Vienna police arrested the same man twice earlier this month for separate incidents where he was allegedly drunk, including one where he flashed a gun at a passing dogwalker.
First, an officer was called to Blackstone Terrace and Holmes Drive NW intersection at 7:45 p.m. on Dec. 2 for a report of a man standing outside and yelling profanity, according to the Vienna Police Department’s crime roundup for the week of Dec. 2-8.
“Upon the officer’s interaction with the man, they detected signs of impairment. The man refused to stop yelling or go back into his residence,” police said.
The VPD says the 35-year-old man was arrested and charged with being drunk in public. He was transported to the Fairfax County Adult Detention Center.
He evidently didn’t stay in jail long, because two days later, police were called back to Blackstone Terrace at 3:17 p.m. on Dec. 4 when the man allegedly screamed at a teen who was walking their family’s dog:
A juvenile was walking the family dog when a resident in the neighborhood began to scream at him and showed him a firearm in his waistband. A neighbor witnessed the incident and immediately ushered the juvenile safely away and back to his home. Officers located the man and, upon their interaction with him, detected signs of impairment.
The man was again arrested and taken to the Adult Detention Center, receiving charges of “drunk in public” and “brandishing a firearm.”
While the incidents don’t reference each other in the weekly recap, a VPD spokesperson confirmed that they involve the same person.
In other Vienna crime news, a Park Terrace Court resident reported on Thursday (Dec. 8) that there was “a small fire” on the stoop of the condominium building. She believed it may have been set by a neighbor “with who she has had ongoing issues,” according to the police summary.
“The resident stated that she saw her neighbor…carrying some items and placing them on the stoop. She never observed him set the fire,” the VPD said. “The fire was out before the officers arrived. Officers located the neighbor later in the night, and he denied any involvement in the incident.”
Police also responded to two vehicle-related assaults on Thursday:
Assault 22-011734
200 Block Locust Street, SE
December 8 6:36 p.m.
A citizen reported that he was driving eastbound on Locust Street, exiting the traffic circle at Park Street when a man entered the crosswalk. The citizen yielded to the pedestrian, however, the man stopped in the middle of the road. The man proceeded to strike the citizen’s rear window. When the citizen got out of his vehicle to check for damage, the man assaulted him, causing minor injuries to his face. The man left the area when the citizen got back into his vehicle.Arrest – Drunk In Public 22-011744
Locust Street and Cottage Street, SW
December 8 11:53 p.m.
An Uber driver reported that she was transporting a passenger when the woman began to scream, assaulted her, and got out of the vehicle. The driver was concerned for the woman’s safety. Upon the officer’s interaction with the driver, they detected signs of impairment.
In the latter case, the Uber driver — identified as a 56-year-old woman — was arrested, taken to the county jail and charged with being drunk in public.
FedEx Driver Tried to Help Man Who Died in FCPD Custody — “The FedEx driver praised for helping a man experiencing a behavioral health crisis before he died in police custody said he felt led to show compassion. Fairfax County Police Chief Kevin Davis described his actions as heroic despite the fatal outcome.” [WUSA9]
Fairfax City Police Investigate Shootings — “City of Fairfax Police are investigating two shooting into vehicle incidents that occurred early Thursday morning that appear to be connected, according to a police release.” Police responded to a shooting between 1:30 a.m. and 2:30 a.m. that resulted in “minor injuries” to the vehicle’s occupant, and were then called to a similar shooting two miles away, where there were no injuries. [Patch]
Are Regional Road Projects Helping Fix Congestion? — “Northern Virginians have been living through a seemingly endless cycle of roadbuilding in recent years…With the perceived need more than doubling the funds available, some in the region are asking: Can Northern Virginia ever build its way out of traffic congestion?” [Northern Virginia Magazine]
Five Displaced by Kingstowne House Fire — “On Thursday, December 1 at 2:24 p.m., units were dispatched for a reported house fire in the 7200 block of Devereux Court in the Kingstowne area…Fire Investigators determined the fire was accidental in nature and started in the garage on a work table. The fire was caused by an electrical event involving a laptop computer.” [FCFRD]
