May 2023 Civic Affairs Committee Report

Sully District Council of Citizens Associations

- The tentative Sully District Council of Citizens Associations schedule for 2023 (subject to change) (agendas may not be available until the week/day of the meeting):
  - 26 April: Forum on Hate Crimes in Fairfax County. The meeting notes have links to a video of the Forum

- 24 May: General Assembly Report by Delegates and Senators representing Sully in Richmond
  - Senator Jennifer Boysko (33rd District)
  - Delegate Dan Helmer (40th District)
  - Delegate David Bulova (37th District)
  - Delegate Irene Shin (86th District)
- 28 June: State of Sully from Supervisor Smith
- 27 July and 24 August — No Summer meetings currently scheduled
- 27 September: Joint Candidates night with the League of Woman Voters of the Fairfax Area (county positions)
- 25 October: Joint Candidates night with the League of Woman Voters of the Fairfax Area (state legislative positions)
- 15 November: TBD
- 20 December: TBD
The Joint Sully District Land Use and Transportation Committee meets the third Monday of each month starting at 7 pm at the Sully Government Facility unless otherwise indicated. Topics posted the week of the meeting, agenda available late on the day of the meeting
- Parking Reimagined – Deferred to May
- ZMOD #2 (opposed — see resolution, see testimony
- Truck Ban on Bull Run Post Office Road (opposed — see resolution

Fairfax Federation

The Fairfax Federation met on: 27 April — ZMOD & Officer nominations
The Fairfax Federation will meet on:
- 25 May — TBD & Officer elections
- 22 June — Picnic & Officer installation

Elections

- Election Officers Needed for June Primary

The Fairfax County Office of Elections needs additional election officers throughout the county for the Democratic Primary on Tuesday, June 20, 2023. Compensation begins at $250 and training is provided online and in-person for new officers. The deadline to apply for the upcoming Primary is this May 19.

There is also a need for bilingual Virginia voters who speak Vietnamese and English or Korean and English to serve in the Annandale, Centreville, Chantilly, and Falls Church areas. To serve as a designated bilingual election officer, you must also complete a short oral language skills assessment. Learn more

- Early Voting Begins for Democratic Primary

- - Board of Supervisors: Chairman, Dranesville District, Mason District, Mount Vernon District and Springfield District
  - Commonwealth’s Attorney
  - Sheriff
  - Virginia House of Delegates: 7th, 15th and 19th districts
  - Virginia Senate: 33rd, 35th, 36th and 37th districts
- Three locations will be open for early voting on weekdays:
  - Fairfax County Government Center: 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
  - Mount Vernon Governmental Center: 1 to 7 p.m.
  - North County Governmental Center: 1 to 7 p.m.
- These voting locations will be closed on Memorial Day, Monday, May 29, and these three sites will be the only places available for early voting until June 10, when an additional 13 sites will open. Learn more. The General Election is Tuesday, Nov. 7.
- Elections for FCPS school board members and the Northern Virginia Soil and Water Conservation District directors do not have primaries. If you are interested in the endorsements/endorsement process by your favorite political party be sure to check with them. Links to the two largest political parties:
- - - Fairfax Democrats
  The Fairfax County Democratic Committee has changed their policy for voting for the Democratic Endorsement of NVSWCD and At-large School Board candidates – names that will be included in the Democratic Sample Ballot for the November 2023 election. Formerly, the Dem endorsement voting was restricted to only FCDC members. Now, they have expanded voting eligibility to include anyone who is a registered Fairfax County voter.
  BUT, you have to sign up to vote, and the deadline is FRIDAY NIGHT, May 5, at midnight, at this link
  - Fairfax Republicans

Fire and Rescue

- Portable Outdoor Fireplaces Safety Information

Portable or stationary fire pits have become very popular and are used all year. The Fairfax County Fire Department provides information to help prevent unwanted fires resulting from the unlawful or unsafe operation and/or storage of portable outdoor fireplaces. If you have any questions, contact the Fire Inspections Branch at 703-246-4849 weekdays, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Learn more.

