A townhome development planned for 7700 Leesburg Pike will include stormwater facilities intended to address flooding concerns in the nearby Pimmit Hills neighborhood.

The Fairfax County Planning Commission approved the more stringent plan for the site currently occupied by a circular office building on Nov. 10, determining that developer EYA met the county’s new standards to help prevent flood damage to nearby properties.

“We don’t want to have this development impact the downstream,” Commissioner Mary Cortina, who represents Braddock District, said during a Nov. 3 public hearing.

She noted that the property is not a big runoff producer today, but commissioners don’t want the proposed development to make flooding any worse.

The Board of Supervisors voted on Oct. 19 to adopt a comprehensive plan amendment allowing a residential project to proceed if it exceeded certain stormwater management standards to mitigate downstream flooding, among other factors.

Located on a hill, the four-story office was built in 1976 and includes professional and medical offices as well as a private college of nursing.

EYA is seeking to replace the office building with 104 townhomes, nine of which would be affordable dwelling units. The townhomes could be three stories high with optional fourth-story additions.

“Pimmit Hills has experienced a lot of problems with stormwater through the Pimmit Run watershed and through some of their sub watersheds,” said Dranesville District Commissioner John Ulfelder, who serves as the planning commission’s vice chair. “People have had flooded basements many times, and there’ve been lots of complaints.”

An engineer for the project conceded that the proposed development would make the site 12% more impervious, meaning it will have surfaces that produce runoff as opposed to vegetated areas that absorb water.

But the developer is pursuing several solutions to address stormwater issues, according to a county staff report.

That includes reducing possible discharges of phosphorous, which can be harmful to people and animals. EYA will provide two water treatment facilities to improve worst-case scenarios for different levels of flooding, including a 100-year-flood, which isn’t required.

According to the county report, the developer has committed in a proffer to meeting certain targets for stormwater runoff reduction:

The applicant proposes to reduce the 1-year site peak runoff rate to a minimum of 5% below the allowable release rate determined using the energy balance equation for sites draining to a natural stream. The site peak runoff rates for the 2-year event will be reduced below the peak runoff rates of the site as it exists prior to the current development by a minimum of 20%. The 10-year site peak runoff rate will be reduced to the peak runoff rate that would drain off the site if it has a forested condition. The 100- year site peak runoff rate will also be reduced a minimum of 10% below the peak runoff rate that would be released from the post-development site if it did not have any stormwater measures.

The Board of Supervisors will still have to give the final approval to the townhouse project, which Ulfelder said might not be scheduled this year.

The Weekly Planner is a roundup of interesting events coming up over the next week in the Tysons area.

We’ve searched the web for events of note in Tysons, Vienna, Merrifield, McLean, and Falls Church. Know of any we’ve missed? Tell us!

Monday, Nov. 15

• Meadowlark’s Winter Walk of Lights — 5:30-10 p.m. at Meadowlark Botanical Gardens (9750 Meadowlark Gardens Court) in Wolf Trap — Enjoy lights and holiday scenes in this annual transformation, which will stick around through Jan. 2. For those ages 2 and over, cost is $16 plus fees or $20 for an onsite ticket.

Tuesday, Nov. 16

• American Red Cross Blood Drive — 1-6 p.m. at Boro Station (1775 Greensboro Station Place) in Tysons — Donate your blood as The Boro partners with the American Red Cross, taking place at the Boro Station’s Conference Room.

Wednesday, Nov. 17

• Virginia Museum of Fine Arts’ Artmobile — 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. by Capital One Hall’s box office (7750 Capital One Tower Road) in Tysons — Check out a free traveling exhibit, “A View of Home: Landscapes of Virginia,” which features paintings, photographs, and prints of landscapes from the mid-1800s through 2017. Event also repeats on Thursday (Nov. 18) from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
• MCC in Conversation with…Mason Young — 7 p.m. at the McLean Community Center (1234 Ingleside Ave.) — Hear from Capital One executive Mason Young, who is part of the company’s corporate development team. Free, but preregistration is required.

Thursday, Nov. 18

• Celebrate Tysons 2021 — High PointPub in Whole Foods (1635 Boro Place) in Tysons — Meet Tysons residents, business leaders, and community organizations at this open house hosted by the Tysons Regional Chamber of Commerce. The event is free and open to the public, but registration is required by 5 p.m. today (Monday).
• “Secret Things” — 7 p.m. at 1st Stage Theatre (1524 Spring Hill Road) — A journalist investigates mysterious tips in her hometown involving Mexican-Americans and Judaism. Tickets are $50 with steep discounts available. Following the debut performance, the show runs through Dec. 12.

