Teachers Get Valentines — Fairfax County Public Schools’ teachers received 7,000 personal Valentine cards across 40 schools last week. The initiative was part of Volunteer Fairfax’s annual Valentine’s challenge. [FCPS]
New County Testing Sources Begin Today — After the closure of community testing center, the county is working with the state to launch a vendor-operated van for testing. The service is expected to begin today and will offer free PCR testing for individuals three months and older. [Fairfax County Government]
Reston Manager Receives Lifetime Award — Caliber Home Loans recognized Michael McBride with a lifetime achievement award for managing the company’s Northern Virginia Branch. McBridge was selected from a pool of nationwide contenders. The award is given to managers who provide exceptional production performance. [Reston Patch]
Photo by Terry Baranski
County Promotes Redevelopment Incentives — The county is encouraging redevelopment by offering a 10 percent reduction in site planning fees and some real estate tax abatement. The move comes in response to state enabling legislation that passed in 2017. [Sun Gazette]
Tent Community Goes Up in Reston — Over the weekend, Reston Strong, a local nonprofit organization, set up at least 100 tents along Reston Parkway to raise awareness about homelessness in the community. [WJLA]
Reston Association Seeks Volunteers — The association is seeking a volunteer to fill the North Point District seat on its covenants committee. The seat is for a three-year term and applications are due by Feb. 28. [RA]
Deadline for Annual Assessment Approaches — RA members are encouraged to pay their annual dues by March 1. Payments can be made over the phone, online or by mail. [RA]
Metro to Add More Trains — Although the transit agency is waiting to bring 60 percent of its rail car fleet back into service, Metro could add other trains. Its 7000-series cars were suspended due to a federal investigation into derailment issues. [Washington Post]
Photo by Ray Copson
County Joins Hope Card Program — The county has joined more than five dozen jurisdictions in the state in offering the Hope Card program. The initiative is a way to enforce a civil protective order and offer additional support to victims of family abuse. [Fairfax County Government]
Herndon Town Council to Discuss Van Buren Street Project — The town council meets today to award a contract for improvements along Van Buren Street. Other items up for discussion include the allocation of a trust to Herndon students and the upcoming Herndon festival. [Town of Herndon]
Reston Association Discusses Effects of Salt Use — The association is reviewing the environmental effects of de-icing salt. Salt that seeps. Into the environment can raise sodium levels in drinking water, harm fish and plans, and corrode vehicles and parking lots. [Reston Today]
Photo by Marjorie Copson
After years of discussions, a formal plan to redevelop part of Vantage Hill Condominiums — an aging development built in the late 1960s — has been filed with the county.
CM Vantage LLC — a McLean-based developer – plans to build 28 townhouses on the southwestern portion of the property, which currently houses an abandoned swimming pool, parking, and a common area.
Discussions on the proposal have been underway for years.
The condominium association, which manages the 152-unit development, plans to use the money after selling the abandoned portion of the property to address a backlog of improvements. The building was developed as an apartment complex in 1967 and was redeveloped into a condominium building in 1984.
Stakeholders have gone back and forth on this project for years. Designs were tweaked in 2020 to include fewer townhouses and more trees. Craftmark Homes, a homebuilding company in Virginia, had originally planned 31 townhouses that were closer to the main road.
Rear-loaded garages from internal lanes are planned. Trees will be preserved to the south and east of the proposed townhouses and the residential units will face an open gathering space.
The developer plans a “small-scale infill development that is in harmony with the character of surrounding development,” according to a Jan. 26 application.
As part of the plan, 64 parking spaces that are currently used by residents will be relocated. A total of 305 parking spaces are planned overall.
The county’s Affordable Dwelling Unit ordinance does not apply to the proposed development because it is less than 50 dwelling units.
The condominium building is one of Reston’s first developments. Maintenance issues have gone unaddressed for years, according to some condo association members.
So far, the application has been submitted and will be formally accepted by the county. Dates for formal review by the county’s planning bodies have not yet been scheduled.
Image via handout/Fairfax County
Herndon Police Warn of Scam — After reports of a scam, the Herndon Police Department is reminding residents that town employees do not request access to homes in order to check water quality or for any other reason. Water meters are always checked outside and town employees always present proper identification. [HPD]
Local Businesses Make Best Workplaces List — County-based companies dominated Virginia Business magazine’s 12th annual list of 100 best places to work in Virginia. Reston-based Troika Solutions came in at number two. [Fairfax County Economic Development Authority]
Spanish Captioning Available for Public Meetings — Beginning Feb. 8, Spanish closed captions will be available for all public meetings and live events on the county’s governmental channel. [Fairfax County Government]
Reston Man Charged with Assault for Punching Window — City of Fairfax police charged a Reston man with assault Tuesday afternoon in Old Town. The victim said the man walked up to a car, pushed the passenger side of the window and cursed at them. [Reston Patch]
Photo by Marjorie Copson
Fairfax County supervisors have approved using I-66 toll money for bus projects servicing Reston, one of which involves creating a new bus route.
