Fairfax County is moving forward with a new ordinance change that would step up the preservation of mature trees, shorelines and wetlands.
The change is part of bringing Fairfax County in line with state revisions to the Chesapeake Bay Preservation Arena Designation and Management Regulations that were adopted by the State Water Control Board.
The Fairfax County website said it will add criteria regarding:
- the preservation of mature trees
- Coastal resilience
- Adaptation to sea level rise and climate change
Getting into the specifics, the new regulations say mature trees can only be removed where necessary and where trees are removed, they must be replanted “to the maximum extent practicable.”
New provisions for climate change require consideration of sea-level rise and storm surge into land development. According to the County website, that means:
- Require Resiliency Assessment for all RPA encroachments as part of WQIA
- Based on assessment, require conditions based on a consideration of the impacts, including the use of best management practices
The resilience assessment is based on projections for the next 30 years to identify the impacts of sea level rise, storm surges and flooding.
“Based on the Resilience Assessment, the county may require conditions, alterations and adaptation measures,” a staff presentation said.
The changes are headed to the Planning Commission on May 22, then to the County Board this summer. A staff presentation said the plan is to have the new changes in place by this September.
Tysons is the business hub of Northern Virginia, and there’s no business like show business.
Four Broadway shows will be coming to Capital One Hall as part of the 2024-2025 season of Broadway in Tysons.
The shows will be, both in order that they’re coming to Tysons and in worst-to-best order of quality: Shrek the Musical, Dear Evan Hansen, Come From Away and Chicago.
Tickets will go on sale starting Monday, May 6 at 10 a.m.
This is the fourth year of Broadway in Tysons. One show from the current season, Little Women, will run from May 17-19.
According to the release, the schedule for the upcoming season is:
Shrek The Musical: September 20-22, 2024
“Once upon a time, there was a little ogre named Shrek…” And thus begins the tale of an unlikely hero who finds himself on a life-changing journey alongside a wisecracking Donkey and a feisty princess who resists her rescue. Yes, your favorite ogre is back in the hilarious stage spectacle, SHREK – THE MUSICAL. This Tony Award®-winning musical brings all the beloved characters from the Oscar®-winning DreamWorks animated film to life.
Dear Evan Hansen: October 18-20, 2024
Declared “one of the most remarkable shows in musical theater history” by The Washington Post and “an anthem resonating on Broadway and beyond” by NBC Nightly News, DEAR EVAN HANSEN is a Tony- and Grammy-winning “Best Musical” sensation and the first contemporary musical about connection in the digital age.
Come From Away: January 31 – February 2, 2025
On 9/11, the world stopped. On 9/12, their stories moved us all. This stirring and inspiring musical takes you into the heart of the remarkable true story of the small town in Newfoundland that opened their homes to 7,000 stranded travelers on 9/11. During that fateful week, cultures clashed and nerves ran high – but uneasiness turned into trust, music soared into the night and gratitude grew into enduring friendships. Celebrate the best of humankind and the best in all of us at COME FROM AWAY.
Chicago: May 30 – June 1, 2025
CHICAGO is still the one musical with everything that makes Broadway shimmy-shake: a universal tale of fame, fortune, and all that jazz, with one showstopping song after another and the most astonishing dancing you’ve ever seen. In the whirlwind of Chicago’s Jazz Age, two of the Cook County Jail’s most notorious murderesses—vaudeville star Velma Kelly and chorus girl Roxie Hart—become fierce rivals as they compete for headlines amidst a media frenzy. Broadway’s longest-running musical has been razzle dazzling audiences for 27 years, and after more than 10,000 performances, 6 Tony Awards®, 2 Olivier Awards, and a Grammy®, we’re just getting started. Come on, babe! Head to CHICAGO! We’re hotter than ever.
In less than two years, the flooding that plagues Old Courthouse Road at Besley Road during every rain storm should be relegated to the past.
Construction has been underway since February to realign the intersection on the border of Tysons and Wolf Trap, giving it a literal boost with a bridge and other design and safety improvements.
In addition to replacing a “substandard” culvert with a bridge over Wolftrap Creek, the project will elevate and reconstruct about 1,000 feet of Old Courthouse Road and shift the Besley Road alignment east, according to a Fairfax County Department of Transportation presentation.
It will also add pedestrian improvements, including a crosswalk and refuge island east of Besley Road and walkways on both sides of Old Courthouse Road. The south side will get an 8-foot-wide shared-use path, while on the north side, a 5-foot-wide, concrete sidewalk will transition to an 8-foot shared-use path that connects to Spring Lake Trail, FCDOT spokesperson Freddy Serrano says.
