To the Fairfax County Community,
Yesterday, we held the first full Board meeting of 2021. Because of the sustained increase in COVID-19 cases, we held the meeting virtually and will continue to do so until it is safe to return in-person.
I wanted to use this space to highlight an announcement we made yesterday to extend the deadline of real estate and vehicle tax relief. The County’s tax relief program provides additional aid to seniors above the age of 65 and those who are permanently and totally disabled. Qualified taxpayers may also be eligible for tax relief for renters.
Applicants must file between January 1, 2021 and May 3, 2021. Some exceptions may be available if applications are filed late due to a hardship which prevented the application from being filed on time.
This decision was made in an effort to ease the economic burdens caused by COVID-19 for a group of our community that often has fixed incomes. It was a simple action that I'm glad we were able to accommodate.
The meeting agenda is available for your review here.
See below for the full January 27 edition of my newsletter. For COVID-19 resources mentioned in past newsletters, visit my website. If you have a friend who would like to sign up for this newsletter, they can do so here.
Finally, if you missed Monday's newsletter about Inova and our vaccine supply, you can read it here.
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Photo credit: Tommy Thompson, Police Department |
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What happened? After 30 years with the Fairfax County Police Department, Chief Roessler will be retiring in February. Yesterday, the Board formally recognized him for his work. Chief Roessler has been on the forefront of the reforms to the department that have worked to build community trust. Thank you Chief Roessler for all you have done for Fairfax County.
Who will be the next Chief? We are currently conducting a nationwide search for the next Police Chief. We hope to find someone who can build on our efforts in community engagement. Deputy County Executive of Public Safety and former Police Chief, Dave Rohrer will serve as Interim Police Chief.
Can I weigh in? Yes - We are doing a survey to collect input. You have until January 31.
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Comprehensive Plan Amendment |
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What is a Comprehensive Plan? The Comprehensive Plan is used to guide decision-making about the natural and built environment by the County’s Board of Supervisors, and other groups like the Planning Commission and the Board of Zoning Appeals. It is also a guide for County staff and the public to use in the planning process.
What happened yesterday? The Board voted to adopt the proposed 2021 Comprehensive Plan Amendment Work Program. This work plan identifies sections of the Comprehensive Plan language that, with amendments, may benefit the community by allowing for a different “vision” than what is currently laid out. 14 of these identified areas in the Work Plan were community nominated and reviewed as part of our 2019 South County SSPA Process.
What's next? Each proposal will be sent to the County’s staff so they may conduct a thorough report of each site. This proposal and its report then goes to the citizen land use task forces, the Planning Commission, and finally, to the Board for a vote to approve a plan language change. The projects under consideration can be found here. Only after a plan language amendment is approved, the property owner may choose to pursue a redevelopment of the site by filing appropriate applications for a rezoning, special exception, etc. and go through the relevant public land use process before redevelopment of the site can begin.
Why is this important? Adoption of this work plan includes some exciting opportunities to revitalize and improve upon how land is being used throughout our community. As markets and landscapes have shifted, certain current uses may not be the most beneficial to our residents. The review process to follow will weigh the merits of each site. The approval of the Work Program is just one step in a much longer community-led process.
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Surface Transportation Funding |
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What happened? The Board authorized federal funding applications for various surface transportation projects. The funding would be through two federal programs: Congestion Mitigation Air Quality (CMAQ) and Regional Surface Transportation Program (RSTP) and would support six different projects, including widening the Fairfax County Parkway and the Richmond Highway Bus Rapid Transit. They can be found on page 135 of the Board Package.
CMAQ? This program provides federal funds for regions to assist in complying with Clean Air Act requirements. We estimate that $56.8 million will be made available.
RSTP? This provides federal funds to the region to assist with the implementation of transportation capital projects. We estimate that $23.7 million will be made available.
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Disposal of PPE: Our residents have been diligent in following masking guidelines to stop the spread of COVID-19. Unfortunately, residents have also witnessed discarded masks in parking lots, streets, and neighborhoods. Yesterday, I asked that County staff explore a possible disposal program and/or a public information campaign that helps our residents understand the importance of proper PPE disposal.
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Teen Job Fair: Every year the Springfield District hosts a job fair that also includes resume and career building information sessions. This year it will be held virtually on:
- Saturday, March 13 from 2-5pm.
- Saturday, March 20 from 11am-2pm.
- Students and businesses may learn more and register here.
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Common Health Questions:
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People with COVID-19 have a wide range of symptoms reported - ranging from mild symptoms to severe illness. Symptoms may appear 2-14 days after exposure. You might experience:
- Fever or chills
- Cough
- Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
- Fatigue
- Muscle or body aches
- Headache
- New loss of taste or smell
- Sore throat
- Congestion or runny nose
- Nausea or vomiting
- Diarrhea
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Continue to follow the health guidelines:
- Wash your hands or use hand sanitizer if that isn't an option (especially when in public places)
- Cough and sneeze into your sleeve
- Don't touch your face
- Social distance
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The CDC recommends wearing non-medical masks to slow the spread of COVID-19. It is now required in Virginia.
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The New York Times (access to COVID-19 content is free) spoke with infectious disease experts, aerosol scientists, and microbiologists to find out if COVID-19 can land on your clothing, hair, shoes, and mail.
COVID-19 Resources:
- Fairfax County Health Department
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To view the number of cases in Fairfax County this page is updated at noon daily.
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Visit the County site on COVID-19, Health Department Website, and see their FAQs.
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To view multilingual health materials visit the County's Language Portal.
- Sign up for text message alerts: text FFXCOVID to 888777. Para inscribirse, textear FFXCOVIDESP a 888777.
- Call the Health Department from 9am-7pm weekdays and 9:30am-5pm on weekends: 703-267-3511
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Email: [email protected]. This account will be staffed Monday through Friday, 8am-8pm.
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Inova has a helpful FAQ.
Vaccine Resources:
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As I often say, we are truly lucky to live in Fairfax County where we have the resources to overcome challenges and a community who rises to the occasion.
Jeffrey C. McKay
Chairman
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