Friday, Nov. 19

• Holiday Tree Lighting — 6-8 p.m. at The Plaza at Tysons Corner Center (1961 Chain Bridge Road) — From Santa lighting the tree to community performances as well as free s’mores and hot chocolate, the mall has a number of festivities planned to kick off the holiday season.

Saturday, Nov. 20

• Joan Osborne at Wolf Trap — 8 p.m. on Saturday and 7 p.m. on Sunday at The Barns (1635 Trap Road) — The 59-year-old “One of Us” hit singer gives performances this weekend with a career spanning decades that first captured the world’s attention with her 1995 debut album.

Sunday, Nov. 21

• Spend Yourself 5K Run/3K Walk — 7:30 a.m. start at Falls Church City Hall (300 Park Ave.) — Columbia Baptist Church of Falls Church, in partnership with its nonprofit social needs organization Columbia Foundation, holds its 10th annual run and walk with a new route through the city. Cost is $40 plus fees for individuals age 12 and older and $20 plus fees for those younger than 12. Proceeds benefit the church’s World Hunger ministry and Bailey’s Crossroads food pantry.

The Town of Vienna has moved one step closer to permanently implementing the outdoor dining rules for restaurants that have been lessened temporarily due to the pandemic.

During the COVID-19 era, nearly two dozen businesses in the town have expanded their outdoor dining capacities by using parking spots, thanks to the relaxed rules.

Last Wednesday (Nov. 3), the town’s Planning Commission held a public hearing and recommended streamlining the permitting process for outdoor dining. Instead of getting Board of Zoning Appeals approval and paying a $1,500 fee, a restaurant would get yearly permits through an administrative review (subject to the Board of Architectural Review) and a $100 application fee.

No one from the public commented aside from the town’s economic development manager, Natalie Monkou, who expressed her support for the change.

“We did as a town pull together all of our resources to be able to support our businesses…but it allowed businesses to survive in a safe way,” she said of the emergency policy changes amid the pandemic. “I also think we have to consider the future of outdoor dining and outdoor spaces.”

Monkou suggested the town help restaurants know whether they could winterize outdoor spaces with appropriate furniture, heating, and other investments.

How the Parking Formula Would Work

The changes to the town’s code would mean a typical business could go through the administrative process and use up to 20% of its minimum parking spots needed for dining.

So, if a business needed to have 10 parking spots, it could use two spots for a dining area. If a property had extra spots beyond that minimum, that parking could also be used for dining, too.

For businesses along Church Street, which are covered by a distinct zoning ordinance known as the Church Street Vision, use of parking spaces would be approved by Town Council. For all areas, the outdoor dining spaces would still have to be able to be removed easily.

Previously, the town approved the emergency, temporary relief on June 1, 2020 and has extended the measure repeatedly. The ordinance is slated to expire Dec. 7, 2021 but can be extended up to Dec. 31.

Planning Commission Chair Stephen Kenney directed staff to continue surveying businesses about whether a 20% threshold was being used still. He suggested while that amount was necessary at the start of the pandemic, it might be more than what’s needed at this point.

The commission’s vice chair, David Miller, suggested the ordinance last for a limited time frame each year, such as from April 1 to Oct. 1 or Nov. 1, noting how snow and other weather can limit patrons’ enjoyment outside.

The town council will hold a public hearing on the matter on Monday (Nov. 15).

An Idylwood brewery that launched in 2018 is expanding to Oakton at Hunter Mill Plaza on Chain Bridge Road and Hunter Mill Road.

Settle Down Easy Brewing Co. will open Settle Down Easy — Oakton Tasting Room, an 80-seat, 4,000-square-foot space slated to open in the spring. Its website prominently displays the change as “coming soon.”

A marketing representative says to-go orders doubled the brewery’s production amid the COVID-19 pandemic, allowing for the expansion.

Announced at Settle Down Easy’s three-year anniversary celebration on Saturday (Nov. 6), the new space will also offer cider and wine as well as artisanal meats and more through an exclusive food partnership with The Fermented Pig.

Per a news release:

The new 4,000-square-foot, 80-seat tasting room aims to become a community staple, celebrating local purveyors and businesses as well as providing an upscale yet relaxing atmosphere for customers to enjoy. Settle Down Easy Brewing Co.’s original location in Falls Church/Merrifield opened in November 2018 with a high-quality and approachable selection of craft beers and seasonal varietals. Now, three years later, the brand will expand to include this new addition in Oakton.

