A local family with decades of culinary experience unveiled a new restaurant last week that serves Indian food, tapas-style, at Tysons Corner Center.
Dhoom opened this past Thursday (Feb. 22) on the mall’s second floor near Shilla Bakery. Paired with the counter-service eatery Naan & Beyond, which opened earlier this year, the sit-down restaurant is the latest establishment run by the Arora family.
They also own Diya Bistro in Ashburn, and their past ventures include Diya Tysons, which was located inside Tycon Courthouse, and the original Naan & Beyond in D.C., which shuttered in January 2022.
“Our menu features traditional Indian flavors with a modern twist, and our vibrant atmosphere is perfect for a night out with friends or a lively dinner with family,” Dhoom said in social media posts announcing its opening.
According to Dhoom’s website, the Arora family opened their first restaurant in New York City in 1982, but they’ve been based in D.C. and Northern Virginia “for decades,” even garnering some attention from Barack Obama when the then-president sampled food at D.C.’s Naan & Beyond in 2014.
Co-owner Ajay Arora, who works with his brother Rahul and their mother, Kusam, says the family decided to open Dhoom in Tysons “to do something different, to make people happy so they can appreciate the food and all the effort.”
Where Naan & Beyond takes a fast-casual approach, serving naan rolls and rice bowls, Dhoom aspires to be fine dining. It focuses on small, tapas-like platters of tandoori with both meat and vegetarian options, though there are also larger, “shareable” plates and even a $125 kabob feast that the menu says can feed three to four people.
Dishes include staples of American Indian restaurants, such as butter chicken, briyani and chicken tikka, which can come as a stuffed flatbread or as tacos. The restaurant also has a bar that serves beer, wine, spirits and cocktails.
Ajay noted that all of the food is made fresh.
“We are happy to be in Tysons,” he said. “We are just planning to stay busy and get some more business…and we are doing our best.”
Dhoom is located at 1961 Chain Bridge Road, Suite G21U, and operates from noon to 10 p.m. on Wednesday through Sunday.
The restaurant was one of two newcomers to Tysons Corner Center last week, preceding the launch of the Pakistani clothing store Khaadi on Saturday (Feb. 24). Tenants on their way to the mall include the fashion retailers Primark and Mango, and the chain restaurants Maggiano’s Little Italy and the Cheesecake Factory.
The Fairfax County Park Authority wants to know how community members are using its park facilities.
The park authority has launched an equity survey, open through Monday, April 1, as part of its ongoing work to improve access to park programs.
“The Park Authority has intentionally been applying an equity lens to our park system in order to ensure that the accessibility and variety of our program offerings align with the present-day values and interests of our community,” Park Authority Executive Director Jai Cole said. “This latest outreach effort is important to help us identify the barriers that yet need to be overcome such as economic, cultural, transportation and others so that we can continue to make the benefits of parks accessible to everyone.”
The survey asks about the use of parks, rec centers, summer camps, golf courses, nature centers and historical sites. In several cases, respondents have space to explain why they don’t use a given resource. Respondents are asked to provide some personal information, including race, ethnicity and home ZIP code.
“We’re particularly interested in understanding potential barriers that you experience which prevent you from taking full advantage of recreational opportunities,” the survey instructions read.
The survey builds on a recent equity study that found FCPA’s approach to funding some of its programs, including summer camps and rec center memberships, is not consistent with national best practices and is a barrier to their accessibility.
The current model requires fees to cover 100% of both direct program costs, such as equipment, and indirect overhead costs, such as building utilities. In contrast, the median cost recovery from fees across parks and recreation agencies nationally is 25%, and cost recovery typically does not include indirect costs, the study says.
Conducted by the consulting firm HR&A, the study points to greater racial diversity and diversity in household income in Rec-PAC, a recreational program that doesn’t have to recover 100% of its costs, compared to summer camps and other work operating with full cost recovery.
In the case of summer camps, 71% of campers come from households making at least $150,000 per year, even though just 40% of the county’s population meets that income bracket; 69% of summer camp participants are white, compared to 50% of the county’s population.
“These high fees make many programs unaffordable and therefore inaccessible to a large portion of the population, and it hampers the park authority’s ability to provide equitable services,” HR&A Managing Partner Stan Wall told the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors when presenting the study’s initial findings in January.
