It’s still chilly out, but locals are invited to change into their bathing suit and take a “polar plunge” at the Mosaic District later this month.

The NOVA Polar Plunge Festival on Saturday, Jan. 19, is held in support of the Special Olympics. For a $100 donation to the Special Olympics, attendees can cannonball into an icy pool of water.

Beyond the donation to take the plunge, the event has certain fundraising benchmarks — from a commemorative t-shirt for $100 donors to a name on the Special Olympics walk of fame for those who raise $5,000.

The event starts with check-in at noon, with the first plunge starting at 1 p.m. and a costume contest and award ceremony at 2 p.m.

Parking for the event is free and available at the garages at 2987 and 2920 District Ave.

Polar Plunge festivals take place in four different locations across Virginia. According to the Polar Plunge website, funding goes to support Special Olympics Virginia to provide “year-round sports training, competition, leadership opportunities and health service to more than 23,000 athletes of all abilities.”

Currently, donors have chipped in $8,263 of the group’s $35,000 goal.

Photo via Facebook

New Sidewalk Officially Open — The small stretch of sidewalk along Route 7 that officially opened with a ribbon-cutting ceremony yesterday (Thursday) “is one more step in urbanizing Tysons, making it safer for pedestrians and hopefully reducing some vehicle traffic.” [WTOP]

Man May Have Filmed Dressing Rooms in Tysons — The man arrested for secretly filming a teenager in a dressing room at Fair Oaks Mall is believed to have also filmed dressing rooms at Tysons Corner Center between Dec. 15-24, according to Fairfax County Police. FCPD says some of the videos appear to show the dressing rooms at H&M and Old Navy at the Tysons mall. [WTOP, WJLA, Washington Post]

McLean Commander Wants More Cops — The McLean District police station “has 138 sworn officers,  at least 11 of whom must be on patrol duty during day shifts and at least nine on midnight shifts. [Capt. Alan] Hanson said one of his top priorities will be increasing staffing. In the next four or five years, he would like to add 24 officers and four supervisors to the station’s Tysons Urban Team, which now has nine officers and two supervisors.” [InsideNova]

WUSA 9 Back on Fios — After several days of being blacked out for Verizon Fios customers as a result of a fee dispute between Verizon and Tysons-based broadcaster Tegna, local CBS affiliate WUSA 9 has returned to the Fios lineup. [Washington Business Journal]

Fresh off sidewalk improvements opening west of the Tysons Corner Center Mall, plans for bicycle and pedestrian improvements east of the mall just been approved and are moving forward towards a 2020 completion.

The new path would run along Old Meadow Road south from Route 123 through the rapidly redeveloping Tysons East to a bridge that would connect to the Tysons Corner Center mall.

The new path would offer a connection to the mall for the new residential and commercial developments proposed for the area. The project would also include a 10-foot shared-use path connected to other paths and sidewalks in the area.

“The project received design approval in December 2018,” said Abraham Lerner, associate manager of special project development with the Virginia Department of Transportation. “We are working on the final design… The main focus in the next two months is on advancing the engineering design of the pedestrian-bicycle bridge over the Beltway.”

Lerner said the final design process uses the alignments approved but with refinements and additional details to ensure the facility aligns with current standards.

According to Lerner, if the project continues as scheduled, VDOT will begin looking at right-of-way acquisition for the project starting in spring. Utility relocation is scheduled to run from November 2019 until April 2020, with construction from April to November 2020.

Images via VDOT

The Town of Vienna’s last major zoning code changes occurred in 1969, the year man first walked on the moon and the Beatles released “Abbey Road.”

Now, 50 years later, Vienna is gearing up for another zoning change. At the Vienna Town Council meeting on Monday, Jan. 7, the council is scheduled to vote on a $120,000 funding request to the Fairfax County’s Economic Development Support Fund to support updates to Vienna’s zoning and subdivision ordinances.

