Fairfax County will waive fees for permitting and installing electric vehicle chargers for at least the next year and a half.
The Board of Supervisors unanimously voted on Tuesday (Oct. 11) to waive all county-imposed permit, installation and signage fees for electric vehicle chargers for a trial period of 18 months. The waiving of fees will go into effect alongside the release of the new Planning and Land Use System (PLUS) on Oct. 31.
“Exempting EVC installations from permit fees may help incentivize use of electric vehicles,” reads the staff report as the rationalization to waive fees.
Staff said it will report back to the board in a year on the “effectiveness of eliminating permit fees in incentivizing installation of EVC equipment.”
Coupled with the “Charge Up Fairfax” program aimed at supporting HOAs in installing electric vehicle chargers, the fee waivers indicate the supervisors have made it a clear priority to encourage more of the public to make the transition to electric vehicles.
The board directed staff in late September to look at the possibility of suspending the fees.
“This is but another step towards our journey of a carbon-free Fairfax,” Mount Vernon District Supervisor Dan Storck said. “[It’s] an essential statement about our board’s further commitment to incentivizing, supporting, and encouraging…folks who want to make a difference with the vehicles they drive. That and buildings are the single highest emitters of carbon and if we can start addressing those two major ones…we can start making a difference.”
He noted that this might be “one piece…of a larger package” in reducing the county’s carbon footprint, but it’s one of the “most visible” pieces.
The board vote technically included a public hearing, but no one from the public commented. The discussion was also minimal among supervisors, only lasting a few minutes.
By waiving the fees, however, the county will be missing out on some money. Fees vary depending on the size and complexity of the charging stations, but the county is expected to lose between $10,000 to $15,000 in revenue during fiscal year 2023, which started July 1.
Still, that’s a drop in the bucket compared to the entire Land Development Services budget.
“The lost revenue will not have a significant impact on the adopted LDS budget of approximately $46 million,” reads the staff report.
As a whole, the county’s budget is nearly $5 billion.
“They would be delivered much sooner than if these other projects built out over the next 10 to 20 years,” he said.
To ensure the Somos project’s long-term affordability, the 4-acre site will be conveyed to the Fairfax County Redevelopment and Housing Authority (FCRHA), which will then lease the newly constructed property to SCG for a 99-year term.
The Board of Supervisors authorized the agreement between SCG, Capital One and FCRHA by a 9-1 vote, with Springfield District Supervisor Pat Herrity expressing opposition to the use of public funds for the project.
The county has increasingly turned to public-private partnerships as it aims to create 10,000 more units of affordable housing by 2035. The board awarded $33.6 million in public financing to Somos in August, a model also used for Tysons’ upcoming Dominion Square West project and the Ovation at Arrowbrook residences under construction near the Innovation Center Metro station.
The Somos funds consist of about $13 million in local tax dollars, $19 million in federal COVID-19 relief funds, and $1.2 million in developer contributions. The project’s total cost per unit is about $451,000, including “just shy of $30,000” in local funds, Fairfax County Housing and Community Development Director Tom Fleetwood said.
“Government-subsidized housing at $450K a unit paid for by people who can’t really afford that themselves is an issue for me,” Herrity said.
Palchik and Board Chairman Jeff McKay countered that the funds are an “important investment” in the community, noting that the site’s proximity to the McLean Metro station, Tysons Corner Center and other amenities makes it particularly valuable.
Sandwiched between Scotts Run to the north and the Highland District to the south, Somos will have 1.21 acres of privately owned but publicly accessible park space, including a 21,008-square-foot Meadow Gardens park, a 6-foot-wide recreational trail, and a “play and pedestrian court area,” according to the approved plan.
Built in 1984, the existing, vacant office building will be demolished, but SCG will retain the property’s three-story parking garage as the base of one of its residential mid-rises.
After working with county staff, the developer moved the development’s main entrance from Old Meadow Road to the Lincoln Street that will eventually connect Tysons East to Pimmit Hills. A driveway off of Old Meadow will be limited to loading and emergency vehicle activities, leaving room for a park and a tree grove, according to McGranahan.
In a concession to the community, the time frame for when construction will be allowed has been shortened by two hours, and a “point of contact” will be provided to handle comments or concerns, McGranahan said.