The equity study includes two main recommendations. First, for an estimated $9.4 million, FCPA could reduce some fees across the board by factoring community benefit into its cost recovery requirement. For instance, children’s swim lessons would not require full cost recovery.
Second, FCPA could offer targeted subsidies to help lower-income households take advantage of recreation programs and resources.
In total, the study estimates it would take $17.2 million to implement a sliding fee scale for certain programs and flexible annual vouchers to cover some recreation expenses for qualified households, including costs for administrative work, outreach and software.
To fund these programs, the county could consider “a dedicated tax stream,” according to the presentation.
“The good news is that many other places have dedicated tax streams for parks and recreation, whether property tax levies or other creative funding streams, and these measures consistently have high levels of voter support,” Wall said.
The equity survey’s results will help inform the FCPA’s recommendations to its board and the Board of Supervisors, which are expected to come this fall.
Officer in Fatal Tysons Shooting Had Drawn Gun Before — “In the 13 months before a Fairfax County police sergeant shot and killed an unarmed man suspected of stealing sunglasses from a major shopping mall, the officer twice drew his gun on other suspected shoplifters, spurring criticism that he was acting too aggressively and possibly violating department policies.” [Washington Post]
Fairfax Connector Strike Continues — “Fairfax Connector bus service will remain suspended through Monday, Feb. 26, 2024. Operating Status for the rest of the week (February 27-March 1) will be updated as information becomes available. We encourage our users to consider alternative methods of travel and we apologize for the inconvenience and truly appreciate your patience.” [Fairfax Connector]
Loan Approved for Seven Corners Housing Project — “The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors on Feb. 21 approved a $9.7 million loan from the Fairfax County Redevelopment and Housing Authority to Wesley Housing for an affordable housing project between Seven Corners and Bailey’s Crossroads. The loan will facilitate the development of Kindred Crossing at 6165 Leesburg Pike.” [Annandale Today]
D.C. Area News Site Shut Down — “A Friday morning visit to DCist.com, one of the most beloved local news sites in the District, won’t take you to insightful articles about local politics, transportation or businesses, or to quirky only-in-D.C. culture pieces. Instead, it will take you to a temporary popup message, announcing the death of a local institution.” [NBC4]
FCPS Student Journalists Named Among Best in U.S. — “McLean High School was among three Fairfax County schools and 28 nationwide selected as recipients of the 2024 First Amendment Press-Freedom Award. It is the seventh consecutive award for the high school’s journalism program. Locally, Chantilly and West Springfield high schools also were saluted.” [Gazette Leader]
New Reston Firm Helps Launch Restaurants — “While food truck operators and food hall vendors might have mad skills with a chef’s knife and a skillet, that doesn’t mean they have the skills to start their own brick-and-mortar restaurants. That’s why Reston real estate firm Winmar Advisory has launched a consulting platform to help them determine sales projections, sign their first lease and operate efficiently, Managing Partner Lance LJ Marine told me.” [Washington Business Journal]
Silver Line Ridership on the Rise, Metro Says — “Exciting update! Metrorail ridership is up over 22% since last year, and guess what? These Silver Line stations are absolutely crushing it with even higher growth than the systemwide average! Let’s keep the region moving!” [WMATA/Twitter]
New Principal Needed for Mount Vernon HS — “Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) is kicking off a nationwide search for a new principal at Mount Vernon High School (MVHS) following the announcement that current principal JoVon Rogers will soon be departing for a new position as an executive principal in Region 6. Effective April 1, MVHS assistant principal Karen Boyd will assume the role of acting principal through the end of the school year.” [On the MoVe]
It’s Monday — Expect sunny skies with a high near 63 degrees and a southwest wind between 3 and 7 mph during the day. The evening will be partly cloudy, with temperatures dropping to a low of around 46 degrees, accompanied by a southeast wind of about 6 mph. [Weather.gov]
D.C.-based fast food chain Z-Burger has officially opened in a former Pizza Hut at 541 Maple Avenue West in Vienna.
The restaurant opened in late November. While business was initially slow when the restaurant first opened up shop, co-owner Peter Tabibian told FFXnow that business has since quadrupled.
He credits part of the success to the long hours. The eatery is open from 6 a.m. to midnight on Monday to Wednesday, 6 a.m. to 2 a.m. on Thursday, 6 a.m. to 4 a.m. on Friday and Saturday, and 6 a.m. to 2 a.m. on Sunday.
