February 25, 2021

Dear Neighbor,

I hope you were able to tune into the Braddock District COVID-19 Town Hall featuring Fairfax County Health Director Dr. Gloria Addo-Ayensu and Virginia Senator Dave Marsden on Monday, February 22. We answered resident questions live and provided additional transparency into the County's vaccine rollout. Fortunately, if you missed the event, we have a recording of the town hall available on my YouTube Channel and an audio-only recording on my Soundcloud for listeners on the move.
Click the video above to watch the Braddock District COVID-19 Town Hall
Also on the COVID-19 vaccine front, Giant Pharmacy and MyDr.’s Pharmacy have joined the list of vaccination partners who are assisting the Health Department in its efforts to vaccinate eligible individuals in its queue. Appointments at Giant and My Dr.’s Pharmacy are made with the Health Department, not with those pharmacies.

These two partners join Inova Health System, George Mason University, and Trusted Doctors to get vaccines into the arms of eligible people in the Fairfax Health District. All vaccinations occur by appointment only, there are no walk-ins. Learn more by visiting the County's emergency blog page.

Also, on Wednesday, February 24, Governor Ralph Northam announced that beginning March 1, the following changes will occur in Virginia:

  • The maximum capacity for outdoor social gatherings will increase from 10 to 25 people. Indoor gatherings will still be limited to 10 individuals.
  • Alcohol sales will be permitted until midnight, extended from 10:00 PM.
  • Outdoor entertainment venues can operate with up to 1,000 individuals or at 30% capacity, whichever is lower. Indoor venues will continue to have a 250-person cap.
These changes come as the the COVID-19 hospitalizations and infection rates continue to decline and vaccinations rise in Virginia. However, it's imperative we remain vigilant in protecting ourselves by continuing to practice CDC Health Guidelines. Learn more about the Governor's changes to the executive order on the County's emergency blog page.
On the budget front, on Tuesday, February 23, Fairfax County Executive Bryan Hill presented the proposed Fiscal Year (FY) 2022 Budget to the Board of Supervisors during our Board Meeting. The final vote on the budget will be May 4. You can watch the budget presentation recording online.

On Tuesday, March 30, I'll be hosting the Braddock District Budget Townhall. This will be a great opportunity to share your thoughts and opinions with me regarding the budget. However, there will be many public opportunities to comment on the budget prior to May 4. Please stay tuned for details. In the meantime you can find more detailed information on the proposed budget below.

Continue reading for more information on:

  • Proposed FY 2022 Budget Key Highlights and Timeline
  • Additional Board Updates
  • Statement from Inova on Insurance Information Request
  • Upcoming Kenilworth Community Meeting
  • GMU Master Plan Engagement Session
  • Metro Seeks Public Input on Proposed FY 2022 Budget
  • Need Help Paying Your Fairfax Water Bill?
  • VDOT Public Information Meeting?
  • CECAP Online Climate Surveys
Yours in service,
Supervisor James Walkinshaw
FY 2022 Proposed Budget Key Highlights
-The Real Estate Tax rate is proposed to decrease by 1-cent. With real estate assessments on the rise however, this means a tax increase in some cases and decreases in others, depending on your property value.

-Fairfax County Public Schools would receive $2.16 billion for the School Operating Fund in the County Executive's recommendation

-The proposal creates a one-time $20 million reserve to continue to assist with economic recovery and preserves necessary positions added to the Health Department as a result of the COVID pandemic.

-No raises for County or school employees for second consecutive year.

Additional County resources regarding the FY 2022 budget:

Additional Board Updates




Statement from Inova on their Insurance Information Request
Some residents are receiving vaccine appointments through Inova and have questions about the scheduling requirements. Read the statement below from Inova.

"Inova is proud to work with the Fairfax County Health Department and its other local government partners to administer the COVID-19 vaccine to the community. If you are receiving the vaccine through Inova, there will be no out-of-pocket cost to you. Inova will be collecting insurance information from those who have insurance and may work with insurance plans to cover allowed charges for vaccine administration. If an insurance plan does not cover charges, Inova will not pursue payment from the patient. Lack of insurance will not prevent you from scheduling a vaccine appointment. Inova has heard concerns about using Experian as an identity verification. The identity verification is in place because the Inova MyChart system is an electronic medical record, and maintains personal health information of patients. The check by Experian is not a credit check, and helps ensure patient privacy.”
Kenilworth Community Meeting
Christopher Land, LLC has submitted a revised rezoning application for approximately 4.43 acres of land located just south of the Kenilworth community at Caprino Court and Braddock Road. This property is currently developed with one single-family home built in 1955 that will continue to be occupied by the current owner and would be included in a subsequent phase of the project. The applicant is requesting to rezone this land from the R-1 District to the PDH-3 District to build 12 single-family detached dwelling units at a density of 2.71 dwelling units per acre. Nine houses would be constructed in phase one, and an additional three houses would be part of phase two, when the existing house is removed. Access would be provided by connecting Banting Drive and Caprino Court. The revised design would configure the connection as a “T” intersection. 