According to the staff report, one of the largest benefits of updating the zoning code would be a “reduction in the amount of time and money required by the private sector to gather information about development rights and zoning regulations.”

“By more closely aligning the zoning and subdivision ordinances to the comprehensive plan, the town will be more likely to attract the type of development so desired here,” according to the staff report, “i.e., more mixed-use, pedestrian-oriented development, rather than automobile-oriented, strip-mall development that currently dominates the Maple Avenue corridor.”

The funding is half the total cost, $240,000, of retaining a planning consultant. The remaining $120,000 would be paid by the Town of Vienna in the FY 2019 and FY 2020 budget.

There have been zoning changes for specific areas of the town, like the Church Street Commercial Zone in 1999 and the Maple Avenue Commercial (MAC) Zone in 2014, but according to the staff report much of the town’s zoning code outside of those streets is “outdated and cumbersome.”

Those zoning changes haven’t occurred without significant pushback, however. A controversial four-story development was approved in October amid outcry from nearby citizens that the building was too big for Maple Avenue. Some of the side-streets off Maple Avenue still feature green yard signs opposing the scale of the new development.

“This results in uncertainty for citizens, elected officials and the development community,” according to the staff report. “The current zoning and subdivision ordinances need to be comprehensively updated so the regulations are logically organized and easier to understand and navigate through the use of clear language, charts, tables and illustrations.”

There is also a legal component for the push, as the staff report notes that parts of the zoning code are inconsistent with state law and recent Supreme Court decisions with regards to sign regulations, changes that recently forced Fairfax to adjust its sign ordinance.

“An updated zoning code would incorporate contemporary zoning and best practices, providing more opportunity for redevelopment,” the report said.

Changes to the Vienna zoning code were first broached in 2015 as part of a recommendation to update the town’s comprehensive plan. An update to the town’s zoning code is estimated to take between one and two years.

If you’re looking to start the year off with a new job, there’s plenty of options around the Tysons area: from major corporate positions to openings in local gyms.

One of the most high profile offerings is a regional manager opening for the Charles Schwab Corporation, a banking and brokerage firm. The regional manager would help shape business development in the area and build working relationships in the area. The position requires a BA/BS, with an MBA preferred. Ideal applicants should have a minimum of 10 years in the financial services industry with over five years experience in investment management or sales management.

Other listings around the area include:

• Zoning Enforcement Officer for the Town of Vienna — Vienna is looking for a person to enforce the town’s zoning regulations by inspecting new construction for compliance, responding to complaints, and identifying and resolving zoning and other property violations. The job pays between $50,474 and $65,868 depending on qualifications.
• Automotive Sales at Priority Nissan Tysons — Advertised as a no-experience-required position, anyone with an enthusiasm and willingness to learn can apply to work at Priority Nissan in Tysons.
• Front Desk Associate at Sport & Health Tysons — The newly renovated Tysons Sport & Health is looking for a front desk associate to manage the desk and greet members and guests. High school diploma, six months experience in customer service, and first aid certifications preferred.
• CrossFit Coach at Phoenix Athletix Club — The Vienna CrossFit location is looking for a Level 1 CrossFit coach to teach 3-4 classes on Thursday and Friday mornings and two classes every other Saturday. Three years of coaching experience is required, and the position earns $20 to $25 per hour.
• Montessori Floater and Office Assistant — The Fiore Montessori School in Vienna is looking for a teachers assistant and office assistant to help in classrooms and in the office. The ideal candidate would be trained in Montessori Education or be interested in training. The job is full-time and offers between $25,000 to $38,000 per year.
• Assistant for Wolf Trap Institute of Early Learning Through Arts — The Wolf Trap Foundation for the Performing Arts needs an assistant to provide institute and administrative support for the Wolf Trap Institute’s educational programs. The position would last from Jan. 7 through March. 1, with a pay rate of $10 per hour. Wolf Trap is also seeking interns for the Annual Giving program to assist with fundraising efforts.

