This is an opinion column by Del. Ken Plum (D), who represents Reston in Virginia’s House of Delegates. It does not reflect the opinion of Reston Now.
New bike lanes are planned at Monroe Street and on Sunset Hills Road.
The Fairfax County Department of Transportation and the Virginia Department of Transportation plans to add an eastbound bike lane on Monroe Street from Sunrise Valley Drive to the bridge and multiple bike lanes on Sunset Hills Road from Samuel Morse Drive to Business Center Drive.
A public meeting on the proposed project is set for Tuesday, April 6 at 7 p.m.The meeting will take place online via Webex. Registration is required to attend.
Here’s more from the county on the planned projects.
As part of its annual maintenance, VDOT repaves hundreds of roads in Fairfax County each year. FCDOT and VDOT collaborate during the repaving and restriping process to efficiently implement the Fairfax County Comprehensive Plan that seeks to improve traffic safety and provide transportation options to people around the County.
In subdivisions, “no parking” signs with precise date information will be posted at least three business days prior to work starting. Residents can expect work vehicles in their neighborhood during the project. Motorists are asked to be alert to temporary traffic patterns. Cars, basketball hoops or garbage cans may need to be temporarily relocated while work is under way. Work hours are usually limited to outside of rush hours. Crews typically work on neighborhood streets weekdays from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. On other roads such as interstates and some primaries, work may occur overnight.
Paving is set to bring in April and end in November. A more specific timeline is unavailable due to varying contractor schedules.
Photo via Fairfax County Government
Fire Watch In Effect — A fire weather watch is in effect today from noon to 5 p.m. The National Weather Service notes that breezy winds, low humidity and dry conditions can cause fires to spread rapidly. [Ready Fairfax]
County 9-1-1 Service Officially Restored — The county’s 9-1-1 line is running smoothly again. Most of the day on Wednesday, call capacity was limited and callers experienced longer wait times. [Fairfax County Government]
The Top Ten Percent — Ten percent of Virginians are officially fully vaccinated and more than two million doses have been administered throughout the state, according to state data. Older adults have the most vaccine doses among age groups. [Reston Patch]
Metro Dodges Service Cuts — The passage of the American Recovery Plan will help Metro avert major service cuts and layoffs. However, the direct impact of the passage of the federal relief package is still unclear. Metro’s Board of Directors chairman notes that it is not yet known how much Metro will receive. [Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority]
Photo via vantagehill/Flickr
The cicadas are coming.
17 years after their last appearance, swarms of cicadas known collectively as periodical cicada Brood X are preparing to stage a sequel this spring, with the D.C. area as the epicenter of a natural phenomenon that will encompass 15 states across the eastern and midwestern U.S.
Tammy Schwab, a naturalist and education and outreach manager for the Fairfax County Park Authority, says the insects are expected to emerge in the county around the middle of May, when the ground temperature reaches about 64 degrees Fahrenheit.
“Cicadas are special because of their extremely long life cycle,” Schwab told Tysons Reporter by email. “Cicadas spend 2-17 years as a larva underground feeding on the roots of trees. Most other insects have much shorter life spans.”
According to the National Wildlife Federation, adult periodical cicadas are black with orange underneath. They are just over an inch in length and boast clear, “membranous,” black-veined wings that span three inches across.
These cicadas are different from annual cicadas, which live underground for two to five years before emerging as adults, typically between May and September. Because their life cycles aren’t as closely synchronized as periodical cicadas, some annual cicadas appear every year.
Fairfax County last saw Brood X — one of 15 periodical cicada broods in the U.S. — at the scale anticipated this spring in 2004, but a handful of the insects were spotted locally in 2017.
“As part of the cicada survival strategy some of each brood can emerge between 1 and 4 years early in case some catastrophe were to destroy all the cicadas in a given emergence,” Schwab explained.
They're coming! This is the year of the 17-year cicada in our area. There will be trillions of them in early summer. They are harmless. They are loud. They are high in protein, if you're into that. They don't social distance. It's a phenomenon of nature to be enjoyed. Can't wait! pic.twitter.com/WR5qWCXq3m
— Fairfax County Parks (@fairfaxparks) March 4, 2021
In comparison, Schwab says “millions” of cicadas could blanket the D.C. region this year, though the numbers could vary across different areas depending on how much land development has occurred over the past 17 years.
