Reston resident Sidney Johnson has been honored by the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors with the Barbara Varon Award.
The award is annually given to a county resident who shows “dedication to improving the community through volunteer service.” Varon was the Chairman and Vice Chairman of the Fairfax County Electoral Board.
Johnson serves as the Voter Service coordinator for the League of Women Voters of the Fairfax area. Her role includes overseeing the publication of Facts for Voters, a directory of Fairfax area public officials and government offices; the Voters’ Guide, published in The Fairfax Times; and a handout which includes all of the candidates and issues on the ballot.
Johnson, in her volunteer position as Voter Service Chair for three years, has organized and participated in many voter registration drives as well as in a variety of voter outreach projects, says the League of Women Voters.
Said the League in a release:
[Johnson] reached out to a variety of diverse groups to increase voter participation and has been especially passionate about getting underrepresented citizens engaged in activities that are civic, including voting,” the league said in a release. “She has coordinated and overseen the publication of various voter guides such as FACTS for VOTERS, the Voters’ Guides, and a handout that lists all issues as well as candidates on the ballots.
This year, Sidney organized 13 Meet and Greet Candidate Forums throughout Fairfax County, with the help of volunteers. These forums aimed to inform the public and give voters an opportunity to meet and interact with the candidates as well as to learn their positions on the important issues.
In an attempt to reach more voters, Sidney helped organize the first televised Meet and Greet forums for the candidates for the Senate, House of Delegates, Sheriff, Clerk of the Court, and Soil and Water Commissioners.
Sidney has demonstrated Barbara Varon’s dedication and contributions of time and energy for many community causes and who “fought for the rights and privileges of all citizens to participate in the electoral process” and richly deserves this Award.
Education, transportation, support from the state to local municipalities and support for local government.
Those are the four main priorities Fairfax County plans to stress to the Virginia General Assembly as the General Assembly prepares for its 2016 legislative session in January.
The county’s Legislative Committee has held four meetings, and the Board of Supervisors plan to adopt the 2016 legislative program and meet with the Fairfax County General Assembly delegation on Dec. 8.
In a draft of the program, the county urges the commonwealth to step up — or witness a decline in services and economic competitiveness in Fairfax.
“Fairfax County and the Commonwealth have long maintained a strong partnership in promoting economic development,” reads the draft. “The County has created a strong business climate, with a fair and competitive tax structure, excellent schools, an educated workforce, and services and amenities that attract new businesses every
year.”
“Unfortunately, it has been the practice of the Commonwealth to significantly underfund core services, leaving localities to fill funding gaps with local revenues in order to maintain essential services. This poses a particular threat to economic development efforts, as state funding cuts in recent years, coupled with the impact the recession has had on local revenues, threaten to destroy the very attributes that draw and retain businesses.”
Some highlights of the county’s requests:
Fully meet K-12 funding:
At present, the state is failing to provide the funding necessary to
implement its own standards and requirements, while Fairfax County and other Northern Virginia localities more than meet their responsibilities for K-12 education through large contributions to the state General Fund, strong local effort, and the effect of high local composite indices. Conversely, state funding for K-12 has declined
significantly in recent years – in FY 2009, K-12 funding comprised over 35 percent of the state General Fund, but by FY 2014, investments in K-12 education had fallen to less than 30 percent of the General Fund.
Continue and build upon the successful enactment of significant, new
transportation revenues by the 2013 General Assembly:
It is critical that Northern Virginia continue to receive its fair share of statewide revenues, as required by HB 2313, particularly in light of the new HB 2 process for prioritizing projects. If any changes to the HB 2313 revenues are considered, alternative revenues must generate funds at least equal to those previously approved.
Should Fairfax County be open to resettling Syrian refugees?
Fairfax County’s Board of Supervisors Chair Sharon Bulova said the acceptance of refugees remains a federal decision — but she hopes if people do relocate here they will be treated with compassion and support.
“The acceptance or banning of refugees in local and state jurisdictions is a federal decision,” Bulova said in an email. “It is important for the federal government to ensure the safety of the American people through security and background checks to the greatest extent possible.”
“Refugees are human beings — families and children — fleeing from dangerous and tragic situations. Syrian refugees who may be relocated to Fairfax County should be treated with compassion and received with the support Fairfax County is known for. ”
Arlington County officials said this week they are ready and willing to accept refugees. That’s one side of the divisive issue that is polarizing many elected officials thousands of miles away from the civil war in Syria.
Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe (D) said earlier this week he would not join with more than two dozen governors, mostly Republicans, to attempt to block Syrian refugees from seeking asylum in the Commonwealth.
However, several state legislators said they will legislation in the upcoming 2016 General Assembly session that would block an influx of refugees fleeing Syria’s civil war.
The statements came in response to last week’s terrorist attacks in Paris, which killed more than 100 people.
“This legislation is being proposed in response to recent terrorist attacks in France, as we have seen radicals use the refugee crisis as a means to enter other countries,” Del. Timothy D. Hugo, (R-Fairfax), said in a statement. “Before we can allow further resettlement in Virginia, we must have full confidence in the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and its procedures. Virginia is a welcoming state, but our first priority is the safety of our citizens.”
Other lawmakers backing the measure are Dels. C. Todd Gilbert (R-Shenandoah), Gregory D. Habeeb (R-Salem), and G. Manoli Loupassi (R-Richmond).
Del. Ken Plum (D), who represents Reston, says the issue is “representing the worst of politics of division and fear.”
“As a state, we should be focusing on domestic terrorism — access to guns,” said Plum.
Plum said he has not thought about introducing state legislation advocating for housing refugees (which really falls under federal responsibility anyway). He said if Hugo’s bill advances in the January session, he may “say something,” however.
President Barack Obama has said the United States should accept up to 10,000 displaced Syrians. However, last week’s terrorist attack in Paris has caused new concern about Islamic radicals being allowed into other countries. Read More
The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors spent several hours discussing the definition of “dog tethering” on Tuesday before ultimately passing a new ordinance aimed at controlling the practice.
Is it considered “tethering” to tie your dog to the deck while you garden? How about to clip the pet to the groomer’s table or simply keep him from running away?
The Supervisors had been seeking a change to the Code of Virginia’s cruelty to animals provisions, which address the definitions and penalties for neglect, cruelty and abandonment of pets.
The Fairfax County rule now makes it illegal to tie a dog up outside for more than 60 minutes in a 24-hour period.
County officials previously said the dog-tethering proposal is modeled after the City of Richmond’s tethering ordinance, determined to be the best fit based on a survey of jurisdictions across Virginia. Several Virginia cities and counties have enacted tethering legislation, including cities of Fairfax and Alexandria and Arlington and Fauquier counties.
There was much discussion Tuesday about what it would mean if the dog was tied up for 61 minutes rather than the allotted 60.
“I never contemplated this would limit the amount of time you could walk your dog,” said Supervisor Michael Frey (Sully), a lifelong dog owner.
Frey added wording to the new code, which states the 60-minute limit “unless the dog is under direct supervision of his owner or a custodian.”
The motion, and the overall rule, passed.
The supervisors heard from about a dozen citizens and animal groups representatives in the public hearing portion of the meeting.
Gina Lynch of the Humane Society of Fairfax County called enacting the rule “a momentous accomplishment.”
“This will really send a message to those who would possibly abuse an animal — not today; not ever.”
County animal control officials said the ordinance is aimed at educating and stopping dog owners who would leave dogs tethered outside constantly. Tethering is bad for dogs and can cause them harm, such as in an accidental hanging or inability to defend themselves against other animals, the said.”
Not all animal advocates were in favor of the rule.
Alice Harrington of the Federation of Virginia Dog Clubs and Breeders, said “this assumes all tethering is bad, and this is not true.” She cited groomers and “dogs who are escape artists” as situations where tethering would help the pets.
“How do you cite someone for animal cruelty if there is no harm to the dog?” she said.
Said Frey: “This is not intended to solve every single problem that occurs with tethering but a section that will apply in unique circumstances, The bottom line: judgment is always going to be key in enforcing laws.”
Fines and penalties for violating the tethering provision:
- First violation — Class 3 misdemeanor, punishable by fine of up to $500.
- Second violation (whether or not involving the same dog) within one year of first violation — Class 2 misdemeanor, punishable by fine of up to $1,000 and penalty of up to six months in jail.
- All subsequent violations within one year of first violation — Class 1 misdemeanor, punishable by fine of up to $2,500 and penalty of up to one year in jail.
Photo: Petfinder
Better wrap up that raucous party by 11 p.m. Under a new Fairfax County noise ordinance passed on Tuesday, you could face civil or criminal charges if the neighbors complain.
