Falls Church is looking to set up a new governing authority to handle some of the finances for its ambitious West Falls Church Economic Development Project — a new mixed-use development the city hopes can rival the nearby Mosaic District in Merrifield.

The new Community Development Authority (CDA) will be financially-focused, aimed at administering the bonds and debt service for local projects, as well as imposing special taxes on businesses within its zone.

The West Falls CDA will be the first of its kind created in Falls Church, though similar CDAs are in place in Ballston Quarter in Arlington and for the Mosaic District in Fairfax.

“A CDA can finance such projects by issuing bonds and then requesting that the locality impose special taxes or a special assessment on properties in the district to pay the debt service on such bonds,” city staff said in a report. “This ordinance is before City Council for creation of the CDA only, and bond issuance will require further Council approval down the road.”

Staff presented an overview of the proposal to the Falls Church City Council during its work session on Monday (May 17).

City Manager Wyatt Shields explained that community development authorities result from property owners petitioning their local government to create the organization, generally so that they can “gain public improvements” within the specific district where they are located.

In the case of the potential West Falls CDA, the petitioners are the future leaseholders of the site, which is currently owned by the City of Falls Church. That includes Falls Church Gateway Partners, the developer group comprised of EYA and Hoffman & Associates.

“There would be a special assessment paid only by those who live in that special district to pay for those public improvements,” Shields said. “There is no tax impact for taxpayers who live outside the district.”

The plan for the West Falls Church Economic Development Project is to create a sprawling mixed-use area with a residential component as well as 123,000 square feet of retail anchored by a grocery store, office space, and a hotel.

The report says the intent is for the CDA to issue $12 to $15 million in bonds that would kickstart some of the planned infrastructure improvements and fund under-grounding utilities.

The CDA will be managed by a five-member board appointed by the city.

The proposal is scheduled to go to a public hearing on Monday (May 24) before returning to the city council for final approval on June 28. If approved, the CDA would start meeting in July, with bond sales beginning February 2022.

Image via City of Falls Church

Updated at 4:10 p.m. on 5/21/2021 — The Commonwealth Transportation Board unanimously approved the resolution to designate the 495 NEXT lanes as high-occupancy toll lanes during its meeting on Wednesday (May 19).

Earlier: Plans to extend the I-495 Express Lanes from the Dulles Toll Road to the American Legion Bridge are about to inch a little closer to a reality.

The Commonwealth Transportation Board’s meeting agenda for today (Wednesday) includes a vote on whether to designate the Virginia Department of Transportation’s I-495 Express Lanes Northern Extension (495 NEXT) project as high-occupancy toll lanes.

The move would pave the way for 495 Express Lanes operator Transurban to expand its operations into McLean past George Washington Memorial Parkway, if VDOT’s plans to widen the interstate with two dedicated travel lanes in each direction materialize.

VDOT’s Northern Virginia Megaprojects Office, which is handling the 495 NEXT project, told Tysons Reporter that it expects the Federal Highway Administration to issue a decision on the Environmental Assessment by the end of May 2021.

“A final project agreement between VDOT and Transurban, or commercial close, is expected in August 2021, followed by the project’s financial close in December 2021,” VDOT said.

In addition to formally designating the proposed lanes as HOT lanes, the CTB vote will establish a high-occupancy requirement of three or more individuals and authorize Virginia Commissioner of Highways Stephen Birch to develop a new memorandum of understanding with the Federal Highway Administration to govern the extended lanes.

According to the resolution, if approved, the HOT lane designation will officially take effect once a “Service Commencement Notice to Proceed” is issued, meaning the lanes are opened for public use, which VDOT now says it doesn’t anticipate happening until 2025.

VDOT is asking the CTB to approve the resolution in anticipation of amending an agreement that it originally signed on Dec. 19, 2007 with Transurban, which has operated the existing 14 miles of 495 Express Lanes since they opened in 2012.

Like its MOU with the FHWA, VDOT’s agreement with Transurban needs to be revised to include the two miles of lanes that would be added with the 495 NEXT project.

As with the existing express lanes, the tolls for the new lanes will likely be determined using congestion pricing, which fluctuates based on the number of vehicles on the road at a particular time, according to the resolution.

The 495 NEXT project has been in the works since late 2019, when Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam and his Maryland counterpart, Larry Hogan, announced an accord to replace the American Legion Bridge and widen the Capital Beltway to relieve traffic congestion.