“We’re seeing that a lot of people want to eat late and a lot of places are closed at night,” Tabibian said.
Z-Burger also expanded its traditional menu by offering breakfast, similar to a concept first introduced at its McLean location in 2022. The breakfast menu includes waffles, pancakes, omelettes, muffins, pastries and coffee. Z-Burger plans to run a free coffee special soon as well.
“There’s not too many places that sell breakfast in that area,” he said.
Started in Tenleytown in 2008, Z-Burger has now expanded to 13 locations, all in the D.C. area. A 14th restaurant is coming to Towson, Maryland, according to its website.
Co-owner Kevin Ejtemai says the restaurant hopes to get the word out about its offerings, which include chicken sandwiches, cheesesteaks, hot dogs and 75 different flavors of milkshakes in addition to burgers.
“We’re trying to get the word out because we’ve only been there for three months,” Ejtemai said.
Updated at 3:55 p.m. — Fairfax Connector service will stay suspended at least through this weekend (Feb. 24-25) as drivers and mechanics continue their strike, the Fairfax County Department of Transportation has announced.
FCDOT says it “expects negotiations to continue in good faith with the goal of completing a new contract very soon.”
Earlier: Stagnant wages. Eleven-hour work days with barely enough break time for a meal. Just seven days of sick leave, even after a pandemic that research suggests sickened and killed transit workers nationwide at an elevated rate.
Those are some of the challenges Fairfax Connector workers report facing under Transdev, the private company that Fairfax County hired in 2019 to operate its public bus system. In a bid for improved working conditions, more than 600 bus drivers and mechanics are now on their second day of a strike called yesterday (Thursday) by Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) Local 689.
“You have to make a choice. When is enough, enough? When do you stand up and fight back? It was time to stand up and fight back,” Sharon Forsyth said while picketing outside the West Ox Road Bus Facility where she works as a Fairfax Connector driver. “What the outcome would be, who knows? But at least my voice was heard…Treat us right. Fair contract, fair wages, sick leave. Give us something more than a slice of pizza and a handshake after 35 years of service.”
A relative newcomer who joined the Connector just over a year ago, Forsyth has worked in transportation for 37 years — including a previous stint with Transdev. The starting salary for drivers is nearly the same as it was 20 years ago, which is “unacceptable,” she says.
“You can’t afford the housing in this region. You can barely afford food in this region,” said Forsyth, who commutes from Prince William County. “So, that is the purpose of this. Nobody wants to be here, but we’re all here, you know? If you don’t take care of the people that run your business, you’ll soon be what? Out of business.”
Forsyth was one of about 128 people who showed up yesterday to march, chant and display signs at the West Ox facility (4970 Alliance Drive), which employs about 163 Connector workers, according to ATU Local 689 organizer Troy Barnes. Workers began convening around 2 a.m., rotating in three shifts.
Across all three Connector garages, including ones in Herndon (268 Spring Street) and Lorton (8101 Cinder Bed Road), about 97% of the workers represented by the union were expected to join a picket line, Barnes told FFXnow.
Authorized by members on Dec. 29, the strike call came after Local 689 and Transdev spent 12 bargaining sessions between October and last Friday, Feb. 16 trying to hammer out a new labor contract that will determine pay, benefits and working conditions, according to the union. Before the strike, workers were operating under a four-year contract that was negotiated after a four-day strike in December 2019 and expired on Nov. 30, 2023.
Fairfax Connector service will remain suspended until the strike is resolved, leaving around 26,000 daily bus riders in limbo, the Fairfax County Department of Transportation has said.
UPDATE: All Fairfax Connector bus service remains suspended Friday, February 23. We are continuing to monitor contract talks between Connector’s operations contractor, Transdev, and the Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) Local 689, which represents Connector drivers and mechanics.
— Fairfax Connector (@ffxconnector) February 23, 2024
As reported yesterday, Transdev called the union’s work stoppage disappointing in a statement that detailed some of its contract proposals, including a 19.5% wage increase over three years, coverage for 90% of health care expenses and 50% of dental and vision expenses, and yearly performance bonuses of up to $5,300.
However, Barnes says the contractor’s offers for sick leave, retirement benefits and guaranteed work hours remain inadequate. Read More
Fairfax County Public Schools is seeking a solution to its ballooning student meal debt, which soared over the past year.