After more than a year of discussion, the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday finally passed a new ordinance that gives guidelines on how noisy citizens (and their pets) can be before neighbors have a legitimate complaint.
“This may have been one of the most challenging things we have dealt with in the development process,” said Board of Supervisors Chair Sharon Bulova. “I thought we would never get to this point, with competing views and complaints all over the place.”
The new code replaces an interim code, which was adopted in 2013 after a Virginia Supreme Court ruling forced change to all noise codes.
At public hearings last spring, residents had concerns about acceptable noise levels and the methodology to measure them in new noise rules that cover everything from garbage collection to loudspeakers to lawn mowing. The Supervisors deferred decision until staff could better examine the methodology of measuring noise.
Supervisor Jeff McKay said Tuesday the new regulations will still have issues for trash collection, and that there is inconsistency among school loudspeaker systems.
“Not all not all [FCPS] schools get new PA systems,” he said. “Some of our schools are way closer to [homes] than other schools in the county. I hope the schools go down the path in making systems consistent and noise levels are controlled.”
Some of the new regulations include:
Making noise that can be plainly heard in another person’s home with the doors and windows closed between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m. Sunday through Thursday, or between 11 p.m. and 7 a.m. on Fridays, Saturdays, and the day before a federal holiday.
Using dog parks Monday through Friday before 7 a.m. or after dusk or before 8 a.m. or after dusk on Saturday, Sunday or the day before a federal holiday.
Barking, howling, meowing, squawking or quacking animals between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m. when it can be heard inside a home with its doors and windows closed, or if these sounds can be heard 7 a.m. and 10 p.m. for more than five minutes consecutively or non-consecutively during a 10-minute period.
Collecting trash or recycling within 100 yards of a residence between 9 p.m. and 6 a.m.
The operation of leaf blowers is prohibited between 9 p.m. and 7 a.m.
Noise from athletic fields is permitted between 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Sunday through Thursday, or between 7 a.m. and 11 p.m. on Friday, Saturday or the day before a Federal holiday. However, loudspeaker use remains prohibited between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m.
Using a loudspeaker or amplifier between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m.
See a full list on Fairfax County’s website.
Violators of the ordinance can face both criminal and civil penalities. Criminal penalties for violation, a Class 2 misdemeanor, can be include jail time (up to six months) and/or a $1,000 fine. There can also be civil penalties of $250 (and $500 for subsequent offenses).
Some noises are excluded from regulation, including generators used in emergencies, snow removal, cars on the road, Metro trains and police or fire sirens. Citizens and businesses can also apply for temporary waivers.
The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday will revisit three ordinances that have been discussed for much of 2015.
The county is seeking to enact new rules on noise, tethering of pets and clothing collection boxes.
On the noise ordinance, residents had concerns at public hearings last May and June about acceptable noise levels and the methodology to measure them in new noise rules that cover everything from garbage collection to loudspeakers to lawn mowing. See the entire proposal on this chart from the county.
Some of the revisions since last spring:
County staff revised the “impulse sound” definition to include the duration of the sound and the measurement methodology.
Revised the daytime plainly audible standard for animal noise by extending the amount of time the sound can be heard in any 10-minute period from two minutes to five minutes.
Distinguished between daytime and night time maximum sound levels in mixed-use areas by lowering the maximum allowable night time sound levels from 65 to 60 dBA and lowering the maximum night time impulse sound levels from 100 to 80 dBA.
Revised the provisions for the use of loudspeakers in conjunction with activities on recreational grounds. After much discussion, the county said that noise from high school athletic events will follow the same ordinance as the county in general: that all mounted loudspeakers would be prohibited at night (from 10 p.m. to 7 a.m.)
Criminal penalties for violation, a Class 2 misdemeanor, can be include jail time (up to six months) and/or a $1,000 fine. There can also be civil penalties of $250 (and $500 for subsequent offenses).
Citizens can apply for waivers to the ordinance.
The drop-off box issue was discussed by the supervisors in June, but voting was deferred in order to give staff time to respond to questions.
The proposed amendment provides standards (i.e., location, number) for the boxes, which are commonly used by charities to collect clothing for needy families.
Finally, the dog tethering public hearing, originally scheduled for Oct. 20, was deferred until this week.
At issue: How long is too long to keep a dog tied up in a yard? This proposed amendment adopts a one cumulative hour tethering limit in a 24-
hour period. The provisions are incorporated into a cruelty to animals ordinance based on the current version of the cruelty to animals provisions in the Code of Virginia.