Tysons Gas Station Gets Approval for Convenience Store — “A Tysons service station damaged by a small tornado March 31 now will be getting a spruced up exterior and a new convenience store in place of its lightly used vehicle-service bays. The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors on Dec. 6 unanimously approved the changes sought by Petroleum Marketing Group Inc. (PMG) for its station…at 1953 Chain Bridge Road.” [Sun Gazette]
Vienna Preschool Founder Dies — Services were held this past weekend for Joyce Decker, “an involved member of the Vienna community,” who died on Nov. 14. Decker was an avid supporter of Vienna Little League, helping fundraise and becoming its first female trustee, and in 1968, she opened “Vienna Tiny Tots Village, one of the area’s first private preschool and child care centers,” which closed in March 2021 after operating for 53 years. [Patch]
Lobster Food Trucks Coming to D.C. Area — “Cousins Maine Lobster, which got its start as a single food truck in Los Angeles a decade ago, has struck a deal with one of its existing franchisees to bring six food trucks to D.C., Maryland and Virginia over the next 18 months…The business really began to take off after the founders appeared on the ABC show “Shark Tank” in 2016″ [Washington Business Journal]
Hundreds of Tickets Issued on Richmond Highway — “Police officers issued 874 traffic citations to motorists along the Richmond Highway corridor during the month of November…According to an FCPD spokesperson, the citations were issued as part of a Pedestrian High Visibility Enforcement campaign conducted by FCPD’s Motor Squad in November and on one additional date in December.” [On the MoVe]
Vienna Holiday Decorating Contest Winners Announced — “A record number of votes were cast in this year’s contest — more than 1000 — up by more than 50 percent from 2021. For the first time, contestants were given an opportunity to earn bonus points by putting a caboose somewhere in their display, paying homage to Vienna’s railway history.” [Town of Vienna]
It’s Monday — Partly cloudy throughout the day. High of 43 and low of 34. Sunrise at 7:19 am and sunset at 4:48 pm. [Weather.gov]
Rep. Gerry Connolly will put his experience dealing with Scrooges on Capitol Hill to the test tomorrow when he takes the stage for a youth production of “Commedia Christmas Carol.”
The congressman and Providence District Supervisior Dalia Palchik will join student actors with the Traveling Players Ensemble for their take on the Charles Dickens holiday classic at 8 p.m., the Tysons-based theatrical company announced earlier this week.
Held at the Traveling Players Studio (DL01, 1961 Chain Bridge Road) in Tysons Corner Center, it will be the penultimate performance of the production, which launched on Dec. 2 and concludes at 3 p.m. on Sunday (Dec. 11).
Aimed at audiences 8 and older, the show puts a comedic twist on “A Christmas Carol.” It runs 75 minutes with no intermission and features a cast of kids from across the D.C. area.
“I love that it’s a ghost story, swirling out of control, careening through Scrooge’s painful past, and foreseeing his isolated future,” Traveling Players Producing Artistic Director Jeanne Harrison said in a press release. “And then he does the thing that is so brave: he changes. He lets people laugh at his newfound zest for life. And he is so much happier. He is renewed.”
Harrison founded the nonprofit theater company as a summer camp with 18 students in 2002. She is also the director for “Christmas Carol.”
Now in its 20th year with students in grades 2-12, the Traveling Players says Connolly and Palchik will make cameos in tomorrow’s show to acknowledge the key roles they played in the group’s journey.
Congressman Connolly is a lifelong supporter of arts and education. It was through his support that Traveling Players found their first long-time home in Fairfax County at The Madeira School, back in 2007 when he was still the Chairman of the Fairfax County Supervisors. A thespian in his own right, this will not be the Congressman’s first time taking the stage in a local production, but it will be his first cameo appearance with Traveling Players.
In 2020, Supervisor Palchick celebrated with Traveling Players by cutting the ribbon when they moved into their new home, their Studio in Tysons Corner Center, inside her district. Also an ardent supporter of the arts and education, Supervisor Palchick’s priorities overlap with those of Traveling Players: to expand artistic opportunities to every child in her district and the wider Fairfax County community.
There will also be an introduction by Jesse Benites, the general manager of Macerich, which owns and operates Tysons Corner Center. The mall has housed the Traveling Players Studio since February 2020 and hosted outdoor performances on its Plaza this summer.
Tickets to “Commedia Christmas Carol” cost $15 and can be purchased online.
Live Fairfax is a bi-weekly column exploring Fairfax County. This recurring column is sponsored and written by Sharmane Medaris of McEnearney Associates. Questions? Reach Sharmane at 813-504-4479.
Do you love Christmas lights?
