In this Issue…

Two Different Directions on Protecting the Occoquan Watershed – On Tuesday, the Board unanimously supported my motion to reaffirm our commitment to protecting the downzoned Occoquan Watershed as a critical natural resource for our region. Within the same 24 hours, the Prince William County Board voted 5-2 to approve the Digital Gateway Comprehensive Plan Amendment that would allow development in the watershed, without a complete study on the environmental impacts, and despite the testimony of roughly 300 speakers. While I am reluctant to weigh in on issues in other jurisdictions, how we handle the watershed affects over a million Northern Virginians who rely on the Occoquan Basin for drinking water. That is why I led the effort for the Board to reaffirm its commitment to protecting the watershed in 2016 and again at our last meeting. Fairfax County has a history of preserving the Occoquan, as does Prince William County, but this Digital Gateway vote is a turning point. Below, I’ll share more with you on what I’ve done to protect the watershed and why the action by Prince William County’s Board is concerning.

Early Voting and Election Day – Early voting continues through Saturday, November 5th at multiple locations, including the main Government Center. If you can, please vote early. Polls are open from 6 AM to 7 PM on Election Day, Tuesday, November 8th. See below for more details on voting locations, times, and how to find your new precinct and polling place.

Lord and Lady Fairfax – Each year I nominate two outstanding community members for Celebrate Fairfax’s annual Lord and Lady Fairfax recognitions. This year I was honored to recognize the nominees for Springfield District, Sam Gray and Caroline Sieber for their outstanding service to our community. See more on their efforts below.

Addressing Safety Issues on the Fairfax County Parkway - I am continuing to work the issues associated with the frequent cross-median crashes on the Fairfax County Parkway between Burke Centre Parkway and Route 123. Together with VDOT we were able to have warning signs and chevron signs installed to alert drivers to slow down and that the road is slippery when wet. The long-term solution is fixing the elevation of the road during the forthcoming widening and improvement project. However, since construction on this project is still years away, VDOT is going to try an innovative new solution which is the application of a high-friction pavement surface treatment to help drivers maintain control of their vehicles in both dry and wet driving conditions. More info below.
 
Other News and Information
 
  • Entrepreneurship 101 Webinar (Nov 8th)
  • FCPD Scout Night (Nov 15th)
  • 2023 Live Healthy Fairfax Awards Nomination Deadline (Dec 15th)