On Tuesday (Feb. 20), Fairfax County School Board members directed Superintendent Michelle Reid to get them more information on what options are available to prevent FCPS students from accumulating more debt due to their inability to pay for meals.
“So, in my view, we need to do some work to…put policies or procedures in place that, A) prevent the ballooning of this debt going forward, and B) expand access to lunches for kids, so we can feed more children and deter the potential practice — that may or may not be occurring — of holding children liable for the debt,” At-large member Kyle McDaniel said during the work session.
As of 2022, over one-third of FCPS students (34%) qualify for free and reduced-price meals through the National School Lunch Program, but FCPS Chief Financial Officer Leigh Burden said parents might not have realized that they needed to reapply after the end of a universal free school lunch program introduced during the pandemic.
The federal relief funds that paid for that program, which enabled all students to eat for free, ran out on July 1, 2022. FCPS reported an increase in students eating school food while the program was in effect.
Although schools are supposed to send out newsletters to parents with information about meal debt and free or reduced lunches, Burden recognized that families may be unaware of their accumulating balance.
She also emphasized that in some cases, families barely exceed the eligibility threshold for free lunches, making it difficult for them to clear their debt.
“So, we think those two things combined have contributed to the student debt rising so dramatically over the last two or three years,” she told the board during the work session.
About one-fourth of FCPS schools qualify for the Community Eligibility Provision program, which provides free lunch and breakfast to all students attending low-income area schools.
But elsewhere, students only qualify for free meals if their family earns less than 130% of the poverty level. Those with incomes between 130% and 185% of the poverty level qualify for reduced-price meals.
For grades K-12, breakfast costs $1.75. Lunch is $3.25 for elementary schools, and $3.50 for middle and high school students.
Burden notes that meal debt has been steadily rising since she was hired six years ago. However, in the last few years, the debt has “skyrocketed” across the entire school system, she said.
“During the years that all meals were free, we were serving 160,000 meals a day, whereas now, we’re back to about 110,000 [meals],” Burden said. “I mean, think about that: 50,000 students more were eating each day who now aren’t.”
As of this week, Burden said student meal debt at FCPS hovered around $1.1 million. In mid-January 2023, FCPS reported $708,140 in meal debt, and previous year-end balances were around $101,000 for the 2021-2022 academic year, $153,000 in 2020-2021, $212,000 in 2019-2020 and $214,000 in 2018-2019.
Board members recommended that the superintendent’s office thoroughly examine state and federal policies and consider organizing fundraising and awareness campaigns to help manage the debt.
They also suggested setting a limit on how many meals students can purchase each day to prevent families from accumulating too much debt.
“I believe that given the technology and the world we live in today, we should be able to address that,” Springfield District representative Sandy Anderson said during the work session. “If parents want to opt their children out of the ability to get a lunch or getting breakfast because they get fed at home. I mean, I think that’s some of our burden.”
Mason District representative Ricardy Anderson agreed with the concern about letting students buy too many snacks, adding that her own child has, on several occasions, bought food they didn’t need.
However, she cautioned that for some students, the one or two meals they get at school may be the only meals they receive all day.
“So, if there was a way to control the snacks, that, I’ll be in support of,” Anderson said. “I just don’t want us to lose track of the fact that we have some kids who they are coming to our schools and those are the only consistent and reliable meals that they get, and sometimes they want two. But it’s not because of being wasteful or being gluttonous. It’s because they’re hungry.”
State law prohibits schools from making students throw away food if they can’t pay for a meal or have meal debt. Students also can’t be stopped from joining in extracurricular activities because of meal debt. Schools can receive donations to help clear or reduce meal debt.
FCPS can’t use its operating fund to immediately “write off” the debt, Burden explained.
Instead, school board members requested that the superintendent’s office provide other options for paying off the debt and stopping its growth before the 2024-2025 school year, which starts in August.
