Dear Neighbors,
At this week's Board of Supervisors meeting, my colleagues and I took
three important steps to address the systemic inequalities in our society. These inequalities have only been
heightened due to COVID-19. We are all navigating through an
extraordinary time and people are looking for
leaders who are listening and responding.
Yesterday, the Board unanimously approved a
statement about racial injustices occurring both nationally and here at home. We also endorsed
Chairman McKay's Task Force on Equity & Opportunity to advance
racial equity and
promote the changes necessary to create a County that works for everyone. This group will bring together
diverse community stakeholders to help us with our work. The recommendations of the Task Force will be presented through a
preliminary report in December 2020 and
final recommendations by the end of June 2021, with regular updates in the interim.
Third, the Board unanimously directed staff to
identify options to fund Phase 2 of the body-worn camera program, with a timeline and implementation plan by June 30. Phase 1 has been fully implemented and
Fairfax currently has 416 cameras issued across the County, including at the
Mount Vernon District Station; but the program has not yet been expanded to the whole County. While I initially supported
delaying the funding for Phase 2 due to the financial uncertainties created by COVID-19, recent events have shown
how important full implementation of this program is.
The Board also approved
one of my environmental initiatives. At my urging (and that of my environmental champions
Glenda Booth, Cathy Ledec and Betsy Martin), the County has now incorporated
natural landscaping into its comprehensive plan so that it is part of the planning process and taken into
consideration for all public facilities. Natural landscaping
improves the aesthetic and environmental functions of landscapes installed in the built environment and restores natural areas by
preserving and recreating land features and native plant communities. Sustainable landscapes are formed which seek to
protect and restore natural ecosystem components, maximize the
use of native plants, remove invasive plant species,
reduce turf grass and chemical inputs, improve soils and
retain rainwater on-site. I am pleased the County has taken this step forward to
improve our shared environment.
You can read
more about these items and the
latest COVID-19 information below, including moving to
Phase 2, initial guidelines for
reopening schools and applying for
Fairfax RISE grants for small businesses and non-profits.
Applications are open and you
must
apply by June 15. I know this has been a
challenging time for all and more information for residents and businesses can be found below.
The Board's highest priority remains to
support ALL our residents, non-profits and local businesses in this challenging time.
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Respectfully yours in public service,
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Dan Storck
Supervisor, Mount Vernon District
Fairfax County Board of Supervisors
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The following are
highlights from the Board of Supervisors June 9, 2020
meeting,
including items of particular interest to Mount Vernon residents. For additional information, please go to the
County’s Board Agenda and Meeting Schedule
. You may listen to highlights from the Board meeting on your computer or listen directly on iTunes. Subscribe to the podcast, or choose a program and listen in.
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All presentations, recognitions and Board Matters were postponed.
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To view the June 9, 2020 Board Package
click here
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Administrative Items
Item 7: Approved a public hearing to consider adopting a
reduction in the late payment penalty ordinances for
real estate and personal property taxes for Tax Year 2020.
The full item can be read on pages 46 - 50 of the Board Package.
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Action Items
Item 6: Authorized an agreement with the
Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority for the first amendment to the WMATA
Fiscal Year 2020 Capital Funding Agreement.
The full item can be read on pages 136 - 203 of the Board Package.
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Public Hearings
Amendments to County Code, Motor Vehicles and Traffic
Approved plan amendments to update County Code to reflect
changes made to the Code of Virginia by the 2020 Assembly. Notable changes include:
- Local regulation of certain transportation companies for scooters, bikes and electric powered bikes. Localities are authorized to create or amend ordinances or actions even after any such business is operating in the locality.
- Definition of electric powered bikes is changed to include three classes of such bikes based upon the type of motor and maximum speed. Operators of these electric bikes are offered the same rights as regular bikes and they can access the same trails, sidewalks and paths. Class three electric bikes must wear a helmet.
- Expands the laws on cell phones, including handheld devices that are being held and used, not just for texting and emailing anymore.
- Threshold for reckless driving is raised from 80 mph to 85 mph.
The full item can be read on pages 333 - 343 of the Board Package.
Natural Landscaping at County Facilities Proposed Plan Amendment
Approved a plan amendment that public facilities and sites be
designed, retrofitted and maintained in an environmentally sensitive manner with a
focus on natural landscaping. Although the county has
pursued natural landscaping for years, and continues to do so, this plan amendment formalizes our
expectations for the natural landscaping of public facilities. Each site has a role to play in the
creation of a healthy environment for both people and wildlife; it celebrates our local flora and fauna; and it helps
create diverse and resilient sites, ones that are better able to handle disturbance. Overall, the plan amendment
encourages intentionally-designed spaces that meet our needs while
accommodating other species, in addition to meeting
several other environmental objectives. I look forward to seeing Natural Landscaping at County Facilities
integrated into both new projects and retrofits.
The full item can be read on pages 289 - 296 of the Board Package.
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COVID-19 Updates
Forward Virginia: Phase 2
Governor Northam announced Northern Virginia will be joining the rest of the state in
Phase 2 of reopening. While this is good news, please continue to
take precautions to protect yourself and others.