“I think this is a very important investment in our community and ensuring the housing that we wish to see,” Palchik said.
Major Earthquake Drill Coming Next Week — “This year’s Great Southeast ShakeOut Day earthquake drill is scheduled for 10:20 a.m. on Thursday, Oct. 20. Make plans to join millions of people worldwide who will participate in earthquake drills at work, school or home.” [Fairfax County Emergency Information]
Motorcyclist Dies After Crash in Groveton — “Darrell Hayes, 75, of Alexandria, was operating a 2018 Honda Goldwing motorcycle, making a left turn from northbound Lantern Place to westbound South Kings Highway. Hayes lost control of his motorcycle, laying it down on the roadway. Hayes was taken to a hospital and succumbed to his injuries on Oct. 13.” [FCPD]
Board Calls for Changes to State Arrest Notifications — “The chairman of the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors is urging Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin and Secretary of Education Aimee Guidera to make immediate changes to current procedures to ensure that school systems are notified when an employee is arrested.” [WTOP]
Metro Sees More Crowds — “Trains are 35% more crowded during the 8 a.m. hour and 13% more crowded during the 5 p.m. hour, Metro officials said during a Thursday board meeting. The Red Line (between NoMa and Metro Center and between Farragut North and Van Ness) and the Orange and Silver lines (between Virginia Square and Farragut West) are seeing the brunt of the crowding — despite Metro adding 1-2 extra trains during peak periods on those lines.” [DCist]
Covid Testing Sites Coming to Schools Later This Month — “COVID diagnostic testing will be available for FCPS students, teachers, and staff at five locations across the county on October 17, 18, and 19. This testing is for those who are either experiencing COVID symptoms or have been exposed to someone diagnosed with COVID.” [FCPS]
Debate Over an Independent McLean Continues — “Should McLean incorporate itself as a city or town to obtain greater sway over its fortunes than being under Fairfax County’s control? The McLean Citizens Association (MCA) in January 2021 formed a Community Governance Committee and gave it a five-year mission to ponder those prospects in detail. The MCA board on Oct. 6…found that members are divided on how — and whether — the work should continue.” [Sun Gazette]
Brothers Add Public Art to Penn Daw Development — “This past August, Jared and Aaron Scales, brothers who launched the BroCoLoCo design firm from their Washington, D.C. apartment a decade ago, spent nine or 10 days under the hot sun painting two brightly colored murals at the South Alex residential and retail complex.” [On the MoVe]
Youth Fishing Event at Lake Accotink Tomorrow — “On Saturday, Oct. 15, 2022, a free Youth Fishing Derby for youngsters ages 15 and below will take place at Lake Accotink Park Marina located at 7500 Accotink Park Road in Springfield, Virginia. This event promises a morning filled with fun, fishing and prizes.” [Fairfax County Park Authority]
A Look at Lorton Prison’s Transformation — “The Workhouse Arts Center in Lorton is real-life proof of the adage that everything old is new again. The refurbished former prison, which officially closed two decades ago, now hosts community performing and visual arts events, classes, and studios for artists…It’s poised for even bigger things: Its first retail businesses are coming, in addition to a relatively new apartment complex.” [Northern Virginia Magazine]
It’s Friday — Clear throughout the day. High of 65 and low of 48. Sunrise at 7:18 am and sunset at 6:33 pm. [Weather.gov]
Fairfax County planners want to cultivate more tree-lined streets, but to make that a reality, some more leeway for developers may be needed.
With a proposed pilot program, the county’s Department of Planning and Development (DPD) will let developers in more urbanized areas count street trees as part of their 10-year tree canopy requirements — an option already offered in Tysons.
Credits would be awarded in tiered rates designed to encourage high-quality trees, while recognizing that some sites can’t meet the county’s existing standards, staff told the Fairfax County Planning Commission’s environmental committee last Thursday (Oct. 6).
If approved, the pilot will involve Tysons; transit station areas in Reston, Herndon, West Falls Church, Springfield and Huntington; and the county’s community revitalization districts in McLean, Lake Anne, Annandale, Bailey’s Crossroads, Lincolnia, Merrifield, Springfield and Richmond Highway.
