The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors wants to refresh the Tysons Corner Metro station name and move forward the rebranding of Tysons without the “Corner.”
The name debate over Tysons — including #dropthecorner on social media — has been around for several years. The U.S. Postal Service agreed to the name “Tysons” for the 22102 and 22182 zip codes in 2011, and the U.S. Census Bureau changed the designation of Tysons Corner to Tysons in 2015.
As high-rise developments sprout in the urbanizing area, Tysons is still grappling with its identity tied to suburbia and the Tysons Corner Center mall.
“Renaming the Metrorail station to Tysons would also help with local rebranding efforts,” county staff wrote.
The board is set to vote tomorrow (Tuesday) on recommending name changes for the West Falls Church and Tysons Corner stations to the Washington Metropolitan Area Transportation Authority (WMATA).
The West Falls Church-VT/UVA station would have “UVA” dropped because the University of Virginia (UVA) alerted the Department of Transportation staff this spring that it plans to relocate its campus, which is currently near the Metro station, according to county documents.
The Board of Supervisors wants the changes adopted in time for new signage timed with the opening of the second phase of the Silver Line, according to county documents.
Combining these two changes with the upcoming changes for adding Silver Line phase II stations reduces the estimated net cost to Fairfax County to approximately $670,000,” county staff said. “Funding held in trust at the Northern Virginia Transportation Commission for Fairfax County will be used to fund these name changes.”
Small businesses and nonprofit organizations in Fairfax County can apply for grants through a new program approved by the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday.
The Fairfax Relief Initiative to Support Employers (Fairfax RISE) uses $25 million in federal funding from the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act. The program is intended to provide immediate relief for small businesses and nonprofits impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic and “address gaps that may exist among complementary programs,” according to the county.
“Our hope is that these grants will help small businesses and nonprofits be able to emerge from these difficult times by retaining employees and preparing to grow in the future,” Fairfax County Chairman Jeff McKay wrote in a statement.
Businesses and nonprofit organizations can begin applying in early June. Funding will be awarded based on the number of employees, with amounts varying from $10,000 to $20,000.
Funding can be used for compensation, capital, equipment, inventory, rent and other critical operating expenses. No grant funds can be used to pay debts to start or close a business.
Here’s more from a press release:
Fairfax RISE will offer grants to qualified businesses or nonprofits that will not have to be repaid. It also specifically establishes a minimum allocation of 30% of the program’s total dollars — or $7.5 million — towards awards for minority-, veteran-, and women- owned businesses.
Not only have these kinds of businesses historically faced difficulty obtaining financing, but they also make a major contribution to the county’s economy. Minority-owned companies with employees account for 32% percent of businesses in Fairfax County, and collectively, all minority, women and veteran-owned businesses employ 80,000 people in the county with total annual revenues of $14.4 billion.
The grant application process is expected to begin in early June 2020. To be eligible, applicants must be established and have one or more location(s) in Fairfax County, including the principal place of business. Fairfax County includes businesses and nonprofit organizations located in the Towns of Herndon, Vienna, and Clifton. Additionally, awardees must have less than 50 total employees across all locations, have been in operation over 1 year; and, with the exception of nonprofits, have a valid Business, Professional and Occupational Licenses (BPOL).
The county also created a microloan fund for small businesses using county dollars.
The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors plans to tackle traffic problems along Old Meadow Road as the Tysons One East project advances.
Yesterday, the board approved a rezoning request to increase the floor area ratio for a planned office tower near the McLean Metro station.
Akridge and the Ronald D. Paul Companies are plan to develop 1690 Old Meadow Road, a triangular spot between Dolley Madison Blvd and the Old Meadow Road, into a 15-story tower with Class A offices, restaurant, retail space, parking podium and outdoor terrace.
The development was held up by the acquisition of a public right-of-way.
“This application was filed on land area inclusive of VDOT right-of-way which was in the process of being acquired by the applicant,” according to county documents. “While VDOT on behalf of the Commonwealth concurred in the filing of the application, they generally will not sign the proffers, and would not in this case.”
Now that the right-of-way woes have been resolved, the county, developers and residents are trying to find ways to change the Old Meadow Road.