Both adult and larval cicadas depend on trees for food, so they tend to be more prevalent in forested areas. However, people in more developed residential neighborhoods might notice them sooner, since the ground warms more quickly in open spaces than in the woods, according to Schwab.
She says the loss of tree cover to development “will definitely decrease populations,” but reforestation prior to an emergence could result in an increase. Fairfax County had stream bank stabilization projects at Snakeden Branch in Reston, Difficult Run in Oakton, Accotink Creek, and Cinnamon Creek in the Wolf Trap area in 2003, the year before Brood X’s last emergence.
“It would be very interesting to see if these project areas had any effect on the population,” Schwab said.
While the appearance of millions of loud, winged insects may sound alarming, cicadas are harmless for humans. The most notable impact will be on newly planted trees, which can be damaged by cicada egg laying.
Schwab advises residents to wait until the fall before planting new trees or utilize insect netting to protect their branches.
She also says people should watch what their pets are eating.
“A few are not likely to hurt pets but too many could cause digestive issues,” Schwab said. “They are edible by people if you’re are brave enough to try it.”
Photo courtesy Fairfax County Park Authority
The potential renovation of Lake Thoreau Pool is coming closer to fruition.
The Reston Association’s Design Review Board will look at a preliminary site plan application for the pool during its March 16 virtual meeting. The application will return to the board for final approval at a later date after comments and requirements for the project are integrated into the design.
The proposed alterations to the pool facility include selective tree removal, the expansion of the parking lot for more parking and ADA accessibility, and additional sidewalks. Other changes include the pool’s reconstruction, including the basin, retaining walls, observation plaza and deck, and modifications and expansions to the existing bathhouse.
Materials, fixtures, colors, landscaping, and artwork for the project will be presented to RA later in the design process, according to the submitted application.
In the proposed concept, the parking lot will include 25 parking spaces with two ADA spaces. The pool house would increase by 348 square feet to 1,375. The site plan also includes a proposed connection to the Lake Thoreau Loop Trail.
RA’s Director of Capital Projects Chris Schumaker said during the board’s Feb. 25 meeting that the project is projected to be three months behind schedule. Schumaker estimated another review by the Design Review Board in mid-July and the contract would head for a board vote in August.
He also estimated the pool project could be completed in October 2022 and a grand reopening could happen in May 2023.
The pool, which was opened in 1981, has been closed due to a compromised retaining wall. The details of the deterioration of the pool were identified to RA in October 2019 in a Terracon report.
RA’s Board of Directors allocated roughly $1.6 million in its 2021 capital budget for the project in October.
Images via handout/Reston Association
Fairfax County’s COVID-19 inoculation efforts are about to get a major boost in the form of a new mass vaccination site that’s expected to open by the end of March.
The county is collaborating with the City of Alexandria and Inova Health Systems to convert Alexandria’s Victory Center(5001 Eisenhower Avenue) into a mass vaccination center that could accommodate thousands of people looking to get the COVID-19 vaccine.
At a press conference yesterday (Tuesday), Inova President and CEO Dr. Stephen Jones said that, depending on the availability of supplies, the planned facility could enable the healthcare system to dispense 6,000 vaccine doses per day, doubling its current rate of roughly 3,000 doses a day.
“I feel a responsibility to get as many people vaccinated as possible,” Jones said.
Once it opens, the vaccination center will serve residents of Alexandria and Fairfax County. Eligible individuals must pre-register to get in line for an appointment either through the Fairfax County Health Department or, for non-county residents, the state registration system.
According to its website, Inova is currently assisting Fairfax County with eligible adults between the ages of 65 and 74, but it has also served essential workers, including Fairfax County Public Schools teachers.
While the pace of vaccinations continues to be limited by supply availability, Fairfax County Board of Supervisors Chairman Jeff McKay says the addition of the Victory Center as a vaccination site will ensure the county and Inova can keep up as more vaccines start to come in.
According to the county’s vaccine data dashboard, Fairfax County’s latest shipment from the Virginia Department of Health included 19,220 doses for the week of March 1-7, a step up from the 13,000 doses that the county was typically getting just a few weeks ago.
As of 5:30 p.m. yesterday, there were more than 106,000 people on the FCHD waitlist. 298,332 people have registered to get a COVID-19 vaccine through the county health department, which has allocated 217,476 doses either by administering them itself or distributing them to partners like Inova.
