Welcome to the November 2021 edition of the Dulles Direct newsletter. I hope you had a relaxing Thanksgiving and were able to visit with family and friends. The last couple years have been challenging to say the least, but it is important to take a moment and remember our blessings with loved ones. With the availability of vaccines, this holiday season definitely feels more “normal.”

While other parts of the country have begun to experience upticks in COVID-19 rates, hospitalizations, and deaths, so far Northern Virginia has fared well. Colder weather generally means more sickness, so the Health Department encourages everyone who hasn’t yet to get their COVID-19 vaccine and their flu shot. We will continue to monitor COVID-19 developments, especially the new Omicron variant that is causing global concerns.

As the weather continues to get colder, snow is always a possibility. I have some information on VDOT’s snow removal and winter weather policies in the announcements section at the end of the newsletter.

The Stone Ridge Association held its annual meeting on November 16. Unfortunately, the date coincided with the Board’s second Business Meeting of the month, so I wasn’t able to attend, but my aide Jared Midwood was there to give an update from my office on redistricting, the FY23 budget process, and several projects of interest. Stone Ridge elected two new HOA Board members at the meeting, so congratulations to Christopher Kimrey and Ramu Mundrathi.

We reached a major milestone this month with the official groundbreaking for the Northstar Boulevard project. On November 5, the County broke ground on the long-awaited project to extend Northstar Boulevard from Tall Cedars Parkway to Route 50. This project will improve capacity and safety on the Dulles South road network while helping reduce congestion on Route 50. Shirley Contracting is building the $45.8 million project, which currently has an anticipated completion date of winter 2024.

At my request, a "Pardon Our Dust" public meeting has been scheduled for tomorrow, December 1 from 7:00-8:00 p.m. at Arcola Elementary School (located at 41740 Tall Cedars Parkway in Stone Ridge). We know that projects like this can be disruptive to the surrounding communities, and we want to make the process go as smoothly as it can. At the meeting, residents will have a chance to meet the project team and get details on the stages of construction and ask questions. I hope you can attend. In the meantime, you can find more information on the Northstar construction here. For information on construction of the northern segment of Northstar from Shreveport Drive to 50, click here. Please note that LCPS building use policies require that masks are worn when inside the building.

The Board hosted its annual Veterans Day proclamation at our November 3 Business Meeting. I want to extend a heartfelt thank you to everyone who has served or is serving in the Armed Forces of the United States. Thank you for defending our freedom and putting yourself in harm’s way to protect our democracy. This year, we were joined for the presentation by Colonel Carl C. Johnson, a Tuskegee Airman, and Dulles District resident Michelle Leffler, representing women veterans.

I’d also like to congratulate our team at the Loudoun County Department of Elections for administering another smooth election. Loudoun County saw a very high turnout rate of over 57% this year. I’d like to extend my congratulations to Governor-elect Glenn Youngkin, Lt. Governor-elect Winsome Sears, and Attorney General-elect Jason Miyares, who won hard fought statewide campaigns. Locally, the Dulles District is represented by three members of the General Assembly, all of whom were also reelected. Congratulations to Delegates Suhas Subramanyam, David Reid, and Karrie Delaney. I have always believed that it is important for me to have relationships and be able to work with all of our representatives, regardless of political party.

Finally, given the hectic holiday season and my own challenges with vestibular issues, I decided to wait until the new year to have our next Dulles Direct Town Hall meeting. Look for details in our December newsletter.

According to the official numbers released today by the Virginia Department of Health, there have been 35,847 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Loudoun County. 303 individuals have died from the virus in Loudoun. Virginia now has 969,116 confirmed cases with 14,710 deaths. You can see these numbers yourself at the Loudoun County COVID-19 GeoHub.

With the holidays approaching, Loudoun County health officials advise those who are planning to travel or gather indoors with others to take precautions against COVID-19. This includes getting tested if you think you may have COVID-19 or have been exposed to someone who has the virus. When getting tested before traveling, you want to consider the timing. Ideally, you should take the test close to the date when you are traveling or planning to gather with others, but far enough ahead to get results. Anyone who is exhibiting symptoms of COVID-19, such as fever or chills, cough, shortness of breath, fatigue, or a new loss of taste or smell, should get tested right away. Additionally, if you know you have been potentially exposed to someone with COVID-19, regardless of your vaccination status, you should get tested 5 days after the exposure. If you get tested because you have symptoms or were potentially exposed to the virus, you should stay away from others pending test results and follow the advice of your health care provider or a public health professional.