The project has been endorsed by local chambers of commerce and, more recently, the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors, but many community members and officials — including members of the county board — have expressed concerns about the potential environmental impact and the prospect of Maryland failing to follow through on its half of the Beltway accord.

The Maryland Department of Transportation decided last week to shrink the scope of its I-495/I-270 HOT lanes project, opting to focus on the western section that includes the American Legion Bridge.

Officials said the move will allow the project to move forward more quickly, since it cuts out a large portion of the design that drew strong opposition from residents and local leaders in Montgomery County.

In a statement to Tysons Reporter, the VDOT Northern Virginia Megaprojects Office says it will continue to work with Maryland “to coordinate our two projects”:

Maryland’s announcement regarding the state’s modified approach for their environmental document indicates Maryland’s continued focus on the American Legion Memorial Bridge (ALMB) and the I-495 segment between the ALMB and the I-270 Spur. The new recommended preferred alternative (RPA)  by Maryland and FHWA, known as Alternative 9, Phase 1A South, includes the same two HOT managed lanes in each direction on I-495 that were in Maryland’s previous RPA, and is compatible with Virginia’s 495 NEXT project.

Photo via Google Maps

Virginia to Speed Up Unemployment Claims — Gov. Ralph Northam told the Virginia Employment Commission yesterday (Tuesday) to invest $20 million to add staff and make technology upgrades to process unemployment insurance claims faster. Aiming to modernize the system by Oct. 1, the governor’s office says the funds will speed up the resolution of cases flagged as potentially fraudulent or ineligible, about 4% of all claims. [Office of the Governor]

Warmer Weather Brings Hope for Cicadas — Brood X cicadas emerged “in pockets” around the D.C. region this past week, but evening temperatures in the 40s and 50s presented challenges during their molting process and left those that molted successfully “sluggish” and vulnerable to predators. The emergence should accelerate later this week, with temperatures expected to climb into the 80s and 90s. [The Washington Post]

Verizon Proposes Cell Tower in Falls Church — Verizon Wireless and Milestone Towers have submitted a proposal to the Falls Church City School Board to install a cell tower on the city’s high school and middle school campus. Two virtual town halls will be held today (Wednesday), starting with one for surrounding residents at 6-7 p.m. and followed by one for the school community at 7-8 p.m. [Falls Church News-Press]

Celebrate Fairfax Festival Canceled — “Celebrate Fairfax organizers announced late Monday that the 2021 festival will not take place. The event is typically held over several days in the summer outside the Fairfax County Government Center. The event was also canceled in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.” [Patch]

Caboose Tavern to Donate Pancakes to Firefighters — “Neighborhood favorite Caboose Tavern is donating one stack of pancakes to the Vienna Volunteer Fire Department for every breakfast meal purchased through May 28. The Caboose Tavern team will deliver the pancakes to Vienna’s first responders following the campaign. The partnership comes shortly after Caboose launched their new breakfast service.” [Caboose Tavern]

Photo by Joanne Liebig

The Vienna Town Council adopted a new budget for the 2021-2022 fiscal year last night (Monday) that decreases the town’s real estate tax rate for the first time in eight years.

At $43.2 million, the new budget increases funding by 5.4% over the adopted FY 2020-2021 budget, including a 6.9% increase in the General Fund to $26.5 million, but revenues remain 3.1% below the budget that had been proposed for FY 2020-2021 before the COVID-19 pandemic forced the town to revise its plans.

In a press release, the town says the funding increase in the budget for the next fiscal year “reflects a return to more normal post-pandemic operations” as Virginia rolls back public health restrictions amid an ongoing vaccination campaign.

“Last year at this time it was difficult to determine if we had budgeted sufficiently to meet the economic challenges of the pandemic,” Vienna Town Manager Mercury Payton said. “We were pleasantly surprised at how well Vienna survived the initial challenges and how well we are positioned to handle improving conditions.”

In particular, the Town of Vienna anticipates increases in revenue from real estate taxes and parks and recreation fees.

The new real estate tax rate of 22.25 cents per $100 of assessed value represents a quarter-cent drop from the current rate of 22.5 cents — the town’s first rate decrease since 2013 — but residents will still see a $72 increase in their tax bill, on average, due to rising property values.

Residents should also brace for higher water and sewer bills after the town council approved raising the rates by 4.3% to support a 6.1% increase in the water and sewer fund budget, which will be $10.8 million for the upcoming fiscal year.

According to the town, the increase in rates is necessary “to offset increasing costs of sewer treatment and to fund necessary infrastructure replacement.” The average resident’s water and sewer bill will go up by about $11.75 per quarter, amounting to a $47 annual increase.

