The Town of Vienna has launched an online survey asking renters and homeowners what they think of various potential changes to the town’s residential zoning laws.

The 10-minute survey will be open through Feb. 19. Questions can be submitted to [email protected].

It is the first survey to gauge support or opposition to specific changes that have been proposed as a part of the town’s effort to simplify and update the Town’s subdivision and zoning ordinances.

“We will share all the results on our website, and they will be shared with [a] consultant, as well as the planning commission and the town council,” Vienna Principal Planner Kelly O’Brien said in a virtual meeting on Wednesday (Jan. 13). “This is really getting the overall thoughts of the community.”

Town planners said they are starting with a focus on residential zoning, since a majority of Vienna is residential. More surveys, forums, and meetings are slated for this year to gauge approval for changes to residential and commercial codes.

The initiative is facilitated by Code Create Vienna, the town’s online engagement platform for the zoning code and subdivision ordinance update. The process began in the summer of 2020 and will end in the winter of 2021, when the consultant ZoneCo will present a new code for zoning and subdivision.

Survey questions cover topics such as adding front porches and accessory living units, increasing the space allotted for back patios, requiring open spaces for multifamily dwellings, and building age-restricted cottage housing.

“This is ongoing, iterative process,” O’Brien said. “You don’t have to wait for special meetings.”

ZoneCo recommended these and other potential changes to the Vienna Town Council during a work session on Dec. 3.

Residents can also share their thoughts by taking a more general survey or writing down suggestions for zoning changes, such as preserving outdoor dining, that they come up with while walking or biking around town. Town planners have been hosting regular webinars on specific topics as part of Code Create Vienna’s Lunch & Learn series.

(Updated at 9:40 a.m.) One person and two cats died in a house fire in Vienna early this morning.

First responders with the Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department and officers from the Vienna Police Department were dispatched to the 900 block of Lauren Lane SE around 2:05 a.m. Fire could be seen coming through the house’s roof when firefighters arrived on the scene, according to the FCFRD.

After working to extinguish the blaze, crews found one elderly woman and her two cats deceased inside the residence, Vienna police say.

The cause of the fire is currently under investigation by both the Vienna Police Department and the Fairfax County Fire Marshal’s Office.

2:05 AM units dispatched for house fire, 900 Block of Lauren Lane SE, in Vienna. Units arrived on-scene with fire though the roof. Firefighters located one occupant deceased in the home. Fire Investigators currently on scene to determine cause of fire. #FCFRD pic.twitter.com/4ISN9tRSav

— Fairfax County Fire/Rescue (@ffxfirerescue) January 12, 2021

Photo via Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department/Twitter

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

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

Monday (Jan. 11)

• Introduction to Zentangle (Online) — 6:30-9 p.m. — Falls Church Arts is offering lessons on Zentangle, a drawing technique intended to inspire creativity and encourage mindfulness. This is the first of four classes that will take place every Monday until Feb. 1. The program costs $120 for all four classes. Sign up through the nonprofit.

Tuesday (Jan. 12)

• On Deck with Mercury — 6-8 p.m. at the Vienna Community Center (120 Cherry St. SE) — Vienna Town Manager Mercury Payton will discuss the town’s 2021 legislative agenda with Town Attorney Steve Briglia for his monthly community forum. In-person attendance is limited to support social distancing, but the meeting will be available live on Zoom. It will also be rebroadcast on the town’s cable access channel, and a recording will be uploaded to YouTube.
• Great Books Discussion (Online) — 7-8 p.m. — The latest session of the Mary Riley Styles Public Library’s Great Books Discussion, which focuses on literary classics, will center on “The Plague” by Albert Camus. Contact Marshall Webster at [email protected] for the Zoom link.

Wednesday (Jan. 13)

• Code Create Vienna (Online) — 5:30 p.m. — The Town of Vienna is holding a virtual public meeting for residents to provide input on proposed changes to the town’s residential zoning standards. Staff will review the proposals, present a visual preference survey, and take questions. The meeting will take place on Zoom.
• MLK Day Virtual Book Discussion (Online) — 7 p.m. — Staff at the Alden Theatre will host a talk about Raymond Arsenault’s history book “The Sound of Freedom: Marian Anderson, the Lincoln Memorial, and the Concert That Awakened America.” This is part of the McLean Community Center’s Martin Luther King Jr. Day celebrations. Registration is required and ends at 5 p.m. on Jan. 12.
• Mystery Book Discussion (Online) — 7-8 p.m. — The Mary Riley Styles Public Library’s mystery book group will talk about “Fer-de-Lance” by Rex Stout. Email [email protected] to sign up for the Zoom discussion.