Many pharmacies and health care providers offer COVID-19 tests in Loudoun County. To find a provider near you, visit the Virginia Department of Health’s website. Loudoun County also provides free COVID-19 testing weekly, on Tuesdays, at various locations. Next Tuesday, December 7, the County's testing event will take place at the Dulles South Recreation and Community Center (24950 Riding Center Drive) per my request. Testing will run from 10:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. To help reduce wait times, please fill out a registration form before arriving. Forms are available in English and in Spanish.

For the full testing schedule and event details, visit loudoun.gov/covid19testing. For information on the different types of COVID-19 tests available, please click here. 

The CDC is now recommending that everyone ages 5 and older get a COVID-19 vaccine. Please check with your child's healthcare provider to see if they offer the vaccine. For more information on why children and teens should get vaccinated for COVID-19, please click here.

The Virginia Department of Health has authorized local health districts to administer booster doses of the Pfizer, Johnson & Johnson (J&J), and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines for anyone 18 years and older who has received their initial shots.

In addition, the CDC and VDH have approved a “mix and match” approach to boosters, allowing people to receive a different brand of vaccine for the booster dose than what they received in their initial vaccine series. For example, someone who received the one dose J&J vaccine could receive either the Moderna or Pfizer vaccine as a booster.

Anyone who received the J&J vaccine can receive a booster dose of any of the three vaccine types at least two months following their initial vaccination. Anyone who received their initial two-dose series of Moderna or Pfizer vaccine at least six months (180 days) ago is eligible for a booster dose of any of the three types of vaccine.

You can find the date of your second dose on your vaccination card. If you received your second dose in Virginia and have misplaced the card, you can find the date of your second dose by searching for your vaccine record online. If you need assistance over the phone, call 877-VAX-IN-VA (877-829-4682). Assistance is available Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

All residents who need the initial series of COVID-19 vaccine or a booster may receive one from many providers in the community, such as medical offices and pharmacies including, but not limited to, CVS, Giant Food, Harris Teeter, Safeway, Walgreens, Walmart, and Wegmans. These locations have the benefit of being able to also provide the flu vaccine at the same time. Visit vaccines.gov to find a vaccination site near you.

To make an appointment for a COVID-19 vaccine at the County’s Dulles Town Center site, visit loudoun.gov/covid19vaccine. The flu vaccine is not available at the Dulles Town Center clinic.

The Virginia Department of Health has added a scannable QR code to vaccination records. The technology allows anyone vaccinated in Virginia to show proof of vaccination with a digital or printed QR code instead of a paper card. If you have moved to Loudoun from another state since receiving your second dose, you should check with the health department from your previous jurisdiction for your vaccination record.

Loudoun County encourages everyone to stay informed about COVID-19 and the upcoming vaccination recommendations.

English: Text LCCOVID19 to 888777

Spanish: Text LCCOVIDESP to 888777

For additional information about COVID-19, visit loudoun.gov/coronavirus, call the Health Department's information line at 703-737-8300 or email the Health Department.

I am happy to report that VDOT’s pavement resurfacing on Route 606 is finally complete, after many delays due to weather conditions and material shortages. Linear markings have been laid, and work in the area has been completed. Thanks for your patience while crews worked to get the final pieces of this project finished. Look for information in the spring on VDOT’s 2023 paving projects in our area when they are released.

Earlier this year, I reported that the Board of Supervisors had initiated a Comprehensive Plan Amendment (CPAM) to update the Airport Impact Overlay District for Dulles Airport to reflect MWAA’s 2019 Dulles Noise Contour Update Report (an Airport Impact Overlay District is a type of zoning designation in Loudoun that is intended to delineate boundaries of where noise from airplanes is anticipated to affect residential, school, and commercial buildings). The County historically does not allow residential development in the areas with the most noise impact (designated as the Ldn 65 noise corridor). It is important to note that there is a formula involved in the Ldn designations - it is not as simple as measuring the sound from individual aircraft.