While the budget was passed unanimously, Councilmember Ray Brill suggested the town should look for ways to reduce the water and sewer rates in the future as much as possible while still addressing the need to repair and refurbish infrastructure.

Federal relief from the American Rescue Plan Act could potentially assist with that goal, but the town is still awaiting guidance for how those funds can be used, Vienna Director of Finance Marion Serfass says.

“We’ll be looking for those opportunities,” she told the council.

The Town of Vienna will receive an estimated $14.9 million from the stimulus package, including approximately $46,900 that has been budgeted for the costs of software to support virtual meetings, but the remaining funds are not expected to arrive until fiscal year 2022, which starts on July 1.

The town says lans for utilizing the funds will be shared in a public hearing when the exact amount and distribution date are determined, and it will require an appropriation and budget amendment by the town council.

As part of the budget adoption, the town council voted to keep $97,000 in reserve for the Parks and Recreation Department with the expectation that the money will become available once COVID-19 restrictions lift and the department can ramp up its operations.

The council also moved to unfreeze $434,300 in funds that had been in reserve for the current fiscal year, including $359,300 for worker compensation increases and $75,000 to cover education and travel expenses for required recertification training for town police officers.

Thanks to efforts to conserve costs by having existing staff cover vacant positions and unexpected budget surpluses in business license and state revenues, the Town of Vienna is projecting a $294,000 surplus for FY 2020-21 of $294,000.

About $125,000 of those surplus funds will go to giving eligible employees a 3% salary increase retroactive to April 1 of this year.

“I’m glad we’re doing that. I think our employees need a raise,” Vienna Mayor Linda Colbert said. “I think they’ve been patient and understanding, but they’ve worked hard this year, so I’d like to see that happen.”

Roots Provisions & Grocery, a new restaurant-grocer in McLean, is preparing for a grand opening the first week of June.

The eatery had its soft opening a week and a half ago in Suite E at 8100 Old Dominion Drive, where LoKL Gourmet used to be. Open from 7:30 a.m. to 6:15 p.m., Roots serves breakfast foods, espresso drinks, smoothies, sandwiches, salads, and bowls, the chef and business manager Anne Alfano says.

She says she is still in the process of getting the bar staffed and learning what the community is looking for.

“A lot of people want to drink and have a neighborhood spot where they can enjoy an elegant glass of wine with some small bites,” she said. “I’m confident the community will be receptive, but it’s about making sure this is done right.”

Roots Provision and Grocery has “a little bit of everything” in a large space that the business manager describes as friendly and cozy with high ceilings, exposed brick, and cute patio tables.

The eatery sells baked goods from D.C.-based Bullfrog Bagels, Hyattsville, Md.-based Lyon Bakery, and Fairfax-based Simply Desserts. It also offers açai bowls and breakfast burritos. Lunch options include sandwiches, from brisket sandwiches to black bean burgers, and vegan bowls.

“It’s very exciting to see it materialize,” she said. “We had a successful Friday, Saturday, and Sunday with breakfast and lunch sales, and we’re looking to expand sales into the evening later this week when our bar program becomes more permanent.”

Roots received its liquor license a few days ago, and Alfano aims to debut the bar later this week, extending hours of operation to 9:30 p.m. On the weekends, the bar will open at 11 a.m. and serve mimosas and Bloody Marys in addition to weeknight cocktails.

“The bar manager has crafted a beautiful cocktail program, and we also have beers, elegant wines, and tapas,” Alfano said.

Customers can order a classic margarita with house-made guacamole and chips, a Negroni with marinated olives, or a glass of wine with a burrata salad drizzled with honey and balsamic glaze. Roots also has a “gooey grilled cheese and tomato soup dip,” she says.

Alfano says the choice to feature local artisans and make things from scratch is how Roots sticks to its mission of serving unprocessed foods. The grocery offers local dairy, eggs, pastas and other goods.

As COVID-19 restrictions begin to lift in Virginia, she says Roots still carries hand sanitizer and takes proper cleaning precautions.

Photos courtesy Anne Alfano

At this time next week, middle and high school students in Fairfax County will be able to get vaccinated against COVID-19 as part of their school day.

Now that adolescents aged 12-15 are eligible to get the Pfizer vaccine, Fairfax County Public Schools is partnering with the Fairfax County Health Department to open COVID-19 vaccination sites at several high schools around the county, including Langley High School in McLean on May 26.