Scott Adams, the attorney with McGuireWoods who is representing the developer, said that the project includes a proffer for a traffic signal improvement at Colshire Meadow Drive and funds to build and improve roads in Tysons.
Amy Tozzi with the Old Meadow Coalition told the county officials during the public hearing yesterday that nearby residents have traffic and safety concerns that they worry won’t get addressed by the project.
“We understand all development is messy, but it shouldn’t imperil existing communities,” she said.
In response to Tozzi, Adams said that issues with the grid of streets in Tysons and accessing Old Meadow Road from Route 123 are too large for the project to address.
“Some of the concerns that they have are broader in scope than the smaller application we have,” he said.
As part of the board’s approval, county staff will work to create a plan to speed up transportation improvements to calm traffic along Old Meadow Road.
The changes could include:
- realigning the Old Meadow Road and Route 123 intersection
- constructing Lincoln and Roosevelt streets from Old Meadow Road to Magarity Road
- advance previously approved proffered transportation commitments like the traffic signal at the intersection of Old Meadow Road and Colshire Meadow Road and the Tysons East grid of streets
“In identifying improvements and solutions, staff should coordinate with stakeholders on Old Meadow Road, including residents and business owners and property owners,” according to county documents.
Image via One Tysons East
Fairfax County officials have created a fund to support small businesses struggling due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The Board of Supervisors approved creating the “Fairfax County Small Business COVID-19 Recovery Microloan Fund” during their meeting today (Tuesday). The board expects the loan program to be ready by May 1, according to county documents.
The program allows the Community Business Partnership (CBP) to distribute roughly $1.2 million to eligible small businesses in the county. Businesses with fewer than 50 employees make up about 94 percent of businesses in the county, according to the documents.
Businesses who undergo a pre-submission counseling session will be able to apply for loans up to $20,000 and will be able to use the money for things like rent, equipment and critical cash operating expenses. The loans will be available on a first-come, first-serve basis, the documents say.
Fairfax County Board of Supervisors Chairman Jeff McKay said the county’s program complements federal aid, including financial assistance from the Small Business Administration.
Springfield District Supervisor Pat Herrity said he was concerned about the administrative costs of operating the county’s program. He also proposed an amendment requiring the CBP to direct small business owners to seek federal aid prior to seeking local assistance.
McKay said Herrity’s amendment, which did not pass, was not necessary because the CBP already encourages individuals to seek federal avenues for help. He also noted that many businesses are falling through the cracks due to the limits of federal assistance, including delays in the rollout of funds.
Other county officials encouraged the county to reach as many affected businesses as possible.
Mount Vernon District Supervisor Dan Storck said he hopes the program champions “administrative flexibility” in order to help out businesses with between two and 10 employees.
The funding for the program is coming from $2.5 million in the Economic Opportunity Reserve to support economic relief efforts.
Staff in the Department of Economic Initiatives will monitor the distribution of the funds to figure out how to use the remaining $1.28 million, according to county documents. After 45 days, staff will let the board know if they recommend additional funds for the program.
McKay also directed county staff to explore additional relief options for businesses and nonprofit organizations.
Catherine Douglas Moran and Fatimah Waseem contributed to this story.
Image via Fairfax County
Delays are expected for the rollout of the Fairfax County Police Department’s body-worn camera program.
In late 2019, the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors approved $4 million to begin implementation of the program.
But now in Fairfax County Executive Bryan Hill’s revised budget for fiscal year 2021, the county plans to push back funding for 338 cameras for the Sully, McLean and West Springfield Stations in the second year of the program.
The county is also revisiting funding plans for 456 cameras for the third year of the program at the Fair Oaks, Franconia and South County district stations.
The proposed budget — which was scaled back considerably in response to the COVID-19 pandemic — maintains an increase of $1.77 million to support the first full year of the program.
Funding is expected to remain for 416 cameras that will be issued to the Reston, Mason and Mt. Vernon police stations, according to county budget documents.
Updated 4/1/2020 — Corrects information about a proposed $1 million fund to help small businesses.
