Fairfax County police arrested a kid for allegedly stealing someone’s phone near the Tysons Corner Metro station.
The incident occurred shortly after 10 p.m. on Tuesday (July 30) at 7902 Tysons One Plaza.
“The victim was sitting on the steps to the plaza when the suspect took the victim’s phone and ran away,” according to a police report.
Police said that they found and arrested the suspect.
https://twitter.com/cbweber521/status/1156392116270108672?s=20
Separate incidents on Tuesday included three home burglaries in McLean and one attempted commercial burglary in Tysons.
Police said that someone entered a home in the 7900 block of Old Cedar Court overnight through an unlocked door and took personal documents and jewelry.
Around 9 a.m., a homeowner reported to police that someone damaged a door, entered the home in the 7300 block of Hooking Road overnight and stole electronics.
Police said someone entered a home in the 11000 block of Old Stage Court through an unlocked door and took jewelry around 4:15 p.m.
An employee at Shiraz Market (8486 Tyco Roa) reported to the police that someone damaged the windows and door of the building, but nothing was taken.
(Updated at 9 a.m.) If you faced delays on Metro’s Silver Line in the Tysons area during yesterday’s evening commute, you might have a goose to blame.
A Metro spokesperson confirmed that an injured goose caused the delay yesterday.
The Fairfax County Police Department said that the Animal Protection Police Officer removed the goose, which had an injured wing and leg, and took it to a nearby animal hospital. Police did not have an update to share about the goose’s condition Tuesday (July 30) evening.
Metrorail Info tweeted around 4:30 p.m. Monday (July 29) that an animal on the tracks at Tysons Corner was causing single-tracking and delays in both directions between the Tysons Corner and McLean Metro stations.
Shortly after 6 p.m., another tweet said that single-tracking had ended, but that residual delays continued in both directions.
Silver Line Delay: Trains are single tracking btwn Tysons Corner & McLean due to an animal on the track at Tysons Corner. Expect delays in both directions.
— Metrorail Info (@Metrorailinfo) July 29, 2019
UPDATED: Silver Line Delay: No longer single tracking. Residual delays continue both directions following an animal on the track at Tysons Corner.
— Metrorail Info (@Metrorailinfo) July 29, 2019
Goose is the correct answer. An injured goose. #wmata
— Adam Tuss (@AdamTuss) July 29, 2019
Damage from flash flooding that hit Fairfax County earlier this month will require millions of dollars for necessary repairs.
Seamus Mooney, the director of the Office of Emergency Management, gave the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors today (Tuesday) an update on the damage assessment nearly a month after the region experienced about one month’s worth of rain during a couple of hours on the morning of July 8.
Fairfax County retroactively declared a local emergency about a week later to seek federal disaster aid. (The board voted to terminate the local emergency today.)
After giving an overview of the “catastrophic rain event,” Mooney broke down the estimates for how much repairing the damage will cost.
Kirby Road Facing $4 Million Repairs
Mooney said that some people were landlocked when severe weather damage closed the 1300 block of Kirby Road. Another McLean road — Swinks Mill Road — suffered extreme damage.
The Virginia Department of Transportation told Tysons Reporter that both roads are facing months of repair work.
Mooney said that the Virginia Department of Transportation recorded about $4 million of the $6 million recorded road damage was just at Kirby Road. Because the roads are funded through state highway funds, Mooney said that they are not eligible for aid from the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
Dranesville District Supervisor John Foust called for proactive measures to ensure that the road improvements speed up.
“As a county, we need to put pressure on VDOT,” Foust said. “They’re telling us it’s going to be months [for Kirby Road]. That’s not acceptable.”
Storm’s Impact on Residents and Businesses
As for residents and businesses, Mooney said that the 277 entries in the county’s Disaster Damage Database as of yesterday (Monday) total about $6.8 million for a “significant amount of damage.”
Money said that state and federal programs can provide individual assistance — Fairfax County is currently waiting to hear back about
Mooney said Fairfax County has been working with surrounding jurisdictions including Arlington on damage assessments to determine eligibility for the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), which gives loans to disaster victims.