Photo via Facebook

Four New York residents were arrested in the parking lot outside the Tysons Corner Center mall on New Year’s Day on charges related to credit card theft.

According to Fairfax County Police, the department’s “Christmas Anti-Theft Team” was working on a shoplifting case when they were notified by a loss prevention officer at the mall of possible credit card fraud.

“The Loss Prevention Officer indicated he saw a woman in this store who was recently seen using fraudulent credit cards in a Maryland store,” police said in a crime report. “Our officers began watching her while other officers made contact with the victim who lives in California. While watching the woman, other suspects were developed.”

Police arrested two men and two women were arrested outside of the mall at their car. Police allege over $10,000 in fraudulently purchased merchandise was discovered inside.

According to the crime report:

“Han Lin, 34, of New York was charged with three counts of credit card theft, two counts of credit card fraud, and identity fraud. Chaojun Shao, 34, of New York, was charged with three counts of credit card theft, two counts of credit card fraud, receiving stolen goods and identity fraud. Shousheng Wang, 33, of New York, was charged with two counts of credit card theft and credit card fraud. Xiabing Lin, 34, of New York, was charged with [conspiracy] to commit credit card fraud. Additional charges are pending.”

Photo courtesy FCPD

It’s been nine years since Hazleton Laboratories, later Covance, closed the doors of its facility near Wolf Trap, infamous for its testing on monkeys and beagles — but life could soon be returning to the site.

Toll Brothers, a real estate developer, has plans to build 102 single-family homes northeast of the intersection of Route 7 and Towlston Road. The new project, called Grantstone, is a by-right development that has generated concern among neighbors who say the new development could overburden the nearby roads.

“Despite the fact that it is by-right, they’ve been cooperative,” said Dranesville District Supervisor John Foust. “We’ve had two well-attended community meetings to identify issues of concern. They’ve been willing to work with us. There’s not a lot of things we can do as long as they stick to subdivision ordinance.”

One of the biggest items of concern has been the new development’s impacts on Towlston Road, a two-lane street to the west of the property. The Great Falls Citizens Association passed a resolution last summer calling on the Virginia and Fairfax County departments of transportation to reexamine the issue of how much traffic will be generated on the surrounding streets.

Foust said the new housing development aligns fortuitously with a plan to widen Route 7 from four lanes to six lanes, as well as make new intersection improvements.

“The Department of Transportation will not grant access onto Route 7, so they’ll have to access the site from Towlston,” said Foust. “Eventually, that’s going to work very well since we’re widening Route 7 and the plan is to dramatically improve the intersection at Towlston. [That will mean] adding a couple lanes to the dedicated right and left turning lanes. But that’s a couple years down the road.”

While construction of 102 new homes was planned to start in early 2019, as of yesterday (Wednesday) most of the 113,000 square-foot property visible from outside the “do-not-enter” signs remains overgrown, with cracked roads the only sign of the former facilities. Foust said the development is currently in the site plan review process, and county records show the review was approved on Dec. 21.

Foust said the Grantstone development is being done across two phases, and the first home sales are unlikely to start for another two or three years.

“It’s a long process to go through,” said Foust. “That’s another reason the traffic issue is a little less concerning. We are concurrently making progress on Route 7 widening. By the time they’re fully built, I’m confident Route 7 will be widened.”

The Route 7 widening project hit a snag last summer when the costs came in at $95 million more than was originally estimated. In June, the Board of Supervisors voted to approve $40 million to help close the project’s funding gap.

Map via Fairfax County

Christmas Tree Pickup Underway — Fairfax County and Town of Vienna residents can dispose of Christmas trees with their regular trash collection through Jan. 11. [Patch]

Vienna Companies Celebrating Anniversaries — Two Vienna companies are celebrating 60 years in business: Ar-Jon Portable Toilets and the Parkwood School. [InsideNova]

Local Restaurants Participating in Restaurant Week — Nearly two dozen McLean, Tysons and Vienna area restaurants are participating in the annual Winter Restaurant Week from Jan. 14-20. [Patch, Patch]

Foot by foot, Tysons is getting a little more walkable.