Announced in a letter sent to parents last night (Monday), the initial schedule will be:

• Tuesday, May 25: Bryant High School (2709 Popkins Lane, Alexandria)
• Wednesday, May 26: Langley High School (6520 Georgetown Pike, McLean)
• Thursday, May 27: Annandale High School (4700 Medford Dr., Annandale)
• Friday, May 28: Mount Vernon High School (8515 Old Mt. Vernon Rd., Alexandria)

More sites will be added starting on June 1, with at least five additional sites expected to be selected later in May, according to FCPS spokesperson Lucy Caldwell.

Registration is now open online for appointments, which will be scheduled between 9:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. each day. Students must obtain parent or guardian consent by 8 p.m. on Thursday (May 20) to participate in next week’s clinics.

“It is important to register as soon as possible to ensure that your student will be able to take advantage of this opportunity,” FCPS said. “If maximum capacity is reached, families will be referred to the nearest vaccine clinic for an appointment.”

The county health department estimates that it will be able to vaccinate roughly 600-700 students a day with these clinics, according to Caldwell.

The clinics are open to all eligible students, not just students who attend the schools where they will be located. Transportation will be provided to and from the vaccination sites for all students, but students who are learning virtually need to be dropped off and picked up at their base school.

Caldwell says the schools scheduled for next week were chosen based on the availability of appropriate facilities.

“This is a busy time of year with testing and other events underway at our schools,” she told Tysons Reporter by email. “The large rooms needed — gyms/cafeterias — were essential for the vaccination sites.”

FCPS and the Fairfax County Health Department announced that they were planning to organize vaccine clinics at schools last week after federal officials approved the Pfizer vaccine for people 12 to 15 years of age.

FCPS previously worked with Inova Health System to set up vaccine clinics specifically for school employees.

By partnering with the county health department, FCPS hopes to remove barriers with scheduling, transportation, or other issues that might make it challenging for some students to get access to the vaccine, Caldwell says.

In addition to hosting clinics, FCPS has launched an “Ask Me Why” information campaign to encourage eligible students to get vaccinated, which will be critical as the school system prepares to resume five days of in-person learning in the fall.

On top of the general public health benefits of getting immunized against a disease that 689 Fairfax County students have contracted since Sept. 8, fully vaccinated students will be able to continue attending school in person without having to quarantine if they are exposed to someone who tests positive for COVID-19.

“We are hopeful that our students, ages 12 and up, will take advantage of vaccination and return to five days, in-person learning in Fall,” Caldwell said. “It is significant for many reasons, as we believe it is best for students to attend school in person, but also for the social-emotional aspect of building relationships, friendships and rapport with peers.”

Virginia Holds Vaccine Day of Action — Virginia wants residents to support COVID-19 vaccination efforts by joining a statewide “It’s Our Shot” Day of Action today. Ways to participate include making a plan to get vaccinated, sharing your vaccine story on social media, and becoming a COVID Community Ambassador. [Office of the Governor]

NRA Still Considering Leaving Fairfax — The National Rifle Assocation is still planning to open an office in Texas, though the organization has not determined whether it will entirely relocate its Fairfax headquarters. Last week, a federal judge dismissed the NRA’s bid for bankruptcy protection, taking issue with the group’s secrecy and lack of disclosure. [Washington Business Journal]

Ribbon Cut on Suffragist Memorial — “A memorial honoring the women who fought for their right to vote was dedicated in Fairfax County, Virginia, on Sunday. The Turning Point Suffragist Memorial aims to tell the entire seven-decade story of the suffrage movement…It’s located at Occoquan Regional Park in Lorton on former prison grounds where organizers said the “Night of Terror” took place more than 100 years ago.” [WTOP]

Madison Students Paint Vienna “LOVE” Sign — “Check out the LOVE sign by the W&OD Trail the Madison High School SGA decorated yesterday [May 16]. They worked hard (even in the rain) to display #local #love for each of Madison’s classes represented by a color.” [Town of Vienna/Twitter]

A new report confirms what anyone who has driven to a business in Vienna might have suspected: getting there by car can be a nightmare, strict zoning rules can make storefronts hard to find, and much of the retail space is going to need some heavy maintenance if it hopes to survive.

An economic development report from consultant Streetsense and real estate consulting firm RCLCO examined the economic health of Vienna and made recommendations for where it can be improved.

“Retailers reported that the greatest pain point for customers arriving by car is heavy traffic on Maple Avenue and adjacent streets leading to commercial nodes,” the report said. “The extended travel time results in customer perception of inconvenience.”