Since Arlington exceeded the 25 damaged properties requirement, Mooney said that Fairfax County should expect to hear from SBA by this week or next week. “[It’s] contiguous — if one gets it, we all get it,” Mooney said.
Fairfax County has chosen the Tysons Pimmit Regional Library as the location for a Disaster Loan Outreach Center and has the space reserved starting next week.
“As soon as we get the notice we can work with OPA and get it open for residents,” Mooney said, adding that residents will have up to six months to fill out the applications if they want a loan.
“Could Have Done More”
While the Board of Supervisors praised the quick response by emergency personnel, several board members — especially Foust — voiced frustration about preventing future damage of this magnitude.
Foust said that the county “could have done more” to prepare, including:
- investing in infrastructure that protects people’s homes
- pressuring VDOT to prioritize local road improvements
- having packages prepared in advance for residents with information on emergency and disaster next steps
- strengthening “grossly inadequate” stormwater management requirements
- focusing on tree preservation
“It’s been difficult on a lot of people, and we have to step up,” Foust said.
The board also voted today to designate September of Emergency Preparedness Awareness Month.
“It doesn’t take much for someone to have a very bad day,” Mooney said, adding that the designation might “make sure people become more resilient to these types of events.”
Additionally, Mooney said that the county is utilizing social media, Fairfax Alerts and other avenues to share information with residents, adding that the county also added people who entered their information into the Disaster Damage Database to Fairfax Alerts.
“Of note, between July 8-12, we sent out 1o2 storm-related tweets and Facebook posts,” he said. “We’ve been using that to make sure anyone who has submitted information, that we’ve been sending them updates as it’s available as well,” he said.
First photo via @SteveML9022/Twitter
An upcoming meeting will provide the latest information on new sidewalks slated for a portion of Kirby Road in McLean.
Dranesville District Supervisor John Foust and the Fairfax County Department of Transportation are scheduled to hold a public meeting tomorrow (Wednesday) evening about the project, which stretches from Birch Road to Corliss Court along Kirby Road.
The project includes new 6-foot-wide sidewalk, curb, gutter, storm sewer and water utility infrastructure on the north side of Kirby Road. The improvements are funded by County Commercial and Industrial Property Tax funds, according to the county.
The meeting will take place in the cafeteria of Chesterbrook Elementary School (1753 Kirby Road) at 7 p.m.
Image via Fairfax County
House Fire in Falls Church — On Sunday (July 28), firefighters “quickly extinguished” a fire in the garage of home in the 6700 block of Osborn Street in the Falls Church area. There are no reported firefighter or civilian injuries. [Fairfax County Fire and Rescue/Twitter]
Town of Vienna Readying for Clean-Up Day — “The next Vienna Town Clean-Up Day will be held on Saturday, Aug. 3 from 9 a.m. to noon. Individuals and organizations are encouraged to help town-government staff pick up trash, remove invasive plants and give the town a general polish.” [Inside NoVa]
Micro Units Coming to Falls Church Development — “The massive new mixed-use development planned for the City of Falls Church’s west end, recently dubbed the “Little City Commons,” will feature a living space favored by big cities throughout the country when it introduces micro units upon completion in 2022.” [Falls Church News-Press]
Upcoming Bicycle Donation, Festival in McLean — “The annual Old Firehouse Teen Center Block Party will be held on Saturday, Aug. 10 from 1 to 4 p.m. at the teen center, 1440 Chain Bridge Road in McLean. Admission is free. As part of the festivities, Bands for Bikes will be collecting donations of bicycles and funds for the ‘Wheels to Africa’ initiative.” [Inside NoVa]
Falls Church’s “Founding Father” Dies — “Lou Olom, a venerable founding father of the City of Falls Church and especially its world-renowned school system, has died at age 102… Two years ago, on July 10, 2017, the Falls Church community celebrated Olom’s 100th birthday with a formal proclamation declaring his birthday as “Lou Olom Day.” [Falls Church News-Press]
A clerical error has left Sweet Leaf Cafe in McLean in a three-year legal fight to not be zoned as a residential property.
The restaurant is currently operating in violation of zoning code. A non-residential use permit had been issued for the site for retail sales, but not to operate what the zoning law refers to as a fast-food establishment.