“We were told by the [state] to expect a major increase in doses in the coming weeks,” McKay said. “We want to have the infrastructure to take care of those doses. We can’t control the dosage, but what is in our control is capacity.”
Inova chose the Victory Center in Alexandria for its mass vaccine clinic because of the building’s size and proximity to local transit facilities, including the Van Dorn Street Metro station.
The accessibility of the COVID-19 vaccine has been a top concern for Fairfax County in recent weeks, as health officials say the populations most affected by the pandemic have faced more challenges in getting vaccinated, often due to vaccine hesitancy or limited access to transportation, internet, and other services.
The county has been working to expand its partnerships with other localities, healthcare providers, and community organizations to reach different communities, though the process has not been entirely conflict-free.
McKay encourages everyone who is eligible to get the vaccine to take advantage of any chance to do so.
“This is an act of necessary charity,” McKay said. “It’s not about us, but about every person we interact with, like grocery store workers, transit workers, your children and their teachers…This gives us a convenient opportunity to do the right thing.”
Vernon Miles contributed to this report.
Staff at Roer’s Zoofari in Reston say they’re devastated after a barn fire killed the family-run zoo’s only two giraffes on Monday.
Although the blaze was brought under control, Waffles, a seven-year-old giraffe, and his companion, a giraffe that zoo owner Vanessa Roer acquired two weeks ago, were killed in the fire.
Staff at the zoo recently created a memorial outside the entrance of the zoo. People have been leaving flowers and balloons in memory of Waffles, a zoo-goer-favorite.
According to Roer, 20 other animals were rescued after the blaze destroyed nearly one-third of the barn.
‘Waffles was a favorite with our visitors and our team,’ Roer said. ‘We are heartbroken.’
A spokesperson for the Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department told Reston Now that an investigation on the cause of the fire and the extent of damages is underway.
Preliminarily, staff believe that the fire may have been caused by a heater used to keep animals warm in the barn overnight.
The zoo is closed until Friday.
Three macaws were taken to Leesburg Wild Animal Park Monday night after the zoo’s veterinarian ruled out any signs of smoke inhalation. All other animals were relocated inside the zoo.
The current owners took over the zoo, which was formerly known as Reston Zoo, in 2016. The former zoo’s director pleaded guilty to animal cruelty charges.
Photo via Vanessa Roer
Great Falls Fire Captain Honored — The Greater Reston Chamber of Commerce honored Capt. Mike Allen as the first responder of the year. He works in the Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department’s Station 12 in Great Falls. [Inside NOVA]
South Lakes Students Make School More Inviting — Students at South Lakes High School beautified bathroom stalls with paintings in order to make the return to school more inviting. The effort was coordinated by the school’s campus environment commission committee. [Fairfax County Public Schools]
County Board Advertises Flat Tax Rate — The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors voted yesterday to set an advertised real estate tax rate of $1.15 per $100 of assessed value for fiscal year 2022. County Executive Bryan Hill had proposed decreasing the rate by one cent. [@JeffreyCMcKay/Twitter]
Severe Tornado Drill Set for March 16 — “Virginia Severe Weather Awareness Week, which is the first time Virginia is promoting this combined awareness effort, will be held March 15-19…As part of the awareness week activities, Virginia’s annual tornado drill will be conducted on Tuesday, March 16, at 9:45 a.m.” [Fairfax County Government]
Photo via vantagehill/Flickr
Dominion Energy plans to have new electric vehicle charging stations up and running in Northern Virginia this year, joining five other utility providers to create an interstate charging network that could extend from D.C. to western Texas.
The provider announced last week that it is partnering with American Electric Power, Duke Energy, Entergy Corporation, Southern Co., and the Tennessee Valley Authority to form the Electric Highway Coalition, which will provide electric vehicle charging infrastructure along major highways within their service territories.
About 18 million EVs could be on U.S. roads by 2030, according to estimates from The Edison Electric Institute. But while charging options becoming more plentiful to support everyday travel, anxiety remains among drivers about how to tackle long-distance road trips.
Dominion wants to enable electric long-distance travel for customers and its company fleet on major interstates and other well-traveled roadways, spokesperson Peggy Fox said. The charging stations will be capable of getting drivers back on the road in approximately 20-30 minutes.
“For example, in Virginia, we want to enable EV drivers to travel from the mountains to the beach or from the nation’s capital to the Virginia coast,” she said.
