May 25, 2022

Neighbors,

Yesterday’s news brought yet another unthinkable horror to our collective consciousness: a mass shooting at a Texas  school where 4th graders and  teachers lost their lives in their own classroom. Just a couple hours before the massacre, the Board of Supervisors proclaimed June 3 as Gun Violence Awareness Day and recognized the advocacy efforts of our local Moms Demand Action representatives (pictured). Their speaker's voice broke as she noted the schools where innocent children have died from gun violence, including Columbine, Parkland, Virginia Tech and Sandy Hook, among others. And now there is one more school on this awful list.

The Board of Supervisors and the School Board have taken several steps in the last several years to protect our children and employees in Fairfax County. Guns are prohibited in all county facilities and property, including parks. Schools have invested in additional security and procedures.

But we can and should do more. Investing in mental health services is crucial. Yesterday, also before Uvalde, the Board of Supervisors approved the Chairman's Board Matter to take a closer look at the county's mental health and substance abuse services for youth. We can continue to support gun safety and gun sense measures in our communities through advocacy efforts. We can look for and procure new technology and safety measures to protect our schools. And we can ask the General Assembly to ensure common sense gun laws are in place. 

Our children have been through enough.

Regards,

Walter

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The Board of Supervisors met yesterday, May 24. You can watch the meeting here or review the Board package here. A few highlights for Hunter Mill District residents:

Reston Town Center North Public Facilities Community Task Force: The Board approved my Board Matter to authorize a master plan study for the county owned land in Reston Town Center North. I will be establishing a task force of nearby community members to provide input so that we can move forward with this master plan with locations for critically needed community facilities in Reston Town Center North. Most pressing is a new Embry Rucker Shelter, facilities for related services and permanent supportive housing, and a new Reston Regional Library. Former Chairman of the Board and Reston Town Center resident Kate Hanley will be chairing the task force. Learn more. 

Homelessness: Review of County Programs: I collaborated with and was a co-sponsor of Dranesville District Supervisor John Foust's Board Matter requesting a review of county programs addressing the challenges of homelessness. According to the most recent Point in Time Count, as of Jan. 26, 2022, there were 1,191 people experiencing homelessness in the Fairfax area. Yesterday's approved Board Matter extends the scope of my April 12 Board Matter to review current operational performance of county and nonprofit service providers. Among other directions, the Board is requesting a review of current zoning requirements and allowances for emergency shelter in commercial and industrial districts where vacant and underutilized properties might be used by private entities to provide sheltering and transitional services to the homeless population and add this to the Zoning Ordinance work program for the Board’s consideration. Watch the discussion here.

Voting Precinct Changes in North Point: Voting Precinct Changes in North Point: The Board approved advertisement of a public hearing to consider moving the North Point #1 voting precinct to Aldrin Elementary School, 11375 Center Harbor Road, Reston, and renaming the precinct “North Point.” North Point #2 will continue to vote at St. Thomas á Becket and to avoid voter confusion, the precinct be renamed “Piney Run.” Learn more (page 63). If approved by the board on June 7, voters in these precincts will be notified by the Office of Elections. 

Memorial Day weekend is the unofficial start to the summer. There are many events and programs taking place this summer and you can look for highlights in this newsletter. Here's a good start:

Hunter Mill Melodies Summer Concert Series at Frying Pan Farm Park: This annual free concert series takes place on Wednesdays at 10 a.m. (for children) and Thursdays at 7:30 p.m. More information, including concert schedule.

Summer Reading Adventure: Fairfax County Public Library will be offering more in-person and virtual events this summer to keep kids engaged in reading.

Town of Vienna's Liberty Amendments Month: A multitude of events are scheduled to commemorate the passage of the 13th, 14th, 15th and 19th Amendments, which granted full rights to citizens who were previously excluded from the U.S. Constitution. Last year more than 22,000 people attended more than 65 educational and commemorative events in the inaugural celebration from Juneteenth to Liberty Amendments Day, a Town holiday.

Learn more. 

Reston Comprehensive Plan Study Task Force Update; Next Meeting is June 6

County staff review of the Task Force’s interim recommendations on the 14 areas of the Reston Comprehensive Plan Study is underway. The next Task Force meeting to discuss county staff input:

• Monday, June 6, 5 p.m. The meeting is hosted on Webex, Use this link to attend and participate. Call in and listen to the meeting: dial 1-844-621-3956, and use access code: 2334 920 3369. The meeting can also be viewed on YouTube.
• Important Note: Meeting dates are subject to change, non-Task Force members can receive notifications about changes to scheduled meetings. To sign up for email updates, visit the Email Subscription page, enter your email address and select Reston Study & Plan Amendment News.

To learn more about the Reston Comprehensive Plan Study and the Task Force, visit the Reston Comprehensive Plan Study webpage. The archive of meeting details and agendas is here. The video archive of all past task force meetings can be found on my YouTube page. If you have questions or would like to provide input, please email [email protected].

Congratulations to NOVA Parks and our Korean community on the 10th Anniversary of the Korean Bell Garden - it was my honor to be a part of the festivities last Saturday!

The bell garden was installed in the beautiful Meadowlark Botanical Gardens in May 2011 and is a much-treasured cultural landmark for our residents. We are very honored to have it here in the Hunter Mill District of Fairfax County. Learn more. 

Backstage Brewfest and More at Viva Vienna! 

Viva Vienna! is returning this weekend May 28-30. It's a fun weekend with family activities, local vendors, food and more. A highlight this year is the Backstage BrewFest in the parking lot of the Vienna Volunteer Fire Department, 400 Center Street S. There will be live bands, beer, wine and plenty of food to select from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. Learn more about Viva Vienna and please stop by the Hunter Mill District booth to say hi! 

Summer on the Green

Join your neighbors each Friday from June 3 to Aug. 12 on the Town Green at 6:30 p.m. for live music and lots of summer fun! Performer schedule and details.

Police Pilot Program to Survey Community

The Fairfax County Police Department recently launched a nine-month pilot program that will send text messages to people who reach out to the Police Department requesting select types of service. The engagement tool will generate text messages in both English and Spanish. These messages will ask a series of questions, such as “Prior to your interaction with the officer, how did you view FCPD?” Survey results will be paired with comprehensive analytics, which will help guide the department with future engagement strategies without collecting personal identifying information. Learn more. 

Memorial Day Schedule for Fairfax County Government 

Fairfax County Government offices are closed Monday, May 30, for the Memorial Day holiday. However, some facilities are open and schedules vary. For specific schedule information, please see the county's Operating Status page.

Fairfax County Awarded $6 Million to Assist First-Time Homebuyers

The Fairfax County Redevelopment and Housing Authority has been awarded an additional allocation of $6 million in funding to help qualified first-time homebuyers purchase a home in Fairfax County. The funding can be used to buy down the interest rate by 1% for first-time homebuyers who meet Virginia Housing’s eligibility and underwriting requirements. Learn more. 

Park Authority Celebrates National Trails Day June 4

The Park Authority is celebrating Trails Day with hikes, events and a new topic page filled with information about the trail system in Fairfax County. Visit the National Trails Day page.