Designed to accommodate a 25-year flood event, the project has been in the works for almost a decade now. FCDOT submitted preliminary plans back in 2016 and held its final community meeting on the design in February 2018.
The project is being funded by county bonds approved by voters in 2014. Its estimated cost of $15.5 million includes $11.4 million for construction.
Fort Myer Construction Corporation, the county’s contractor, is working in the Virginia Department of Transportation’s right-of-way from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday and from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Fridays, according to Serrano.
Outside the right-of-way, construction hours are between 7 a.m. and 4 p.m.
“There are a variety of phases to the project and impacts to traffic will vary depending on the phase of construction,” Serrano said. “There are short segments of road closure where traffic will alternate through the construction zone during some of the construction activities.”
Besley Road will be closed during the fourth phase of construction, which will focus on a 150-foot stretch of the road and is expected in the spring of 2025. FCDOT has proposed detouring traffic onto Arabian Avenue.
Construction of the overall project is scheduled to finish in December 2025.
No Officers Charged in Fatal Shooting of Man Experiencing Mental Health Crisis — “A northern Virginia Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office announced that no officers are being charged in the fatal 2022 shooting of a man experiencing a mental health crisis in Fairfax County. Just before 7 p.m. on July 7, 2022, Fairfax County police responded to a home in the 6900 block of Arbor Lane in McLean where callers had reported that a man was having a mental health episode.” [FOX 5]
Bill Pitches Renaming Washington Dulles — “House Republicans have introduced a bill in Congress that would rename Washington Dulles International Airport, located in Sterling, Virginia, near D.C., to ‘Donald J. Trump International Airport.’” [ABC News]
Toddler Storytime with a Cop — Reston Regoinal Library will host early literacy story time with a cop at the library from 10:30-11 a.m. [Fairfax County Library]
Daytime Road Closures in Oakton — “Vale Road (Route 672) between West Ox Road (Route 608) and Fox Mill Road (Route 665) will be closed to through traffic, weather permitting, Wednesday, April 10 from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. to replace a drainage pipe, according to the Virginia Department of Transportation.” [VDOT]
Scam Jam Returns to Fairfax County — The county is hosting a afree event to educate the community about scams in the area. The event is set for Friday, April 19 from 9 a.m. to noon at the government center. [Fairfax County Government]
It’s Tuesday — There’s a slim possibility of rain after 2pm, with mostly cloudy skies and temperatures reaching up to 76°F. The calm wind will shift to a southward direction at around 6 mph in the afternoon. Precipitation chances stand at 20%. For Tuesday night, rain is more likely, particularly after 8pm. The sky will remain cloudy and temperatures will drop to around 59°F. South winds will continue at 6 mph with a 40% chance of precipitation. [NWS]
The county’s Department of Public Works and Environmental Services launched a solar panel recycling program last week, expanding upon its November 2022 pilot program.
Daniel Brooks, an environmental services specialist at the county’s Solid Waste Management Program, said this new program falls under their electronic recycling program, which focuses on prevention.
“Many of these devices contain toxic heavy metals,” Brooks said. “We want to keep that out of the waste stream … and going directly to the landfill to prevent groundwater contamination, amongst other things.”
Brooks said in addition to protecting the environment, this program enables people to repurpose and reuse the materials from solar panels. He also said this program is first of its kind in the region.
“[Recycling programs] started with the West Coast and they were years ahead of us, sometimes up to as much as 20 to 30 years in various areas,” Brooks said. “It’s a very growing service as a renewable energy source.”
Since solar panels are relatively new to the area, responsible disposal is too. Brooks said Fairfax County wanted to get ahead of environmental contamination and started the pilot program in November 2022.
According to a 2022 study by the Pew Research Center, 8% of American homeowners said they already installed solar panels within the past year, the majority of which were in the western part of the nation.
The county partnered with PC Recycler, Inc. dba Securis to to refine the recycling process; at the start of the program, 50 solar panels were taken in to figure out the exact process for responsible and reasonable recycling.
“Wanted to figure out the cost metrics, if it was viable to do in-house [recycling], or if we needed to outsource that, and if we outsource that, what measures did we have with those materials?” Brooks said.
Brooks also said this was one step further toward Fairfax County’s sustainability goals, specifically zero waste. He said he’s hoping the county’s work inspires neighboring counties and towns to do the same.
