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10.22.2026
Dear Neighbor,
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The number one question I’ve received this year as Supervisor is whether I miss being on the School Board. Truthfully? I do. I miss the governance, the policy work, and the privilege of helping shape an educational system that educates the future leaders of tomorrow. I miss directly serving students, many who reminded me of my own kids. And yes, I even miss our Thursday night meetings, even if they often ended after midnight. (My caffeine budget, however, is very relieved.)
Though the work of the School Board will always hold a special place in my heart, there is no work quite like that of the Board of Supervisors. I am beyond thrilled to be here, building on the experience from the School Board to serve in a broader capacity. Fairfax County is a vast panorama of people and opportunity, and in my first year, I’ve discovered that the same love of thoughtful policy and community service stretches into every corner of Braddock.
Through our Board committees such as Housing and Human Services, Transportation, Economic Initiatives, Safety, Environmental Planning, and more, I’ve been able to help shape the systems that affect daily life here. Our committee conversations have ranged from housing stability and family supports to mobility, arts, trails, and long‑term opportunity. And being an advocate for disability inclusion as part of our broader equity and opportunity work has carried over from my time in the schools and expanded countywide, helping ensure everyone has the chance to thrive.
If you’d like to explore our committees or follow our work more closely, you can find links to committee and Board Meetings materials here.
This job has also filled me with tremendous energy and optimism for what’s possible in Braddock. My team and I have been able to amplify the work of outstanding community organizations improving the quality of life for neighbors of all backgrounds. We’ve worked with housing authorities to increase affordable units, secured millions in active transportation funding, and met with industry leaders, arts organizations, and community partners who are eager to invest in what makes this district shine - our engaged neighborhoods, our incredible schools, our welcoming parks, and our beloved trails. And when your district is both the geographic and higher‑ed center of the county, people tend to find their way to you, sometimes even without relying on that famous “Braddock shortcut” everyone insists is faster through the triangles that make up many of our roads.
I’ve also been proud to stand with our community during some tough stretches this year, from the saga of snowcrete to the sudden and devastating Burke microburst. Working closely with neighborhood leaders, nonprofits, and county agencies, we made sure residents had information, resources, and support as much as we could. We watched with pride as neighbors came together to help one another in true Braddock spirit. If there’s one thing Braddock does exceptionally well, it’s turning challenges into opportunities to show what community really means. Come help me celebrate the best at the Best of Braddock on November 10th.
My staff and I have had plenty of fun this year. Hosting community events like Braddock Bark and our budget town hall, and creating the Braddock Arts Council and the first annual Battle of the Bands has helped us provide you information and bring our communities together. We’ve had so much fun getting to know our neighbors.
I love the broader canvas of this role so much, especially the way it lets me serve Braddock in all its layers: vibrant, diverse, connected, and always ready with an opinion that helps me think, learn, and grow as your representative. I'm especially grateful to have a strong partnership with current School Board representative Tom Dannan as we work together to serve Braddock. Please continue to share your thoughts on the many areas we work on, or anything you think we should know to better serve you.
The School Board was a wonderful opportunity to serve my community. Yet, every day I wake up grateful that you entrusted me with this position. We’ve done so much together and the work has only just begun. Let’s see what else we can do.
| Supervisor Rachna Sizemore Heizer | | |
In this issue:
- 🗨️In the Community: Photo Gallery
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🎬Board Meeting Recap
- 👥What's Happening Around Braddock?
- 🍎Education
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🏠Housing and Environment updates
- 🚗Transportation
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🏢Land Use
- 🍎Health and Human Services
- 💚💛Mason Matters
- 🐱Pet Adoption Corner
| | Our office will be closed from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. on Monday, October 26 for the Fairfax Crest affordable housing opening. | | In the Community: Photo Gallery | | 10.15.26: At the Fairfax Campus and Community Advisory Board (FCCAB). We meet regularly with representatives from Fairfax City and George Mason University to discuss issues directly affecting our three jurisdictions. | | |
10.16.26: Live from the Domestic and Sexual Violence Community Annual Meeting. This year's theme was "One Community, Interwoven,"
and it was beautiful to see our community come together to support
survivors of domestic violence.
| | 10.17.26: I had so much fun at the Ravensworth and Oak Hill elementary schools fall festivals. | |
10.19.26: At Supervisor Palchik's Green Fairfax Environmental Summit. Here's your reminder to go green! | |
10.22.26: Today was the kick-off of the Kings Park Library book sale! All proceeds directly benefit the library, and the
books are both incredible and incredibly affordable.
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Council for Economic Opportunity
I recently had the opportunity to learn more about the Tysons Community Alliance’s (TCA) approach to place-based economic development and how its work could serve as a model for other communities across Fairfax County, including here in the Braddock District.