“Street trees have a lot of requirements for soil volume, for underdrains, for watering, and so, fundamentally, they’re very expensive to install,” JoAnne Fiebe, who manages the county’s revitalization program, said. “We count them as some of the most important trees that we can plant, particularly in areas that are urbanizing, yet we currently don’t give them credit in most areas.”
According to Fiebe, Fairfax County’s “treeless areas” like Annandale and the southern Route 1 corridor tend to more urban, hotter and home to its lowest income residents, raising equity issues.
Trees can also provide a critical buffer between streets and sidewalks. To illustrate the safety issues that come without that buffer, Fiebe showed an image of Maple Avenue in Annandale, where a driver hit four pedestrians, including a DPD employee, and killed one of them in May.
“I’m not saying that street trees would’ve prevented that incident, but they create this visual friction as you’re driving that just encourages you to look around you and slow down,” she said. “I can’t help but think that if we had designed this road differently, we would’ve had a different outcome.”
The county’s public facilities manual generally requires tree planting areas to be at least 8 feet wide and over 4 feet away from any “restrictive barrier.” At least 700 cubic feet of soil must be provided, with about 500 cubic feet added for each additional tree in the pit.
Under the proposed tiered system, developers would get 1.5 credits toward their tree canopy coverage if they meet all of the requirements and a full credit if they at least meet the soil standards.
The pilot would give developers partial credit for street trees if the planting area is at least 5 feet wide, 17.5 feet long and 3.5 feet deep with 300 cubic feet of soil provided per tree. They would also have to maintain and replace the trees “in perpetuity.”
The proposed standard would allow trees in spots where they otherwise won’t fit due to limited space, utilities and other constraints, Fairfax County Urban Forestry Management Director Brian Keightley said.
“Right now, we see a lot of trees in these smaller spaces,” he explained. “…This would allow those smaller spaces, one, to become bigger, two, for us to kind of guarantee good quality soil is installed, and three, we have significantly more influence on the long-term stability of the tree.”
While staff said the tiered system would incentivize developers to meet the county’s full requirements, Fiebe acknowledged that the Tree Commission and other environmental advocates worry that the lower standard will become the default, a concern shared by the planning commission.
“I’ve just found that [developers are] going to default to the smaller trees,” Franconia District Commissioner Dan Lagana said. “I know they’re going to do that. And we lose the benefit of the deep root systems that we’re in really short supply of right now.”
Commission was generally supportive, but had concerns that we may wind up with more lower quality trees as opposed to oaks and other natives that give lots shade, cool their surroundings, and absorb rain water w/strong root systems.
— Dan Lagana (@Dan_Lagana) October 7, 2022
According to Keightley, the alternative standard would still surpass what’s required by neighboring localities like Arlington County, where street tree pits are typically 12 feet long and 5 feet wide.
A former Arlington employee, Keightley pointed to trees along Columbia Pike outside the Penrose Apartments as an example of what would be acceptable under the new standard. However, DPD wants to avoid isolated trees in small, shallow pits like what can be seen on Wilson Blvd in Ballston.
Fiebe said criteria for when the partial credit option can be used will be specified in an amendment to the county’s urban design guidelines. They anticipate presenting the amendment to the Board of Supervisors on Dec. 6.
Mason District Commissioner Julie Strandlie, whose district includes Annandale, asked how more street trees could be added without having to wait on developers.
Fiebe said the county should ensure street trees are provided with transportation projects when feasible, and the revitalization districts have maintenance programs that could monitor the trees. However, to do more than one-off plantings, the county needs a full street tree program like in Arlington.
“Unless we have a true program that looks at both installation and maintenance, we’re going to be reliant on the development community,” Fiebe said. “But [for] those capital projects, we should have a policy that they get included anywhere possible.”
Maple Avenue image via Google Maps
Fairfax County has officially allocated millions of unspent revenue from the previous year’s budget for items like restrooms for school stadiums and a boost of the county’s hiring program.
At a Fairfax County Board of Supervisors meeting on Tuesday (Oct. 11), the board voted 7-1 to allocate $7.5 million in carryover funds to help install permanent restrooms at 15 Fairfax County Public School outdoor high school stadiums.
“At its heart, this is a matter of equity. No matter which school a student goes to in Fairfax County, it is expected they receive not only a high-quality education, but that they are provided high-quality, accessible facilities as well,” Board Chairman Jeff McKay wrote in a statement.