Tomorrow afternoon, Fairfax County will hold a ribbon-cutting ceremony for two new sidewalks along Leesburg Pike (Route 7) under Chain Bridge Road (Route 123). The new sidewalk connects the Pike 7 shopping center and The Boro development with the retail and restaurants west of the Tysons Corner Center mall.

According to the Fairfax County Department of Transportation press release:

The sidewalks are part of the Dulles corridor bicycle and pedestrian access improvements and provide enhanced pedestrian access along Leesburg Pike with 1,100 feet of sidewalk on the north side and 800 feet of sidewalk on the south side. These improvements were designed by the Fairfax County Department of Transportation; constructed by the Fairfax County Department of Public Works and Environmental Services (DPWES); and funded under the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) Locally Administered Project (LAP) program.

The ribbon-cutting is scheduled for 1 p.m. tomorrow and to be attended by several members of the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors and Sol Glasner, president and CEO of the Tysons Partnership.

Tysons isn’t just a major transportation junction, it’s also the convergence of several state legislative districts. As the 2019 legislative session nears its beginning on Jan. 9, several local state senators and delegates are bringing a variety of bills to Richmond.

In the state Senate, the Tysons area is represented by Sens. Barbara Favola (D-31st District), Janet Howell (D-32nd District), and Chap Petersen (D-34th District).

Favola is championing a bill that would prohibit prospective employers from requiring employees disclose their wage or salary history, or attempting to obtain wage and salary histories.

Howell is backing a bill that would allow evidence of a prior statement that is inconsistent with testimony at the hearing or trial to be admissible. The bill was proposed late last year and is awaiting a vote in the Courts of Justice Committee.

Another one of Howell’s bills would require assisted living facilities with six or more residents to have a temporary emergency electrical power source available on site.

Favola and Howell are both putting forward bills would allow localities to determine the opening day of school, a region-wide push to get around the “King’s Dominion Rule.” A similar bill was passed in the House last year but was left in the Senate’s Education and Health Committee. Fairfax and Loudoun counties already have waivers to start before Labor Day, but the new bill would grant a similar exception for Arlington.

Petersen has a bill that would charge a five-cent per bag tax on plastic bags for localities inside the Chesapeake Bay Watershed, to be used to support the Chesapeake Bay Watershed Implementation Plan.

Another bill would require the governing board of each public institution of higher education to permit public comment on the proposed increase at a meeting of that board.

Meanwhile, in the House of Delegates, Del. Mark Keam (D-35th District) is continuing to lead a push on two changes to the Virginia governorship. The first is a bill to make the governor and lieutenant governor a joint election. The bill was introduced in October 2018 and referred to the Committee on Privileges and Elections.

The second would remove Virginia’s stipulation that governors cannot run for reelection, allowing governors to run for two four-year terms. This had previously been proposed by Del. Mark Levine (D-45th District) but failed in earlier years.

Del. Rip Sullivan (D-48th District) is re-introducing a bill that would allow police or prosecutors secure a two-week ban on buying or owning a gun if they believe they present a “substantial risk of injury to himself or others.”

Sullivan has twice seen similar legislation left to die in committees: one bill failed in 2018, another in 2017.

Del. Marcus B. Simon (D-53rd District) has a bill that would make the manufacture, import, sale, transfer, or possession of undetectable firearms a class five felony. These are weapons designed to avoid detection devices, including X-ray machines, used at airports and other types of security screening. A similar bill is proposed by Howell, who previously succeeded in establishing a misdemeanor penalty for the practice in 2016, but failed two years ago.

Del. Kathleen Murphy (D-34th District) is not listed as a chief patron of any 2019 legislation yet but has signed on as a co-patron for a bill trying to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment.

File photo