‘We experienced wonderful success following our initial opening, and even throughout the global pandemic we were able to expand our customer base through our to-go program,’ said Settle Down Easy Brewing Co. owner Frank R. Kuhns. ‘We are thrilled to open a new location in Oakton and really integrate our concept with the many incredible local food and beverage producers in the area.’

The Fermented Pig, a family-owned business that specializes in artisan meats and charcuterie, will partner with Settle Down Easy Brewing Co. to open its first brick and mortar location inside SDE — Oakton Tasting Room. The seasonal ‘farm to fork’ menu will offer artisanal paninis, fresh salads, local cheeses, charcuterie, entrees and more — all sourced from local suppliers within 100 miles of the tasting room. In addition to the food offerings, Settle Down Easy Brewing Co.’s flagship brews, SDE — Oakton Tasting Room will feature a rotating selection of taps from other Fairfax County breweries, as well as local ciders on tap and a curated wine list.

Transportation officials will hold an online public hearing next Wednesday (Nov. 17) at 7 p.m. about changes to roads to add cycling paths and more by the Vienna/Fairfax-GMU Metro station.

The project involves temporary and permanent changes to Country Creek Road, Virginia Center Boulevard, and part of Sutton Road with the aim of improving traffic flow and safety.

As part of the $9.2 million project, the Virginia Department Transportation and Fairfax County are temporarily adding a two-way cycle track, buffered bike lane, upgraded pedestrian signals, and other improvements.

“As part of the improvements we are going to adopt a road diet on the eastbound sections of Country Creek Road and Virginia Center Boulevard where there is [additional] capacity in roadway width to introduce a two way cycle track and sidewalk,” project manager Zamir Mirza said in an email.

According to a project page, the proposed final changes include the following:

• Constructing shared-used paths along Blake Lane and Sutton Road from the I-66 bridge to Country Creek Road
• Creating a separated two-way cycle track along Country Creek Road/Virginia Center Boulevard
• Realigning the I-66 westbound ramp to Country Creek Road
• Modifying the traffic signals at the intersections of Sutton Road and Blake Lane, Country Creek Road and the ramp from westbound I-66, and Country Creek Road and Vaden Drive.

According to a meeting notice, people can give their comments during the public hearing. Alternatively, they can comment by Dec. 3 through an online comment form, by email to [email protected] with “Vienna Metro Station Bicycle and Pedestrian Improvements” as the subject line.

Letters can also be mailed to Zamir Mirza, Virginia Department of Transportation, 4975 Alliance Drive, Fairfax, VA 22030.

The project is happening in conjunction with the Transform 66 Outside the Beltway project, where 11 miles of a trail network for cyclists and pedestrians is being constructed parallel to I-66, connecting with existing trails.

Interim road changes by the Vienna Metro are slated to begin in fall 2022, and final construction could start in summer 2024.

The Weekly Planner is a roundup of interesting events coming up over the next week in the Tysons area.

We’ve searched the web for events of note in Tysons, Vienna, Merrifield, McLean, and Falls Church. Know of any we’ve missed? Tell us!

Tuesday, Nov. 9

• On Deck with Mercury — 6-7 p.m. at Great Harvest Bread Co. (136 Church St. NW) in Vienna — For his monthly public forum, Town Manager Mercury Payton will be joined by other Vienna officials to talk about upcoming holiday events and how participating can help the town.
• David Ryan Harris with Justin Kawika Young — 7:30 p.m. at Jammin Java (227 Maple Ave. East) in Vienna — Accomplished guitarists share easy listening vibes. With Young’s multilingual singing and Harris’ performing ties to John Mayer, Dave Matthews Band, and others, the show should delight listeners’ ears. Doors open at 6 p.m. Tickets start at $15, plus fees, for general admission.

Wednesday, Nov. 10

• Parking Reimagined (Online) — 7-8:30 p.m. — Weigh in on the future of off-street parking in Fairfax County at this virtual town hall hosted by the Hunter Mill District Office, one of four scheduled town halls with additional dates planned. Community feedback will inform updates to parking rules in the county zoning ordinance.

Thursday, Nov. 11

• John Lloyd Young’s Broadway! — 8 p.m. at The Barns (1635 Trap Road) — Originally scheduled to perform at Wolf Trap a year ago, the Tony and Grammy Award winner brings together songs from several shows, including “Chicago,” “Dreamgirls,” and “Jersey Boys.” Doors open at 6:30 p.m. Tickets start at $37, plus fees.