TCA’s presentation highlighted the results of seven weeks of programming, including COPA Tysons Soccer Fest and the DMV Summer Kickoff Music Fest, held from May 30 through July 19, 2026. According to TCA, these events attracted more than 31,000 attendees, generated an estimated $4.78 million or more in visitor spending, and produced at least $68,000 in direct County tax revenue. Approximately 56% of attendees traveled from outside Fairfax County, helping bring new visitors and potential customers to local businesses.
These results demonstrate the potential economic benefits of investing in community events, destination marketing, and public spaces. TCA also reported substantial media exposure, with an estimated $6 million in earned media value and 240 million media impressions throughout the seven weeks of programming.
Successful economic development requires more than hosting individual events. TCA emphasized the importance of pairing programming and destination branding with long-term investments in infrastructure, including pedestrian connections, wayfinding, and public amenities. Together, these efforts can create more welcoming and accessible destinations, support local restaurants and retailers, attract investment, and strengthen the County’s commercial districts.
Safety and Security Committee
I recently participated in a discussion with the Fairfax County Police Department (FCPD) and my colleagues on the Board of Supervisors regarding Automated License Plate Readers (ALPRs). The conversation was a valuable opportunity to bridge perspectives, better understand the technology’s public safety benefits, and address residents’ concerns about privacy and civil liberties.
As elected officials, much of our perspective is shaped by what we hear directly from constituents and the concerns raised in the news, particularly regarding data security, privacy, and the potential for misuse. Meanwhile, FCPD’s perspective is informed by its direct experience using ALPRs to recover stolen vehicles, locate missing persons, and support criminal investigations.
I appreciated the opportunity to hear more about the steps FCPD has taken to strengthen safeguards to its ALPR program. The department has implemented reduced data retention periods, limited the number of personnel authorized to conduct searches, strengthened departmental policies, and introduced additional auditing and oversight measures. These efforts demonstrate a recognition of the importance of accountability and protecting public trust.
However, the question remains whether these safeguards are enough to justify continued use of the technology. While ALPRs can provide meaningful investigative benefits, concerns about privacy and civil liberties warrant careful consideration. Ultimately, the discussion reflected a shared sentiment among some Board members that other vendors or technologies should be considered.
As we consider the future of this technology, we must continue to balance our responsibility to promote public safety with our obligation to protect residents’ rights and maintain their trust in local government and law enforcement. I appreciate the Police Department’s willingness to engage in this conversation, and I believe these discussions are essential to ensuring that our public safety policies reflect the values and expectations of the communities we serve.
| You can find the full list of committee materials here. | The Board will reconvene on Tuesday, October 27, for a full Board meeting. You can view the agenda or watch the livestream here. | What's Happening Around Braddock? | | |
Join us for Best of Braddock
November 10!
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The entries are submitted. The votes are counted. And the winners are here.
If you're curious about who took home the gold for the coveted Best of Braddock awards, or who won Braddock's Intergenerational Art Competition, join us for the Best of Braddock awards ceremony on November 10, 2026, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at Braddock Hall (9002 Burke Lake Road, Burke, VA 22015). The evening begins with a reception featuring free food and drink from Braddock-area businesses, followed by the awards ceremony with our community members and elected officials. Attire is business casual.
Please RSVP at the link below for an evening of celebration.
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More Early Voting Opens Today!
Vote at the Burke Centre Library and
the West Springfield Government Center
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Early in-person voting for the November 3, 2026 General Election began on September 18 at Fairfax County Government Center, Mt. Vernon Governmental Center, and North County Governmental Center. Today, an additional 13 locations have opened around Fairfax County. In the Braddock District, you can vote at the Burke Centre Library or the Fairfax County Government Center (or across the street from Braddock, you can vote at the West Springfield Government Center.)
Click the link below for a list of all early in-person voting sites, along with the estimated wait times at each early voting location.
| Fairfax Circuit Court Releases FREE Property Alert Notification System | |
The Fairfax Circuit Court Clerk’s Office, in collaboration with the Fairfax County Department of Tax Administration (DTA) and the Department of Information Technology (DIT), has announced the launch of the new Fairfax Circuit Court Property Alert Notification System, a FREE e-alert service available through MyFairfax for Fairfax County and City of Fairfax property owners.
Key features of the Fairfax Property Alert System include:
- Email alert when a document is filed with Fairfax Circuit Court's Land Records office matching the property owner’s name
- Monitoring for unauthorized transfers or potentially fraudulent activity
- Online access and management through the MyFairfax portal (www.fairfaxcounty.gov/myfairfax )
- Quick, easy, and no-cost enrollment
Additional information, including step-by-step enrollment instructions and FAQs, are now posted on the Fairfax Circuit Court website and shared through Fairfax County and City of Fairfax communications channels.