The new contours have some new areas in the Ldn 65, and some areas that were previously in it were removed. Besides the Ldn 65, the other contours are the Ldn 60 and the “1-mile buffer.” Historically, those other contours require notification to home buyers during purchase that they are buying a home in a noise contour and should expect airplane noise. The new CPAM removes the 1-mile buffer designation from this requirement, which I strongly oppose. My motion to restore it failed 4-5; however, I have had some discussions with colleagues about potentially reconsidering this motion as the CPAM progresses.

In addition, the Board created a carve-out from the Ldn 65 that was based on the future fifth runway at Dulles. Since the time the Board did the initial work on the carve-out, the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority has undertaken some analysis of this area and I’m expecting them to provide the County with more specific information about exactly which sections in the Ldn 65 are driven solely by the potential of a new runway, and which areas are there because of existing airport traffic.

County staff will host a virtual public outreach meeting for the AIOD CPAM on December 13 from 6:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. via WebEx. This is your opportunity to provide feedback as the proposed revisions work their way through the process. I would encourage you to join the meeting and speak on restoring the 1-mile buffer around the Ldn 60, or any other issues you may feel strongly about.

At our November Public Hearing, the Board voted unanimously to approve a minor special exception application from Dominion Energy to modify the width of a Type C Buffer yard in a planned expansion area of their substation on Poland Road. The buffer backs up to existing data centers and thus isn’t visible. The proposal was to reduce the width of the rear southern buffer yard from 25 feet to 15 feet to match the southern buffer yard of the existing substation. Staff recommended approving the application since a reduction in the rear southern buffer yard will lead to a consistent buffer width along the southern perimeter of the substation. My office did initiate a discussion with the applicant about the poor condition of the vegetation on the side that is visible to the public and Dominion has agreed to make improvements, which we should see by next season.

If you recall from my June newsletter, Toll Brothers has split off from Peterson and is now working separately on half of what used to be Avonlea on the "Bryant Property." Toll submitted their application and is calling the project "Cedar Terrace." The application will be sent to County agencies for referrals and then eventually to the Planning Commission and Board of Supervisors. Typically that process takes up to a year. 

Toll’s plan is to rezone the property located to the north of the South Riding Home Depot. The applicant has requested a rezoning that will result in approximately 75,000 square feet of retail development, a 6,000 square foot civic building, and 1,000 residential units (a mix of for-sale and rental) on the 47-acre site. A portion of the residential units would be age-restricted and attainable housing units for lower income residents. Over the summer, my input to the developer was that their application should be an appropriate mix of uses and should be complementary to Avonlea next door. The intensity of the residential component of this project seems disproportionate to the amount of commercial space, and I will be very interested to read the comments from County agencies during the referral process, especially Planning and Zoning and the Department of Transportation and Capital Infrastructure. More information is available here.

I’ve certainly had my hands full on the Metro Board, as we continue to deal with the ongoing NTSB investigation into what caused a 7000 series railcar derailment and work to gradually bring back cars into service. It was therefore welcome news to hear from the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority that they officially declared Phase 2 “substantially complete,” which is a technical term that means Metro can now begin more substantial tests. From this point, Metro will conduct about 200 tests, and the independent Washington Metrorail Safety Commission will also do separate analysis. Once that is complete, the Metro Board will need to act to officially accept the project, most likely after legal agreements on various remaining items. After that, there will be about 90 days of operational testing and then service will begin. I can’t put a date on that yet, but I’m hopeful it will be in the spring or summer of next year. It is important to note that Metro also needs the Dulles Rail Yard online to operate Phase 2, and that project has not reached the substantial completion milestone yet, though MWAA says it is close.

The upcoming County budget will be among the more difficult we’ve seen. For various reasons, early estimates have been swinging more significantly than in the past. There are a couple of major issues at play:

-Slow growth: Typically, the County sees enough new growth of all types to generate enough revenue to keep pace with growing expenditures. That was not the case over the past year.

-Overreliance on personal property taxes, primarily from data centers: Over time, our revenues have shifted from primarily real estate tax sources to personal property tax sources. In FY22, just 51.5% of County tax revenues were coming from real estate taxes paid by homeowners and commercial property owners. Our staff recommends that at least 60% of revenue come from real estate, which is a more stable source of revenue. Staff is therefore recommending that the Board take steps to shift more revenue to real estate from personal property taxes.