Friday, Nov. 12

• Tea Okropiridze — 6-9 p.m. at McLean Textile Gallery (6819 Elm St.) — The art gallery holds an open house and reception to celebrate its new exhibit featuring the work of a Northern Virginia artist Tea Okropiridze, who specializes in tapestry, fiber art, and more. The exhibit opens Tuesday and runs through Dec. 7.
• The Blessing Tour — 7 p.m. at Capital One Hall (7750 Capital One Tower Road) — Grammy-nominated singer Kari Jobe and special guest Cody Carnes, both Christian musicians, bring “a full worship experience” to Tysons. Tickets start at $25.

Saturday, Nov. 13

• The Boro’s Gambit — 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Sandlot Tysons (behind The Boro at 1640 Boro Place) — Watch Grandmaster Rashad Babaev, who lives at The Boro, play 30 games of chess at once. Proceeds benefit United Charities for Azerbaijan. Cost is $20 plus fees to compete. Free for spectators.
• 4th Annual Veterans Day Salute — 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. at Falls Church Distillers (442 S Washington St. Suite A) — After going online last year, the distillery’s block party is back in person with live music, alcohol tastings, food, and more. Tickets for food and alcohol are $5 each, and donations are encouraged to support partners Northern Virginia Veterans Association (NoVA Vets) and George Mason University’s Veteran Initiatives.

Sunday, Nov. 14

• McLean Antiques Show & Sales — 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the McLean Community Center (1234 Ingleside Ave.) — The final day of a weekend event features a variety of antique dealers. Proceeds benefit the high school arts-focused James C. Macdonald Scholarship Fund. Cost is $10 with a discount available. Free for children age 17 and younger.

Photo via Justin Higuchi/Flickr

Tensions are brewing in the Town of Vienna should pursue adding sidewalks.

Most, and possibly all, of the neighbors on Alma Street SE have voiced opposition to a new sidewalk there, signing a petition to try to prevent the project that’s being evaluated for the western side of the street.

Meanwhile, others argue that a lack of sidewalks creates safety and accessibility issues, where vehicles and pedestrians share the road and visual obstructions can heighten the potential for danger.

Town leaders have been racing to advance a slate of sidewalk projects — primarily in residential neighborhoods — and use money in a $7 million trust left by former Councilmember Maud Robinson after her death in 2019.

The money dedicated to the Robinson Trust Sidewalk Initiative, which seeks to fill gaps in the town’s network, expires in fall 2024.

How should the town proceed? Should Vienna use its right-of-way to build sidewalks as a public good, even if they cut into a resident’s lawn or driveway, or should the town only build projects when it has the support of adjacent properties?

Photo via Google Maps

A new circus seeking to cater to diverse audiences and feature performers with disabilities has postponed its in-person world debut.

Crews were setting up Omnium Circus at Tysons III this week when the organization abruptly halted its upcoming run from Nov. 18 to Jan. 9.

Customers who purchased tickets can get a refund or exchange their tickets for the delayed performances. The circus also notes that people can choose to consider the tickets as donations due to the organization’s nonprofit status.

Founder Lisa Lewis said ticketholders are being contacted directly.

“So much of live entertainment — you even see it on Broadway — …they’re all trying to get back, and it’s not always a smooth ride for everybody at the start,” spokesperson Alan Miller told Tysons Reporter, adding that such performances are not seeing the advance ticket sales they previously did.

No definitive replacement dates have been set yet, but the circus said it’s rescheduling the show and plans to return in the spring. Groups that reserved tickets have already rolled over to those future dates, Lewis said.

The circus released a statement yesterday (Wednesday) announcing the decision, which it said was due to a “combination of insurmountable circumstances beyond our control have forced us to make the very difficult decision.”

“It was kind of like a perfect storm,” Lewis said.

According to Lewis, investors wanted the show to be postponed, citing COVID-19 concerns, slow ticket sales, and reports of a potential terrorism threat.

The circus called the decision “very, very difficult.”

“We’re just really excited to be able to come back in the spring,” Lewis said, adding that Ominum is delighted and honored that property owner Lerner was so accommodating with changing the dates.

The circus launched with a December 2020 livestream and worked with schools and other organizations during the pandemic.

Read the official statement on the rescheduling of the world premiere of Omnium: A Bold New Circus at https://t.co/2DnjHhiOgk pic.twitter.com/1f1RQsLoeZ

— Omnium Circus (@OmniumCircus) November 3, 2021

The Town of Vienna will hold a public hearing on Nov. 15 to receive feedback about possible changes to how many years a councilmember will serve.