If so, this insider video is for you. I surveyed Facebook groups for the must-see Christmas lights and these made the top of the list! Hope you enjoy piling into the car with hot chocolate and your people as you make memories that will turn into traditions.
Explore Fairfax with Sharmane Medaris of McEnearney.
Sharmane Medaris | Live Fairfax | www.soldbysharmane.com | [email protected] | @soldbysharmane | 813-504-4479 | 374 Maple Avenue Suite 202, Vienna, VA 22180
The preceding sponsored post was also published on FFXnow.com
If developers are willing to invest in boosting sewage infrastructure with their new projects, Fairfax County is willing to foot part of the bill.
The Board of Supervisors adopted a new policy (page 621) on Tuesday (Dec. 6) that would allow the county to reimburse developers for the cost of building enlarged sewage facilities to help grapple with wastewater. This change also means a slight sewer bill increase for local residents.
“The proposed policy recommends reimbursing developers for the cost of constructing an enlarged sewage facility based on the County’s share of existing and future wastewater flow,” a staff report sid. “Future flows are based on buildout described in the Comprehensive plan. The developers will be responsible for the cost that is equal to the proportional share of the enlarged facility that conveys flow exclusively from their development.”
The report said the current policy for reimbursing developers for enlarging sewer facilities is outdated and has not been used for 20 years.
According to county staff, the county’s pro-rate share of costs for eligible projects over the next two fiscal years would be $22.5 million or less. That cost will likely come from a 20-cent-per-month increase to the average sewer bill for residents.
According to the report:
This estimated amount would be paid out over several fiscal years, because potentially eligible projects are in various stages of plan review and approval and reimbursement will not be issued until construction milestones are met. To account for the proposed policy, staff anticipates recommending an additional increase of $0.20 per month on an average sewer bill for residential customers and an additional increase in Availability Charges of $182 for single-family homes and $146 for townhomes and multi-family homes.
While the change does mean a sewer rate increase for residents, the report said the financial burden of boosting local sewer infrastructure is lessened by sharing that cost between the county and local developers.
“By cost-sharing with private developers, all current users benefit from improved sanitary sewer infrastructure that reduces the potential for sewage release into the environment, and all rate payers benefit from reduced sewer maintenance and replacement costs,” the report said. “Without this policy, the cost to upsize sewer facilities as required by current County Code could disproportionately impact smaller development projects.”
The proposal was unanimously approved by the Board of Supervisors.
“This is a helpful, important motion,” Hunter Mill District Supervisor Walter Alcorn said. “This is a big turning point in terms of our ability to deal with managing growth and sewers.”
Image via Marco Bicca/Unsplash
Grass may soon be passé at Linway Terrace Park in McLean.
McLean Little League (MLL) has offered to fund a conversion of the park’s baseball diamond from grass to synthetic turf, the Fairfax County Park Authority (FCPA) announced Wednesday (Dec. 7).
Located off of Kirby Road in eastern McLean, the 10-acre park at 6246 Linway Terrace already has artificial turf soccer and lacrosse fields, along with tennis and basketball courts and a playground.
MLL board member Bryan Orme says converting the baseball diamond into synthetic turf “will offer countless benefits to the community”:
Regardless of weather, children will be able to play ball and exercise together, while reducing upkeep and allowing broader access to the park for the community. We’ve seen this successful approach work just steps away on the soccer and lacrosse field. Linway Park is a special place and doing this for the children today will benefit generations to come. McLean Little League is proud of the close relationship we have with Fairfax County and the thousands of families who are brought together each year to enjoy Little League baseball and softball and we look forward to working together on this project.
The park authority and Dranesville District supervisor’s office will host a virtual meeting next month on Thursday, Jan. 12 to discuss the project in more detail. The meeting will launch a 30-day public comment period ending Feb. 10.
The FCPA board will then vote on whether to move forward with the conversion.
The park authority told FFXnow that it’s too early in the process to determine how much the project would cost and what McLean Little League will contribute.
“We are very early in the process, and the public meeting scheduled on January 12, 2023, will be the first step in gaining community input that will guide the partnership between McLean Little League and the Park Authority,” FCPA spokesperson Benjamin Boxer said by email. “As such, it is premature to speculate about potential contribution amounts or timeframes.”
McLean Little League was founded in 1955 and supports both baseball and softball teams, according to its website.