Thursday (Jan. 14)

• MLK Day Podcast Discussion Group (Online) — 7 p.m. — As part of its MLK Day celebration, the McLean Community Center kicks off a month of discussions on “Seeing White,” the second season of the Center for Documentary Studies’ “Scene on Radio” podcast series. The series examines the historical origins of whiteness and racism in America. Registration is required and closes at 5 p.m. the day before each Thursday night session.
• Thursday Evening Book Group (Online) — 7-8 p.m. — The Mary Riley Styles Public Library’s Thursday Evening Book Group will discuss “My Brilliant Friend” by Elena Ferrante. Light refreshments will be served. Email Marshall Webster at [email protected] for a Zoom invite.

Friday (Jan. 15)

• New Year, New You Virtual 5K (Online) — The McLean-based Junior League of Northern Virginia is hosting a virtual 5K run that will kick off today with a stretching activity. Participants can take part from any location from Jan. 15-18. Register through the organization’s website.
• Mayor’s Walk — 9:30 a.m. at Vienna Town Hall (127 Center St.) — Vienna Mayor Linda Colbert will meet attendees in front of town hall to take a stroll through town while chatting and answering questions from the community.

Sunday (Jan. 17)

• Front Row Series: David Shifrin (Online) — 3 p.m. — Clarinet player David Shifrin will play pieces by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Luigi Bassi, and Duke Ellington in the latest installment of the Chamber Music Society’s “Front Row” concert series. The performance will be followed by a Q&A, all of which will be streamed by the Wolf Trap Foundation for the Performing Arts until midnight on Jan. 24.

(Updated 5:05 p.m.) Police in the Town of Vienna were kept busy this week responding to reports that ranged from a political protest to ketchup-related vandalism.

The Vienna Police Department’s crime round-up for the week of Dec. 30 to Jan. 7 states that officers responded to “group of people protesting political issues in the street and on the sidewalk in front of a residence” on DeSale Street NW at 7:28 p.m. on Jan. 4.

While the report does not provide any additional details, the Associated Press reported on Tuesday (Jan. 5) that protestors had gathered outside the home of Republican Sen. Josh Hawley to decry the Missouri senator’s plan to object to Congress’ certification of President-elect Joe Biden’s victory.

Hawley had accused the protestors of vandalism and threats against his family on Twitter, but Vienna police described the scene as peaceful. The group dispersed when informed that they were violating local laws against picketing in front of a house, littering, and noise, according to the AP.

In a more innocuous event, police were summoned to the Historic Vienna Train Station (231 Dominion Rd.) on the morning of Jan. 4 when a Town of Vienna employee reported seeing “a red liquid on the south wall” of the station.

“It was determined that someone squirted ketchup on the wall,” the VPD says. “There was no permanent damage to the wall.”

Photo via Google Maps

Vienna Police Move into New Temporary Home — With construction on a new station set to begin soon, the Vienna Police Department relocated to the former Faith Baptist Church at 301 Center Street on Jan. 7. Operations and responses haven’t been affected by the move, but the department is taking non-emergency calls at 703-255-6366. [Vienna Happenings]

Mosaic District to Add Dutch Snack Outlet — Poffy will serve traditional Dutch mini pancakes called poffertjes that are often prepared by street vendors. Owner Lilian Wanandy-Perez hopes to open the store in May or June, depending on the permitting process. [Northern Virginia Magazine]

Golf Training Center Opens in Tysons — “GOLFTEC Tysons Corner, a golf instruction and club fitting center, has opened in Tysons. Located at 1430 Spring Hill Road, Suite 102, McLean, the 2,500 -square-foot facility offers golf lessons for a variety of individual needs.” [Patch]

Tysons IT Company Receives Acquisition Proposal — DXC Technology confirmed on Jan. 7 that it received an unsolicited, preliminary and non-binding proposal from Atos SE to acquire all DXC shares. The company’s board of directors will be evaluating the proposal. [Business Wire]