The school board has already agreed to pitch in half of the funds needed for the new facilities.
The board also approved an additional $2 million for a “comprehensive hiring incentive program,” which could grant up to $15,000 in bonuses for new hires in critical county positions. In total, the reserve includes more than $4 million, but exactly where the money will go remains to be determined.
“A portion of all the funding could be used for all agencies, but we do not know exactly how much of the allocation will be towards hiring incentives until the County Executive reports on the design of the program,” McKay’s office told FFXnow.
The move comes as the Fairfax County Police Department and other public safety entities face historic vacancy rates and staff shortages.
Tammie Wondong, a 32-year county employee and president of SEIU Virginia 512 Fairfax, lauded the board for amending the carryover package to create a hiring incentive program instead of funding raises for top executives.
A recent “benchmark study” of the county’s executive and managerial positions found salaries were generally below market rate. Staff recommended that the pay scale be simplified and adjusted to be more competitive at the Board of Supervisors’ personnel committee meeting on July 26.
“The Board clearly heard employees’ voices because they changed the carryover package to invest in a hiring incentives reserve, instead of executive pay,” Wondong said. “However, the county must do more to ensure fair pay for their hard-working employees who got our community through the worst of the pandemic.”
The union delivered hundreds of petitions urging the county to maintain transparency around the use of carryover funds, relieve wage compression, and ensure all county employees are engaged in future benchmark studies.
Dave Lysons, executive director of the Fairfax Workers Coalition, said the county is no longer competitive for many jobs, adding that its current vacancy rate is 13% overall with a 17% rate in public works.
“Fairfax County is no longer competitive for these jobs…We can’t continue like this,” Lyons said.
Other allocations include roughly $25 million for pedestrian and bicycle safety improvements, part of an overall commitment to fund $100 million in projects over six years.
Supervisors had requested that funds be provided specifically for new sidewalks to Huntley Meadows Park and trail improvements in Gum Springs, but those items didn’t make the final cut.
“The sidewalks were not a part of this current package but may be considered as part of the ongoing $100M commitment to pedestrian safety,” McKay’s office said by email.
Among other needs, the county also allocated $175,000 to design and construct a picnic shelter, ADA-accessible pathway and picnic tables and benches for Justice Park in the Mason District.
Five Wolf Trap residents lost their home, at least temporarily, due to a large fire on Tuesday (Oct. 11).
Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department units were dispatched to the 1700 block of Fox Run Court at 4:35 p.m. after a neighbor in the area noticed smoke and fire on a house’s exterior, prompting them to call 911, according to a report published yesterday (Wednesday).
“Prior to arrival on scene, several units noted a large column of smoke in the general area,” the fire department said. “Units arrived on the scene of a two-story, single-family home with heavy fire from the rear and one side of the house.”
No one was home when the fire started outside the house, accidentally ignited by fire pit ashes that had been “improperly discarded,” FCFRD said. Firefighters got the blaze under control in about 15 minutes, and no related injuries have been reported.
However, the house’s five occupants were displaced, and the fire resulted in approximately $293,750 in property damages.