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📖 Kings Park Library Book Sale - October 22-24
Fiction and nonfiction books and media for all ages! Popular authors, literary fiction, romance, science fiction, fantasy, mystery, and more! Books are sorted into categories and alphabetized by author to make it easy to find what you want! Cash or check only.
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💲 Seeking Volunteers for Tax Season
The Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Program (VITA) provides free tax preparation to qualified individuals and families in Northern Virginia. The Fairfax County Department of Family Services is recruiting volunteers to act as greeters, interpreters, screeners, and tax preparers. No tax training is needed for greeters and interpreters. No prior experience is necessary.
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💉It's Time to Get Vaccinated
As flu cases rise earlier than usual in some Western states, Virginia health officials are urging residents to get vaccinated. Click the link above to find an immunization opportunity near you.
| | Halloween and Fall Festivities | | |
Looking to get your spook on this weekend? Below is a list of family-friendly Halloween activities. This list is far from comprehensive, but it's a great place to get started!
Saturday, October 24
Sunday, October 25
| | Make Your Halloween Spookily Sustainable | | |
Many of us love Halloween, but it has a pretty trashy reputation: did you know that every year, Americans throw away 35 million costumes, most of which are made from cheap, synthetic fibers or plastic? We also trash one BILLION pounds of pumpkins after using them for decorations for less than a month.
Want to change things around? Try some of these more sustainable strategies:
● Make your own upcycled DIY decorations, like ghosts from old sheets, decorative pierced tin can lanterns, and paper creatures. Check out this link for ideas. Try to steer clear of plastic decorations, especially polyester spiderweb material, which traps and chokes wild birds.
● Thrift or make your own Halloween costume out of stuff you already own, and express your creativity!
● If your house is a trick-or-treat destination or you attend a trunk-or-treat, consider giving out candy wrapped in paper, cardboard, or recyclable foil, such as movie theater boxes (or fun size) of Junior Mints, Nerds, or Milk Duds. Tony’s Chocolonely is ethically sourced chocolate wrapped in recyclable paper and foil. You can also distribute (paper) bags containing a small candy and other non-plastic items like pencils, stickers, or crayons.
● After Halloween, if you don’t have your own compost pile, compost your pumpkin rather than throwing it in the trash! All pumpkins (free of paint and wax) can be dropped off at Fairfax County’s I-66 and I-95 transfer stations or the Fairfax City composting center at City Hall.
● If you are throwing a party, don’t buy paper plates and plastic cups - consider borrowing a reusable party kit from Clean Fairfax to save money AND waste! Reserve your reusable party kit online at the Clean Fairfax website.
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Hello Neighbors!
I hope you all are enjoying this amazing fall weather, along with all of the wonderful activities around the district such as homecoming, athletic competitions, and trunk-or-treats. It’s been great being able to get out into the community and see all that is happening around Braddock.
On Wednesday, I attended the Community Boundary discussion at Cardinal Forest Elementary, and then headed over to the Advisory Committee for Students with Disabilities (ACSD) meeting, where talked through our work agenda for the coming year.
Last Thursday, Robinson and Lake Braddock held a joint Community Resource Fair, where a number of FCPS and County offices had tables for families to learn about all that is available to them. Some of these resources included the FCPS Office of Community Relations and the FCPS Office of the Ombuds.
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Finally, I wrapped the week up by participating in the Lake Braddock Homecoming parade, along with my colleague Ryan McElveen (Member At-Large) and Congressman James Walkinshaw. The Bruins team put together a great parade and really showcased their community spirit!
The FCPS Office of the Chief of Facilities Services and Capital Programs is inviting community members to participate in the Renovation Queue Survey. Your inputs will help FCPS inform this important work.
The Board has its next Regular meeting this Thursday, where we’ll be discussing school accreditation and the availability of Pre-K programs and on Tuesday, we’ll be discussing a number of policies at our Governance meeting, including around educational technology.
As always, I welcome your inputs and questions. You can email me at Braddock@fcps.edu. You are also welcome to attend School Board meetings (schedule) and register to share your thoughts with us during community participation (sign-up).
Yours in Service,
Tom Dannan
Braddock District Representative
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UPCOMING:
School Board Representative Tom Dannan will be hosting a virtual town hall Sunday, October 25 at 7:00 p.m. to discuss initial draft policies related to educational technology. Find the draft policies here.