The public hearings on all three subjects begin after 3 p.m. at the Fairfax County Government Center. Sign up to speak in advance on the Fairfax County website.
The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors has postponed indefinitely a proposal to prohibit tethering dogs outside for more than one hour.
The supervisors were slated to hold a public hearing and vote on a new county code for dog tethering at their Oct. 20 meeting.
The change to the Code of Virginia’s cruelty to animals provisions, which address the definitions and penalties for neglect, cruelty and abandonment of pets, would make it illegal to tie a dog up outside for more than an hour in a 24-hour period.
County officials previously said the dog-tethering proposal is modeled after the City of Richmond’s tethering ordinance, determined to be the best fit based on a survey of jurisdictions across Virginia.
Richmond’s rules are endorsed as model legislation by the Virginia Federation of Humane Societies and the Animal Law Unit of the Virginia Attorney General’s Office. Several Virginia cities and counties have enacted tethering legislation, including cities of Fairfax and Alexandria and Arlington and Fauquier counties.
The Humane Society of the United States says continuous tethering is bad for dogs.
“As pack animals, dogs have been bred for thousands of years to form a strong attachment to a human family,” the Humane Society says on its website. “An otherwise friendly and happy dog, when kept continually chained and isolated, often becomes neurotic, unhappy, anxious, and aggressive. In fact, studies show that chained dogs are much more likely to bite than unchained dogs.
Chained dogs also may unintentionally hang themselves if they are tethered too close to a fence and attempt to jump it, the Humane Society says.
Here is what the new Fairfax County code would say:
Fines and penalties for violating the tethering provision:
- First violation — Class 3 misdemeanor, punishable by fine of up to $500.
- Second violation (whether or not involving the same dog) within one year of first violation — Class 2 misdemeanor, punishable by fine of up to $1,000 and penalty of up to six months in jail.
- All subsequent violations within one year of first violation — Class 1 misdemeanor, punishable by fine of up to $2,500 and penalty of up to one year in jail.
Photo Credit: Pavel Starikov via flickr
Fairfax County Public Schools can proceed with the 40,000-square-foot addition at South Lakes High School, the county Board of Supervisors ruled on Tuesday.
The proposed addition will bring SLHS’ capacity to 2,500 students. That capacity appears to be needed though as current enrollment is 2,446 in a school designed for about 2,100 students.
The addition comes less than 10 years after SLHS underwent a major renovation that increased capacity by about 1,000 students.
The addition will enable the school to get rid of many of the temporary classrooms that have been added to the property in the last several years to handle overcrowding as school population, reflecting an overall trend in FCPS, has continued to grow annually.
If the trend holds, SLHS may be close to 2,900 in the next several years, FCPS officials said in the most recent FCPS Capital Improvement Plan.
The South Lakes addition will be paid for from a 2013 school bond.
A county planning staff report details what will be constructed, including Also planned: 128 new parking spaces and additional stormwater management.
The stormwater management has been a point of contention among some nearby residents. Homeowners on Wakerobin and Cedar Cove, located across the street and downhill from the school, have voiced concerns to the county about erosion as the water flows downhill towards Lake Audubon.
“There is absolutely no doubt that the classroom space that the School Board seeks is needed,” Reston 2020’s Terry Maynard testified to the board Tuesday. “What is not needed, however, is the added destruction of neighboring private properties from the increased stormwater runoff the project will create, and ultimately the added pollution of the Chesapeake Bay.”
Maynard says he is concerned that FPCS only has to meet outdated stormwater management guidelines.
“The stream from South Lakes High School’s property has turned a once-smooth ravine floor with lush plant life into a 3-6 foot deep, 6-10 foot wide gash that floods out of its banks with each major storm along its 1,000-foot length and 30-foot drop.”
Maynard urged the board to defer its decision.
Plans for the last remaining undeveloped lot at Reston Town Center will go before the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday with slight tweaks that make a building closer to Fountain Drive, but do not change the density, scale basic plans for the project.
Block 4, as it is called, is Boston Properties’ project that will turn the surface parking lot at RTC into two high-rise residential buildings with up to 549 units and nine levels of underground parking.
The plans also call for a park with a yoga area, public art and picnic areas.
Boston Properties had to go through a rezoning for the project (that land was slated to be office/commercial space). The project was approved by the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors in summer 2014.