One of the league’s coaches, Ramón Santiago, got an honorable mention at the Little League World Series in August for his continued support of players despite a cancer diagnosis. The 51-year-old died in October, just as his favorite baseball team — the Philadelphia Phillies — was making a run for the World Series, FOX29 reported.
Lego Discovery Center Breaks Ground — “It was an honor today to participate in the LEGO Discovery Center groundbreaking at Springfield Town Center This ultimate Lego playground will be the first in the Greater Washington area and is a fun and exciting addition to our community!” [Jeff McKay/Facebook]
FCPD Releases Video From In-Custody Death — “Fairfax County police have released body camera video after a man died in custody last month, and say the man behaved erratically before suffering from a medical emergency. On Nov. 11, Fairfax County police said they received calls about a man running in traffic on Amherst Avenue in Springfield.” [NBC4]
Residents See Plans for Bowman Towne Court Redevelopment — Reston Town Center Apartments residents will be relocated to temporary housing when construction on a new 350-unit affordable housing project begins, county staff said. When work is done, they would be offered one of the new units in the development, which could be colocated with a new Reston Regional Library. [Patch]
Deli Opens in Former Vienna Bakery — “Italian restaurant Pazzo Pomodoro opened a new delicatessen Monday two doors down from its Vienna location called Nozzo Pazzo…The space was formerly home to Cenan’s Bakery, a beloved bakery that closed in 2018 after 26 years in business.” [Patch]
Fairfax County Prosecutors Win Appeal — “The Virginia Court of Appeals ruled this week that hearsay evidence involving children who are otherwise not competent to testify can still be used, as long as it helps tie a case together.” The Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office appealed the abuse case after the defense argued that the statements made by the victim, a 13-year-old girl with autism, shouldn’t be considered credible. [WTOP]
Vienna Coffee Shop Expanding to Alexandria — “Lily’s Chocolate and Coffee is coming to 631 King Street at the intersection with S. Washington Street. The site was previously Francesca’s until it closed in 2020. The shop first opened on Vienna’s Maple Avenue in 2021 and specializes in a pastry called lokma.” [ALXnow]
Local Uyghur Restaurants Keep Culture Alive — “Food is one of the most important parts of Uyghur culture, according to Faruk Dilshat, the owner of Mim’s Food in Fairfax…Dilshat grew up in Xinjiang’s city of Ghulja and moved to the D.C. area in 2000 at the age of 13. Some of his distant relatives still live in his home region, but he can barely talk to them for safety reasons.” [DCist]
Annandale Company Helps Seniors Find Assistance — “Naborforce, a company that matches seniors who need a hand with errands or household chores with someone who can help, just became available in Annandale last week. The program is similar to the village concept underway in some communities, such as Lake Barcroft, which recruits volunteers to help their older neighbors — except Naborforce is monetized and operates through an app, like Uber.” [Annandale Today]
Madison Warhawks Reach State Football Finals — “After defeating the Fairfax Lions, 31-21, Dec. 3 in a Virginia High School League Class 6D football semifinal, Madison High School’s football team on Dec. 10 will vie for the state crown as the Warkhawks face the Freedom-Woodbridge Eagles at Old Dominion University.” [Sun Gazette]
It’s Friday — Clear throughout the day. High of 49 and low of 38. Sunrise at 7:17 am and sunset at 4:48 pm. [Weather.gov]
The Mosaic District has been declared a rousing success by Fairfax County, but between that mixed-use neighborhood and the Dunn Loring Metro station to the north, vestiges of Merrifield’s more industrial past remain.
A trio of new redevelopment pitches promise to further the county’s efforts to revitalize Merrifield by replacing older properties with housing that’s more closely integrated with retail, offices and other commercial activities.
Advanced by the Board of Supervisors on Tuesday (Dec. 6) as part the Site-Specific Plan Amendment process, which considers land use changes to the county comprehensive plan for individual properties, the proposals could collectively pave the way for some 4.7 million square feet of development, most of it residential.
Prosperity Business Campus
Calling for up to 2.7 million million square feet of development, property owner Link Logistics‘ proposed transformation of the 41-acre block of warehouses and offices along Prosperity Avenue between I-66 and Hilltop Road is the largest of the nominations.
The amendment would allow five mid-rise, multifamily residential buildings and two blocks of townhouses, though the southernmost building could be left as office.
The residences would be supported by ground-floor retail and private amenities, parking garages and nearly 12.9 acres of publicly accessible park space, including a central park across Prosperity Avenue and the retention of Long Branch stream valley to the west.