The report notes that many streets in the town are designated with turning restrictions, which limits vehicle circulation around town and poses an inconvenience to customers, particularly those trying to reach commercial areas when entering the city along back roads — for example, people traveling to Vienna from the Mosaic District.

The report also said a lack of a cohesive parking strategy is another pain for visitors:

Although there are approximately 200+ public parking on-street and off-street spaces available to visitors in the core of the Town with a larger existing supply of parking spaces in privately-owned shopping centers along Maple Avenue, customers reported challenges in finding convenient parking during peak evenings when customer dwell times in Town are longer due to restaurant dining. At this time, there is no shared parking structure/agreement to support complementary utilization of available parking lots across disparate shopping center properties and public parking.

The report says the challenges of driving in Vienna are exacerbated by the clear delination between residential and commercial districts, which leaves few residents within walking distance of much of the town’s retail.

“In Vienna, there are few residents living within 0.25 mile of the commercial core of town when measured from the intersection of the W&OD Trail and Maple Avenue,” the report said. “As such, it is expected that most customers will arrive by car and must find parking within convenient proximity to their final destination storefront.”

The report said that these challenges put Vienna behind regional competitors like Old Town Alexandria, the Mosaic District, and Falls Church.

According to the report, Vienna currently has a 9% retail vacancy rate, but over half of that vacancy is in Class B space — mid-quality facilities that will require maintenance for a national retailer to operate.

“Class B space makes up the majority of spaces within the Town at 45%, or 472,000 SF, of the total inventory,” the report said. “Though present throughout the Town, most Class B space is present in the Maple Avenue node.”

To grow a healthier commercial base, the report recommends that the Town of Vienna loosen up a little bit in regards to flexible zoning, something that could be addressed as part of the town’s ongoing zoning code rewrite.

“Although Maple Avenue, Church Street, and Mill Street permit a variety of uses as-of-right — mainly retail, restaurant, light manufacturing and professional offices (although only in ‘office buildings’),” the report said, “there are still a number of emerging uses that are highly complementary to retail tenants and that in fact drive visitation to the commercial nodes that are either not permitted or that require conditional use permits or high minimum off-street parking that inhibit concept testing in the market.”

The report also recommends that the town relax some of its restrictions on creative use of frontage zones to help retailers market their stores.

“The storefront and its frontage zone is a retailer’s stage, and often helps grab a new customer’s attention or shapes a first impression,” the report said. “As such, it is critical that retailers are given the opportunity to maximize visual merchandising, signage, and advertising just outside the store. At this time, the Town prohibits blade signs that extend out onto the frontage zone as well as outdoor display of merchandise.”

The report says local businesses cited these restrictions as detrimental during feedback sessions.

“Customers’ attentions are often short-lived; especially now as they are being more selective in how and where they spend their time and their dollars,” the report said. “Now, more than ever, storefronts will need to carefully consider how to address a mix of temporary/ad-hoc and permanent signage and use classic, timeless approaches and even subtle touches, including creative outdoor display and dining, blade signs, and sandwich boards.”

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

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

Tuesday (May 18)

• Fit4Mom Stroller Strides — 9:30-10:30 a.m. at the Mosaic District (2910 District Ave) — Fit4Mom Stroller Strides is a 60-minute workout that includes strength training, cardio, and core restoration, along with entertainment for the little ones in your stroller. Classes meet in Strawberry Park in front of Mom & Pop. Register online. Your first session is free. A second class will be held on Thursday (May 20) at the same time.
• Mainstreaming African American History in the Schools (Online) — 7 p.m. — Come join a discussion on integrating local African American history into Falls Church City Public Schools curriculum. Panelists include Falls Church Historical Commission Chair Ronald Anzalone, Vice Chair Edwin B. Henderson II, and FCCPS Superintendent Dr. Peter Noonan. Topics of discussion will include the school renaming efforts. Email Pete Sullivan for the Zoom link.

Thursday (May 20)

• Epidemics of the Past — 9:30-10:30 a.m. at Historic Huntley (6918 Harrison Lane) — Learn about epidemics of the past and how they’ve shaped the society we live in today. The program will be outdoors and costs $8 per person. Register online and call 703-768-2525 for more information.
• A Conversation with Author Angie Kim (Online) — 7-8 p.m. — Angie Kim, author of the Edgar Award winner Miracle Creek, will have a public Q&A discussion on issues and experiences that have shaped her life and work as an Asian American. Registration is required. A Zoom link will be sent 24 hours in advance of the event.