UPDATE: Vienna House Fire Caused by Improperly Discarded Fire Pit Ashes. Units arrived on the scene of a two-story, single-family home with heavy fire from the rear and one side of the house. More: https://t.co/epgpR0TkLA #FCFRD pic.twitter.com/X9TG4lt7Br
— Fairfax County Fire/Rescue (@ffxfirerescue) October 12, 2022
Fire Department Unveils Platform for Sharing Emergency Information — “Community Connect is a free, secure, and easy to use platform that allows residents and/or business owners to share critical information about their home or business that will aid FCFRD firefighters and paramedics during an emergency.” [FCFRD]
Last New Route 7 Lane Opens in Reston — “The third westbound lane along Rt 7 between Riva Ridge Dr and Reston Ave is now open! It arrives ahead of schedule just like the third eastbound Rt 7 lane a couple weeks ago as part of the Route 7 Corridor Improvements Project.” [VDOT/Twitter]
Hybla Valley Mobile Home Park Residents Share Struggles — “The future for residents of Harmony Place is precarious. Tenants say much-needed repairs aren’t happening quickly enough. The rent, currently $900 per month, is expected to rise next year. And a major transportation project getting underway in the next few years could wipe out some homes and raise land values, making redevelopment of the park more enticing to developers.” [DCist]
Merger Between Tysons and Reston Consultants Allowed to Proceed — “A federal judge in Maryland on Tuesday ruled against the Department of Justice’s antitrust effort to halt Booz Allen Hamilton Inc.’s deal to buy Reston cybersecurity contractor EverWatch Corp…The acquisition — which is valued at $440 million, according to securities filings — was announced in March” [Washington Business Journal]
COVID-19 Relief Grants Available for Local Arts Groups — “ArtsFairfax, the nonprofit designated as Fairfax County’s local arts agency, today announces the Pandemic Recovery Grant, a funding opportunity that prioritizes underserved arts and culture organizations. ArtsFairfax will distribute $170,000 in Pandemic Recovery Grants to both established and emerging arts and culture groups impacted by COVID-19.” [ArtsFairfax]
Movie Theater Incentives Are a Go in Falls Church — “The Falls Church City Council in Virginia voted Tuesday night to approve controversial tax incentives for a new movie theater, a few weeks after the city’s planning commission recommended against the incentives…The first $20,000 in ticket tax revenue and $10,000 in concessions tax revenue each year would go to the city; the rest would go back to the developer, Mill Creek Residential Trust.” [WTOP]
Fairfax City Gets State Funding for Flood Projects — “The City of Fairfax, Va., was awarded $144,000 in grant funding from the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation to implement two projects to make the city more resilient to flooding…The outside funding will allow the city to develop a community flood resilience plan and to conduct a flood study for the Mosby Woods area.” [City of Fairfax]
Volunteers Wanted to Help Clean Scott’s Run — The Fairfax County Park Authority will host a fall Watershed Cleanup Day at Scott’s Run Nature Preserve in McLean at 8:30 a.m. on Saturday (Oct. 15). People of all ages are welcome to meet at the park’s lower parking lot to help “remove tires, bottles, cans and other debris from local waterways.” [FCPA]
It’s Thursday — Rain until evening. High of 66 and low of 60. Sunrise at 7:17 am and sunset at 6:34 pm. [Weather.gov]
The first union election that Fairfax County employees have been allowed to hold in over four decades is now underway.
With an election for representation that launched Monday (Oct. 10), firefighters, medics, fire marshals and other Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department workers will determine whether the union IAFF Local 2068 can represent them in upcoming contract negotiations with the county government.
Voting is being conducted electronically through the independent company BallotPoint and will continue until Oct. 31, according to IAFF Local 2068, which has a membership of approximately 1,500 FCFRD employees.
“Our department is filled with intelligent, highly qualified and highly trained people,” IAFF Local 2068 President Robert Young said in the news release. “We’re first responders who love our jobs, love serving the Fairfax community, and want to continue to ensure that we are providing the best fire and medical emergency services possible. Bargaining allows us to do just that, while also ensuring that the concerns of our members and our community are heard and treated equitably.”
Earlier today we issued the following Media Advisory re our Collective Bargaining Election –
“At the end of the day, this is about creating an equitable and collaborative relationship..We’re happy to have the overwhelming support of the community who made this possible.”#ffxva pic.twitter.com/ec5p5q0Vzh
— Fairfax Firefighters (@IAFF2068) October 10, 2022
The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors approved a collective bargaining ordinance on Oct. 19, 2021, giving county government employees the power to have a union negotiate their pay, benefits and working conditions for the first time in more than 40 years.
Public sector workers had been barred from collective bargaining in Virginia since the state Supreme Court ruled in 1977 that the General Assembly could prohibit the practice. The court cited the Dillon Rule that limits local governments’ powers and has become a source of frustration in Fairfax County.
Localities finally got the authority to adopt ordinances recognizing labor unions and giving employees the ability to collectively bargain in May 2021, when a bill passed by state lawmakers and signed by then-governor Ralph Northam in 2020 took effect.
Under its approved ordinance, Fairfax County will recognize separate bargaining units representing general county employees, the fire department, and police, an approach that some workers’ groups had opposed.
