity.
The FCPL Board of Trustees unanimously approved the policy in a meeting on Wednesday (Dec. 8). The new system, which begins on Jan. 1, would also reset fines that have already been incurred.
Board of Trustees Chair Fran Millhouser said the policy change is intended to encourage all individuals to take advantage of the library system.
“The FCPL Board of Trustees has approved eliminating fines on most materials and joins surrounding jurisdictions in removing this significant barrier to equitable access to information and library services,” said Millhouser.
The move comes after the board discussed the issue with the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors in mid-October. An FCPL analysis showed that overdue fines affect young people and individuals in low-income areas.
Blocked cards — cards that are not allowed to check out materials due to fines exceeding $15 — were more prevalent in the following areas:
- Reston Regional Library
- City of Fairfax Regional Library
- George Mason Regional Library
- Kingstowne Library
- Sherwood Regional Library
Before the pandemic, 17% of all cardholders had blocked cards. Blocked youth cards accounted for 23% of the total youth cardholder population. A link was found between low-income communities and blocked cards.
Library systems across the country, including in neighboring Alexandria City, Loudoun County, and Prince William County, have adopted fine-free models — a move that has resulted in a surge of returned materials.
Fines will still apply to materials in special collections like interlibrary loan materials, Chromebooks and mobile hotspots.
At the Thursday meeting, board trustee Liz Walker encouraged the library system to further identify what items were still not fine-free.
But Millhouser noted that a prescriptive approach was not appropriate because the library offers many resources.
“It’s good to leave it open as the library just becomes so diversified… we’re not just a library anymore.”