At a July 17 meeting, the Board of Zoning Appeals deferred Sweet Leaf’s appeal to Oct. 23, making this the 12th time the issue has been appealed since early 2016.
County staff said Sweet Leaf is pursuing a parking reduction to fall in-line with the zoning ordinance but has hit a few snags.
According to Fairfax County spokesperson Brian Worthy:
Sweet Leaf needs a non-residential use permit for a restaurant, and this is the current issue involved in the zoning appeal. However, the restaurant cannot get this permit until it applies for a parking reduction that the Board of Supervisors must approve. Therefore, the July 17 Board of Zoning Appeals public hearing for this case was deferred because the applicant is working to apply for the reduction. The business requires at least 14 parking spaces based on zoning rules, but the site can only physically accommodate the existing 12 parking spaces. If this reduction is approved, the applicant can get its non-residential use permit. Previous public hearings were deferred at the applicant’s own request.
While Sweet Leaf works with the county government to find a solution, staff said the restaurant has been allowed to continue operating.
“Sweet Leaf has been allowed to stay open without the non-residential use permit for a restaurant because they are working to acquire the proper zoning permit,” said Fairfax County Public Information Officer Crystal Santos. “Unfortunately, a previous administrative error allowed the restaurant to operate as a retail establishment for zoning purposes. However, Sweet Leaf has been subject to all health regulations and licensing requirements related to owning and operating a restaurant in Fairfax County since they opened in 2009.”
Prior to Sweet Leaf, the space was operated under a similar food use for seven years, according to Sweet Leaf owner Andre Matini.
“Sweet Leaf completed all the proper paperwork and was issued a zoning permit… to operate as a food use,” Matini wrote in an email. “We are not exactly sure what has transpired since we opened over ten years ago but this issue seems to be an oversight by the issuer… Unfortunately, this has been an extremely costly process for us.”
Dranesville District Supervisor John Foust said it was an innocent error and staff has been working to make sure the restaurant can continue operating and obtain the proper zoning.
“Basically, it comes down to a parking issue,” Foust said. “[Staff] is continuing to search for a solution. They think they have one, and it’s a little creative, but they’re trying to work through it.”
Sometimes you just need to get some work done outside of the office.
At Tysons Reporter, we’ve spent a lot of time on the road around the area. So if you need to stop in, grab some coffee, and get some work done somewhere in the Tysons area, here are some places we go:
Stomping Ground in Tysons Galleria is the second location for the popular coffee-and-biscuits eatery in Alexandria. The location in the third-floor Taste of Urbanspace food hall brings the original location’s signature dishes to Tysons, but also expanded with a new evening menu and Southern cocktails — meaning you won’t have to leave to find a happy hour once work is over.
The coffee is top quality and, being at the Galleria, there is rarely a shortage of parking and seating space. The expansive interior of the food hall has ample tables and outlets. There are food options available around the food hall, though like much of the high-end retail at Tysons Galleria, they tend to be pricier than the average lunch. The music near Stomping Ground also tends to be louder than optimal for interviews or phone calls.
Star Nut Gourmet is a café tucked away just off the main drag in McLean at 1445 Laughlin Ave. As a result, it’s very accessible to other locations around McLean and has more parking and interior space than some of the other nearby options, like the Starbucks.
There’s plenty of seating inside and the music is kept at a manageable volume. But the café is more designed with meetings and socializing in mind than work, so outlets can be scarce.
Caffe Amouri boasts quality coffee and atmosphere in equal measure. The coffee shop at 107 Church Street NE has other dining options but focuses almost exclusively on coffee. Inside, the walls are lined with classic rock albums and coffee accouterment. The space is small, but with adequate seating — except for that time Vienna had no Starbucks and the coffee shop was overwhelmed with under-caffeinated customers.
Caffe Amouri also positions itself as a community gathering place, with the front walls of the cafe plastered with flyers and advertisements for local classes and activities. The cafe itself also hosts classes for various coffee-related activities, like teaching the fundamentals of brewing.
There are only a handful of parking spots in a very small lot behind the building, so time visits carefully to avoid peak hours and be prepared to make a tight U-turn if the lot is full.