Phase 2 Changes:
- The maximum number of people allowed in social gatherings will increase from 10 to 50.
- Restaurants: Can serve diners indoors and outdoors at 50% of their lowest allowed occupancy.
- Exercise Facilities: Gyms, recreation centers, and sports centers may open indoor areas at 30% of their lowest allowed occupancy.
- Pools: Indoor and outdoor pools may reopen for lap swimming, exercise, diving and instruction.
- Entertainment: Outdoor theaters, concert venues, outdoor and drive-in movie theaters, zoos and botanical gardens may reopen at 50% of their lowest capacity or a maximum of 50 people.
- Personal Care: Beauty salons, barbers, spas, massage centers, tanning salons and tattoo shops continue to remain limited to 50% of their normal capacity as specified under Phase 1. Customers must make appointments to come in, and both customers and employees are required to wear face coverings.
Guidelines for businesses can be found
here and the County will update our
reopening website with the
latest guidance.
Schools
Governor Northam announced
initial guidelines
for reopening schools. Local school divisions
will have discretion on how to operationalize within each phase and
may choose to offer more limited in-person options. Entry into each phase is dependent on public health criteria.
The
opportunities for in-person instruction in each phase are as follows:
- Phase One: Special education programs and child care for working families.
- Phase Two: Phase One plus preschool through third grade students, English learners, and summer camps in school buildings.
- Phase Three: All students may receive in-person instruction that can be accommodated with strict social distancing measures in place.
- Beyond Phase Three: Divisions will resume “new-normal” operations under future guidance.
While FCPS manages school operations, the I am committed to helping ensure the
reopening of schools safely.
Evictions
The Virginia Supreme Court has
suspended all eviction proceedings through
June 28.
- Tenants are encouraged to know their rights and responsibilities and pay their rent on time if they are able.
- Visit StayHomeVirginia.com for more information and resources.
CVS COVID-19 Testing
CVS Health is offering COVID-19 testing at
7 Fairfax County locations for those who meet the CDC criteria and state guidelines. A physician’s referral is not required. Patients will be required to pre-register on-line and have an appointment. Insurance will be accepted at test sites, however patients should not have any out of pocket costs. Uninsured patients will be covered. Sites in or close to the District:
- 9009 Silverbrook Road, Fairfax Station
- 6400 Landsdowne Center, Alexandria
Resources from Neighborhood and Community Services (NCS)
NCS Connects for youth and teens between
grades 1-12 emulates the experience of
visiting a community or teen center. The site features
original programming and on-demand resources for youth and parents.
Adults can
stay connected through the
Virtual Center for Active Adults (VCAA). The VCAA was created with the goal of
enriching the lives of adults in Fairfax County while
combating isolation. Adults can visit the site to
connect with their peers, engage in a variety of activities and discover useful resources.
American Red Cross
The Red Cross is holding
two area blood drives:
- Thurs. June 11 from 9 a.m. -7 p.m. at Mount Vernon Stake Center, 6219 Villa St. Franconia.
- Thurs. June 25 from 9 a.m. -7 p.m. at Mount Vernon Chapel, 2000 George Washington Pkwy. Alexandria
Other News
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Credit: Tweet from Julia Marcus, PhD, MPH @JuliaLMarcus
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Fairfax RISE Grant Program Accepting Applications
The Fairfax RISE (
RISE – Relief Initiative to Support Employers) grant program provides
immediate relief to small businesses and nonprofits impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. The Board of Supervisors wants to assist small businesses and nonprofit organizations to
remain in business through the COVID-19 emergency and address gaps that may exist among complementary programs.
The grant will not have to be repaid. Applications are being
accepted now through June 15.
Learn more...
The grant program also establishes a
minimum allocation of 30% of total funding toward awards for
women-owned, minority-owned, and/or veteran-owned businesses. It is funded through an allocation of the
Coronavirus Relief Funds provided through the federal CARES Act.
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From Fairfax Water - Flush Your Pipes!
Is your
facility reopening soon? Flush the pipes to
ensure optimal water quality.
During the COVID-19 Pandemic, some
commercial or residential properties may have been left
empty or were not at full occupancy for an extended period. As stay-at-home orders are lifted and plans are made to reoccupy these buildings,
owners are encouraged to address the water quality of these locations.
Water System Flushing Guidance...
Paycheck Protection Program Still Available
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Back to Work Survey
Did your business
apply for a federal or local grant or loan program because of the COVID-19 pandemic? Are you planning to
return employees to work in stages? What
safety protocols are planned as you transition some or all your employees back into the office? Please fill out our
“Returning to the Workplace” survey. The results will be compiled to
help us understand how County companies are planning to return their employees to the workplace.
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The 2020 U.S. Census is still open! You have or will receive your invitation to respond any day now.
Please take the time to complete the census. Future federal funding is determined by the census and it is very important everyone living in your home on April 1 is counted. For every person not counted, the County
could lose $12,000 in potential funding over the next 10 years.
Learn more...
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Mount Vernon District Office | 703-780-7518
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