But the developers recently had to go back to the Fairfax County Planning Commission for the slight alterations. The planning commission approved the changes last month, and the supervisors will vote on them today.
The project’s western residential tower will run in staggered building sections in an east-west direction parallel to New Dominion Parkway in order to break up the mass of the building. The middle section of the building will now be narrower by about eight feet for an approximate width of 34 feet and will extend 21 feet closer to Fountain Drive.
Says a county staff report on the project: “This modification is proposed to better align with the structured parking and retail space below to create a greater physical relationship with the base of building rather than a deep setback. “
The eastern end of the residential tower has been modified to extend six
feet to the east. Such modifications only affect the residential levels (7 through 21) of
the building.
The modification to the building massing does not change the approved height, density, setbacks, streetscape, or number residential units approved for the building in 2014, the staff report says. In addition, there is no change to the ground floor uses and parking or to the eastern residential tower.
Block 4 will also have an increase in open space. There will be about 1.85 acres (40 percent) of open space, which is a half acre more than previously planned. There will also be an additional vegetated roof (original plans called for just one on the main building entrance).
It was necessary to go back to the planning commission, the staff report says, because modifications to the building massing could not be achieved through a minor modification request under the zoning ordinance.
How long is too long to leave a dog tied up in the yard?
That is what the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors wants to know in preparation for voting on a proposed amendment to the Fairfax County Code.
The Board of Supervisors has scheduled a public hearing for Tuesday, Oct. 20, to consider a proposal prohibit tethering of dogs outdoors for more than one hour cumulatively during any 24-hour period.
The amendment, if approved, will also incorporate into county code the Code of Virginia’s cruelty to animals provisions, which address the definitions and penalties for neglect, cruelty and abandonment of companion animals, the county said.
County officials said in a release the dog-tethering proposal is modeled after the City of Richmond’s tethering ordinance, determined to be the best fit based on a survey of jurisdictions across Virginia.
Richmond’s rules are endorsed as model legislation by the Virginia Federation of Humane Societies and the Animal Law Unit of the Virginia Attorney General’s Office. Several Virginia cities and counties have enacted tethering legislation, including cities of Fairfax and Alexandria and Arlington and Fauquier counties.
The Humane Society of the United States says continuous tethering is bad for dogs.
“As pack animals, dogs have been bred for thousands of years to form a strong attachment to a human family,” the Humane Society says on its website. “An otherwise friendly and happy dog, when kept continually chained and isolated, often becomes neurotic, unhappy, anxious, and aggressive. In fact, studies show that chained dogs are much more likely to bite than unchained dogs.
Chained dogs also may unintentionally hang themselves if they are tethered too close to a fence and attempt to jump it, the Humane Society says.
Here is what the new Fairfax County code would say:
Fines and penalties for violating the tethering provision:
- First violation — Class 3 misdemeanor, punishable by fine of up to $500.
- Second violation (whether or not involving the same dog) within one year of first violation — Class 2 misdemeanor, punishable by fine of up to $1,000 and penalty of up to six months in jail.
- All subsequent violations within one year of first violation — Class 1 misdemeanor, punishable by fine of up to $2,500 and penalty of up to one year in jail.
Want to speak at the hearing? Follow this link to the Fairfax County website. See a list of various dog tethering laws nationwide on the Animal Legal and Historical Society’s website.
Photo Credit: Pavel Starikov via flickr
The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday approved a $46.91 million carryover from the 2015 county budget.
A carryover is the process by which certain unspent or unencumbered funds for commitments to pay for goods and services at the end of one fiscal year are re-appropriated to the next fiscal year, the county says. FY 2015 ended on June 30.
County executive Ed Long made as series of recommendations on how to allocate the money. After a public hearing Tuesday, the supervisors approved those recommendations.
Among them:
- $13.10 million to fund Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) for infrastructure replacement and improvements (school building renovations, new facilities, HVAC upgrades, etc. This amount will also be included in the proposed FY 2017 budget planning. Schools superintendent Karen Garza is predicting a budget gap of about $80 million for the schools in their upcoming fiscal year.
- $5.53 million is being allocated to the county’s infrastructure reserve fund.
- $3.86 million to fund Board of Supervisors’ priorities, including the purchase of second mobile crisis unit, reduction of waiting lists for School Age Child Care (SACC) programs, human services’ prevention efforts, the resident curator program, emergency system requirements related to aging infrastructure, preliminary design for a community athletic field in the Hybla Valley area and Fire and Rescue programs related to health and injury prevention.