Under the name B9 Sequoia Prosperity Owner LLC, Link Logistics has proposed extending Merrifield Avenue through the site to Prosperity and adding two new local streets as well as a service alley.
“The proposed street grid and public park space will allow for the transformation of the existing office park into a porous and inviting community offering new pedestrian connections for the existing adjacent communities to the Dunn Loring-Merrifield Metrorail Station,” the application says.
Merrifield at Dunn Loring Station
Built in 1968, the existing 706-unit apartment community at 8130 Prescott Drive could be replaced by 1.5 square feet of mixed-use development over eight blocks, including four low to mid-rise residential buildings and two residential high-rises ranging from 10 to 14 stories tall.
The other blocks consist of two-over-two stacked townhomes back up to the existing Providence Park townhouses and an up-to-five-story building that could have housing, a hotel, or office space with ground-floor retail.
Site owner and developer Malkin Properties says it would create a 2-acre urban park by expanding on the Fairfax County Park Authority’s planned Hartland Green Park, which has been scoped out but not yet constructed.
A ring road shown in the Merrifield Suburban Center comprehensive plan would be built as a connection between Pleasantdale/Hartland Road and Park Tower Drive. Intended to help neighborhood traffic reach Gallows Road and Route 29, the road would have transit lanes and on-street parking to accommodate public transit, such as the Relay shuttle, and ridesharing.
“The Merrifield at Dunn Loring Station SSPA proposal complements the attractive and successful development at the Dunn Loring -Merrifield Metrorail Station at a compatible scale to surrounding residential uses, and furthers Fairfax County’s goals of creating vibrant, transit-oriented communities that include a diversity of housing stock,” the application says.
Alliance Center Condominium
Compared to the redevelopments proposed above, the owners of this commercial lot at 2929 Eskridge Road is requesting a more limited amendment that would enable housing on the property without having to consolidate it with a larger project.
Built in the early 1970s, the Alliance Center houses the Fairfax Cable Access Corporation, the beer distributor Ferment Nation, a swimming pool contractor, and a couple of martial arts centers, among other tenants.
“Regretfully, after fifty years, the Center is now a tired reminder of Fairfax County past,” Steve Teets, an agent representing the Alliance Center, wrote in the application, noting that the land surrounding the 3.2-acre parcel was largely redeveloped with the Mosaic District.
Instead of the large-scale development currently envisioned by the comprehensive plan, the property owners have proposed two multifamily buildings with up to seven stories on top of a two-level parking garage. Each floor would be about 30,000 square feet, resulting in a maximum gross floor area of 420,000 square feet.
The application says the buildings would be designed to complement the housing in the Mosaic District.
“We should always encourage old and tired properties that abut key Urban centers to maximize their potential, with the understanding they need to ‘blend’ into their surroundings,” Teets wrote. “This proposal makes the future Alliance Center look like just another Town Center parcel. It passes the eye test. It blends.”
When the Board of Supervisors adopted its list of accepted SSPA nominations, Sully District Supervisor Kathy Smith noted that the Alliance Center’s application was incomplete, since it still needed signatures from four out of its 24 condo owners.
However, the nomination was still among the nine in the Providence District advanced to a screening phase, where the applications will be reviewed by county staff and opened up for initial public comments.
“The bulldozers are not coming down the street because someone has put in an SSPA,” Mason District Supervisor Penny Gross said. “I think we need to be able to calm folks down about that. They don’t need to be that anxious about these, because this is just the first step in what will be a long process.”
This sponsored column is written by the team at Arrowine & Cheese (4508 Cherry Hill Road in Arlington). Sign up for the email newsletter and receive exclusive discounts and offers. Experience Arrowine’s Tastings & Events. Have a question? Email [email protected].
Welcome to the final installment of the “so you want to make wine series” or “what was I thinkin?” So today, we will finish with the maturation process of red wine. And, of course, a delicious suggestion for your table.
Any winemaker worth his salt vinifies every parcel and varietal separately. That allows you to dial in and elevate the quality of every Cuvee you make.
Some parcels are better than others or different. The easiest way to create several wines at several price points is to declassify some. The “Grand Vin,” or first wine, is the best of the best. Take Chateau Latour. Only the very best barrels go into “Chateau Latour.” The second wine, “Les Forts de Latour” is the next best and, finally, a wine they call “Pauillac.” All are good, and some barrels and parcels are less complex. You can kill two birds with one stone, elevate your “Prestige” wine and offer a slightly less complex wine for less money or create something just as good but different.