If you are interested in attending this town hall, email braddock@fcps.edu for the Zoom invite.
| Scroll through the list below of upcoming Braddock-area theater performances! | |
Remember the Ladies: An American 250 Concert: October 23-25 @ City of Fairfax Theatre Company
Urinetown: October 28 -November 1 @ George Mason University
A Wrinkle in Time: November 5-7 @ Lake Braddock High School
Our Town: November 5, 6, 7, 13 and 14 @ Woodson High School
The Woodsman: November 12-21 @ West Springfield High School
Romeo & Juliet: November 19-21 @ Annandale High School
Blue Stockings: November 13, 14, 19, 20 and 21 @ Robinson Secondary School
Moana Jr: November 19-22 @ Lake Braddock Middle School
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RIDDLE OF THE WEEK
If you read this far, email us the answer to the following riddle and you'll have made our day :)
What gets bigger every time you take from it?
| November 15 is World Remembrance Day for Road Traffic Victims | |
Please join Northern Virginia Families for Safe Streets (NoVA FSS) and its Fairfax FSS chapter on Sunday, November 15, 2026, at 10:30 a.m. at Woodson High School in Fairfax for Fairfax County’s observance of the World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims. This annual event is free and open to the public.
Since last year’s observance, 30 people have been killed on Northern Virginia streets while walking, biking, or rolling. Behind every number is a person whose life mattered, a family grieving a profound loss, and a community changed forever.
Our call to action: smarter street design, safer speed limits, speed safety cameras, and stop sign cameras in school zones are among the proven solutions that can help save lives.
The program will include elected leaders, law enforcement officials, and school board members reflecting on how we can do better.
Your presence matters. By attending, you’ll join others in honoring those we’ve lost and showing our elected decisionmakers that our community supports meaningful investments in road safety.
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Two Upcoming Public Hearings:
Accessory Living Units
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Planning Commission: Thursday, October 29, 2026 at 7:30 p.m.
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Board of Supervisors: Tuesday, November 17, 2026 at 4:30 p.m.
Public hearings will take place in-person at the Government Center Board Auditorium (12000 Government Center Parkway). Additional information regarding ways to provide testimony is available at the Planning Commission and Board websites.
The amendment proposes changes and clarifications to the use-specific standards for Accessory Living Units (ALUs). An ALU is a secondary dwelling unit established in conjunction with and subordinate to a single-family detached dwelling unit. An ALU is sometimes referred to as an in-law suite or accessory dwelling and can be either interior/attached to the dwelling or detached (freestanding). The current standards for ALUs in the Zoning Ordinance can be found in Subsection 4102.7.B.
To review the proposed Zoning Ordinance amendment for ALUs, click the link below.
| Leaf Season Is Here — Choose Cleaner, Quieter Electric Lawn Tools | |
Having a gas-powered leaf blower operating in your vicinity is like inviting someone to blow a cloud of potentially dangerous chemicals, dust, and other pollutants in your direction. A gas-powered leaf blower produces exhaust containing both hydrocarbons and nitrous oxides both of which are components of smog.
At 200 miles per hour, the “wind” created by these leaf blowers can stir up dust containing pollutants such as dust, pollen, animal feces, mold and chemicals such as herbicides and pesticides applied to lawns. All of these elements contribute to poor health outcomes, especially in vulnerable segments of our population.
The good news is, there are alternatives to gas-powered equipment that are better for you and the environment.
Electric versions of lawn equipment such as leaf blowers are generally more cost-effective. Both battery powered and plug-in versions are available.
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November 5 Seminar:
Engines of Growth and Seeds of Inequality in the Wealth of Nations
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The George Mason Department of Economics invites the university community to join us for the James Buchanan and Vernon Smith Seminar presented by Dr. Oded Galor, Herbert H. Goldberger Professor of Economics at Brown University.
This seminar series is designed to appeal to a broad audience and is named to honor the Department's two Nobel Laureates and to recognize scholars who have made outstanding contributions to economics.
Dr. Oded Galor is the founder of Unified Growth Theory. His work addresses some of the central questions in economics: why humanity remained poor for most of its history, what triggered the transition to modern growth, and why vast inequalities emerged across societies. His research connects economic growth, demography, human capital, culture, technological change, and the deep historical roots of development. He is the author of Unified Growth Theory and The Journey of Humanity: The Origins of Wealth and Inequality.
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Meet Mimi! After lovingly raising her kittens, Mimi is finally ready for a peaceful, relaxing home to call her very own. Mimi hasn't thrived in spaces where other cats already are so she will do best as the only cat in the house. Mimi is a calm, affectionate girl who deserves a fresh start with someone who will cherish her. She enjoys quiet company, soft beds, and the simple comfort of feeling safe. If you're looking for a loving, gentle companion who's ready to settle into a life filled with kindness and comfort, Mimi would be grateful for a place in your heart and home.
If Mimi sounds like the pet for you, read more about her and the adoption process here.
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