The commuting programs will create a route from the Reston South Park and Ride to key destinations in Arlington County and reduce fares for the Fairfax Connector Route 599 from $7.50 to $4.25.
Supervisors approved the efforts during a public meeting yesterday (Tuesday), following transit officials’ approvals last year.
Like Route 599, the new service will go to the Pentagon, Pentagon City and Crystal City. It’ll involve 10 morning and 10 evening express routes for a period of two years.
The $5.1 million in funding awarded for that project mostly covers the costs of acquiring six new buses, eyed for purchase in 2023.
A county document suggested that the fare reduction could start in the fall of 2022, with $154,500 in funding lasting through Sept. 30, 2025.
The money for the projects comes through the Commuter Choice program, which seeks to improve transportation in the I-66 corridor, with the Northern Virginia Transportation Commission and Commonwealth Transportation Board deciding last year to award the money to Fairfax County for the projects.
Help Sought in Identifying Person of Interest — The Herndon Police Department is asking the public’s help to identify a person of interest in a robbery that happened on Jan. 18. The individual is seen entering and exiting an elevator in the business. [HPD]
Metro Kicks Off Budget Talks — Metro is seeking comments on its budget for fiscal year 2023. The budget takes into account the launch of six new Silver Line Stations. [Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority]
County Districts Could Get New Names — The Lee, Mason, Mount Vernon, Springfield and Sully districts could get new names. The county’s redistricting committee meets today to discuss possible name changes. [Fairfax County Government]
Search for Boat Owner Continues — Reston Association is looking for the owner of a Malibu boat that was found at Lake Anne. The organization has been stepping up efforts to manage abandoned boats in the area in recent months. [RA]
Photo by Marjorie Copson
Park Authority Meetings Go Virtual — The Fairfax County Park Authority’s board meetings have returned to virtual format due to current social distancing recommendations and safety concerns related to the surge of COVID-19 cases. [Fairfax County Government]
County Awards $16 Million in Funds to Local Businesses — The county dispersed $16 million in grant funds to 1,016 county businesses that were adversely impacted by the pandemic. Grants ranged between $1,500 and $207,000. The program is called PIVOT and is run through the Fairfax County Department of Economic Initiatives. [Fairfax County Government]
Man Charged After Two Shooting Incidents — One man is dead and another seriously injured after two separate shootings on Jan. 8. Jordan Eugene Chochran, 20, of Alexandria, was charged in connection with the incidents, which happened in Hybla Valley. [Fairfax County Police Department]
Photo via vantagehill/Flickr
Reston on Low End of Snow Totals — Around 5 inches of snow were measured in Reston and 4.5 inches in Herndon yesterday (Monday) from the season’s first winter storm. Estimated accumulations varied across Fairfax County, from 3.5 inches in Sterling to 11.8 inches in Franconia. [NWS]
Fairfax County Government Opens Late — “Fairfax County Government will open at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 4, with unscheduled leave granted for employees.” [Fairfax County Government]
FCPS Closed For Day Again — Fairfax County Public Schools has extended winter break for a second day, with school facilities closed and all activities on school grounds canceled. As of last night, FCPS expected to have COVID-19 testing sites open for staff but not students, though the schedule is expected to be finalized today (Tuesday). [FCPS]
Fairfax Connector Operates Limited Service — “As wintry weather and icy conditions continue to impact Fairfax County and the National Capital Region, Fairfax Connector will be operating Saturday service on Tuesday, Jan. 4, 2022.” [FCDOT]
Reston Hospital Pauses COVID-19 Vaccine Mandate — While many area health care systems have maintained requirements that employees get vaccinated against COVID-19, HCA Healthcare Inc., the company that owns Reston Hospital Center, has paused its mandate after a federal court ruling in November. A spokesperson says the vaccine is still strongly encouraged, and a majority of staff have gotten vaccinated, but a specific number was not provided. [Washington Business Journal]
County Considers Expanding Tax Relief Program — The county is considering a real estate tax relief program for seniors and people with disabilities. The tweaks are the first in 16 years and would expand eligibility for people with higher incomes and net worth. If approved, the changes would be phased out over two years. A public hearing is set for Dec. 7. [Fairfax County Government]
Herndon Company Ranks High in ‘Best for Vets’ –ManTech International, a Herndon-based company, came in at number two for Military Times’ “Best for Vets: Employers” list. The company topped the ranking in the state and also in the defense and aerospace company category. [Fairfax County Economic Development Authority]
Bob Simon’s Widow Cited for Assault — A former Lake Anne condominium association president has accused Cheryl Terio Simon, the widow of Reston’s founder, of assault. The incident happened on Oct. 27 outside Reston Community Center at Lake Anne, according to police records. [Patch]
Photo by Marjorie Copson
A government building is closed in Reston because a power outage.
