Update on 4/2/19 — Fairfax County Park Authority officials noted that the earlier development plans were out of date, and the current development area is much smaller than initially reported and only includes redeveloping one field into two lighted synthetic turf fields with additional parking.

After eight years of planning, Langley Fork Park is in the final stages of changing hands, clearing the way for two new fields.

Jenny Anzelmo-Sarles, a spokeswoman for the National Park Service (NPS), said the NPS is working through the final stages of a land-swap with Fairfax County. The NPS currently owns Langley Fork Park, which is a developed recreational property, while Fairfax County owns Langley Oaks — a more heavily wooded, natural parkland west of the Claude Moore farm area.

If the deal goes through, Anzelmo-Sarles said the property could change hands within the year.

“We are trying to increase facilities there, and we agreed to a land exchange,” David Bowden, director of the Park Planning and Development Division, said. “We have another piece of undeveloped property at Langley Oak. Our goal is to exchange Langley Oaks for ownership of Langley Fork Park.”

The Park Authority has managed Langley Fork Park since 1981, adding athletic fields, a fitness trail and more to the site since then, but the park remained on loan from the NPS.

The Park Authority and NPS began discussing the swap in Fall 2011. The swap was first approved by the Park Authority in 2016.

Since 1980, the population of McLean has more than doubled. In planning documents for Langley Fork Park, the Park Authority cited the increasing population of McLean — particularly for the population under age 19 — as an indicator of the need to reevaluate the plan for the park.

The new development plans involve redeveloping one field on the site into two lighted synthetic turf fields with additional parking.

As a side-note for history buffs: archaeological surveys of the property showed the first known use of the site was as a prehistoric quartz quarry, and a hearth was found that dated back to 300 B.C. An environmental assessment from the National Park Service noted that synthetic turf will not be used to improve the existing fields in the north and western portions of the site for archeological reasons.

Langley Oaks Park, meanwhile, is 102 acres of undeveloped land contiguous to the NPS’ Turkey Run Park along the Potomac. The NPS said it has no plans for any changes to the property.

The NPS is also currently in the very early stages of developing a plan for the Claude Moore Farm property east of Langley Oaks, which could include new trails connecting the two properties.

Image via National Park Service

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

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

Thursday (May 2)

• 4th Anniversary Beer Dinner — 7:30-10 p.m. at Caboose Tavern (520 Mill Street NE) — In celebration of the company’s fourth anniversary, the Caboose Brewing Company is hosting a five-course evening meal and beer pairings. Tickets are $75 and limited, so they must be reserved in advance. Meals include deviled egg, tuna tartare and “deconstructed s’mores.”
• Harry Potter Trivia Night — 5-6 p.m. at Bards Alley (110 Church Street NW) — Vienna’s Bards Alley book shop is hosting a Harry Potter trivia contest. Complimentary non-alcoholic butterbeer will be on tap and Harry Potter-inspired attire is encouraged.

Friday (May 3)

• Intro to Djembe Drumming — 7-8:30 p.m. at Alden Theatre (1234 Ingleside Avenue) — The Alden in the McLean Community Center is hosting a drum circle class run by artist Kofi Dennis to teach local families about djembe drumming. The class is designed for families and children under 14 must have an adult.

Saturday (May 4)

• Bike Rodeo — 9 a.m.-12 p.m. at the Vienna Volunteer Fire Department (400 Center Street S) — Veteran cyclists will be on hand to help children learn some real-life handling skills, like road rules and how to handle obstacles. Children must wear a helmet to participate.
• May the Fourth Be With You Party — 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. at Tysons-Pimmit Regional Library (7584 Leesburg Pike) — The Tysons library is hosting a Star Wars themed party, including crafts, snacks and children’s activities. A costume contest will be held at 11:30 a.m. The event is for all ages with adult supervision. A screening of “Solo: A Star Wars Story” will be held after the party at 2 p.m. The movie is rated PG-13, so all ages under 13 require an adult.
• The Organic Butcher’s Spring Block Party — 12-4 p.m. at The Organic Butcher (6712 Old Dominion Drive) — The Organic Butcher in McLean is hosting its annual block party, with live music, food, wine, beer and cider tastings. Artisans and farmers are set to attend. A sausage-making demonstration is planned for 2 p.m.
• May the 4th Be With You and Your Margarita — 8 p.m. at Inca Social (2670 Avenir Pl.) — Inca Social, a new bar in Merrifield, is hosting a special Star Wars themed evening with margarita and gosarita specials all evening. The DJ starts at 9 p.m., and table reservations can be made online.