The equalized rate is the tax rate that would have the owner of real estate assessed at the average value in the County paying the same in taxes as last year. We have generally used this as a measuring stick of whether taxes are “really” going down. We have reduced the tax rate nearly 30 cents since I’ve been on the Board, and generally been able to keep the actual bills consistent from year to year. However, the pace of growth on the personal property tax side - especially the computer equipment, which primarily comes from data centers - has outpaced everything else. In general, this is a good problem to have. Over the last few years, the Board has been using that “extra” revenue to pay down debt faster and fund one time expenses in the capital budget. However, there is only so much of that we can do. In addition, staff ended up overestimating the personal property tax revenue last year because several new data centers were not actually outfitted due to COVID-19, which has created budget issues for us this year and underscores the volatility of this budget source.

This year, the early estimate is that the equalized tax rate is going to drop significantly, as low as .89/$100 assessed. The personal property tax rate has been steady at $4.20/$100 since the 1980s. The scenarios considered by the Finance Committee and recommended by County staff would lower the tax rate, but not all the way to the equalized rate, and also lower the personal property tax rate to begin making that shift away from reliance on it.

Reducing the personal property tax rate will reduce the bill for data centers, but it will also reduce the rate on all vehicles, which is something I hear complaints about every year. As you are no doubt aware, the price of new and used vehicles has risen sharply, meaning that for some people, this year’s car tax bill was actually higher than last year’s because their car was worth more. It looks like that is going to continue next year given supply shortages. It would therefore be a good time to adjust the rate downward.

The Board is asked to give fiscal guidance to the County Administrator at this point in the process every year. This year, a motion to prepare the budget at a real property tax rate of $0.99 per $100 of assessed value passed the Finance Committee on a 3-2 vote, with myself and Supervisor Kershner opposed. I like the Board to have options during our budget sessions, and that includes options to go up and down from what the Administrator proposes. I always appreciate seeing what the first 4-5 items that the Administrator would take out of his budget would be, and the first 4-5 things he would add in. Unfortunately, the motion that passed did not provide those options to go down, and I think we also missed an opportunity to reduce the personal property tax rate further than just from $4.20 to $4.15. The full Board still has to vote on December 7, so I can try again.

Now, the obvious comment one would make is that instead of just looking at taxes to fund growth, the Board could reduce spending. That is of course true and I think there are some options that should be on the table. However, the reality is that it would be difficult for the Board to cut enough to make a significant difference in the tax rate. Our biggest expense is personnel, and the County typically provides around a 3% salary increase. Given inflation, I’d prefer not to reduce that. There are certainly some programs I do not support in the County budget (we’ll get to one below with collective bargaining), but one penny on the tax rate is the equivalent of about $9 million, and even taking those things out of the budget probably wouldn’t get us there. Many people have pointed out that the school system has seen reduced enrollment and should see less spending, and in fact their updated fiscal guidance reflects this. They are anticipating about a $50 million increase, the bulk of which is the same relatively modest salary increases. This is $75 million less than the Superintendent’s last budget guidance over the summer, and the reduction of $75 million is mostly due to enrollment decreases.

I don’t know how the votes on these specific issues will go, but I’m hopeful that my colleagues are listening to staff. We happen to have staff that have a great deal of experience working in collective bargaining environments. While I believe that collective bargaining as a whole is unnecessary, the Board could really tie our own hands in the future if some of the items in the ordinance are adopted. For more on collective bargaining, please click here.

A "Pardon Our Dust" public meeting for the Northstar Boulevard widening from Tall Cedars Parkway to Route 50 will take place tomorrow night, Wednesday, December 1 from 7:00-8:00 p.m. at Arcola Elementary School (located at 41740 Tall Cedars Parkway in Stone Ridge). At the meeting, residents will have a chance to meet the project team and get details on the stages of construction and ask questions. Please note that LCPS building use policies require that masks are worn when inside the building.

Due to COVID-19 community transmission and the challenges of social distancing, Toys for Tots is running their 2021 program in much the same way as last year. Rather than toy donations, they are requesting support through monetary donations so that small groups of volunteers can purchase toys directly from local stores. This will allow for minimal handling while still providing toys for children in need. For information on how to donate, please click here.

