The Vienna Town Council delayed voting on the controversial 380 Maple Avenue redevelopment to allow the developers and residents more time to try to reach a consensus through a mediation process.

Some Vienna residents have argued that the four-floor, mixed-use building creates traffic, safety and scale issues that warrant the Vienna Town Council rejecting the proposal. Others have argued that the building could revitalize the downtown area.

After more than half of a dozen meetings and multiple changes by developer Dennis Rice, a mediation process started last month between the citizens and developers to see if they could achieve consensus on the project.

In an update to the Vienna Town Council on Monday (June 3), Ray Brill, a Vienna resident who offered to mediate the discussions, said that six neighbors and two developers met for two hours on May 28.

“We talked primarily about lowering the density and the height, and we offered a modification that might have a terrace effect so there wouldn’t be four floors from [the neighbors’] point of view,” Brill said.

Brill said that the two upcoming meetings on June 6 and June 13 should determine the fate of the project.

“It seems they made a good faith effort to discuss it,” Brill told the Town Council. “I think these two meetings should either decide that we can come to a compromise or we cannot.”

The Town Council decided to delay voting on the project to Monday, June 17, to allow time for the two scheduled mediation meetings.

“I’m practical and I don’t want to drag it out,” Brill said. “By the 13th, we will know one way or the other.”

Image via Town of Vienna

Vienna is looking for a police station befitting a town with calls like a man missing his lawnmower keys.

The town is currently in the process of reviewing designs for a new police station at 215 S. Center Street. At a May 20 work session, the Town Council reviewed designs and costs for the project.

Much of the discussion about the station involved trying to give the station a “warm” and approachable feeling — particularly with part of the project focusing on making a community space at the station.

Some of this meant a review of the types of materials used in construction, with developers favoring brick to more intimidating concrete for some of the fences and the plaza.

“It doesn’t have to be a fortress to feel safe,” a designer for the project said.

Other parts of the design process focused on the scaling of the building, which has been a contentious topic in Vienna with locals fearing new commercial projects overshadowing the town’s neighborhood feeling. Designers at the meeting said they were favoring a design that didn’t feel as “large or looming” as other options.

Lynne Coan, communications and marketing manager for the Town of Vienna, said in an email that final renderings are likely incoming over the next few months.

A cost estimate included in the work session also priced the proposed police station at roughly $14.2 million.

Image via Dewberry

A free summer concert series will kick off Friday (June 7) in the Town of Vienna.

The town partnered with the Rotary Club of Vienna and other sponsors on the “Summer on the Green Concert Series.”

The concerts start at 6:30 p.m. — unless otherwise noted — on Fridays at the Vienna Town Green (144 E. Maple Avenue).

Friday performance schedule:

• June 7: Vienna Idol
• June 14: Nowhere Men, an acoustic Beatles tribute band
• June 21: Chillin’ on Church featuring the Deja Gruv Band
• June 28: Sarah Bennett Swanner playing country and blues Covers
• July 5: U.S. Navy Band Commodores, a big band jazz ensemble
• July 12: Fat Chance playing rock music
• July 19: Chillin’ on Church featuring Mudlark
• July 26: U.S. Army Band playing Louisiana jazz and folk
• August 2: The Rockits playing rock and Motown
• August 9: Shenandoah Run, a folk group
• August 16: Chillin’ on Church featuring Big Bad JuJu
• August 23: Wayne Tympanick Trio playing jazz
• September 20: Chillin’ on Church featuring the Hard Swimmin’ Fish

The concert series also has a handful of performances that are not on Fridays, but do start at 6:30 p.m., including:

• Wednesday, June 12: Rocknocerous
• Sunday, July 7: U.S. Navy Band playing bluegrass
• Sunday, July 21: Vienna Community Band

Attendees can bring chairs and blankets, but should leave alcohol and pets at home.

If rain clouds roll in, attendees can call 703-255-7842 or the Department of Parks and Recreation at 703-255-6360 two hours before the event for cancellation information.

Image via Google Maps

A meeting Wednesday in Vienna will provide information on a proposed design concept for the I-66 and Nutley Street interchange.

The proposed “dog bone” design is meant to improve traffic flow on Nutley Street and reduce construction impacts nearby, according to the Northern Virginia Transportation Authority.

Additionally, the project would connect shared-use paths with planned bicycle and pedestrian improvements around the Vienna/Fairfax-GMU Metro station, according to the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT).

The proposed redesign is a part of a larger project to transform I-66 stretching from I-495 in Gainesville to Dunn Loring near Route 29.

VDOT’s timeline for the interchange project is:

• spring 2019: clearing activities begin
• summer 2019: traffic shifts on I-66 near Nutley Street
• 2020: traffic shifts on Nutley Street and ramps and construction begins
• December 2022: express lanes open

Clearing has already happened around the interchange and parts of I-66, according to VDOT.