Sunday (May 5)

• Cinco de Mayo and Official Patio Launch Party — 10 a.m.-11 p.m. at Mad Fox Brewing Company (444 W Broad Street) — The Falls Church bar is hosting a Cinco de Mayo party and opening up the bar’s patio with a selection of drinking and food specials, including discounts on Tequila flights.

Image via Facebook

Laura Schwartz is a licensed Realtor in VA, D.C. and MD with McEnearney Associates in McLean. Reach the office at 703-790-9090.

This Saturday, May 4, is the opening weekend for the Vienna Farmers Market at the Community Center.

The market opens at 8 a.m. and goes until noon. Remember that dogs are not allowed at the market unless they’re service dogs. The market has fruit, veggies, meat, fish, flowers, eggs, pastries, breads and prepared foods. Usually on hand are also musicians with live music, a face painter and sometimes even the Vienna Singing Princesses.

You can buy breakfast and watch some baseball games at Waters Field, head into the community center and play some basketball, or even walk over to the Vienna Elementary playground and let the kids run around.

If you’re looking for another way to support local businesses and do some shopping, the Vienna Mom’s group is hosting a Vendor Fair at the community center from 3-5 p.m. on Saturday afternoon. I will be there if you want to come meet me in person, or visit one of the other retailers listed in the graphic below.

On Friday, May 3 from 8 a.m.-12 p.m. you can stop by the McLean farmers market which opens for the season as well!

The market is held at Lewinsville Park and you can find a full list of vendors here. Only service dogs are allowed here as well. Lewinsville Park has a bunch of fields, when not being used by soccer or baseball, there are also basketball and tennis courts.

Don’t forget the Falls Church farmers market is also Saturday morning from 8 a.m.-12 p.m. year round. You can find a full list of vendors here, but a huge shout out to the almond croissants at this market! So good!

It’s a clean slate for the Claude Moore farm area.

At a meeting, last night (Thursday) at the Madison Community Center in Arlington, the National Park Service (NPS) opened up the public discussion for what should happen for the Claude Moore Colonial Farm property, which until late last year was operating as an 18th-century American-style farm.

“This is the first step in the process to develop a plan,” Jenny Anzelmo-Sarles, a spokeswoman for the National Park Service, said. “We’re getting ideas and comments and hoping to give people a sense of the process. We’re starting with a blank slate and we want a robust and transparent process.”

Display boards around the room highlighted a variety of potential directions the park could take, asking attendees if they are more interested in casual activities, like tending to a community garden or learning basket weaving, or active uses like nature walks with park rangers or a junior ranger program.

“One option is to still run a colonial-style farm, but we could also look at active recreation or a more relaxed nature-based park,” Anzelmo-Sarles said.

The Claude Moore farm area was fairly isolated in its earlier use, and one of the options the NPS is considering is whether or not to make the property more connected to other properties and trails.

“There are existing trails in the area that don’t really connect,” Anzelmo-Sarles said. “And there are some trails around the Langley Fork Park area that are in active use. Are there different ways we can build more access to the park or do we want that access to go away? Everything is on the table.”

Redevelopment as a commercial space, though, is not an option, she said.

From the sticky notes posted around the boards, keeping the area as a farm was a popular choice. The public comment period is open through May 25.

After that, Anzelmo-Sarles said the NPS will take the feedback and develop a few potential options for the park, followed by narrowing the choices down to a final concept plan presented within the year.

Tensions reached a boiling point last night (Wednesday) in McLean as local residents threatened to run a therapy center out of town — legally or illegally, in the words of one neighbor.

A series of new group homes by Newport Academy, a corporation that runs therapy programs treating teenagers with mental health or addiction problems, are planned for a residential neighborhood.