Cell Phone Service Restored After Outage — Phone service has been restored after a nationwide service outage reported yesterday (Thursday) morning “that affected several major service carriers and impacted phone calls,” including to 911. “Residents may need to reboot their cell phone (possibly multiple times) to establish a connection.” [Ready Fairfax/Facebook]
Springfield Man Pleads Guilty in Connection to Capitol Breach — “A Fairfax County, Virginia, man pleaded guilty Wednesday to two felonies connected to the breach of the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. Joseph Brody, 24, of Springfield, pleaded guilty to assaulting law enforcement and civil disorder.” [WTOP]
Man Arrested After Firing Gun in Annandale Home — “A man was safely taken into custody [Wednesday] evening after recklessly discharging a firearm from inside his home in Annandale.” Police responded to the 7800 block of Butterfield Lane around 10 p.m. “for the report of gunshots being fired into a neighboring, occupied townhouse. There were no reported injuries.” [FCPD]
Longtime County Economic Development Leader Dies — Fairfax County Economic Development Authority (FCEDA) President and CEO Victor Hoskins announced yesterday that the authority’s senior vice president, Catherine Riley, died on Feb. 7. Serving in leadership roles at the FCEDA for the past 35 years, Riley helped Fairfax County “become a global hub where businesses and people thrive,” he said. [FCEDA]
Woodlawn Wendy’s Reopens After Facelift — “The Wendy’s restaurant located at Woodlawn Shopping Center reopened for business Feb. 21 following a four-month long renovation…To celebrate the store’s reopening, Wendy’s will hold a ‘grand opening’ event Saturday, March 16” with a ribbon-cutting and a year of free sandwiches, salads or breakfast biscuits for the first 200 dine-in guests. [On the MoVe]
Bill Designating State Cat Is No More — “Legislation proposed by Del. Paul Krizek (D-Alexandria) to designate the domestic shorthair as the ‘official cat of Virginia’ did not make it out alive when the House Committee on Rules wrapped up its work before the legislature’s crossover.” A bill “to designate the honeybee as Virginia’s official state pollinator,” however, sailed through both chambers, which set it to Gov. Glenn Youngkin. [Gazette Leader]
Springfield Lunar New Year Celebration Arrives — “Springfield Town Center, in partnership with the Asian American Chamber of Commerce, will host a Lunar New Year Celebration in Grand Court with traditional music, and cultural performances and activities to ring in the year of the Dragon.” The festivities will be held tomorrow (Saturday) from noon to 3 p.m. [Springfield Town Center]
Rock Band Kansas to Mark 50th Anniversary in Tysons — “His were the hands that played iconic classic rock hits like ‘Carry on Wayward Son’ and ‘Dust in the Wind.’ WTOP caught up with founding Kansas guitarist Richard Williams to preview the band’s 50th anniversary tour ‘Another Fork in the Road’ next week at Capital One Hall in Tysons, Virginia, on Saturday, March 2.” [WTOP]
It’s Friday — Showers are likely mainly before 1pm, followed by mostly cloudy skies and a high near 58. The southwest wind of 7 to 10 mph will shift to the northwest, with a 50% chance of precipitation. Friday night will be partly cloudy with a low around 37. [Weather.gov]
Graham Center’s days may be numbered.
The 61-year-old retail strip in West Falls Church has been targeted by the not-for-profit health system VHC Health for a future emergency department and urgent care center, according to a special exception application recently submitted to Fairfax County.
“This innovative hybrid model of a Freestanding Emergency Department combined with an Urgent Care Center (the ‘FSED-UCC’) will offer convenient and timely access for emergency patients, many of the Applicant’s scheduled outpatients, and the general public,” Walsh, Colucci, Lubeley & Walsh attorney Kathryn Taylor wrote in a statement of justification for VHC Health.
Built in 1953, Graham Center was anchored for decades by Harvest Moon, a Chinese restaurant and banquet hall that became popular for wedding receptions after it opened in the mid-1980s. However, the restaurant closed permanently during the pandemic, leaving behind a mix of small shops, including eateries, a nail salon, a shoe repair outlet and a Vietnamese supermarket.
County property records show that VHC Health bought the 105,698-square-foot site at 7234 Arlington Blvd for $2.4 million in July 2023. The future of the still-operating tenants remains to be determined, but VHC Health’s application says the one-story retail building will be demolished.
VHC Health Vice President of Real Estate Acquisition and Development Adrian Stanton said in a statement to FFXnow that the organization has “maintained open and continuous communication with the tenants about plans for the site” since it purchased the property.
VHC Health chose the Graham Center location because we saw a need in the surrounding community for an important and currently unavailable care option — emergency department services co-located with urgent care services. VHC Health prides itself on offering convenient healthcare options in the communities where our patients live and work…Given the current condition of the property, the plan includes redevelopment as part of the County review and approval process. While we wait for approval from the County, we are still working to determine what other healthcare services and business development opportunities will be offered that will benefit the community most.