The June 5 meeting runs from 6:30-8:30 p.m. at James Madison High School (2500 James Madison Drive).

The meeting is free and will be in an open-house format with brief presentations at 7 p.m. and 8 p.m., according to a recent Town of Vienna newsletter.

Images via VDOT

The Vienna Police Department is offering tips for how to prevent stolen cars and vehicle tampering after a recent spate of car-related crimes.

“With the advent of warmer weather, the Town of Vienna Police Department would like to remind all Town of Vienna residents to secure their vehicles and personal belongings,” the reminder says. “Recently there have been several vehicle tamperings to include stolen vehicles from Vienna and the neighboring jurisdictions.”

The last week in May saw a dramatic increase for the month with a total of 21 car-related crimes, according to the weekly police highlights.

From May 24-30, police reported 13 vehicle tamperings, two stolen autos, three grand larcenies related to car thefts and three petit larcenies related to car thefts — not to mention, one Segway scooter reported as abandoned in front of one Vienna resident’s home.

Earlier in the month, the weekly crime reports ranged from three to seven car-related crimes.

While the police highlights are not a comprehensive list of every incident, they provide “a more substantive summary of several incidents, which may be of interest to the community,” according to the Town of Vienna.

The Vienna Police Department gave the following tips:

• lock car doors
• secure car windows
• remove any valuable items
• remove keys
• report suspicious activity

“In some cases, the subjects have been observed wearing several layers of clothing, not consistent with the weather conditions,” according to police. “This is used to conceal stolen items and also to make identification difficult as they will shed layers of clothing as they flee the area when they suspect they have been observed committing a crime.”

In ToV police incident reports from 5/24-30, there were reports of items stolen from 12 vehicles, 11 vehicles rummaged thru, and 2 cars stolen. What did they all have in common? The vehicles were unlocked! Vienna PD reminds residents to lock car doors & remove valuables. pic.twitter.com/bhfKPZeism

— Town of Vienna, VA (@TownofViennaVA) June 3, 2019

Photo via Facebook

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!

Monday (June 3)

• Commonwealth’s Attorney Candidate Forum on Criminal Justice — 7-9 p.m. at First Baptist Church of Vienna (450 Orchard Street) — Four local justice-related organizations are hosting a debate incumbent Commonwealth’s Attorney Raymond Morrough and challenger Steve Descano, who have clashed throughout the race over the reach of the office into political issues.

Wednesday (June 5)

• Learning about the Opioid Crisis — 11 a.m.-12 p.m. at Tysons-Pimmit Regional Library (7584 Leesburg Pike) — A pharmacist will be on hand at the library to teach about opioid use, signs and symptoms of drug abuse, addiction, and drug overdose.
• Nutley/I-66 Interchange Update — 6:30-8:30 p.m. at James Madison High School (2500 James Madison Drive) — The Fairfax Alliance for Better Bicycling is hosting a meeting with the Virginia Department of Transportation to discuss how work on the Transform 66 project will impact the cycling and pedestrian trail.
• Jesse Ruben Album Release at Jammin Java — 7:30 p.m. at Jammin Java (227 Maple Ave E.) — Acoustic artist Jesse Ruben is planning an album release party at Jammin Java, performing a mix of songs from the new EP and older material.

Thursday (June 6)

• Board of Supervisors Chair Candidates on the Environment — 7-9 p.m. at Blueberry Hill Common House (9701 Farmside Place) — The candidates for Board of Supervisors Chair are planned to attend a debate focusing on environmental and energy issues. The debate will be moderated by George Mason University Professor Star Muir.

Friday (June 7)

• Vienna Idol 2019 Finale — 6:30 p.m. at the Vienna Town Green (144 Maple Ave) — Six finalists are competing in the Vienna Idol finale. The audience will vote with tickets on the winner. All proceeds from the event go to the Khristin Kyllo Memorial Fund.

Saturday (June 8)

• All Star Comic Con 2019 — 10 a.m.-5 p.m. at the Sheraton Tysons Hotel (8661 Leesburg Pike) — Tysons’ one and only comic convention returns for two days of comics, vendors, artists, cosplay and more. Guests at the con include writers Gail Simone and Tom King.
• “The Spies of Shilling Lane” Signing — 3-4 p.m. at Barnes & Noble (7851 Tysons Corner Center) — Author Jennifer Ryan is hosting a signing for her new novel about a mother trying to find a daughter who has gone missing in the espionage underworld of the London Blitz.
• The World’s Most Alluring Cars — 4-9 p.m. at Tysons Biergarten (8346 Leesburg Pike) — A James Bond-themed event is planned with classic cars, from a 1911 Stanley Steam Car to a 2019 Lamborghini. Food, beer, martinis and cigars will all be available at the event.
• Three Year Anniversary for Greenhouse Bistro — 5 p.m.-2 a.m. at Greenhouse Bistro (2070 Chain Bridge Road) — Greenhouse Bistro is celebrating three years in Tysons and is welcoming guests to an invitation-only party. An RSVP is available at the event page with guests asked to sign up no later than June 7. An “upscale attire” will be strictly enforced.