- $2 million in contributions to the World Police & Fire Games. The carryover review also included $1 million appropriated by the commonwealth of Virginia to support the 2015 games. Fairfax officials estimated the games, held in late June and early July brought in $83 million in economic benefits for the county.
- $1.5 million to fund FCPS high school turf fields. This is the third and final county contribution to install turf fields at county schools. Funding is being matched by FCPS.
- $.65 million for Laurel Hill Adaptive Reuse project. This funding was approved by the Board of Supervisors in July 2014.
- $.17 million to fund a six-month transition period for the closing of the Annandale Adult Day Health Care Center.
- $17.81 million is being allocated for the county’s financial reserves to support the Triple AAA bond rating based on the board’s reserve policy. All adjustments included in carryover have been accompanied with contributions to the reserves, bringing total reserve adjustments to $18.53 million, the county says.
- $5.96 million is available for the Board of Supervisors to allocate for future non-recurring priorities.
The reserve allocation will be taken into consideration when the county executive makes the annual budget forecast for FY 2017 to to a joint meeting of the Board of Supervisors and the School Board in November.
For more budget information, visit Fairfax County’s website.
The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors has approved a request for a North Reston church to add nearly 40 spots to its parking lot.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints at 1515 Poplar Grove Dr. seeks to increase parking from 121 to 160 spaces and replace an existing shed.
The proposal is a continuation of a quest that began two years ago.
In 2013, the church inquired with Reston Association about buying three parcels of land on Fox Mill Road. RA did not formally consider selling the land.
RA’s Design Review Board (DRB) did, however, give the church permission in February of 2014 to expand the lot.
That decision did not sit well with neighbors in the Birchfield Woods Cluster.
Birchfield Woods residents appealed the decision, saying it will result “in a net loss of over 80 trees which serve as a buffer between the church and the Birchfield Woods Cluster.”
The DRB initially voted down the church’s proposal in November 2013, with specifics on how the church could revise their plan: reduce the number of proposed parking spaces, reduce the number of impacted trees, and produce a traffic study.
The original proposal offered adding 51 spaces, new light poles and removing 117 trees.
The new plan calls for planting of replacement trees and shrubs to provide a 25-foot buffer, as well as a tree preservation plan.
The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday deferred making a decision on the proposed new noise ordinance until its June 23 meeting.
The board held a public hearing on the changes at its regular meeting on Tuesday The new noise ordinance has been formulated to replace interim ones that have been in place since 2013.
“It is the purpose and intent of the proposed Ordinance to recognize that certain noise is a hazard to the public health, welfare, peace, and safety, and the quality of life of the citizens of Fairfax County,” county planners say in a staff report on the subject.
“People have a right to and should be ensured of an environment free from sound that jeopardizes the public health, welfare, peace, and safety or degrades the quality of life.”
If the changes are approved, they will affect everything from lawn equipment to pet noise, including:
Activities on School and Recreational Grounds — Advertise a decibel range of 60 to 72 dBA for limiting the maximum noise level for cumulative noise, when loudspeakers are used.
“People Noise” — Begin prohibition on noise that can be heard in residential districts (read: party noise) at 11:00 p.m. on weekends and the day before a holiday.
Dog Parks — Begin dog park hours at 8:00 a.m. on weekends and holidays.
Animal Noise — Any owner or person in control of any animal that allows or otherwise permits any such animal to “bark, howl, bay, meow, squawk, quack, crow or make such other sound between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m. that is plainly audible in any other residence with doors and windows closed” could be in violation. There are exceptions and time rules. Read more details on the updated proposal.
Operation of Power Lawn Equipment — Permit the use of power lawn equipment, except leaf blowers, beginning at 5:30 a.m. for golf course maintenance when located more than 50 yards from a residence.
Some activities are currently prohibited under the interim ordinance and will continue to be prohibited:
Night time (9 or 10 p.m. to 7 a.m.): operation of most loudspeakers, outdoor construction, outdoor motor vehicle or mechanical device repair, outdoor powered model vehicle operation, trash collection in residential districts, and the loading and unloading of trucks within 100 yards of a residence.
The county said it would grant waivers if noisemakers can prove the noise does not endanger the public health, safety or welfare; or quieting the noise would produce
serious hardship without producing equal or greater benefit to the public.