The program is now available to Fairfax County residents only and two drop-off sites are available: the Interstate 66 Transfer Station and the Interstate 95 Landfill.
Planning is well underway for a new elementary school in Dunn Loring, but some McLean residents argue that Fairfax County Public Schools still hasn’t explained why the project should be prioritized over other needs.
As part of a resolution on the proposed county and FCPS budgets, the McLean Citizens Association’s board of directors urged the Fairfax County School Board last Wednesday (April 3) to “refrain from constructing” the school if officials can’t “provide adequate data” justifying it.
“What they are expecting to do is spend $80 million-ish, and they do not have any data to support the construction of that,” Louise Epstein, who chairs MCA’s budget and taxation committee, said.
Partially funded by bond money once intended for a new school in Oakton, the proposed four-story, 125,905-square-foot building will repurpose the Dunn Loring Administrative Center at 2334 Gallows Road. In addition to relieving crowding at schools in the Dunn Loring, Tysons and Falls Church areas, the project will add new playground facilities to the 10-acre site and move the vehicle access points from Gallows Road to Idylwood Road, according to a rezoning application under review by the county.
While crowding was an issue at Shrevewood Elementary School for years, the school in Idylwood is now operating at 95% capacity, and FCPS projects that will drop to 86% in the 2028-2029 school year, according to its latest capital improvement program (CIP), which was approved by the school board on Feb. 8.
Stenwood Elementary School, which is in Dunn Loring, is utilizing 97% of its capacity right now and is projected to reach 98% in 2028-2029.
In its resolution, MCA acknowledged that FCPS will face “upward pressures” on enrollment from new residential development, including in Merrifield and Tysons, but it says the CIP and its own “independent analysis” based on data provided by FCPS don’t show any near-term impacts on elementary schools in Dunn Loring.
“The School Board’s inclusion of Dunn Loring project in the FY 2025 Advertised Budget is not supported by FCPS 5-year enrollment projections,” MCA’s resolution says, “since no elementary school near Dunn Loring has an existing or projected ‘capacity deficit,’ and elementary schools in that vicinity are projected to have an aggregate ‘capacity surplus’ of 789 seats in 2028-29.”
Per the CIP, FCPS is forecasting capacity deficits at 20 elementary schools by the 2028-2029 school year, including at Spring Hill, Franklin Sherman and Kent Gardens. Boundary changes in McLean will take effect starting this fall.
Based on that data, proceeding with the Dunn Loring school contradicts FCPS guidelines that state new school construction should be considered when there are persistent, “significant capacity deficits” and “only where surplus capacity or existing school inventory are not available,” the MCA resolution argues.
In a statement to FFXnow, an FCPS spokesperson noted that the six elementary schools closest to the Dunn Loring site “have varying capacity status for current programs and growth,” from 80% utilization at Freedom Hill Elementary School to 98% at Stenwood.
“The Dunn Loring Elementary School Capital Project will relieve the pressure of increasing instructional program needs in a rapidly growing area of Fairfax County,” the spokesperson said, adding that the CIP’s five-year projections don’t include developments that are planned but not yet under construction.
Construction on the Dunn Loring elementary school is expected to start in fiscal year 2026, which would begin on July 1, 2025, and finish in FY 2028. With a total cost of $84.4 million, the project still needs more than $39 million in additional funding for construction.
The MCA board wasn’t unanimous in its skepticism of the Dunn Loring project, with some members pushing to scrap that section of the resolution altogether.
Kent Holland argued that it’s “wise” to plan and build a facility now to prepare for future population growth in the Tysons area. He recalled opposing a letter that MCA sent in 2022 objecting to the use of bond funds for the Dunn Loring elementary school.
“I think at this point, we’re just tilting at windmills,” he said. “We’re opposing a school where one is going to be needed at some point in the future, and I think it just looks like people in McLean are saying, ‘Hey, don’t put it in that part of the county, we want the money in McLean.’”
Another member concurred that the resolution was “unbaked,” lamenting that its “selective use of data” overly emphasizes residents leaving the county compared to those moving in.
“It is preposterous that we cherry pick and exclude the trend of a substantial influx of immigrant population coming into McLean,” he said.
Though the resolution passed last week contends that FCPS projections “are likely to exceed actual future enrollment,” MCA previously made the case that the school system underestimates student growth in the Tysons area by not incorporating planned but unbuilt developments in its forecast.