Photo via Vienna Idol/Facebook

(Updated at 12:10 p.m. on June 4) President Donald Trump made a quick, speechless-stop at the McLean Bible Church after a round of golf on Sunday (June 2).

Trump bowed his head in prayer with pastor David Platt — reportedly in remembrance of the victims of the mass shooting in Virginia Beach, though no mention of the shooting was made while Trump was there.

Trump was only on the stage for a few minutes and made no remarks to the audience.

President Trump makes an unannounced stop at McLean Bible Church in Vienna, VA. pic.twitter.com/qBZzDi96vl

— The Hill (@thehill) June 2, 2019

Photo via Google Maps

Fairfax County Police arrested a convicted sex offender from Vienna after he tried to attend to enter an elementary school in the Falls Church area.

The incident occurred yesterday (Thursday) around 3 p.m. at Shrevewood Elementary School (7525 Shreve Road).

“While trying to attend a school event with an acquaintance, a man attempted to check into the school using the automated visitor management system, the man’s name was flagged as being on the sex offender registry,” the police report said. “School staff denied him entry into the school and called police.”

Cornejo was arrested and charged with “entering school property after a violent sex offense,” according to police. He is being held at the Adult Detention Center without bond.

According to Virginia’s sex offender registry, a man named Alonso Bruno Cornejo, who lives in Vienna, was convicted in 2011 for sex trafficking of a juvenile.

An FBI press release from 2011 said that Alonso Bruno Cornejo Ormeno was sentenced to 292 months — roughly 24 years — in prison for “sex trafficking runaway females as part of his juvenile prostitution business that serviced clients throughout northern Virginia, as well as Washington, D.C., and Maryland.”

Photo via Fairfax County Police Department 

Stuff the Bus, a charity drive where donors try to fill a bus with food for local pantries, is coming to multiple locations throughout the Tysons area in June.

The event helps to refill the stocks of a diverse range of local charities with canned goods and other non-perishable supplies.

Saturday (June 1)

• Falls Church Giant — 9:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. at 1230 W. Broad Street, Falls Church — The drive will benefit the Falls Church Community Service Council, a coalition of churches and human service organizations in Falls Church assisting low-income individuals and families in short-term or emergency needs.

Saturday (June 15)

• McLean Giant — 9:30 a.m.-3 p.m. at 1454 Chain Bridge Road, McLean — The drive will benefit Share, Inc., a nonprofit in McLean that provides financial assistance, distribution of food, used clothing, recycled furniture and transportation services for seniors. The organization is all volunteer run.

Saturday (June 22)

• Vienna Giant — 10 a.m.-3 p.m. at 359 Maple Avenue East, Vienna — The drive will benefit Committee for Helping Others, an all-volunteer organization that provides clothing, furniture, meals on wheels, transportation and emergency food aid or financial assistance.

Saturday (June 29)

• Safeway at Pan Am — 10 a.m.-2 p.m. at 3043 Nutley Street, Fairfax — The drive will benefit Food for Others, a regional emergency food distribution service.

Photo via Fairfax County

A second Movers and Shakers Festival is in the works for Vienna, but will likely be one year later than originally planned.

The original Movers and Shakers festival in 2017 raised money for the “Taking Flight” statue honoring late Mayor Jane Seeman.

James Cudney, this year’s chairman for Movers and Shakers, said the nonprofit is hoping to shift the focus from a specific project to broader support for local artists. Cudney compared the festival to ViVa! Vienna! where proceeds go to the Rotary Club and are then given out as grants.

“The premise of Movers and Shakes is a juried art festival,” said Cudney. “The proceeds from that go to grants for arts projects within the greater Vienna area.”

If all goes according to plan, the festival with handmade art along with music, food and beer will be held in 2020.

Staff at a work session on May 20 said they supported the event, though there were concerns about potential funding challenges. As the project moves forward, staff said the proposal will face two levels of approval: approval of the event itself and approval of funding.

Town Council members also said at the work session they will want to check in with staff to make sure they wouldn’t be overworked by another festival so soon after Oktoberfest. Council members also noted that staff will need to check in with nearby property owners to ensure they are on board with the festival.

“We’ve requested to wrap everything up by November,” Cudney said. “They have a couple more things requested from us, and we’ll submit that by the end of the month, then it goes to another work session and to Town Council. We’re pretty close.”

Photo via Facebook