Friday (May 21)

• Fredricksburg Nationals Game — 4-11 p.m. — The Old Firehouse is taking a trip to see the Fredricksburg Nationals play the Salem Red Soxs in a minor league baseball game. The cost is $60 ($50 for MCC district residents) for the tickets, dinner, and transportation to and from the game. Bring extra money for souvenirs.
• Bike to Work Day — 6:30-9 a.m. at Strawberry Park — Visit the Mosaic District on National Bike to Work Day for a free T-shirt and entry in a raffle for more prizes. Participants should register in advance to be eligible for prizes. Masks are required for participants at rest stops. For more information, visit the Bike to Work Day Metro DC website or check out @MosaicCommutes on Twitter.

Sunday (May 23)

• Virtual Afternoon Tea (Online) — 2 p.m. — Green Spring Gardens is hosting its weekly virtual tea. This week’s topic is personal grooming throughout history. Learn about how bathing was a public affair for years and how it turned into a private event. Register online for the Zoom link. For more information, call 703-941-7987.

Photo via Angie Kim/Twitter

(Updated at 1:00 p.m.) Masks are coming off in Virginia, as COVID-19 case levels continue to fall and vaccinations become more widespread.

As of midnight on Saturday (May 15), people who have been fully vaccinated — meaning that at least two weeks have passed since they got all necessary vaccine doses — are no longer required to wear face masks indoors, except inside health care facilities, on public transit, or in congregate settings such as homeless shelters.

“This has been a long road, our community has worked hard to slow the spread of COVID-19 and it has paid off,” Fairfax County Board of Supervisors Chairman Jeff McKay said in a statement. “Our case numbers have been steadily dropping while our vaccination rates continue to increase.”

Gov. Ralph Northam updated the Commonwealth’s mask mandate on Friday (May 14) to align with new guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which cited the vaccines’ proven effectiveness at protecting people from COVID-19 and becoming seriously ill if they do get infected by the novel coronavirus.

Northam also announced last week that Virginia will lift all remaining capacity and distancing rules on May 28, rather than June 15 as previously planned.

“Virginians have been working hard, and we are seeing the results in our strong vaccine numbers and dramatically lowered case counts,” Northam said. “That’s why we can safely move up the timeline for lifting mitigation measures in Virginia. I strongly urge any Virginian who is not yet vaccinated to do so — the vaccines are the best way to protect yourself and your community from COVID-19.”

COVID-19 cases have continued to decline in Fairfax County since the county was averaging 194.4 new cases over the past seven days on April 13.

The Fairfax Health District, which also includes the cities of Fairfax and Falls Church, reported just 16 new cases today, bringing its total for the pandemic to 77,666 cases. 4,091 people have been hospitalized due to COVID-19, and 1,108 people have died from the disease.

Fairfax County is now averaging 34.3 new cases per day for the past week — the lowest seven-day average since it was at 30.3 cases on April 1, 2020, when cases just started coming in. The district’s current seven-day testing positivity rate of 2% is the lowest that it has ever been.

The promising downward trends in COVID-19 cases and testing have been complemented by an ongoing vaccination campaign that opened up to 12 to 15-year-old adolescents last Thursday (May 13).

With no vaccine approved yet for younger children and most older students still not vaccinated, Virginia is still requiring masks to be worn in schools in accordance with the CDC’s recommendations.

Fairfax County Public Schools spokesperson Lucy Caldwell told Tysons Reporter on Saturday that the school system will communicate information to families, staff, and the rest of the community this week.

McKay says Fairfax County anticipates that children as young as 2 will become eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine later this year.

“Our goal is to reach at least 70% vaccination rates for all adults residing in Fairfax and we are making great progress in reaching that goal,” McKay said. “While there will still be challenges ahead and while we still have work to do to get people vaccinated, we feel good about the data.”

Northam stated on Friday that over 63% of Virginia’s adult population has now received at least one dose of vaccine, and he remains confident that that number will reach 70% by July 4, the target set by President Joe Biden.

McKay’s office says Fairfax County is also “committed” to reaching the 70% goal by July 4, stating that opportunities for people to get vaccinated are now “widely available throughout our community” and that supplies are at levels to meet demand.

According to the Virginia Department of Health, Fairfax County has administered more than 1 million doses so far. 602,926 residents — 52.5% of the population — have gotten at least one dose, and 454,263 residents — 39.6% of the population — have been fully vaccinated.

The Fairfax County Health Department received 58,500 doses from the state during the week of May 10-16.

Photo courtesy Peggy James, graph via Virginia Department of Health