The Vienna Police Department said two men burgled Vienna Gun & Gold (386 Maple Avenue) late last month, fleeing with a cache of stolen firearms.
Police said the burglary occurred at 11:15 p.m. on March 29.
“The owner of the store was alerted that the alarm was activated in the store,” the report said. “On his security camera, he advised the dispatcher that he saw five to six people in the store stealing guns.”
Vienna Police responded and found two men fleeing the store with the guns. The men got into a car and fled, but police did not pursue them because an earlier report said there were five to six people in the store stealing guns.
According to the report:
When officers arrived, they observed two men fleeing the store with firearms. The men refused to obey the officers’ commands, got into a vehicle, and fled the area. With the information that there were still more suspects inside the building, the officers could not pursue the vehicle. Fairfax County Police Department K-9 unit and helicopter responded to assist.
Police did not find anyone else inside the building and, while the area was searched, the report said no suspects were located and the case remains an active investigation.
Image via Google Maps
Solar Eclipse Descends Today — A solar eclipse will be visible in Maryland and Virginia with up to 90 percent of the sun blocked out today between 2 and 4:30 p.m. The maximum eclipse is expected at 3:20 p.m. [NBC News]
Virginia to Allow Only-only News Sites to Publish Legal Notices — “Virginia has become the first state in the nation to approve the publication of legal notices in online-only local news sites.” [ARLnow]
FCPS Named Top Community for Music Education — “Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) has been honored by the National Association of Music Merchants (NAMM) Foundation as one of the Best Communities for Music Education.” [FCPS]
Performance Troupe Celebrates 30 Years in Tysons — “It’s been three decades since Luke Cresswell and Steve McNicholas conceived “Stomp,” a groundbreaking theatrical production that transformed ordinary objects into percussion instruments, creating captivating and entertaining sounds. Today, “Stomp” is one of the most beloved and widely performed shows, with numerous troupes captivating audiences worldwide.” [Fairfax County Times]
Reston’s Virginia Spine Institute Shifts Brand — “ Virginia Spine Institute is now VSI. After three decades of treating over 100,000 patients, the independent medical center at the forefront of advanced spine care is revitalizing its brand to reflect its unparalleled success as a pioneer in innovative spine solutions and its growth as a destination of choice for patients worldwide.” [ABC News]
Master Gardeners to Offer Free Clinics — “As spring blooms, the Fairfax County Park Authority and the Fairfax County Master Gardeners extend a warm invitation to all gardening enthusiasts for a series of free Vegetable Garden Plant Clinics.” [Fairfax County Government]
First Beaver 1040 5K Run Set for April 13 — “Lace up your running (or walking) shoes and join the Friends of Lake Accotink Park for their inaugural 1040 5k at Lake Accotink Park on Saturday, April 13. Enjoy a scenic trip around the Lake Accotink Loop at your chosen pace and find out how you can be an active participant in the Friends of Lake Accotink Park community.” [Fairfax County Government]
It’s Monday — Expect a mostly sunny day with a high near 68, as calm wind picks up to 5-9 mph from the south in the morning. The night will be partly cloudy, with lows around 52, accompanied by a gentle south wind of 3-6 mph. [NWS]
When Vienna Town Manager Mercury Payton stepped on the infield grass at Camden Yards earlier this week to throw a ceremonial first pitch, he thought about his family.
He thought about his wife and 17-year-old daughter, who had accompanied him to the Baltimore Orioles’ game on Monday (April 1) against the Kansas City Royals. He also imagined the reactions of his late father and grandfather, who took him to games as a kid and helped turn him into a lifelong O’s fan.
“If they were here, they would have been excited to see me throw out the first pitch because they both loved the Orioles and our family loved the Orioles, so that would have been fun for them to see that experience,” Payton told FFXnow.
Payton didn’t expect to be called upon to throw out the first pitch of the game.
A season ticket holder, a status whose perks include access to a members-only clubhouse, he and his family were taking advantage of the complimentary drinks and snacks when two Orioles employees approached them and made the offer — apparently without awareness of his position as a government official.
So, instead of heading to their seats, Payton and his wife found themselves waiting behind home plate to get the credentials that would allow them to go onto the baseball field. Around that time, Payton’s wife questioned if they were being subjected to an April Fool’s Day joke.
“I didn’t think about that until she mentioned that,” he admitted. “I’m like, ‘Oh, this is April 1st’ …But no, they were not joking, and it was a fun experience.”