As the coronavirus outbreak continues to take a major hit on the economy, Fairfax County leaders are bracing for the impact of the outbreak on the upcoming county budget.
At a budget meeting today (Tuesday), county leaders said they plan to revisit the proposed fiscal year 2021 budget, which was developed before the coronavirus pandemic impacted the area. A revised proposal is expected to go before the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors by April 7.
The county is expected to take a hit from losses in the following categories: sales tax, transit occupancy tax, business permits, and licensing tax, personal property tax, and state revenue, among other categories. Over three months, a 25 percent dip in the local sales tax results in roughly $12.7 million in losses.
All agencies are tightening their belts and limited spending for critical needs only.
This year, county officials hope to set aside $11.3 million to offer help to nonprofit organizations, local businesses, manage the COVID-19 crisis, and fund licensing for the shift to teleworking.
As of today, there are 245 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the Fairfax Health District, which includes Fairfax County, the cities of Fairfax and Falls Church and towns in the county — leading all other jurisdictions in the state.
Support for Businesses and Nonprofits
In addition to federal assistance, a proposed $1 million fund to be administered through the Community Business Partnership could help small businesses struggling financially and at-risk of closing.
The microloan program, if approved, would allow small businesses to apply for a maximum of $30,000 with an interest rate of 3.75 percent. To qualify for funds, businesses must have fewer than 50 employees, demonstrate financial hardship linked to COVID-19 and be based in the county.
Lee District Supervisor Rodney Lusk said that he wants to see the county diversify its commercial tax base.
“It’s imperative today as we look at the impact on small businesses,” he said at the meeting today.
Local nonprofit organizations are struggling to raise money and need help with services and support, according to Chris Leonard, the director of the county’s Department of Neighborhood and Community Services.
More individuals are calling the department for help with unemployment, low income and financial strife.
A recent survey of local nonprofit organizations found that most organizations are seeing more requests for food, health, hygiene and financial assistance, Leonard said. Youth programming and transportation are most likely to see major reductions.
He hopes to create a program to offer financial assistance and food for individuals most in need, targeted especially for local residents making 200 percent of the area median income. Support would be provided through the county’s existing network of community-based organizations.
County officials noted that the initiatives, programs and funding will shift as the COVID-19 outbreak continues to unfold.
“We’re going to have to evolve this as we go,” Lennard said.
Next Steps For the Budget
Once the revised budget is ready by April 7, residents can expect opportunities to testify April 14-16.
Joseph Mondoro, the county’s chief financial officer, said that the meeting today that people will be able to testify via video, phone, online forms and even in-person. Although Chairman Jeff McKay said that he would like people to only come in-person as a last resort.
McKay added that quarterly reviews, which the county already does, will will be “much more robust” for the FY 2021 budget.
Much of the discussion between the supervisors today involved ideas they had for where to cut or boost up the new budget, including suggestions from Mason District Supervisor Penny Gross to “keep first responders in mind” and Springfield District Supervisor Pat Herrity to delay funding the body camera program for the police department.
At the end of the meeting, McKay said there will be “shared pain” in the new budget, noting that cuts should not focus on one area.
McKay said that one of his top priorities is to keep on the county’s employees.
“We want to protect our employees,” he said.
Catherine Douglas Moran contributed to this report
Photo via Fairfax County Government
Editor’s note: Tysons Reporter will temporarily have “Morning Notes” every weekday instead of twice a week to accommodate more news.
Fava Pot Owner Shares COVID-19 Impacts — “Her 2-year-old restaurant had been doing well — until the first week of March, when she first noticed a 30% drop in business. Then, she said, it kept dropping “like crazy” every day thereafter. By the second weekend in March, she saw sales plummet 80%.” [Washington Business Journal]
Profile of a Falls Church Barbershop — “On the surface, Smitty’s looks and feels like any black barbershop… But Smitty’s is much, much more to the immediate community. It’s an institution. And even in this time of terrible uncertainty for our older generations around the world, Smitty’s — now owned by Smith, 79, and his wife, Marcia — has been a comforting constant for the black and elderly of Falls Church and, more broadly, Fairfax County.” [Washington Business Journal]
Plans OK’d for Tysons Transmission Line — “The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors on March 24 unanimously adopted a resolution supporting the proposed undergrounding of a Dominion Energy electricity-transmission line in Tysons… The proposed Tysons project would underground a transmission line between the existing Tysons substation and future Spring Hill substation.” [Inside NoVa]
Repaving Map Now Online — The Virginia Department of Transportation has started its 2020 paving season to resurface roads. People can look at an interactive online map to see which roads are scheduled to be resurfaced this year. [VDOT]
Fairfax County will provide an extra $160,000 to help the Town of Vienna kick off a stream restoration project.