Rare Bird at 230 W Broad Street specializes in coffee, but offers a well-rounded menu featuring a variety of teas and food. Space inside the cafe is limited, but if you can find seating, the mellow atmosphere caters to the mid-day laptop typist.
But parking for Rare Bird can be a nightmare, with restrictive parking in every block surrounding the building and confusing, and sometimes contradictory, signs directing visitors to phantom “public lots.”
Despite having a cameo on next Wednesday’s (July 31) Board of Zoning Appeals (BZA) agenda, County staff say the American Legion noise issue in McLean is settled.
The American Legion Post 270 at 1355 Balls Hill Road had some trouble over noise complaints from residential neighbors. But in February, the Post received a favorable ruling from the BZA allowing them to continue to host events.
The docket for the BZA says the Board will consider an appeal an original ruling against the American Legion post. Crystal Santos, public information officer for Fairfax County Government, said the County won’t challenge the BZA’s February decision.
“In February the Board of Zoning Appeals ruled that the American Legion could have private parties hosted by non-members,” said Santos in an email. “Following that decision, the American Legion submitted a second appeal to have the Zoning Administrator’s original determination that these parties are not allowed, overturned. Since the County will not appeal the February BZA decision, the second appeal is moot and the county is requesting for it to be dismissed.”
Dranesville District Supervisor John Foust said there are still some upset residents, but he hopes the American Legion can continue working with them to resolve the sound complaints in a neighborly fashion.
“From a procedural standpoint, nothing to fight about,” Foust said. “They have new leadership at the American Legion… everyone is still hoping for a kumbaya moment to solve the issue.”
Much of the roads affected by the flash floods two weeks ago have been fixed, but two routes through McLean remain out of commission and will require long term repairs.
Kirby Road and Swinks Mill Road at the eastern and western edges of McLean respectively are both blocked off at roughly the halfway point where the roads were severely damaged by floodwaters.
Replacing the damaged bridges will take several months, according to Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) spokesperson Ellen Kamilakis.
A part of Kirby Road has been broken off with much of the supporting infrastructure underneath completely swept away. According to a press release from VDOT:
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A segment of road just south of Claiborne Drive was washed away. The remaining asphalt in that location has been undermined.
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Asphalt on the approaches to the deck of the VDOT bridge over Pimmit Run was damaged, but temporarily repaired the same day. The bridge also has damage to the guardrails and abutments (the “legs” that support the bridge deck) and retaining wall.
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Pimmit Run will need to be realigned to its original location.
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The sanitary sewer line and underground utilities were affected.
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Damage to VDOT infrastructure is not preventing access to any homes.
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Note: A privately owned and maintained bridge across from Claiborne Drive was severely damaged and homeowners are evaluating repair options.
Meanwhile, at Swinks Mill Road the asphalt on the bridge was completely destroyed, with the guard rail and large chunks of the road visible warped and scattered down the creek bed. According to the VDOT press release:
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Several hundred feet of asphalt approaching the bridge on both sides was damaged.
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Asphalt on the bridge deck was destroyed. Also, the bridge has sustained damage to the guardrails, abutments, and retaining wall.
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Bridge scour (removal of sand and gravel from around the abutments) was observed.
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Debris was observed in Scotts Run.
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Damage to VDOT infrastructure is not preventing access to any homes.
Currently, VDOT said surveys are underway for the planned realignment of both streets. Preliminary design work has started for both bridges and road repairs, according to the press release.
Removal of debris is expected to continue alongside more extensive survey work at both locations. Once bridge designs are finalized, VDOT said the bridge and road repair plans will be put out for construction bids.
The squat brick building at 1300 Chain Bridge Road is about to become a bank once again.
Renovations are underway to turn the brick building into a JP Morgan Chase Bank.
The location had previously been a drive-through Wachovia, then a Wells Fargo, but has sat empty for at least a year.
The bank is aiming for an opening sometime in the fall but has no more specific date ready yet.
Construction crews are still at work at the project — which has a largely gutted interior — and permits in the window say work will involve installing new air devices and ductworks.
It will be the only Chase bank in McLean but far from the only bank. There are roughly 17 banks currently scattered around downtown McLean, possibly because studies say McLean residents tend to be very wealthy and frugal.