Health and Human Services

- Northern Virginia Region Opioid Abatement Response – Public Input Survey

The Northern Virginia Opioid Response Network and Community Service Boards are seeking public input on potential uses of opioid settlement funds. These funds are the result of national settlements with prescription opioid manufacturers, distributors and other entities; funds can be used in numerous ways to address the impact of the opioid epidemic. In Northern Virginia, one project under consideration would expand regional substance use treatment service capacity for youth. Community members are encouraged to share feedback via the online survey through this May 12. The survey is also available in multiple languages.

Neighborhood and Community Services

- New Grant Funding Available for Eligible Community-based Organizations

Fairfax County’s Trauma-Informed Spaces Grant Program invites community-based organizations (i.e. 501(c)(3) or 501(c)(19)) that have experienced a negative impact as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic to apply for a new round of grants funded through the federal American Rescue Plan Act. The application must be submitted by 5 p.m. on May 12, 2023, and qualifying organizations may each receive up to $5,000. Please visit the program website to apply and for more information.

- Registration Now Open for 2023 Therapeutic Recreation Summer Camp

Fairfax County’s Neighborhood and Community Services (NCS) is now accepting applications for the 2023 Therapeutic Recreation Summer Camp. This is an opportunity for children and young adults with disabilities ages 5-22 to be involved in up to three weeks of a safe and fun summer program. The summer will be packed with special events, art activities, sensory play, games, sports, outdoor play, music activities and more.

All programming is designed to meet the different interests and abilities of the campers. All camp sites are open to participants with developmental disabilities, intellectual disabilities, autism spectrum disorder, physical disabilities, emotional disabilities, learning disabilities, and/or attention deficit disorders. Camp locations are Kilmer Middle School, Key Middle School and Rocky Run Middle School (subject to change). Learn more

Parks and Recreation

- Walk in the Boots of a Real Farmer at Spring Farm Day

This year’s Spring Farm Day will take place at Frying Pan Farm Park on Saturday, May 6, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Participants will get to experience farm operations such as real sheep shearing and antique farm equipment demonstrations. There will also be crafts and games available for all ages. Registration is $10 per person for ages 2 and older before May 6 ($12 on the day of). One wagon ride included with each paid admission. Learn more and register

- Nominations for 2023 Environmental Excellence Awards Now Open

Fairfax County’s Environmental Excellence Awards recognize the best examples of leadership and service to protect and enhance the natural environment. The awards celebrate accomplishments by individual county residents, organizations, businesses, and county employees who do one or more of the following:

- - Advance or support the county’s environmental goals and policies
  - Dedicate personal time and expertise beyond normal fiscal or civic responsibilities
  - Demonstrate leadership, acting as role models for others

Nominations will be accepted through this June 1. The nominees’ achievements should have occurred between June 1, 2022, and May 31, 2023, or over a period of years that include a portion of this time frame. Please visit the program webpage to submit a nomination and for more details.

- Spring Farm Day at Frying Pan Farm Park Saturday, May 6

The whole family can enjoy a day of life on the farm with sheep shearing and antique farm equipment demonstrations. Get hands-on and try milking cows and goats. Enjoy crafts, games, and get an up-close introduction to the baby farm animals. One wagon ride included with each paid admission. Cost is $10 per person two and older before May 6. Walk-ins welcome, $12 at the door on the day of the event. Learn more.

- Friday Night Live!

Mark your calendars for every Friday through August 25. Concessions open at 6:00pm. Band starts at 6:30pm.

Herndon Town Green at the rear of the Herndon Municipal Building, 777 Lynn Street, Herndon

You can RSVP and invite your friends to the Facebook events at facebook.com/FridayNightLive/events.

Check out the Frequently Asked Questions for information on rain cancellations, what to bring and what NOT to bring, and more.

Learn more at the Friday Night Live! website.