Home Sales in McLean Were Up in 2020 — “Year over year, there has been marginal improvement in the number of home sales with a total count of 1,249 in 2020 compared to 1,219 in 2019. Compared to one decade ago in 2010, there is significantly better news as sales are up 39 percent over that time frame.” [Connection Newspapers]

Staff photo by Jay Westcott

After a few months of delays, Island Fin Poké Co., a fast-casual beach shack serving up Hawaiian-style poké, is slated to open in Falls Church on Jan. 18 to coincide with Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

The poké (pronounced “poh-kay”) restaurant at 7501 Leesburg Pike in Idylwood Plaza will be owned and operated by Bonita Bell and her husband Howard. Bell said in a press release that she is excited to offer jobs and a health-conscious concept to the community during these turbulent times.

“We are delighted and grateful to open up this business at this time in our vibrant community,” Bell said. “The continuing restrictions due to the pandemic will present challenges, but we are now more excited than ever to start the new year promoting positivity and healthy lifestyles.”

The Idylwood Plaza location was set to open in the fall, but was delayed until this month. The owners did not return Tysons Reporter’s request for comment on the delay before publication.

The restaurant will be open from 11 a.m.-9 p.m. every day, according to the chain’s website.

The husband-wife duo have also committed to opening an Island Fin Poké location in Vienna, targeted to open in 2022.

Bell, an African American entrepreneur, said she wants to encourage others to serve their communities on MLK Day. To promote the mindset that the occasion is “a day on, not a day off,” her Falls Church restaurant will donate 20% of its opening day sales to the nonprofit Food for Others.

“The past year has hit many people hard,” she said. “With so many jobs lost from restaurant closings, we are happy to provide job opportunities and to partner with Food for Others to support those who are struggling in our community.”

Like the overall restaurant industry, the pandemic has posed challenges to Island Fin Poké, but the Florida-based fast-casual chain is poised to continue growing, co-founder Mark Setterington said in a statement.

The Falls Church location is Island Fin Poké’s first in Virginia, increasing the chain’s presence in the greater Washington, D.C., area after it opened an outpost in Bowie, Md., last year.

“The DMV area is somewhere we are really excited to grow in,” Setterington said.

He described Bonita  as “the perfect addition to our ohana, as she reflects our mission to bring guests high-quality poke in an immersive and welcoming environment. For us, ohana is a way of life, and we want every guest that walks through our doors to know they are a part of the family.”

Photo courtesy Island Fin Poké Co. 

The Town of Vienna is about to lose an icon.

Amphora Restaurant will permanently close its doors on Jan. 12 after occupying 377 Maple Ave. for 44 years. Word of the impending closure started circulating on social media yesterday.

“It’s impossible to put into words what this place has meant to so many,” Amphora’s owners said in their announcement on Facebook. “With all of the support you’ve shown us over the years, we are beyond humbled to have contributed to our local restaurant and neighborhood community.”

Co-owner Maria Bilidas attributes the decision to close to the challenges of operating a restaurant under the limitations imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Amphora Group will instead consolidate its operations and staff at the newer Amphora Diner Deluxe that it runs in Herndon, where it also has a bakery and catering business.

“We have our bakery up in Herndon. Our corporate offices are in Herndon,” Bilidas said. “Given the current situation and the fact that we don’t see things changing in 2021 any time soon, we felt it was the prudent business decision to consolidate all our operations at this point to our restaurant up in Herndon.”

Founded in 1977 by the Cholakis and Bilidas families, Amphora offers an eclectic, comfort food-oriented menu with more than 350 items, ranging from burgers and grilled cheese to Greek, Italian, and Mexican cuisine. The Vienna restaurant is also complemented by a bakery with cakes, pies, and other desserts.

With its 24/7 operating hours, including all-day breakfast, and congenial atmosphere, the seemingly permanent Maple Avenue fixture built up a reliable local customer base, becoming a go-to venue for families, couples on date nights, and students looking to hang out late into the night.

“We love Vienna,” Bilidas said. “We all grew up in Vienna, we went to high school in Vienna, we have a very strong symbolic relationship with the Town of Vienna.”