According to the Feb. 16 application, which was first reported by Annandale Today, the retail strip will be replaced by an approximately 24,250-square-foot, 40-foot-tall medical facility. About 14,000 square feet will be devoted to the emergency department and urgent care center, while the rest will house primary care, specialty and diagnostic imaging services.
The proposal continues VHC Health’s recent push to expand beyond its main hospital in Arlington with more community-oriented sites around Northern Virginia.
“The primary purpose of the proposed facility will be to decompress high emergency department utilization on the nearby Virginia Hospital Center campus and provide the surrounding community with an important and currently unavailable care option,” the application says. “In addition, the medical services of the FSED-UCC will be provided at a fraction of the cost for services typically furnished at conventional emergency departments or hospitals.”
A special exception is needed to allow the facility in a commercial district that limits office uses to 25% of the lot. The facility is categorized as an “office” under the county’s zoning ordinance because it won’t support overnight stays or regular ambulance usage, according to Taylor.
As part of the redevelopment, VHC Health has offered to eliminate access points to the property except for a northeastern entrance along Graham Road and a southwestern entrance along Arlington Blvd, which will be upgraded with crosswalks and ADA-compliant curb ramps.
Other proposed infrastructure improvements include:
- An 8-foot-wide sidewalk along Graham Road to replace the existing 5-foot-wide facility
- A new 12-foot-wide shared use path along Arlington Blvd, connected by internal crosswalks to sidewalks around the new building
- A covered drop-off area for visitors and patients over the building’s main entrance, which will be on the east side
- Closure of the Arlington Blvd service road, which will be turned “into open space that integrates pedestrian as well as bicycle infrastructure”
- A expansion of the drive aisle that residents of the neighboring Kingsley Commons often use to access Graham Road and Arlington Blvd
Expanding the drive aisle to 22 feet wide will enable community members to continue using it “in a more efficient and safe manner,” the application says.
VHC Health estimates that the future emergency and urgent care facility will see 19,556 patients a year, though it’s expected to generate 1,279 fewer weekday daily trips than the current retail uses. The facility will be open 24 hours a day and have 40 employees, with up to 20 on-site at any given time.
It will be the first facility of its kind in Virginia, according to Taylor.
“Adjacent to residential communities and proximate to other commercial uses, the proposed medical office will complement surrounding uses and will be a significant asset to surrounding neighborhoods as well as Fairfax County as a whole,” the application concludes.
The application is currently awaiting a review by Fairfax County planners.
Image via Google Maps
Plans to build housing in front of St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Idylwood have been resurrected.
After a previous attempt in 2019 sputtered out, the church has found a new developer partner to potentially buy vacant portions of its property at 7426 Idylwood Road and transform it with residential development.
The developer EYA submitted an initial pitch to Fairfax County last summer for approximately 65 to 75 townhouses that would be constructed on two parcels of the roughly 10.7-acre site, an EYA marketing manager told FFXnow. The church intends to stay and use the money from the land sale to fund an expansion of its building, which was built in 1968, per county records.
“EYA is interested in the site for townhome development given its proximity to nearby established retail amenities, Tysons Corner and the City of Falls Church for work and shopping, and a direct bus connection to the West Falls Church Metro Station,” EYA said in a statement. “…We look forward to continuing to engage with the community, staff and elected officials as we develop our plan for this site.”
EYA’s proposal revives a development plan filed in March 2019 by Toll Mid-Atlantic LP Company, an affiliate of the Delaware-based home builder Toll Brothers.
According to that application, St. Paul’s wanted to sell part of its property to pay for a “family life center” that was approved in 2005 but never constructed “due to financial constraints.” The church consists of a main sanctuary with an attached educational building, though it also owns a separate, now-vacant building that once housed Lutheran Social Services.
Toll Mid-Atlantic sought to replace the empty building and another undeveloped parcel — totaling about 5.85 acres — with 67 residential units, which would’ve been a combination of single-family townhomes and two-over-two multi-family units.
The county’s land use database indicates that the application was scheduled for a public hearing before the Fairfax County Planning Commission multiple times, most recently on Sept. 30, 2020, but it ultimately got deferred indefinitely.
To allow for EYA’s development, the county needs to revise its comprehensive plan for the site, which currently designates the entire church property as a future residential development with 16-20 dwelling units per acre.