The county’s Board of Supervisors unanimously voted to approve the additional funding at their meeting on Tuesday.
The extra funds will go toward the design and construction of the Northside Park Piney Branch Stream Restoration Project.
Located in the Town of Vienna and the Difficult Run Watershed, the project will restore roughly 1,400 linear feet of the stream on Piney Branch by improving the water quality and providing more nutrients, according to county documents.
“The town will administer the design and construction of the Project. Partnering with the Town on this project will save the county the time and administrative costs that would be incurred if the county were to implement the project under its stormwater program,” according to the county.
Back in 2017, the county board gave $660,000 to the town to partially fund the project. After the town received six bids in December, “the total project estimate has increased by $333,006 due to higher than originally estimated construction bids,” according to the county.
The vote on Tuesday means the county will provide an additional $168,006 to the project, which now has a total estimated cost of $1.6 million.
The project is also being supported by an $825,000 grant from the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality, according to county documents.
“The town will reimburse the county funds that are not expended in accordance with the terms of the attached agreement,” according to the county.
Sitting several feet apart, the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors unanimously voted today (Tuesday) to declare a local state of emergency due to the spread of the novel coronavirus.
The declaration activates the county’s emergency plan and allows the county to expeditiously mobilize its resources. A number of local jurisdictions have adopted similar declarations, including Arlington County.
At the emergency meeting, board members sat roughly six feet apart in order to practice safe social distancing, as recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Chairman Jeff McKay noted that the spread of coronavirus poses a “public health threat,” but that the county is well-positioned to manage concerns.
“This is not something this is going to be resolved tomorrow,” McKay said, giving a nod to county staff that is working their “tails off” in this “unprecedented” public health crisis.
The declaration allows the county to pursue “coordinated local government to prevent or alleviate damage, loss hardship, or suffering” caused by the respiratory disease, according to the declaration.
Like similar declarations for snow emergency response, the motion also allows the county to apply for federal and state disaster planning funds and increased flexibility in operations.
The county executive will now have the authority to act on behalf of the board, but won’t be able to do anything inconsistent with state orders, McKay said.
“We don’t have as much authority as people think we do,” Vice Chair Penny Gross said, noting that D.C.’s mayor imposed new restrictions on businesses in the city.
“We’re also at the mercy of the governor,” Gross said.
Gov. Ralph Northam declared a state of emergency last Thursday. So far, the Fairfax Health District has 10 presumptive cases of coronavirus.
“We will make it through this,” McKay said. “We will have battle scars without a doubt.”
This story also appeared on our sister site Reston Now
(Updated 3/18/2020) To combat COVID-19, Fairfax County officials are postponing or making changes for online access to their upcoming town halls on the proposed budget.
For residents in the Providence District, the meeting at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, March 25, that was supposed to be held at the Providence Community Center (3001 Vaden Drive) will now be held online.
Providence District Supervisor Dalia Palchik will host the meeting, according to her spokesperson, who added that they are working on setting up links to the meeting.
Meanwhile, the Hunter Mill District budget meeting, which was originally set for March 21, from 9 a.m. to noon at the Town Hall (127 Center Street S.) in Vienna, has been postponed.
It is unclear at this time when the meeting will take place.
“It is very important that you have a voice in the budget process and I will reschedule as soon as it is appropriate,” the press release said.
The upcoming budget discussion for the fiscal year 2021 includes controversial topics such as a deal with the Virginia Department of Transporation to create a legal cut-through program for drivers during certain times when turns usually aren’t allowed.