Three of the homes — 1620, 1622 and 1624 Davidson Road — are clustered on a private cul-de-sac one block away from McLean High School, while another one is going in at 1318 Kurtz Road.

Representatives from the project, several elected officials and Fairfax County staff started a community meeting in the McLean High School auditorium with presentations about the project, but the more than four-hour-long public hearing after the presentations showed that the project has struck a deep nerve with the local community.

On one side were the Newport Academy staff and a handful of supporters in the audience who said the program is necessary to help deal with the local mental health crisis. Teenagers or adults who said they had struggled with mental health issues described the difficulty of finding treatment facilities in the area. These stories were frequently interrupted by a chorus of booing from the audience — at least once in the middle of a young woman recounting her trauma following a sexual assault.

But opponents of the project — mainly nearby residents or parents with children at McLean High School — comprised the vast majority of the standing-room-only audience in the auditorium.

While they were united in opposition to the project, their reasons varied. Del. Rip Sullivan (D-48th District) conducted an impromptu poll of the audience, and half said they are opposed to any group home while the other half would be fine with just one, but opposed the cluster.

“It’s three houses side by side; it’s a compound,” Robert Mechlin, a nearby resident, told Tysons Reporter. “If I want to build a shed, I have to get a permit. Why isn’t this the same litmus test?”

Mechlin also echoed concerns about how residents of the facility would affect safety in the nearby neighborhood. In the small town of Bethlehem, Conn., students at the Newport Academy were responsible for at least two criminal incidents — the theft of a car and a student who stole bottles of vodka from a local bar. Throughout the evening, nearby residents said the prospect of the treatment facility next door makes them feel unsafe.

Newport Academy Founder and CEO Jamison Monroe said security tightened after the incidents in Connecticut. A presentation on the project noted that alarms would be attached to every door and window and the students would be closely supervised by staff. Later in the meeting, Monroe offered to pay for a security guard to monitor the site, but by then the public concerns around the project ballooned beyond just security.

The secrecy and allegations of deception surrounding the purchasing of the property were also recurring themes among the opponents. Neighbors said that after the properties were purchased, the real estate agents who orchestrated the deals told neighbors they were subject to non-disclosure agreements.

“I was told multiple times that [the development] was for a wealthy individual,” Steve Wydler, a leasing agent with Wydler Brothers Real Estate in McLean, said. “It was only after construction started that we were told the project was under an NDA.”

Monroe admitted that he didn’t know why the non-disclosure agreements were put into place.

“I’ve learned some things about our real estate agents this evening that I was not aware of previously,” Monroe said.

Marc Lampkin, who became one of the unofficial orchestraters of the opposition from a seat in the front row, said the facility would extract money from the students and leave the neighborhood with problems.

“We all appreciate the notion of treatment, but the single biggest concern is that you failed the good neighbor policy out of the box,” Lampkin said. “You hired a real estate agent who bought the property with lies and misrepresentation. You are a for-profit entity and you’re driving a truck through a loophole [in Fair Housing law].”

As frustrations escalated throughout the evening, Monroe became the main target of the community’s rage, with local residents calling him smug, arrogant and a “son of a bitch” several times.

Caught between the two, the elected officials expressed unhappiness with the project, but said it was being redeveloped by-right and left their hands tied.

Two of the rallying cries from the opposition were “Remember Sunrise” — a reference to a plan by Sunrise Senior Living Facility that the Board of Supervisors denied following widespread public outrage — and a promise to oust elected officials if they didn’t vocally oppose the project.

“I do not support three houses on the same site,” Dranesville District Supervisor John Foust said. “But it is the law. In my opinion, one company buying those properties changes the character of the neighborhood. I oppose that. But we do not see a way to stop it.”

The county argued that the project is a group home, which is considered a “by right” development — meaning there’s no requirement of public notice and no zoning approvals needed from the county. Several of the politicians said they first heard of the project when the outrage started.

“I am not at all surprised to see this turnout,” Sullivan said. “Three weeks ago, our emails lit up with questions and comments.”