Bilidas says the owners all labored “for days and days” over whether to close Amphora Restaurant, but when they got an offer from someone looking to purchase the property, they determined that shutting down would be the best decision for the business and their employees.

Many of the workers at Amphora’s Vienna restaurant will move to the Herndon location, and the owners are encouraging patrons to visit the diner, which has essentially the same menu.

“It’s been a long run, and we’ve made so many connections and so many friends,” Bilidas said. “Some people have moved out to our other location out west as people have moved, and they’re now regulars at our restaurant up in Herndon…We really hope [our customers] come and visit us there.”

Photo via Google Maps

The Town of Vienna has hired the real estate consulting firm Streetsense to conduct a market study and formulate an economic development strategy that the town can use to support and attract businesses.

The Vienna Town Council approved the $100,000 contract last night (Monday). Half of the funding comes from Fairfax County through an Economic Development Support Fund grant.

For the market study, Streetsense will be responsible for analyzing Vienna’s commercial market and proposing policies, programs, and strategies that could improve its competitiveness and address challenges, such as vacancy rates.

The study will be used to create the economic development strategy, which “will provide a roadmap to guide business recovery, better support existing businesses, and bring in complementary new businesses,” the town says in a news release.

“Streetsense has a wealth of knowledge when it comes to retail and other businesses,” Vienna Economic Development Manager Natalie Monkou said. “We’re confident that not only does the Streetsense team have the skill set to complete the market study and strategy development, but that they also understand the need for inclusivity and have the capability to assist the Town in reaching out to Vienna’s diverse businesses and business stakeholders.”

Streetsense was chosen for the project out of 13 teams that responded to a request for proposals that Vienna issued in October. Five finalists were then chosen for interviews by a four-person selection committee that consisted of three town staff members and an economic development professional from the Town of Herndon.

Streetsense will partner with fellow consultant RCLCO Real Estate Advisors to conduct the market study, a process that will include a kick-off meeting, site visits, a survey of consumers and businesses, and conversations with stakeholders.

In its proposal to the Town of Vienna, Streetsense says its analysis will focus on the physical environment of the town’s commercial areas, local economic conditions, demographic and market data, and the town’s administrative capacity and resources.

The need to develop a clear economic development strategy has emerged as a priority for the Town of Vienna after its attempt to encourage redevelopment and mixed-use projects by establishing a Maple Avenue Commercial zone floundered.

The town hired Monkou as its first economic development manager in November 2019, and it is currently working to update its zoning code with Code Create Vienna, a process that is expected to be completed towards the end of this year.

Streetsense says that Vienna is at a “critical juncture” in its evolution, particularly in light of the economic challenges presented by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

“The Town is in need of a forward-thinking, clear, and actionable roadmap to guide business recovery and resilience efforts, as well as key investment decisions in the coming years,” the consulting firm said in its proposal.

According to the Town of Vienna, the market study and economic development strategy are both expected to be finished this summer.

Staff Photo by Jay Westcott

A contractor with the Town of Vienna started working to replace the water main on Broadleaf Drive NE between Beulah Road and Holloway Court NE today (Monday).

E.E. Lyons Construction will install approximately 1,000 linear feet of eight-inch ductile iron pipe to update a water main that was originally constructed in the 1960s, according to Vienna water quality engineer Christine Horner.

The town says the project is expected to take about six weeks to complete. Traffic will be controlled during construction using flaggers.

The Vienna Town Council voted on Apr. 27 of last year to award $1 million to E.E. Lyons for water system improvements throughout the town, including the installation of a new water meter and repairs to aging infrastructure.

Carrying an estimated cost of $216,000, the Broadleaf Drive water main replacement is one of about 26 projects encompassed by the contract. According to the town, individual sites have been prioritized based on water main break data, and work is being conducted in coordination with other town projects.

Construction first started in August on Center Street S. from Maple Avenue to Locust Street, and it continued in different locations throughout the town during the fall.

The projects funds came from a 2020 capital improvements project bond.

A Town contractor began work today on replacing the water main on Broadleaf Drive NE from Beulah Road to Holloway Court NE. Work is expected to take about six weeks to complete. Traffic will be maintained using flaggers during construction. pic.twitter.com/L2KAPUOFMj

— Town of Vienna, VA (@TownofViennaVA) January 4, 2021

Image via Google Maps