With the church committed to remaining at the site, the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors directed county staff on Tuesday (Feb. 20) to craft a plan amendment that would reduce the intensity of the housing envisioned for the site.
“Recognizing that the Church wishes to remain on site, and this impacts the available area for development and the design of the site, a Plan amendment for residential development at a lower density, with suitable conditions related to site design, recognizing retention of the existing Church, is appropriate,” Providence District Supervisor Dalia Palchik said when introducing the request.
Recalling the previous attempt to develop the site, she added that “transportation improvements and others are key to this development.”
The proposed amendment will be added to the second tier of the county’s comprehensive plan amendment work program, meaning it will be reviewed concurrently with rezoning and special permit amendment applications. Submitted on June 27, 2023, EYA’s proposal is still in the “pre-application” stage, so it’s unclear when an official plan will be available.
According to a summary report from the Department of Planning and Development, the initial concept tweaks Toll Mid-Atlantic’s earlier design to allow for more open space and tree preservation. It also features a recommended sidewalk along Idylwood Road and commits to replenishing landscaping that screens the church from existing townhouses to the south.
Image via Google Maps
IRS to Roll Out Free Tax Filing Website — “The IRS’s new Direct File website, a free site for filing a tax return, will open to the public in the coming days, the IRS announced Wednesday. But anyone who hopes to be among the first to use it will have to get lucky and check the website during limited and unannounced windows at the outset.” [Washington Post]
Tysons-Based Hilton Named in Hotel Price-Fixing Lawsuit — “A lawsuit alleging a group of hotel operators artificially increased the price of luxury hotel rooms with the help of a shared database has named industry titans Hilton Worldwide Holdings and Hyatt Hotels Corp. among a list of defendants.” [Bisnow]
Piglets Born at Frying Pan Farm — While still in mourning for its longtime draft horse Charlie, Frying Pan Farm Park in Herndon recently welcomed some new animals. “Baby Pigs! Looks like the Groundhog was right because it feels like spring here at Frying Pan Farm Park. The barn has new #piglets! Bring the family for a stroll around the farm and say hi to the cuties!” [Fairfax County Park Authority/Twitter]
Virginia Governor Joins Anti-Abortion Rally — “Gov. Glenn Youngkin and Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears, both Republicans, joined thousands of Virginia activists Wednesday for an annual anti-abortion demonstration, where attendees denounced Democratic lawmakers who have blocked proposed restrictions since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade.” [Associated Press/WTOP]
Longtime McLean Resident Turns 104 — “Friends, family, Kenyan drummers, neighborhood Fairfax County firefighters and staff at Lewinsville Adult Day Health Care in McLean gathered there recently to wish Serah Wankijiku Mbugua a very special happy 104th birthday. Born in rural Kenya on Jan. 1, 1920, Mbugua — whom everyone at Lewinsville calls ‘Mama Serah’ — has been a Lewinsville participant for 10 years.” [Neighborhood and Community Services]
Reston Hospital Announces New CEO — “Nathan Vooys, who served for the last three years as the chief executive officer of StoneSprings Hospital Center in Dulles, was named the new CEO at Reston Hospital Center. He will begin serving in that role on March 4.” [Patch]
McLean Polo Players Compete for National Trophy — Two athletes from McLean were among 10 players from Capital Water Polo, a team based at The St. James in Springfield, “selected by the USA Water Polo Olympic Development Program (ODP) to play…at the national-championship tournament in Chicago in mid-March. This is the highest number of players Capital Water Polo has ever sent to nationals.” [Gazette Leader]
Flying Squirrel Spotted Near Fairfax City — “A flying squirrel was recorded early Wednesday morning by the Ring camera, as it visited the home of a Patch reporter who lives just north of Fairfax City…This was the first time in 2024 that the family’s Ring camera captured an image of a flying squirrel, which is a nocturnal animal. The squirrel was spotted twice in previous years, including a short stop on the family’s windowsill.” [Patch]
It’s Thursday — Expect a mostly cloudy day with a high near 54, accompanied by a south wind blowing at 6-11 mph and gusts reaching up to 18 mph. Rain is likely at night, mostly after 1 am, as temperatures drop to a low around 47. The chance of precipitation is 60%, with potential for less than a tenth of an inch of new rainfall. [Weather.gov]