Complicating the issue, the Fair Housing Act makes it unlawful to discriminate against individuals because of a handicap or disabilities, which the Code of Virginia says includes residential facilities housing individuals with mental illnesses.

But several opponents noted that there are ways around that protection. Some locals questioned whether the project qualified as a group home. Wydler said that the project might not qualify as a residence — a crucial part of the project’s status as a by-right development — given that the average length of stay for students of the program is substantially less than the 183 days that the tax code considers residency.

Fairfax County Attorney Beth Teare said the county was still looking into the zoning regulations and rules surrounding the project. The group’s license application is still pending before the Virginia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services.

If the licenses are granted, Monroe said the facilities could begin operation within a few months. If it does, at least one attendee threatened to file a lawsuit.

Regardless of the outcome, Sullivan said he and other elected officials would look into closing what the public saw as fair housing loopholes.

“One of the things I want to look at moving forward is making sure there is more advanced notice of this sort of thing,” Sullivan said.

An event tomorrow (Thursday) evening will launch the National Park Service’s effort to engage the local community on the future of Claude Moore Colonial Farm in McLean.

Claude Moore Farm closed in December after a year of battling between the park service and a private group called the Friends of Claude Moore Colonial Farm, which had maintained the park as a working exhibition since the early 1980s, over control of the farm.

Now, the park service will kick-off its public planning effort tomorrow, by inviting people to share their vision for the park’s future.

A public comment period and an open house from 6-8 p.m. at classroom 7 in the Madison Community Center (3829 N. Stafford Street) are planned for tomorrow. People also can provide feedback online or via mail.

“After gathering information and hearing from the public, the NPS will develop a range of concepts for future use and enjoyment of the Claude Moore farm area of Turkey Run Park,” NPS says on its website. “The concepts will be shared with the public and there will be additional opportunities to provide feedback.”

NPS notes that any options for consideration will likely require environmental and historic preservation compliance prior to implementation.

“The public engagement process will help determine what happens next and when,” Dranesville District Supervisor John Foust wrote in an email to constituents earlier in April.

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

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

Tuesday (April 16)

• Vesper Trail Ribbon Cutting — 10 a.m. at Higdon Drive — The new Vesper Trail connecting Old Courthouse Road in Vienna to the Spring Hill Metro station in Tysons after earlier delays.
• Sugar Mountain: Neil Young Tribute Band — 7:30 p.m. at Jammin’ Java (227 Maple Ave E) — The Neil Young Tribute Band Sugar Mountain is scheduled to play at Jammin Java tomorrow. Tickets are $20.

Wednesday (April 17)

• Maibock Tapping Party — 6-8 p.m. at Gordon Biersch Brewery (7861 Tysons Corner Center) — The Tysons Corner Center’s Gordon Biersch Brewery Restaurant is tapping party to raise funds for the Dunn Loring Volunteer Fire Department. The event is planned to include tastings, appetizers, live music and more. A quarter will be donated to the department for every pint served, and 15 percent of all restaurant sales during the party.

Thursday (April 18)

• Monty Python’s Life of Brian Screening — 7-9 p.m. at the Angelika Film Center (2911 District Ave.) — The Angelika Film Center in the Mosaic District will host a screening of the controversial satire The Life of Brian. Tickets are $15.

Friday (April 19)

• Earth Day Party — 5-9 p.m. at the Tysons Biergarten (8346 Leesburg Pike) — The Tysons Biergarten is hosting a live music and drinking party to celebrate Earth day, with a portion of the proceeds going to the Rainforest Trust. Bring a printed flyer for the event or a screenshot of the event page and show it to the bartender.

Saturday (April 20)

• Spring Fest — 10 a.m.-12 p.m. at the McLean Community Center (1234 Ingleside Ave) — The McLean Community Center is hosting a spring festival with a mix of live entertainment and self-guided arts and crafts. The program aims at children ages 3-8. Registration in advance for $5 is required.

