At Tuesday's Board of Supervisors (BOS) meeting, we recognized and celebrated several observances and events that show the depth, breadth and diversity of our Mount Vernon District, and Fairfax County. We are proud to recognize both Pride Month and Juneteenth, as well as the 190th Anniversary of the Gum Springs Community, the Health Care Advisory Board's 50th Anniversary and the second consecutive state title for the South County High School Girls' Outdoor Track Team. The Board also recognized Gun Violence Awareness Day and received the annual report of the History Commission.

Pride Month brings an opportunity to support our LGBTQIA+ residents and provides a safe space for them to express their pride in their life choices, while working to ensure equal justice and opportunity for all. The County Libraries and the Department of Family Services have information on Pride Month resources. This Juneteenth, we will celebrate with Gum Springs, the oldest known African American community in Fairfax County. The celebration on Saturday, June 17 from 9 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. will feature an unveiling of the new West Ford historic marker, health fair, food, music, carnival rides, give-aways and more!

Gun Violence Awareness Day calls our attention to the senseless acts of violence and lives lost to the tragedy of gun violence. I will continue to support common sense gun laws and other means to reduce violence.

At the meeting I recognized the passing of Earl Flanagan. As a longtime resident, Earl was a respected community leader, volunteer, architect, Mount Vernon District Planning Commissioner for 12 years, Patriot and WW2 veteran. He was known for his sharp mind and effective land use planning, serving on the Planning Commission into his 90’s. He also served as President of the Riverside Estates Civic Association, President of the Mount Vernon Council of Citizens Associations; Chairman of the Council’s Transportation Committee; Board Director of the Fairfax County Federation of Citizens Associations, Committee of 100 and Southeast Fairfax Development Corporation; Task Force member of the Richmond Highway Revitalization Study, Mount Vernon Area Plan Review (APR) and Fairfax County Redistricting Committee; and was named Commonwealth of Virginia Earl L. Flanagan Day honoree, December 28, 1997; Mount Vernon District Lord Fairfax for 1999; and Mount Vernon District Citizen of the Year in 2000. As an artillery Non-Commissioned Officer with Patton’s 3rd Army in Europe during World War II, Earl was awarded the Army Commendation Medal for an advance landing of the 71st Division at LeHarve, France. The 71st Infantry Division liberated the Mauthausen concentration camp in Austria and Earl was also part of the team dispatched by General Patton to secure the Lippizzaner Stallions. As Planning Commissioner, and through his service to our community, Earl truly helped shape our District and he will be missed by all.

Respectfully yours in public service,

Dan Storck

The following are highlights from the Board of Supervisors June 6, 2023 meeting, including items of particular interest to Mount Vernon residents. For additional information, please go to the County’s Board Agenda and Meeting Schedule. The clerk to the board's official Summary of Board Actions is available the week following each meeting. Information is also available by a video linked to the board agenda and the Board of Supervisors Highlights podcast. 

Para recibir la información de nuestro boletín electrónico en español, o para hablar con un hispanohablante, comuníquese con Madeleine Carcamo Reyes a su preferencia, por teléfono al (703) 780-7518 o por correo electrónico: [email protected].

To view the June 6, 2023 Board Package click here. For a complete listing of public hearings held and approved, please see the Clerk to the Board's official Summary of Board Actions, available the week following each meeting.

Item 2: Approved "$200 Additional Fine for Speeding" signs as part of the Residential Traffic Administration Program (RTAP) for Collingwood Road, at the request of the neighborhood. The full item can be read here.

Item 12: Authorized the Department of Public Works and Environmental Services to apply for and accept grant funding from the United States Department of Agriculture Forest Service in the amount of $10,700,000 to plant street trees to address heat islands in vulnerable communities. The full item can be read here.

Item 13: Authorized the Department of Public Works and Environmental Services to apply for and accept grant funding from the United States Department of Agriculture Forest Service in the amount of $11,500,000 to grow and sustain urban forests to achieve environmental equity. The full item can be read here.