The North County Governmental Center closed around 3:30 pm due to the issue. Dominion Energy crews are on the scene to investigate.
It appears that only the county building is impacted by the outage, according to the company’s outage map.
The time of restoration is unknown.
https://twitter.com/fairfaxcounty/status/1458171058276769802?s=21
More Time for Feedback on Fairfax Connector — An online survey intended to gauge feedback on Fairfax Connector bus service in Centreville, Chantilly, Vienna and Tysons has been extended to Oct. 27. The county says feedback is essential in order to improve service. [Fairfax County Government]
Celebrating Halloween Safely — The county is encouraging its residents to celebrate Halloween safely this year by getting vaccinated and wearing masks indoors where there is substantial or high levels of community transmission. [Fairfax County Government]
Reston Scholars Earn Top Honors — Reston Patch rounds up the names of local students who distinguished themselves academically, including students who made to University of Maryland’s Dean’s List. [Reston Patch]
Photo via vantagehill/Flickr
County Tries to Vaccinate Unhoused Residents — Fairfax county officials have launched an effort to encourage the county’s roughly 1,200 unhoused residents to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. Public health workers have a mighty task ahead as the county is large and people experience homelessness in different capacities, including in shelters, deep in the woods and in encampments. [DCist]
Child-sized Mask Donations Needed — The county is in need of 10,000 masks for children. The largest need is small masks for toddlers and you-size masks for school-aged kids. County officials say they’ve received requests from nonprofit partners for masks but can’t fill them because they do not have enough masks. [Fairfax County Government]
Anti-theft bike racks available in Reston Town Center — Boston Properties recently worked with Bikeep, a San Fransisco-based micromobility enabler, to install several app-activated bike racks in Reston Town Center. The stations were installed at the end of the spring. [Bikeep]
LGBTQ+ Group Decries Efforts to Remove Books — A group that represents more than 425 LGBTQIA students told the Fairfax County School Board that it should reject an effort by some parents to remove two books from school libraries. [Reston Patch]
Car Tax Payments Due Today — Today is the last day to pay the county’s personal property tax — also known as the car tax. Tax relief is available for some residents. [Fairfax County Government]
School Bond Referendum Moves Forward — The school bond referendum on county ballots calls for $360 million for school renovations, planning and design, and one site acquisition. [Reston Patch]
County Upgrades App — The county’s latest app now includes on-screen notifications. It also allows users to pay taxes, receive permits, arrange inspections and get access to the county’s calendar. [Fairfax County Government]
Transportation Career Fair This Week — The Virginia Department of Transportation’s Northern Virginia office is hosting a transportation workforce career fair on Oct. 7. The event is virtual. [VDOT]
Renaissance Park, a 60-acre property near Dulles International Airport, could be transformed into a series of data centers.
RP Industrial Owner LLC is seeking the county’s permission to replace warehouse buildings in the industrial park with roughly 2.3 million gross square feet of data centers and an electric substation. The park is located east of Park Center Road and north of Towerview Drive.
The application, which was submitted to the county on Sept 3, calls for four data center buildings. Two loading docks for each data center are proposed and roughly 685 parking spaces are planned on the property. Roughly 27 percent of the park will remain as open space.
The first phase of construction will begin with one building, a guardhouse and an electric substation. Later phases will begin in response to market conditions, according to the application. The first building, which is 91 feet in height, will be constructed with what the applicants describe as a “contemporary style” with a mix of pre-cast concrete panels, metal, and glass.
RP Industrial Owner LLC bought the site in June 2019 for $134 million, according to county land records. The LLC is linked to Starwood Property Trust, which is based in Connecticut.
A growing number of data centers have established their hold in Northern Virginia, notably in Loudoun and Prince William counties. According to a 2020 report by the Northern Virginia Technology Council, the region is the largest data center market in the world. As of last year, there are 166 data centers in Northern Virginia, including 27 in Fairfax County.
No public hearings have been scheduled for the proposal yet, which was only accepted for review earlier this month.