Sunday (April 21)

• Early Mornings in the Garden — 6-10 a.m. at Meadowlark Botanical Gardens (9750 Meadowlark Gardens Ct.) — Photographers, birdwatchers, and other interested parties are invited to a special early morning walk through the gardens. The gardens typically open at 10 a.m., but early visitors will have a chance to see some of the birds in their most active times. Standard garden admission — $3 to $6 — applies.
• Easter Brunch — 9 a.m.-3 p.m. at Mad Fox Brewing Company (444 W Broad Street) — The Mad Fox Brewing Company is opening early for a brunch buffet aimed at accommodating entire families. Adults tickets are $28 and kid tickets are $12.

Photo via Facebook

Laura Schwartz is a licensed Realtor in VA, D.C. and MD with McEnearney Associates in McLean. Reach the office at 703-790-9090.

Most of the detached homes in our area do not belong to a homeowners association (HOA).

Most are regulated by county or town ordinance, but there are some that belong to an HOA. Some people love or hate this. Many of the HOA’s around Tyson’s include very little, maybe some yard maintenance in common areas, sometimes trash removal, but usually maybe one community party a year. If you see a townhouse, assume those always have an HOA.

I put together a list of HOAs in Vienna, McLean and Falls Church that actually give you something for your annual fees. Below is a list of the name and location, along with what the amenity included is. If you’re thinking you want to skip that 8 year wait for the Vienna Woods pool, try one of these neighborhoods instead (listed alphabetically):

Vienna

• Edgemoore — Tennis courts
• Estates at Great Falls — Outdoor pool, tennis courts, basketball courts
• Hunter Mill Estates — Outdoor pool and tennis courts
• Lakevale Estates — Outdoor pool and tennis courts
• Oakton Glen — Tennis courts and basketball courts
• Shouse Village — Outdoor pool and tennis courts, basketball courts
• Williamsburg Commons — Outdoor pool

McLean

• Evans Mill Pond — Tennis courts
• Evermay — Tennis courts
• McLean Hunt — Basketball courts
• The Courts — Tennis courts
• The Dogwoods at Langley — Tennis

Falls Church

• Walnut Hill — Tennis courts

Be warned, Fairfax County is under a wind advisory and it’s beginning to have residual impacts across the region.

Winds are expected to last all day with the strongest winds around noon.

⚠️ A Wind Advisory has been issued for today.
🕗 8 am- 8 pm; the strongest winds are likely from late morning and through the afternoon hours.
💨 Expect 20-30 mph winds with gusts up to 50 mph.
📱Keep electronic devices charged as scattered power outages are expected. pic.twitter.com/fxdGxS09oU

— Ready Fairfax (@ReadyFairfax) April 15, 2019

According to the National Weather Service, the maximum wind gusts up to 50 mph are expected throughout the region, with most locations seeing up to 30 or 40 mph wind.

The strong winds are also having an impact on some local roads. Early this morning, Westmoreland Street at Orland Street in McLean was closed due to low hanging wires. The situation has been resolved since then and the street is now open.

UPDATE: Westmoreland St at Orland St in McLean now open. https://t.co/9jWkZUlUWY

— Fairfax County Police (@FairfaxCountyPD) April 15, 2019

Image via Twitter

After a large amount of local consternation over the group homes for a rehab facility proposed near McLean High School, Dranesville District Supervisor John Foust and other local officials are putting together a meeting to clear things up.

The Newport Academy, a therapy program for teens with mental health or addiction problems, recently purchased three residential homes (1620, 1622, and 1624 Davidson Road) in McLean with the intent of using them as a treatment facility.

Another project is also planned for 1318 Kurtz Road in the Salona Village neighborhood.

The meeting is planned for Wednesday, April 24 at 7 p.m. in the McLean High School Auditorium (1633 Davidson Road).

Foust is expected to be joined at the meeting by a pair of local state lawmakers, Dels. Rip Sullivan and Kathleen Murphy. Representatives from Virginia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services and from Monroe LLC  — the company that runs the Newport Academy — are also planning to attend, to explain the new facility.

According to Foust’s office:

The purpose of the meeting will be to discuss the operations of the homes, licensing and permitting authority, relevant legislation and regulations, and resident concerns. Attendees will have the opportunity to ask questions and provide comments.

Photo via Google Earth