Item 14: Authorized the Department of Neighborhood and Community Services to apply for and accept grant funding from the Virginia Early Childhood Foundation in the amount of $1,377,680 to support mixed delivery slot reimbursement and required mixed delivery coordination for ready region. The full item can be read here.

Item 3: Approval of the Task Force Agreement between the Police Department and the United States Department of Justice Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) for the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area. The detectives will be physically detailed to and work out of an FCPD office. Being part of the Task Force allows the FCPD to pursue cases that originate in Fairfax on the federal level for prosecution. Additionally, it allows FCPD to identify suppliers outside of Fairfax County more easily, who are facilitating drugs being brought into the County. The FCPD’s participation in the various DEA task forces ensures the health and general welfare of our community members. The full item can be read here.

The Original Mount Vernon High School (OMVHS), owned by the Board of Supervisors, is located at 8333 Richmond Highway. The OMVHS facility is identified on the Fairfax County Inventory of Historic Sites and listed on the National Register of Historic Places and Virginia Historic Landmarks.

The applicant, Fairfax County Department of Public Works & Environmental Services, submitted a Special Exception Amendment for the OMVHS facility to allow for an Alternative Use of Historic Buildings under the new modernized Zoning Ordinance adopted on March 23, 2021, known as “zMOD.” The special exception amendment application, SEA 88-V-064-05, was previously heard before the Fairfax County Planning Commission on June 29, 2022, which recommended unanimous approval of the application. This application was approved unanimously by the Board of Supervisors on September 13, 2022. Since that time, County staff have been working through the design and site plan review process. 

The Alternative Use of Historic Buildings is a use created by the zMOD Ordinance, which the Board adopted in 2021. Because litigation challenging that 2021 Ordinance continues, and out of an abundance of caution per the Office of the County Attorney, DPWES has been advised to go back through the public hearing process for approval under the modernized Zoning Ordinance the Board readopted last month.

Recognizing Gum Springs 190th Anniversary - Jointly with Chairman Jeff McKay

The Gum Springs community, located in the Mount Vernon District, is the oldest African American community in Fairfax County. Gum Springs was founded by West Ford, a former slave owned by George Washington’s family, who acquired the property in 1833. Gum Springs became a refuge for runaways and freed slaves to live. Helped by Quakers, freed slaves worked in the trades they had learned as estate slaves. Many activities, including exhibits at the Gum Springs Museum, celebrate the long continuity of this historic black community. Today, Gum Springs has more than 2,500 residents; as many as 500 are descendants of the original families. 

This year’s annual Gum Springs Day on June 17 will feature an unveiling of the West Ford Historic Marker at 10:30 a.m. near Richmond Highway and Fordson Road. All are invited to the Gum Springs community from 9 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. for this annual celebration. The day features a health fair, food, music, carnival rides, give-aways and more!

Recognizing South County High School Girls' Outdoor Track Team as the VHSL Class 6 Outdoor Track Virginia State Champions - Jointly with Chairman Jeff McKay and Supervisor Pat Herrity

The South County High School Girls' Outdoor Track Team won the state championship by 13.5 points for the 2023 VHSL Class 6 Outdoor Track Virginia State Championships on June 3, 2023. The team took first place in two individual events and a relay. Catalina Sanchious won both the 100m and 200m events. Her teammate Cameron Thompson placed second in both races as well. The relay team, consisting of Jordann Germain, Ajayla McNeel, Destinie Williams and Jordan Salisbury won the 4x400m. This is the second consecutive championship for the Women’s Outdoor Track Team. Over the winter, the South County Girls' Indoor Track Team placed second overall in the Virginia State Championship. 

We would like to recognize and celebrate the contributions of the South County Girls' Outdoor Track team, parents, coaches, teachers and administrators who worked hard to help the team achieve these results. 

