Fairfax County Park Authority Director Announces Retirement Plans — “The executive director of the Fairfax County Park Authority in Virginia announced his plans to retire in February 2021 on Friday. Kirk Kincannon has served with the FCPA since 2014, and did a 10-year stint with the agency earlier in his career.” [WTOP]
Westbound Route 7 Roadwork Prompts Lane Shift — “Beginning on or about Monday, Dec. 7, drivers on westbound Route 7 will experience a lane shift to the north (away from the median) between Jarrett Valley Drive and Lewinsville Road as crews continue to build the improvements along Route 7 that will add a third lane and shared-use paths in each direction.” [Virginia Department of Transportation]
Tysons Annual Report Shows Mixed Results on Housing — “The 2020 report provides some important updates on housing construction in Tysons, and it also provides an opportunity to evaluate the effectiveness of the plan’s income-restricted housing requirements.” [Greater Greater Washington]
Staff Photo by Jay Westcott
Fairfax County voters approved the sale of $441 million worth of bonds to fund a full slate of pending capital projects during the 2020 general election on Tuesday (Nov. 3).
This year’s ballot featured four separate bond referendums that asked Fairfax County voters to authorize:
- $90 million for renovations and upgrades at four public libraries
- $112 million in parks bonds
- $160 million in transportation bonds to fund the county’s share of Metro’s capital improvement program, which covers rehabilitation and modernization projects for the Metrorail system
- $79 million in community health and human services bonds to renovate the Joseph Willard Health Center on Old Lee Highway and Alexandria’s Crossroads residential treatment facility
Though vote counts won’t be finalized until tomorrow’s noon deadline for absentee ballots, all four referendums passed with ease. The health and human services bonds garnered the most support with 76.5% “yes” votes, followed by parks with 72.4% and transportation with 67.7%. Just under two-thirds of voters (66.1%) supported the public library bonds.
The public library bonds include $23 million for Fairfax County’s planned redevelopment of the Patrick Henry Community Library in Vienna.
Originally built in 1971, Patrick Henry Library operates close to the level of a small regional library as one of the busiest community branches in the Fairfax County Public Library system, according to the county’s FY 2021-2025 adopted capital improvements program.
“Renovation is required to upgrade building systems and infrastructure that are well beyond the end of their life cycle and meet current and future operational needs,” the CIP said. “The building is one of the oldest, resulting in an antiquated layout that does not adequately reflect modern library design and usage.”
The new library bond funds will help expand Patrick Henry Library by roughly 7,000 square feet to a 21,000-square-foot building, permitting more public seating and a larger children’s section.
The renovation will also involve the construction of a 213-space parking facility that the county is working on with the Town of Vienna as part of an agreement approved by the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors in July.
Fairfax County’s 2020 parks bond includes $100 million for the Fairfax County Park Authority and $12 million to pay for the county’s share of the Northern Virginia Regional Park Authority’s capital program, which focuses on resource protection, facility improvements, and the expansion of open space, trails, and recreational opportunities.
Tysons area projects covered by the Fairfax County Park Authority’s bonds funding include an upgrade of McLean Central Park in accordance with the park’s master plan and a renovation of the Providence RECenter to improve its efficiency.
The park bonds also have funds for design advancement for McLean’s Salona Park, even though the project was put on hold in September until the park authority develops a master plan for Langley Fork Park.
Photo via Google Maps
The Fairfax County Park Authority has purchased an historic property in McLean that previously belonged to President Jimmy Carter’s national security advisor, Zbigniew Brzezinski.
The county park authority announced on Monday (Nov. 2) that it had acquired the 5.45-acre land known as Spring Hill for $2.4 million funded through park bonds. Located in the Dranesville District, Spring Hill sits near the intersection of Spring Hill Road and Old Dominion Drive in McLean.
Dranesville District Supervisor John Foust says he is grateful to the park authority for preserving the Spring Hill property and “many other beautiful properties in our county, for the use of current residents and future generations.”
“I also appreciate the Brzezinski family’s desire to protect the natural beauty and cultural significance of this property, and their willingness to work with the Park Authority to make sure that happened,” Foust said.
As the longtime residence of former National Security Advisor Zbigniew Brzezinski, Spring Hill has hosted many foreign leaders, according to Fairfax County’s Public Information Officer Judy Pedersen.
Brzezinski’s wife, the renowned artist Emilie Brzezinski, previously worked on her signature wood sculptures out of a studio built in the house.
Spring Hill’s former residents, size, and attractiveness make the property historic and a remarkable acquisition for the county.
“The attraction on that property is, first and foremost, the beautiful land,” Pedersen said. “A piece that size in the McLean area is an unusual find.”
Pederson says the county acquires land in advance and later makes plans for what to do with it.
“It’s not on this year’s work plan,” Pedersen said. “Future work is going to be aligned to the availability of capital funding, and that’ll be used for planning for the design and construction process.”
Those plans also include inviting the community to voice their ideas on what to do with the property.
“That’s the discussion that we’ll go back and have with the community at some point, about what is the appropriate and most sought-after use for this lovely property,” Pederson said.
Photo via Fairfax County Park Authority