Dulles South Neighborhood Closet is hosting a community clothing event at Lightridge High School on Saturday, Dec. 4 from 8 a.m. – 11a.m. Appointments are required. Email info@dullescloset.org for an appointment. Families with a referral from Dulles South Food Pantry or a school parent liaison have priority. Dulles Closet will be collecting clean, gently used clothing, shoes, and accessories in all sizes from November 30 to December 3. Warm clothing is particularly needed. See DullesCloset.org for details.

For more information about the proposal review process and application procedures, visit loudoun.gov/projectbasedvouchers or contact Tandi Butler at 703-771-5204 or by email.

Working as a team or individually, middle and high school youth across the County are encouraged to identify an issue of their choice and share their project during the Step Up Loudoun Youth Competition and win prize money for their hard work. This year, registration closes December 17. For more information about making meaning contributions to your community in this competition, please visit loudounyouth.org.

More information about the county’s recycling and waste management programs is available by calling 703-771-5500 or visiting loudoun.gov/wastemanagement.

Christmas tree recycling information is available at www.loudoun.gov/recycle.

Dulles South Soup Kitchen provides fresh and nutritious hot meals to anyone in need within Loudoun County.

Donations to the Dulles South Soup Kitchen can be made on their website or at their location by appointment. Call (202) 930-3775 or email to make an appointment.

Dulles South Soup Kitchen distributes food every Wednesday from 6:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. at the StoneSprings Hospital Center parking lot by Route 50. Registration is required on their website.

Donations to the Dulles South Food Pantry can be made in person at their temporary location at the Arcola Volunteer Fire Department Annex, 24300 Stone Springs Boulevard, on Mondays and Wednesdays from 10:00 AM to 11:30 AM, or online. Donations to the Dulles South Food Pantry, Inc. are tax deductible. The Dulles South Food Pantry provides food assistance up to twice a month to any person who resides in the attendance zones for the following high schools: Freedom, John Champe, Lightridge, Independence, Rock Ridge and Briar Woods. Call 703-507-2795 or email mailto:info@dsfp.org to schedule an appointment. See the Pantry's website for information on how you can help fight local hunger.

Donations to Loudoun Hunger Relief can be made in person at 750 Miller Drive SE in Leesburg or via their website.

The American Red Cross continues to have an urgent need for blood and platelet donations. Donation sites follow the required social distancing during the collection events. No drop-in donations are allowed. To schedule an appointment, please visit redcross.org/give-blood.

Inova Blood Services has blood drives scheduled and takes donors by appointment. Visit https://www.inovablood.org/ to schedule an appointment.

Locally, Arcola Volunteer Fire Department in partnership with INOVA Blood Donor Services will be hosting a blood drive on Wednesday, November 3 from 12:30 to 5:00 p.m. at the Arcola VFD Annex located at 24300 Stone Springs Blvd. Sign up today.

The Health Department continues to seek volunteers for the Loudoun Medical Reserve Corps (MRC). With the COVID-19 pandemic a reality, the need for Loudoun Medical Reserve Corps (MRC) volunteers - both medical and nonmedical personnel - is greater than ever. The MRC is asking medical doctors, nurses, physician assistants, emergency medical technicians, paramedics, dentists, veterinarians, and other medical professionals to consider volunteering their time to help protect the community's health during the pandemic and beyond. Nonmedical professionals can operate the Loudoun County Health Department's information line or help support testing activities, contact-tracing efforts, logistics support, and other nonmedical functions. For more information, visit loudoun.gov/mrc. Register through the Virginia Volunteer Health System.

Route 606 Pavement Resurfacing

Conklin Park Athletic Court Closure

Airport Impact Overlay District Revisions Input Session

AT&T - Stone Ridge Antennas

Poland Road Substation Expansion

Bryant Property/Cedar Terrace

Metro Silver Line Reaches Substantial Completion

FY23 Budget Challenges

Confederate and Segregationist Symbol Inventory Update

Collective Bargaining Public Hearing

Hanson Park Construction Update

VDOT 511 Traffic Information

Loudoun County Road Maintenance Information

Loudoun County Traffic Incident Map