Approval to amend and readopt County Code Relating to the Commercial Property Assessed Clean Energy and Resiliency Program (C-PACE) to permit the County to opt into the new statewide program. Opting into the statewide program offers localities like Fairfax County two key benefits:

This action supports a quality built and natural environment, a One Fairfax area of focus. C-PACE advances two of the County’s strategic outcome areas: economic development and environment. The C-PACE program promotes economic development by encouraging direct private investment in the community and providing financing opportunities for commercial property owners, including those that own multifamily buildings such as apartment complexes and senior and assisted living facilities that serve vulnerable populations. The full item can be read here. Learn more about C-PACE.

June 14:

Early in-person voting for the June 20 Democratic Primary is open until Saturday, June 17. Any registered voter can cast their ballot at any early voting site. Before going to vote, please double check the hours sites are open because times vary by location.

Early in-person voting locations in the Mount Vernon District:

Hours at both locations:

Primary Election Day is Tuesday, June 20 from 6 a.m. - 7 p.m. and all local polling locations will be open. To find your polling place for election day and to register visit.

Primary candidates for these offices and districts will be on the ballot:

The June election is only a primary for Democratic Party candidates because the Fairfax County Republican Party committee chose to select its candidates by other means. In Virginia, political parties decide how they nominate their candidates, including using caucuses, mass meetings, primary elections and other methods.

Fairfax County Housing and Community Development wants your feedback on the draft Affordable Housing Preservation Administrative Policy Guidelines. The guidelines will define how the County’s Affordable Housing Preservation Policy, which encourages the preservation of existing market affordable housing and committed affordable housing through redevelopment, will be implemented.

The draft guidelines are available online for public comment through June 30, 2023. Staff is hosting virtual engagement sessions on June 13 from 12 - 1 p.m. and 7 - 8 p.m. Staff will provide an overview of the Administrative Policy Guidelines, answer questions and gather input from attendees. Learn more.

Virginia Passenger Rail Authority's Franconia Area projects, which include the Franconia to Lorton Third Track and the Franconia-Springfield Bypass. Learn about these upcoming infrastructure improvements.

Learn more.

The Fairfax County Police Department (FCPD) is launching Zencity’s Blockwise, a new public survey tool used by dozens of leading police departments around the country, to understand local concerns, attitudes and trust in police officers. The tool will enable FCPD to holistically understand local neighborhood safety issues, enhancing their responsiveness to community priorities. The survey will gather responses from residents in English, Spanish, Arabic, Chinese, Korean, Vietnamese Urdu, Telugu and Amharic. The survey will appear to residents through the use of digital ads in various locations such as news websites, social media platforms and other applications. Learn more.

For the first time, Metro will begin offering reduced fares to assist low-income customers. The new income-qualified reduced fare program, 'Metro Lift' launches Tuesday, June 20. Customers who qualify for the US Department of Agriculture's Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program (SNAP) are eligible to enroll. Customers enrolled in Metro Lift will receive a 50 percent discount for any travel on Metrorail and Metrobus. Online enrollment and appointment scheduling will begin on Tuesday, June 20, at wmata.com/MetroLift. In-person enrollment will begin at three sites starting on Monday, June 26. Learn more.

Dementia Friendly Fairfax envisions our community as a place where people living with dementia and their care partners will be able to engage in a variety of activities, be supported in the highest quality of life and can live independently for as long as possible. 

To learn more, attend the upcoming Dementia Friends Information Session on Wednesday, June 14 from 12 - 1:15 p.m. Register here.

Know Your Numbers: The Cost Savings of Climate Action 

Many of our daily actions have an environmental impact, whether we’re at home or on the go. Actions that use electricity or fuel — like turning on our lights, using appliances and devices, heating and cooling our homes and driving our cars —contribute to climate-warming greenhouse gas emissions. They also cost money, for example, the U.S. Department of Energy estimates that Americans spend an average of $2,000 per year on home energy. Learn about the cost savings of climate action —and how you can assess your personal emissions to give back to the environment and your wallet.