New stations in Fairfax County could be along I-66, I-95 and 495, and other well-traveled roads, she added. The stations will be about 100 miles apart or less, but exact locations and a concrete timeline have yet to be established.
“The partner utilities have started discussions to collaborate on site locations, site partners, design, and equipment,” Fox said.
Dominion will be coordinating with the other utility partners to provide sufficient charging capacity while using existing infrastructure and avoiding duplication, she said. The utility company plans to have a minimum of two charging stations at each location.
It has also been working with the state and locally with Fairfax County government to electrify transit. It rolled outelectric school buses in January, and in October, it debuted a self-driving shuttle that runs between Dunn Loring Metro Station and Mosaic District.
Del. Mark Keam (D-35th), who represents part of Tysons and has supported many environment-focused bills, said he welcomes Dominion’s new partnership as a “good news story,” but the General Assembly approved a number of bills in its recent legislative session to indicate the state government is serious about electrifying transit, too.
“No company is going to go do things on their own, without knowing what the state will do as a partner,” Keam said. “Us providing that level of priority allows Dominion to say, ‘OK, here’s what we will do.'”
Virginia will join a dozen other states that have adopted clean car standards requiring low- and zero-emission vehicles to be available, he said. It will also be providing a “small but still meaningful rebate” for those looking to buy one.
Keam says Dominion’s plans could work in tandem with approved bills supporting the expansion of charging infrastructure. Legislators also requested a statewide study of transit equity, and Keam successfully introduced a bill to establish a state electric school bus fund.
“We’ve really put Virginia on the map,” he said.
Still, Keam added that Dominion’s role in electrifying transit should be an ongoing discussion. It owns substantial infrastructure and supplies much of Virginia’s power, so the utility needs to be included, but state lawmakers have been unable to agree on a regulatory approach.
“We have to look at all of this with clear eyes,” he said.
Image via Dominion Energy
The weather is getting warmer and the sun is shining longer, but spring really arrives in D.C. when the thousands of cherry trees around the Tidal Basin start to bloom.
Organizers announced on March 1 that this year’s National Cherry Blossom Festival will take place from March 20 through April 11. The National Park Service currently predicts that the flowers will be in peak bloom sometime between April 2 and 5.
With COVID-19 still posing health risks after mostly shutting down last year’s showcase, the 2021 festival has been reimagined in a less concentrated format with a combination of in-person and virtual activities that will encompass the entire D.C. area, including Fairfax County.
In addition to promoting regionwide events, such as the “Art in Bloom” sculptures and “Petal Porch Parade,” Fairfax County will host events of its own in coordination with the larger festival, many of them designed to showcase local gardens and parks or celebrate the coming of spring.
Supported by Visit Fairfax, the county’s official tourism organization, the festivities include:
- Festival Central (March 20-April 11): The Fairfax County Visitor Center at Tysons Corner Center will provide free cherry blossom-themed souvenirs and information about the festival. It will also host its annual National Cherry Blossom Festival Day from 1-3 p.m. on March 27, which will feature a calligraphy demonstration.
- The Science Behind Flowers (March 20-April 11): A program on botanical chemistry, invasive and native plants, ecological restoration, and other flower-related topics will stream online throughout the festival, courtesy of the Children’s Science Center.
- Spring Fling Tour (March 27): Frying Pan Farm Park in Herndon will have “special stations” throughout its nature trail “to build a fairy house” and provide Japanese tea at its meeting house.
- Wabi-Sabi: Embracing Imperfection (March 28): Alexandria’s Green Spring Gardens will host a program on wabi-sabi, a Japanese philosophy focused on finding beauty in an imperfect natural world. Attendees will get tea samples and traditional sweets in an optional tea box. The event costs $12-24 and requires advance online registration.
- Spring-Themed Drive-in Movies (April 3-4): Mosaic District is resuming its drive-in movie screenings with a pair of double features, starting with “Mary Poppins” and “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off,” followed by “Hop” and “42.” Tickets cost $28 per car and can be purchased online.
- Community Market and Workshops (April 10): The Workhouse Arts Center in Lorton will feature cherry blossom-inspired artwork, a marketplace, and various workshops, including origami crafts, haiku contests, and Japanese drumming.
- Plants & Design (April 10): Led by horticulturalist Bevan Shimizu, Green Spring Gardens will offer a virtual, hour-long program about Japanese-style garden design. The program costs $18 and requires advance registration.