See all changes, exceptions and conditions in this chart from the county.
If your dog barks late at night you and your neighbors complain, you could get a ticket under proposed new Fairfax County noise ordinance changes.
The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors will vote on Tuesday to authorize a public hearing on changes to the noise ordinance that will aim to guarantee residents a little peace and quiet at night.
The public hearing will be held May 12 at 4 p.m. at the Fairfax County Government Center. If approved, the changes will go into effect the next day.
Here are some of the changes county staff seeks to make:
Activities on School and Recreational Grounds — Advertise a decibel range of 60 to 72 dBA for limiting the maximum noise level for cumulative noise, when loudspeakers are used.
“People Noise” — Begin prohibition on noise that can be heard in residential districts (read: party noise) at 11:00 p.m. on weekends and the day before a holiday.
Dog Parks — Begin dog park hours at 8:00 a.m. on weekends and holidays. This may be good news to residents of Longwood Grove in Reston, who in 2014 filed an injunction against the dog park at Baron Cameron Park, saying the excessive noise begins at 5:30 a.m.
Animal Noise — Any owner or person in control of any animal that allows or otherwise permits any such animal to bark, howl, bay, meow, squawk, quack, crow or make such other sound between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m. that is plainly audible in any other residence with doors and windows closed could be in violation. There are exceptions and time rules. Read more details on the updated propoal.
Operation of Power Lawn Equipment — Permit the use of power lawn equipment, except leaf blowers, beginning at 5:30 a.m. for golf course maintenance when located more than 50 yards from a residence.
Trash Collection — No changes to current proposal.
Maximum Sound Levels — No changes to current proposal.
See all changes, exceptions and conditions in this chart from the county.
The county is seeking to use a proposed new Noise Ordinance to replace the current Noise Ordinance and the provisions that were put in place in 2013.
In late 2013, the supervisors adopted the Excessive Sound Generation in Residential Districts provisions that allowed police to ticket a resident with misdemeanor charges if neighbors complain about noise.
In early 2014, county staff presented the first draft of a new Noise Ordinance (Chapter 108.1 of the County Code) to a Board of Supervisors’ committee.
The county held a series of public hearings in 2014, and in February 2015 developed an updated draft noise ordinance amendment and summary chart and requested guidance on several issues.
Baron Cameron Dog Park/file photo
Fairfax County Schools Superintendent Karen Garza is asking local parents and supporters of public schools to aid in the request for more money from the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors.
For the $2.6 billion Fiscal Year 2016 budget, the school board has asked the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors for an additional $70.6 million, or 3.99 percent, over the amount from FY 2015.
The transfer request amount from the county is $14 million, or 0.79 percent, above the guidance provided by the Board of Supervisors, which included a 3 percent transfer increase plus the cost associated with full-day Mondays implemented this year.
The supervisors will hold public hearings on the budget on Tuesday, April 7, and Garza is inviting FCPS friends and family to speak up in support.
The superintendent sent this letter this week:
Dear FCPS friends and families,
Over the next few weeks, our local elected officials, the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors (BOS), will be making decisions that will have a significant impact on our local public schools. These important decisions will directly impact the future of our most precious resource – our children. I invite you to join me and School Board Chairman Tamara Derenak Kaufax at the BOS public hearing regarding the FCPS budget on April 7 at 4 p.m. and show your support for our children.
The Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) Fiscal Year 2016 request of the County is very reasonable and pragmatic; unfortunately the County Executive presented a budget to the BOS that is $14 million short of fully funding our budget which, if approved by the BOS as presented, would result in even more cuts to our already strained system.
Since 2008, we have experienced significant budget cuts resulting in the elimination of more than 2,175 positions and almost a half-billion dollars in reductions to our operating funds. We cannot cut our way to greatness and our reputation and success must not be taken for granted. FCPS’ greatness cannot be sustained after many consecutive and continued years of shrinking investment.
We recognize that the BOS is a critical partner and, as such, are individually and collectively vested in the continued success of our great schools. Because our schools are their priority, we are confident the Supervisors will do the right thing for our children and families and will fully fund this reasonable budget request.
We thank you and our County leaders for your continued support of our schools. We know that this community understands that the most important investment we can make is in our young people — it is an investment that pays dividends to everyone in Fairfax long into the future.
I look forward to seeing you on the 7th at the Board of Supervisors hearing and thank you for making your voice heard.
Karen Garza/file photo