Since no other unions have been accepted for firefighters, the only options in the current election are to approve Local 2068 as the bargaining unit or “no one,” organizer Jeremy McClayton told FFXnow by email.
General county employees and the police will hold their own elections. They both have multiple unions vying to serve as their bargaining unit, according to McClayton.
Fairfax County Public Schools has yet to grant collective bargaining rights to its employees, though a resolution for the school board to adopt is being developed.
On the county side, the Board of Supervisors confirmed Sarah Miller Espinosa as its labor relations administrator on June 7. The administrator serves as a neutral party tasked with establishing union election procedures, overseeing negotiations, and mediating disputes.
If Local 2068 wins, the union will begin contract negotiations with the county in the spring.
Young said in the press release that, with collective bargaining, the union hopes to create “an equitable and collaborative relationship” between workers and the county.
“It’s about ensuring that all of our employees are heard, that they’re all a part of the decision making process, and that they all have a sense of ownership of their careers and lives,” Young said. “We’re happy to have the overwhelming support of our elected officials, and all the members of the Fairfax community who made this election for representation possible.”
Praline Bakery is no longer serving up cake, macarons and other pastries in the Mosaic District.
The bakery closed for good this fall after its lease ran out, according to a farewell message posted to the door at 2987 District Avenue, Suite 160.
“We have so appreciated your business these last five years,” the Praline Mosaic team wrote in the message. “Your support has meant the world to us. We have loved getting to know you, petting your pooches, and watching your kids grow up. We hope that we provided a little bit of sweetness to your lives.”
Specializing in French baked goods, Praline came to the Merrifield neighborhood in 2016 as the first expansion of Praline Bakery & Bistro, a Bethesda, Maryland-based business started in 2006 by former White House pastry chefs Susan Limb and Patrick Musel.
Praline’s original Bethesda store in The Shops at Sumner Place shopping center and a location at The Wharf in D.C. remain open.
While the Mosaic location is permanently closed, the closure letter suggested the team may have another venture in the works.
“While the shop won’t be open anymore, there are still cookies to be baked! If you would like to reach out and learn about what we are doing next, email [email protected] or [email protected],” the letter said.
FFXnow attempted to contact Praline by email and phone but hasn’t heard back, as of press time. However, a Shopify store called Book Girl Bakes appears to be coming soon.
In other Mosaic District developments, BASH Boxing is now open at 2905 District Ave, Suite 195. The Arlington-based company officially opened the doors of its newest gym on Sept. 23 and will have an opening party event on Oct. 27, according to its Instagram.
BASH didn’t return FFXnow’s requests for comment.
H/t to Adam Rubinstein
Tysons’ gradually expanding network of health care services will soon include a new option for pets.
PetMedic Urgent Care, a small but growing franchise based in Massachusetts, will open its first location in the D.C. area at Tysons West (1495 Cornerside Blvd) next year, the company announced yesterday (Tuesday).
The clinic will operate similarly to human urgent care centers, providing medical services for non-life-threatening conditions after regular business hours and on the weekends, according to the press release, which was previously reported by the Washington Business Journal.
“We are thrilled to be offering veterinary urgent care in Virginia,” PetMedic founder and Chief Medical Officer Dr. Nir Ben-Ari said in a statement. “The need for urgent care in the veterinary space is high to alleviate burnout in our teams and to provide a stronger continuum of care.”
From the news release:
The clinic is staffed by an experienced emergency medicine team and is complete with a modern surgical suite, laboratory, digital X-ray, ultrasound, and cutting-edge software that allows for an efficient workflow for team members.
PetMedic won’t offer vaccinations, wellness visits and other “routine” services provided by veterinary practices. Patrons will be able to make same-day appointments online.
Founded in January 2020, PetMedic currently has three locations: two in Massachusetts and one in Portland, Maine. According to its website, the business has four new clinics in the works, but the Tysons one is the only expansion outside of those two states.
“Pet parents love the after-hours and weekend options, and our healthcare network appreciates the extra hands when they’re overloaded,” Ben-Ari said. “It’s a win-win for the community in every respect.”
To address humans’ medical needs, Tysons welcomed an emergency room from Reston Hospital Center this summer to support the area’s growing population. The Johns Hopkins School of Medicine also opened a primary care office in McLean in February.