Visit Fairfax also advises residents and visitors to take the opportunity provided by the festival to tour the county’s parks, including Meadowlark Botanical Gardens in Vienna, which has a lake surrounded by more than 100 cherry trees.
Though the format is different this year, Visit Fairfax president and CEO Barry Biggar says the influx of tourism that typically accompanies the annual cherry blossom festival has long benefitted not just the nation’s capital, but also the D.C. region as a whole.
“The National Cherry Blossom Festival is one of the nation’s greatest celebrations of spring and Visit Fairfax has been a proud supporter for many, many years,” Biggar said. “…People may come because they are familiar with the blossoms along the Tidal Basin, but we encourage visitors and residents to also explore some of the wonderful cultural events and attractions, spacious gardens and parks, and beautiful cherry trees that exist beyond the city.”
The festival will kick off at 6 p.m. on March 20 with a virtual opening ceremony. A full programming guide can be found on the National Cherry Blossom Festival website.
Photo courtesy Visit Fairfax
Another business in The Spectrum at Reston Town Center has permanently closed its doors.
Starbucks, previously located at 1857 Fountain Drive, officially closed in late February. The last official day of business was Feb. 28.
A company spokesperson said that the decision was made for ‘the sake of Starbucks’ long-term growth. ‘
‘We look forward to continuing to serve the Reston community and encourage our customers to visit us at our other stores in the area,’ the spokesperson told Reston Now in a statement.
In October of last year, Best Buy’s departure left a major vacancy in the plaza.
Lerner Enterprises, a Maryland-based company, plans to transform the plaza into a mixed-use development with 700,000 square feet of commercial and retail space along with 1,400 residential units. A timeline for the project has not yet been determined.
Image via Google Maps
It was a year ago when business owner Liz Kamp made the decision to shut down her cycling, strength, and fitness studio New Trail.
New Trail, located at Lake Anne in Reston, was thriving after opening in November 2018. The customer base was growing, nine employees had been hired, and Kamp, 36 and a mother of three, was proud of the community she had built. There was even talk about opening a second studio.
That all changed on March 14 last year.
“We had a St. Paddy’s [cycling] event and I had set up a million safety precautions that I felt pretty good about,” Kamp says. “Then we had it and I just felt like I didn’t have full control of this.”
Immediately after that event, she made a very difficult decision.
Seeing people getting too close to one another after class and realizing she could do little to spread COVID-19 by establishing precautions, she closed New Trail.
“It was too stressful and too risky, ” she says. “It was my social responsibility to shut it down.”
Exactly a year later, on March 14, 2021, Kamp is re-opening her studio and allowing people to exercise indoors for the first time.
Classes will remain very limited, with only six people inside at a time and spread out by at least 10 feet. Doors will remain open for fresh air, a new HVAC system will be running, and masks are required.
Participants can also exercise outside for those who are not comfortable being inside yet.
But it’s a return to something resembling normalcy for the fitness studio and for Kamp’s ambitions. She hopes to create a space for those like her looking for a good workout.
Kamp has been a fitness instructor for nearly her whole career, including a stint as a fitness specialist for the Herndon Parks and Recreation Department.
Then, in 2009, she moved to Reston and within walking distance of Lake Anne.
“It was sort of an underutilized space at the time,” Kamp says about Lake Anne.
It took nearly a decade — she’s a mom to three kids — but Kamp eventually made her dream happen — opening up New Trail in part of the space that used to be Lake Anne Pharmacy (which closed in 2014).
“Such a deep part of my mission is to create the space where it’s a hangout,” she says. “You’re not anonymous. They know me. I know them. That small town appeal was strong for me.”
Her goal was also to create a studio for folks like her.
“I think a lot of times when people see what we call boutique studios, it’s 20-year-old models teaching and it sort of sets people up for intimidation,” she says. “I wanted to take that all out of the game and focus on just creating a real community where the focus is not how we look, but working out and moving for wellness. Mind, body and soul.”
Everything was going great until March 2020. In the intervening year, she received a Payment Protection Program loan while pivoting to some outdoor (in the summer) and virtual classes but admits it wasn’t the same.
“Our value in the marketplace is the in-person experience, so when you take that away, it’s just different and it takes away our uniqueness,” she says.
Competing with Pelotons of the world was also very tough since they can provide top-notch production at lower costs.
“That was defeating at times… feeling like ‘how can I compete?'” Kamp says.