Check out the @Orioles secret weapon! Vienna Town Manager Mercury Payton was picked to throw out the first pitch at the 4/1 game and set the pace for the team with a strike! Orioles defeated the @Royals with a walk-off home run. Nice job Mercury! Cross that off the bucket list! pic.twitter.com/OFJPaXEoFA
— Town of Vienna, VA (@TownofViennaVA) April 2, 2024
As for the pitch itself, the ball was caught by the Oriole Bird mascot set up behind home plate, instead of bouncing on the way, according to Payton, who considers that a success.
Though the experience went by “pretty quick,” it marked a new highlight in Payton’s long-standing relationship with the Orioles.
Growing up as a baseball fan in Prince William County, they were the closest thing he had to a hometown MLB team. At 10, he watched as the Orioles won the 1983 World Series, and his loyalties were cemented, unchallenged by the arrival of the Washington Nationals to D.C. in 2005.
The reigning American League East champions rewarded Payton for that unwavering support on Monday night with not only the chance to throw out the first pitch, but also a win on a walk-off home run by shortstop Jordan Westburg.
Still, Payton says what really made the night special was sharing it with his family.
“It’s just one of those things where you have memories with your family,” he said. “I know that my 17-year-old daughter, who was there, and my wife will probably remember that for a long time, and it’s just things that you do with your family are most important…It was good that they were there, that we could experience that together.”
A bill to raise Virginia’s minimum wage got the ax in Richmond despite the support of three Fairfax County state senators.
Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R) vetoed legislation on March 28 that would’ve increased the minimum wage from $12 to $15 an hour by 2026. Sens. Jennifer Boysko, Saddam Salim and Adam Ebbin, who all represent parts of Fairfax County, were among several Democrats to sponsor the bill.
The governor also struck down a bill sponsored by Ebbin (D-30) that would have legalized the sale of recreational marijuana in Virginia.
Ebbin said he was “disappointed but not surprised” by the decisions and sees no reason to believe Youngkin will change his mind in future years.
“We need a Democratic governor to sign these bills,” the senator said.
The minimum wage bill would’ve boosted the rate to $13.50 an hour starting Jan. 1, 2025 before reaching the full $15 in 2026. Youngkin argued that his veto protects small businesses in parts of Virginia outside of the D.C. suburbs.
“The free market for salaries and wages works,” the governor said. “It operates dynamically, responding to the nuances of varying economic conditions and regional differences. This wage mandate imperils market freedom and economic competitiveness.”
A minimum wage increase “may not impact Northern Virginia, where economic conditions create a higher cost of living,” Youngkin added.
Salim (D-37), whose district includes Tysons, Vienna and the cities of Fairfax and Falls Church, disputed Youngkin’s claims, calling the veto “deeply disappointing and detrimental to the well-being of workers and struggling families across Virginia.”
“Our current minimum wage is not a living wage, particularly here in Northern Virginia,” he said. “I believe that every worker deserves a living wage. By rejecting this bill, the governor is essentially endorsing policies that grow economic inequality and hardship.”
Democrats in the Virginia Senate will continue to fight for a minimum wage increase next legislative session, Salim said.
Boysko (D-38), who represents Reston, Herndon, Great Falls and McLean, argued that the current minimum wage is part of a “cruel system” that forces many people to “scrounge for benefits” from the state and nonprofits, contributing to Virginia’s workforce shortage.
“Many businesses are not paying a living wage,” Boysko said. “If employers cannot figure out how they would live on what they pay their employees, we have an economic problem and a moral problem.”
For the marijuana bill veto, Youngkin pointed to adverse health effects associated with the substance. He argued that even medical cannabis has had “perverse and dangerous consequences” akin to opioids.
“Attempting to rectify the error of decriminalizing marijuana by establishing a safe and regulated marketplace is an unachievable goal,” he said. “The more prudent approach would be to revisit the issue of discrepancies in enforcement, not compounding the risks and endangering Virginians’ health and safety with greater market availability.”
Virginia became the first Southern state to legalize marijuana possession in 2021 after then-governor Ralph Northam, a Democrat, signed a bill intended to set the stage for recreational sales to adults starting in 2024. Proponents characterized the move as a necessary corrective to address racial disparities in the enforcement of marijuana crimes.
Ebbin, whose district includes Bailey’s Crossroads and Seven Corners, argued that marijuana is less harmful than alcohol and that preventing its legal sale only encourages people to turn to illegal sources.
“It’s an adult choice that some adults make, and we don’t need a black market,” he said.
