At this week's Board of Supervisors meeting, we got a first glimpse of the County Executive's proposed FY 2023 Budget. You can watch the full presentation here. As I do every year, I will spend the next several months listening to your thoughts, ideas, and feedback before the final budget is adopted.

To that end, I will be hosting the Braddock District Budget Town Hall with School Board Member Megan McLaughlin at 7:00 p.m. on March 15. You can watch on Channel 16 or Facebook live. To submit a question in advance, email BraddockTownHall@fairfaxcounty.gov. During the meeting, there will be a phone number to ask a question live and the opportunity to submit questions via Facebook.

The proposed budget fully funds the Fairfax County Public Schools budget request, includes market rate and longevity increases for County employees, and makes investments in areas such as opioid abuse prevention and affordable housing.

It holds the real estate tax rate steady at $1.14 per $100 of assessed value, but due to skyrocketing assessments caused by a strong real estate market, the average tax bill would increase by $666. Even with the expanded tax relief program we recently approved, an increase of that size would be a burden on many Fairfax families. I know that is something the Board will be taking into consideration as we begin this process.

At this week's meeting, the Board of Supervisors also approved my motion to rezone the northwest corner of Lee Highway and Waples Mill Road, currently occupied by an unsightly service drive, an abandoned home, a vacant contractor's yard, and a Public Storage facility.

For more than two years, we've been working on a plan that would allow Public Storage to modernize its facility and make a series of improvements that will benefit the community. Along with the construction of a LEED-certified modern self-storage building constructed to look like an office building, they will remove the service drive and abandoned house, clean up the corner with new sidewalks and plantings, add public art, and build and maintain a dog park that will be open to the entire community.

Securing the commitment for the new dog park was one of my top priorities, as it will be the only public off-leash dog park in this part of the county and a tremendous amenity for the thousands of nearby residents living in apartments and townhomes. You can read more about this project in the Land Use section in the previous issue of the Braddock Beacon.

The public comment periods on two major Braddock District projects are coming to a close. First, residents are encouraged to share their thoughts about design alternatives for the Braddock Road Multimodal Improvement Project by March 1.

Second, the survey report on the Audrey Moore RECenter Renovation and Expansion Project has been issued and I hope will share your thoughts. View the survey report here and submit your comments by email.

Continue reading below for more information on:

Supervisor James Walkinshaw

The Centers for Disease and Control (CDC) updated its vaccine recommendations on Feb. 17 for people who are moderately or severely immunocompromised and have completed a three-dose primary series of an mRNA vaccine (Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna). It is now recommended that they receive an mRNA booster dose (fourth dose) at least three months (instead of five months) after the last primary dose.

Learn more on the Fairfax County Emergency Blog.

If you were vaccinated against COVID-19 more than five months ago and have not yet received a booster, the Virginia Department of Health (VDH) may send you a voice or text message reminding you to make an appointment.

Methods to find a vaccine appointment:

Need to get tested for COVID-19? Find a testing location near you.

If you have been exposed to COVID-19, the Virginia Department of Health has launched a new tool to calculate how long you should stay home or stay away from others.

All travel lanes of I-66 East approaching I-495 are planned to be closed Thursday night, February 24, and Friday night, February 25, to allow for installation of bridge beams for a new ramp from the future I-66 Express Lanes. Eastbound I-66 traffic will be detoured using I-495 South and the Route 50 Interchange during the closure. On Saturday through Thursday nights, February 26 – March 3, two lanes of eastbound I-66 will be closed with stoppages approaching I-495. This work is part of the Transform 66 Outside the Beltway Project. 

This information about upcoming workshops on Composting at Home – in English and Spanish – is brought to you by the Fairfax Food Council’s Urban Agriculture Work Group, in partnership with Arcadia Center for Sustainable Food & Agriculture and Virginia Cooperative Extension/Fairfax.  

The Burke Volunteer Fire & Rescue Department will once again host a blood drive with Inova Blood Donor Services on March 10.

Thursday, March 10, 1:00 - 6:00 p.m.

9501 Old Burke Lake Rd

Burke, VA 22015

Are your child’s school-required vaccinations up to date? Schools require immunizations for entry into kindergarten, 7th grade, 12th grade and when transferring into Fairfax County Public Schools.

A pediatric immunization clinic is scheduled for March 12th for Fairfax County students.

Saturday, March 12, 2022, 8:00 am—12:00 pm

Annandale District Office

7611 Little River Turnpike, #400-E

Annandale, VA 22003

Tickets are now available for shows starting March 5 at the Workhouse Arts Center in Lorton.

The annual Northern Virginia Soil and Water Conservation District seedling sale will open Tuesday, March 1, 2022! These species were selected because of their value to native bees, but they also serve as valuable food sources for wildlife. All species are native to Virginia.

• TREE-mendous Flowers ($15) includes two each of the following species: American Hornbeam, Canadian Serviceberry, and Winterberry Holly.

• Un-BEE-lievable Blooms ($15) include two each of the following: False Indigobush, Eastern Redbud, and Silky willow.

Visit Northern Virginia Soil & Water Conservation District to learn more about these plants and view photographs of the selections.

Using native plants in your home landscape can attract wildlife, protect water and air quality, conserve energy, and reduce carbon emissions. The program is offered in partnership with Fairfax County’s Urban Forestry Management Division and the Virginia Department of Forestry’s Potomac Work Area.

Payment can be made by credit card to the Northern Virginia Soil and Water Conservation District. Pre-payment is required. To order online, visit the Northern Virginia Soil & Water Conservation District. Orders must be picked up on Friday, April 1, or Saturday, April 2, 2022, at the Sleepy Hollow Bath and Racquet Club in Falls Church, or they will be donated to a reforestation project in Fairfax County.

For more information, contact the Northern Virginia Soil and Water Conservation District at conservationdistrict@fairfaxcounty.gov.