But this shift back to indoors and, maybe, normalcy is leaving her hopeful. She misses seeing her customers and thinks people will flock back.
“Places like New Trail are going to mean much more to people now,” she says. “We’ve missed that human connection.”
As for that second studio, she remains optimistic about it but is waiting to see what 2021 and beyond – brings.
“We will keep pushing our mission forward,” Kamp says.
Photo courtesy of New Trail/Kim Chevez Photography
Herndon Police Department Seeks System Engineer — The town’s police department is searching for a police systems engineer to join its team. Professional experience in cybersecurity and handling of confidential information is preferred. [HPD]
Voting Underway for Reston Association Election — Voting is underway for the board election is open through April 2 at 5 p.m. Property owners and renters can cast their vote in the election online. [RA]
Federal Lawsuit Filed Against Fairfax County Police Department — “A Black man who was Tasered and punched by a White Fairfax County police officer without apparent provocation in 2020 filed a federal lawsuit Monday claiming his civil rights were violated, he was subject to excessive force, and he was falsely arrested.” [The Washington Post]
Photo via vantagehill/Flickr
(Updated at 9:40 p.m.) A barn fire at Roer’s Zoofari has left two giraffes dead.
The fire was first reported at the private zoo at 1228 Hunter Mill Road around 6 p.m. In a photo posted by Fairfax County Fire and Rescue, smoke could be seen rising from the roof of the two story building.
Later, after the blaze was brought under control, the fire department announced that two giraffes were found deceased. No other animals were reported hurt.
The zoo had a popular, seven-year-old giraffe named Waffles, who children could feed with their bare hands. It was Waffles and his companion that died in the fire, the zoo confirmed Monday night in a statement posted on social media.
Unfortunately, we have very sad news to share.
Tonight the Roer’s Zoofari staff and family are devastated following a barn fire that claimed the life of our beloved giraffe, “Waffles” and his new giraffe companion yet to be named.
Zoofari owner, Vanessa Roer, received the call at 5:30 PM from Fairfax County dispatch that the barn where the giraffes was housed in caught fire. Staff and the zoo’s veterinarian arrived within minutes to help rescue and care for approximately 20 other animals housed in the same area. We are grateful that no staff members or other Zoofari animals were injured or lost.
Grief counselors are being made available for staff, who are devastated by this tragedy and who cared deeply for these members of the Zoofari family.
Please note that Zoofari will be closed until further notice. Thank you for all of your support and condolences to our zoo family during this time.
Thank you to Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department for responding so quickly.
Investigators are now on scene, trying to determine how the fire started.
Roer’s Zoofari, located near Lake Fairfax Park, was formerly known as Reston Zoo before its current owners took over in 2016. The new ownership followed a controversy in which the former zoo director pleaded guilty to animal cruelty charges.
Units are currently on the scene of a barn fire in the 1200 block of Hunter Mill Rd in Reston.
First arriving reported fire from the roof and on two floors of a 2-story barn. Unknown at this time if any animals in barn. Hunter Mill Rd/Cobble Mill Rd closed. Avoid area. #FCFRD pic.twitter.com/HjjvvP4bTa— Fairfax County Fire/Rescue (@ffxfirerescue) March 8, 2021
UPDATE: 1200 block of Hunter Mill Road: The fire is under control. Tragically, two giraffes were found deceased. No other animals injured, and all are being attended to by zoo staff. No reported firefighter injuries at this time. Fire investigators on scene. #FCFRD pic.twitter.com/uT1ND7lnvD
— Fairfax County Fire/Rescue (@ffxfirerescue) March 9, 2021
Beginning March 22, Fairfax County Public Library branches will reopen for indoor services.
But library patrons will only be able to visit FCPL branches for up to 30 minutes. Branches will open on Monday and Tuesday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. and from Wednesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
The changes come after the system offered curbside and online services since mid-January.
Each branch will have capacity limits of up to 30 people for community branches and 60 people for regional branches. Customers over five must wear masks at all times.
The system will also institute a number of social distancing measures, including plexiglass shields, social distancing floor stickers, and limited furniture.
Book donations are not being accepted and returned library materials will be quarantined for 24 hours. Meeting rooms are unavailable.
Even as express services resume, curbside services will continue from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. every day except Sunday.
Great news!! https://t.co/3eSGcwTDyR
— Supervisor Walter Alcorn (@WalterAlcornFFX) March 5, 2021