To get the wine in the bottle, you first must homogenize all the components into one cohesive unit. But there are still more decisions to make before bottling.
The use of sulfur and how much to use can get complicated and controversial. There is a misguided movement to reduce added sulfur to ridiculously low levels. But you can’t make wine “stable” without a reasonable level. Wine without sulfur is a crapshoot. The slightest residual sugar can spontaneously referment, bottles explode, cork pop, or if it gets here in one piece, it’s fizzy. Winemakers compensate for reducing sulfur by increasing the inert gas they add at bottling, and it’s the wrong approach.
It’s table wine, and it shouldn’t be petulant. Decanting a “still wine” to air is okay, but de-gassing one is nonsense. I’ve opened many a bottle, and it’s bubbling like a Coke! Then you must put your hand over the top, shake the hell out of it, release your grip, and hear the POP! It can take several tries to get rid of all the gas. That’s not great for table service, nor is it sensible. And it reduces the aging potential.
Next, what closure will you use? Natural cork (my choice), composite cork (crushed cork glued together), synthetic cork, or a “screw-cap.” Each kind of closure has benefits and problems. I’m a traditionalist. I will always choose a traditional good-quality cork. I know how it performs, and I’m happy to accept the minuscule failure rate. It’s part of the game.
This week’s star is a “Real Eye Opener.”
If you want to see just how far Virginia wines have come, look no further. The Washington Posts Dave McIntyre proclaimed: the 2020 Chatham Vineyards Church Creek Chardonnay ‘Steel’, “a great value” and “…an outstanding Virginia Chardonnay that’s worth seeking out.” And Dave got it right!
Here is a Chardonnay that kicks butt, a game-changer! And it’s from VIRGINIA! Be proud, people! Support your state.
This wine floored me. And it is nothing like any California Chardonnay anywhere near its price! It is the spitting image of a Village-level Chablis, dry, with excellent palate-cleansing acidity, delicious lemon butter and sea-shell flavors, and a stone-dust mineral finish. Try finding anything this good from anywhere in the U.S. at its price of $22.99. You can’t!
Hat’s off to Jon and Mills Wehner for making such an outstanding and affordable Chardonnay. Jump on this one — the wine disappeared after the Washington Post review hit. Jon was kind enough to save me his last 30 cases, as we had supported it long before the Washington Post discovered it.
Cheers,
Doug
Photo (top) by Elisha Terada on Unsplash
The preceding sponsored post was also published on FFXnow.com
The Vienna Courts offices will officially be replaced with residential condominiums.
The Vienna Town Council voted Monday (Dec. 5) to approve a rezoning and site plans that would allow 12 two-story condo duplexes with two units each at 127-133 Park Street — a more modest project than the 30 units that developer BFR Construction originally proposed.
“This has been a long time coming, and in my opinion, this meets one of our biggest challenges going forward, which is to find lower-cost housing for Vienna,” said Councilmember Chuck Anderson. “We don’t have a whole lot of spaces for that, but this happens to be, I think, a very good space for it.”
Officials on the council — and the town’s planning commission before it — had pushed to scale back the project plans to create more open space on the 1.66-acre lot.
BFR President Steve Bukont had argued that the site’s long, narrow shape would make it difficult to meet that demand while also maintaining his vision of the development as an alternative to traditional single-family houses and townhomes for residents looking to age in place.
After initially requesting an allowance for 70%, the developer was able to get the lot coverage down to 61.5% by removing another building, slightly reducing the size of the remaining buildings and taking away three of the 19 proposed visitor parking spots.
The complex will now have a total of 64 parking spaces, including 48 garage spaces, 16 guest spaces and two Americans with Disabilities Act-compliant spaces.
The added space also came at the expense of a commitment to install solar panels and geothermal heating and air conditioning systems. The developer now says it reserves the right to install geothermal HVAC systems and will design the building roofs to support future solar panels, but the utilities aren’t guaranteed.
BFR will still install 5-foot-wide brick sidewalks and street lights and underground power lines along Park Street, according to a final proffer statement. The developer has also agreed to construct a privacy wall between its property and the adjacent house at 135 Park Street at the homeowner’s request.
The Vienna Courts redevelopment is the second duplex project that the council has approved in as many years, as Vienna seeks to provide a greater variety of housing.