Supervisor Walkinshaw will hold a virtual community meeting on March 2 at 7:00 p.m. for the developers to present their plan and for residents to ask questions of the developer and provide input. The Braddock District Land Use and Environment Committee will discuss the application at its March meeting. A hearing before the Planning Commission has been scheduled for April 21.
GMU Master Plan Engagement Session
George Mason University will be hosting its fifth virtual Master Plan Engagement Session on Tuesday, March 2, from 10:30 a.m. through 12:00 p.m. and they would like you to join the Engagement Session. 
 
During this session, GMU's consultants will continue discussions of the scenarios that are emerging for the development of GMU's three campuses, with a particular focus on how those scenarios are evolving in response to the feedback they have received. GMU hopes to have an active discussion, to hear your thoughts and answer any questions.  
 
GMU's master planning process is a critical part of their efforts to plan for the University's growth and development. The master plan will serve as a framework for decision making for how we will use our campuses and our physical space to advance Mason's mission. More information about the master plan and the work to date can be found at our master plan site.  
 
Your interest and participation continue to enrich this process and are essential to developing a plan that captures the best thinking, aspirations and needs of the community.  
Metro Seeks Public Input on
Proposed FY 22 Budget
The public comment period for Metro's Fiscal Year 2022 budget is officially open, and Metro's Board of Directors wants your feedback. Metro is encouraging anyone impacted by changes in this budget to make their voice heard before the comment period ends on Tuesday, March 16, at 5:00 p.m.

How to provide feedback:

  • Online: Take the survey and submit written comments here (en Español)
  • By phone: Call toll-free 844-468-5748. Language support is provided in Arabic, Amharic, Chinese (Mandarin, Cantonese), Farsi, Korean, Somali, Spanish and Vietnamese.
  • Virtual public hearings: Four virtual public hearings will be held in March and will streamed on WMATA's website and on Metro's YouTube page. Get more information on how to participate in the hearings.

Public feedback will be provided to Metro's Board of Directors in April 2021 as part of the final decision-making process. Any Board-approved changes will begin after Board approval in April 2021.
Need Help Paying Your
Fairfax Water Bill?
Need help paying your Fairfax Water bill? Eligible residents can apply for assistance through the COVID-19 Municipal Utility Relief Program.

An application is available on Fairfax Water’s website. To qualify, you must meet certain eligibility requirements, attest that you are experiencing financial hardship due to the coronavirus public health emergency, and submit an application to Fairfax Water. Funds are available on a first-come, first-served basis, so please apply soon.

For additional assistance, call Fairfax Water’s customer service department to discuss payment options. The call center is available weekdays, 8:00am - 6:00pm at 703.698.5800 (TTY 711).
VDOT Public Information Meeting
The Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) welcomes you to the Little River Turnpike and Guinea Road Intersection Improvements virtual public information meeting webpage. The virtual meeting will be held Monday, March 1 (in case an alternate date is needed, the meeting will be held Thursday, March 4) from 7:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., register now.

The improvements aim to improve traffic flow and safety at the intersection and include: 

  • A new free-flow right-turn lane from northbound Guinea Road to eastbound Little River Turnpike to help improve traffic flow and relieve backups
  • Adding a pedestrian island at the southern end of the intersection
  • Restriping to create a new through/right-turn lane on eastbound Little River Turnpike between Guinea Road and Old Hickory Road

VDOT strives to ensure that all members of the community have the opportunity to participate in public decisions on transportation projects and VDOT representatives are present to discuss the project and answer your questions.

Find a meeting presentation on VDOT's project website. You can also comment until March 11.
CECAP Climate Surveys Now Available
Not one, not two, but three brief surveys are now online to capture your feedback on climate planning in Fairfax County. The county is developing its first-ever Community-wide Energy and Climate Action Plan, or CECAP, and is seeking public input to inform the goals, strategies, and actions the plan will include. Now through March 14, you can complete very short surveys on energy issues, transportation, development, and waste issues, and on climate planning in general.

Can you spare five minutes to share your opinion? It will help build a plan that works for you and the rest of our community for years to come. Find the surveys here.
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