It comes after a new state law ended all local May elections, shifting them to November. The Fairfax County Office of Elections previously said the move will improve voter turnout and save the town from paying certain election-related expenses.

Town council members and the mayor currently serve for two years, with three council seats opening every year and mayoral elections coming on even-numbered years.

Vienna residents will be able to weigh in on options the town has been considering for amending the elections section of its charter at the public hearing. They can also share their own ideas.

“Other options can be submitted by the general public,” town attorney Steven Briglia said at a town council meeting on Monday (Nov. 1). “It’s not limited to any one of the options [that have] been sort of discussed.”

Proposals have included the following:

• No changes to the two-year term length
• Three-year terms for the 2022 election before switching to four-year terms in 2023 and all elections thereafter
• Three-year terms for 2022, then switch to two years for all seats with the 2023 election and subsequent elections
• Two-year terms for three council seats and four-year terms for the other half of the council as well as the mayor

In the last scenario, candidates for the town council would choose whether they want to run for two years or four years.

Councilmember Chuck Anderson said the idea was inspired by an approach used by college boards. The council asked Briglia to investigate whether it would actually be allowed.

The proposals stem in part from a suggestion that the town should hold its elections on odd-numbered years. Councilmember Ed Somers said that would prevent the local races from getting caught up in national elections.

The luxury housing developer Toll Brothers is looking to demolish 12 single-family houses in order to build 52 townhomes with two public parks in Tysons East.

The publicly traded Fortune 500 company is looking to create a townhome development that it has dubbed Seneca Assemblage between Seneca and La Salle avenues by the Dulles Toll Road, alongside the existing McLean Ridge and The Westerlies neighborhoods.

A conceptual design submitted to the Fairfax County Department of Planning and Development in September as part of a rezoning application shows four-story homes in a building of five units with a brick front or facade.

The county would have to rezone 20 parcels from residential to planned development housing for the project to proceed. Toll Brothers’ submitted development plan shows six seven-unit buildings, a four-unit building, and two three-unit buildings, with garages in the back of units.

Seven residences would be affordable units and one would be considered a workforce unit, priced at reduced rates for people who are under certain incomes.

A road would also be created to connect Seneca and La Salle near the middle of the development.

The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors already agreed on June 22 to allow one piece of the project, giving the developer right-of-way for a new, private street called Buena Vista Road that will be incorporated into a park developed by the company.

“A new publicly accessible park, Buena Vista Park, is proposed on the to-be-vacated Buena Vista right-of-way in the northern portion of the Subject Property,” Walsh Colucci senior land use planner Elizabeth Baker said in an Aug. 25 statement on the developer’s behalf.

One of three planned parks collectively totaling 0.68 acres, about half the size of a football field, Buena Vista Park will occupy approximately 0.31 acres and feature turf, trees for shade, and outdoor seating.

“The existing trail will remain in the center of the park space,” Baker wrote. “This park will provide pedestrian connectivity between Seneca and La Salle Avenues, offer a passive recreation open space, and create a buffer between the proposed development and the McLean Ridge townhome community to the north.”

The southern end of the development would have a publicly accessible 0.25-acre green space called Point Park with a recreational area for toddlers as well as an open lawn, sidewalks, and paths.

The application also calls for a 0.12-acre, private outdoor space next to The Westerlies residential community with walking paths, an open lawn area, landscaping, and outdoor seating.

According to the statement of justification, Buena Vista Road will have a 6 to 8-foot-wide landscape amenity panel and a 6-foot-wide sidewalk. Toll Brothers says it will provide 119 parking spaces for the development, along with 29 on-street spaces on Seneca and La Salle.

The developer’s planned proffers include a public schools contribution and a commitment to reducing vehicle trips in the area for residential uses by 25%.

Designs suggest two homes would remain: a two-story home at 1642 La Salle Avenue as well as a three-story home at 1652 La Salle Avenue. The latter will be considered Unit 53 in Seneca Assemblage, while the former property could be integrated later, the application says.

According to the application, Toll Brothers believes its proposal will support the county’s vision for Tysons by redeveloping single-family, detached dwellings with a townhome community that includes affordable and workforce housing.

“A connected street grid and improved pedestrian circulation will promote connectivity,” Baker wrote. “Improved streetscapes will invite pedestrians to explore this new community and the new public parks will enhance the recreational opportunities and natural beauty of the neighborhood.”

A Fairfax County Planning Commission public hearing is currently slated for Sept. 14, 2022.