Planning and Zoning

- Public Hearings Scheduled to Consider the Readoption of Zoning Ordinance Modernization (zMOD)

Fairfax County’s Zoning Ordinance Modernization (zMOD) project began in 2017 with the goal of updating the county’s Zoning Ordinance. Extensive in-person and virtual public outreach identified ways to make the Ordinance current with today’s practices and easier to navigate. While the changes recommended by zMOD were adopted by the Board in 2021, the Virginia Supreme Court ruled last month that the virtual adoption method used in 2021 was invalid. The ruling addressed solely the adoption process and did not address the content. The Board authorized for the zMOD’s readoption to be discussed via public hearings during the Planning Commission meeting on May 3 and the Board meeting on May 9. Learn more

- Adoption of the 2023 Comprehensive Plan Amendment Work Program, Including Certain Proposed Countywide Site-Specific Plan Amendment (SSPA) Nominations

Land use in Fairfax County is governed by two primary documents: the Zoning Ordinance and the Comprehensive Plan. The Zoning Ordinance contains laws dictating how parcels can be used today, whereas the Comprehensive Plan lists recommendations of how certain parcels should be developed in the future. If the zMOD is a way to update the Zoning Ordinance, the Comprehensive Plan Amendment Work Program is its equivalent for the Comprehensive Plan.

Virginia localities are required to review their Comprehensive Plans at least once every five years, but this is done more frequently in Fairfax County to ensure that the Plan stays up-to-date. The Comprehensive Plan Amendment Work Program contains various types of amendments that are prioritized and reviewed before some of them get adopted following public hearings. The Site-Specific Plan Amendment (SSPA) process is one part of the Work Program that takes suggestions from community members (called nominations) for changing the Comprehensive Plan guidance for specific parcels. The Board adopted the 2023 Comprehensive Plan Amendment Work Program (including certain SSPA nominations). Please note that this action simply accepts county staff’s prioritization of plan amendments to review, and no changes to the Comprehensive Plan itself were approved.

- Helicopter Noise in Northern Virginia

- Early this week U.S. Representative Don Beyer (D-VA) announced new measures to mitigate the impact of disruptive helicopter noise in Northern Virginia and across the national capital region. Beyer was joined by representatives of the Department of Defense (DOD), the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), and Helicopter Association International (HAI), who announced new measures to raise altitudes and alter flight paths to reduce the impact of noise over residential areas. Their announcement followed FAA analysis of data from a pilot program to track helicopter noise complaints by residents using a system developed on recommendations made in a 2021 General Accounting Office (GAO) report, which Beyer requested.
- Residents in the National Capital Region can submit noise concerns:
- - Submit noise concerns via webform
  - iPhone and Android-compatible mobile app/
  - Voicemail at the noise complaint hotline at 877-209-3200
- Residents are encouraged to provide as much information as possible when submitting a complaint. Using available flight track data, the system will accurately identify likely aircraft generating concerns and all associated data.
- For more information, visit Congressman Don Beyer’s website.

Public Works and Environmental Services

- New Drop-off Hours for Household Hazardous Waste and Electronics Waste at the I-66 Transfer Station and I-95 Landfill Complex

Starting this May 1, there will be new hours when household hazardous waste and electronics waste can be dropped off at the I-66 Transfer Station and the I-95 Landfill Complex. The following are the new times for these categories at the I-66 Transfer Station:

- - Monday – 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.
  - Tuesday – noon to 5 p.m.
  - Wednesday – closed
  - Thursday – noon to 5 p.m.
  - Friday – 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.
  - Saturday and Sunday – 7 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The new hours for the I-95 Landfill Complex and additional details can be found in the official announcement.

Enjoy,

Jeffrey M. Parnes

Civic Affairs Committee Chair

Chantilly Highlands Homes Association

703.424.2956 (P)

484.307.2552 (F)

chhacivicaffairs@chha.org

Chantilly Highlands

@chhaweb

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