October Civic Affairs Committee Report:
Upcoming Sully District Council of Citizens Associations meetings
- 27 October: Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Brief
- 17 November: Sully School Board Member, Stella Pekarsky
- 14 December: Dulles Airport Status
Upcoming Joint Sully District Land Use and Transportation Committee meetings
- 18 October, 15 November & 20 December: Topics to be determined
Upcoming Fairfax Federation meetings
- 28 October:
- Proposed Fairfax Connector Route Service Changes in Centreville, Chantilly, Vienna and Tysons Corner
- Dulles Metro Silver Line Phase 2 Status
- 14 November: Citizen of the Year Banquet
- 18 November: TBD
Environmental, Climate, and Energy News
- Join a Resilient Fairfax Virtual Public Meeting
You’re invited to join a virtual public meeting with the Resilient Fairfax team on Thursday, October 14 at 6:30 PM. At this meeting, you can provide feedback and input on the county’s Climate Adaptation and Resilience Plan, which is currently in development. Resilient Fairfax is the county’s formal effort to address climate adaptation and resilience and to reduce climate risks to county residents, businesses, and infrastructure.
Learn about where and how we’re vulnerable to climate impacts like flooding, extreme heat, strong storms, and more. Share your thoughts on strategies that could help us deal with these threats in the years to come.
Learn More and Register for The Public Meeting
- Fairfax County Community Aims For Carbon Neutrality By 2050
On September 14, the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors accepted the county’s first Community-wide Energy and Climate Action Plan. The plan, referred to as CECAP, sets a goal of achieving carbon neutrality within the community by 2050, with 87 percent of emission reductions attributable to local action as opposed to carbon offsets. CECAP also includes interim and sector-specific emission reduction goals as well as recommended strategies and actions for residents, businesses, and other county stakeholders to take. Unlike other climate action plans created by comparable municipalities across the United States, CECAP was developed by a working group composed of community members and representatives from area businesses and nonprofits. Learn more about CECAP and the community’s carbon neutrality goal.
- Come Out To A HomeWise Demonstration and Giveaway Event – October 16 At George Mason Regional Library
On Saturday, October 16, 2021 from 2:00 – 4:00 PM, join HomeWise volunteers and OEEC staff as we demonstrate ways you can save energy, water, and money at home, and give away free efficiency improvement kits at the George Mason Regional Library.
The first 200 attendees at this event will receive kits including LED lightbulbs, weatherstripping for doors and windows, low-flow faucet aerators, socket sealers, and more. Have your questions about weatherization and conservation answered and enter a raffle to win a smart power strip!
HomeWise is a Fairfax County program that trains volunteers to help low- and moderate-income residents make energy-, water-, and money-saving physical improvements to their homes and to make behavior changes that are proven to conserve resources and money over time. More information on the event is available here.
- Fairfax County Adopts Disposable Plastic Bag Tax Ordinance
On September 14, the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors adopted the county’s first-ever tax on disposable plastic bags. The five-cent tax is intended to influence consumer behavior by discouraging individuals from using single-use disposable plastic bags, thereby reducing plastic bag pollution in our local streams, rivers and lakes. The tax will go into effect across the county on January 1, 2022. The tax applies to disposable plastic bags provided for in-store, to-go, delivery and curbside pick-up purchases from grocery stores, convenience stores, and drug stores located within Fairfax County.
Research has found that the average lifespan of a disposable plastic bag is 12 minutes, then it becomes waste, and a third of all plastic waste ends up in nature. From a health perspective, it is estimated that, on average, each person consumes five grams, or the equivalent of a credit card’s weight of plastic, each week, with drinking water as the largest source of ingestion. Learn more about the new disposable plastic bag tax in Fairfax County.
- Izaak Walton League Stream Monitoring Certification Online Training
Want to become a certified Save Our Streams monitor? Start the certification process from the comfort of your home with online interactive webinars! Simply watch the video versions of in-person training lectures: Introduction to Water Quality and Introduction to Macroinvertebrates.See all the information you need here!
Public Safety
- Use of Force Study: Public Meeting Oct. 7
Fairfax County Board of Supervisors Public Safety Committee Chair and Lee District Supervisor Rodney Lusk is hosting a discussion and public meeting on Thursday, Oct. 7, 7 to 9 p.m. on the Use of Force Study that the county commissioned from the University of Texas at San Antonio. You can hear directly from the researchers and have the opportunity to ask questions and provide feedback. To participate:
Land Use and Transportation
- Reston Comprehensive Plan Study Task Force Meetings
The Reston Comprehensive Plan Study Task Force has meetings scheduled through October. Information on watching the upcoming meetings is below. To learn more about the Reston Comprehensive Plan Study and the task force, visit the Reston Comprehensive Plan Study webpage. Meeting details and agendas will be found here. You can watch live streams of the meetings on YouTube Live, as well as the video archive of all past task force meetings.
Monday, Oct. 11, 7 p.m. Use this link to attend and participate in the meeting. You will be prompted to register with your email address and ZIP code before logging into meeting. If you prefer to listen to the meeting on your phone, you may call 1-844-621-3956 and use access code: 2340 698 2654. This is also the number to use if accessing TTY 711.
§ Monday, Oct. 25, 7 p.m. Use this link to attend and participate in the meeting. You will be prompted to register with your email address and ZIP code before logging into meeting. If you prefer to listen to the meeting on your phone, you may call 1-844-621-3956 and use access code: 2340 507 1775. This is also the number to use if accessing TTY 711.
- Oct 15: Metro SmartTrip sale
The first ever Metro Sales Event is going on now through October 15. Save up to 50% on selected Metro passes and enjoy unlimited rides on Metrorail and Metrobus.
§ 1-Day Unlimited Pass: was $13, now on sale for $6.50
§ 3-Day Unlimited Pass: was $28, now on sale for $14
§ 7-Day Unlimited Pass: was $58, now on sale for $29
§ 7-Day Short-Trip Pass: was $38, now on sale for $19
§ Monthly Unlimited Passes: starting from $44
Passes can be purchased in the SmarTrip® app and then added to Apple Wallet, GPay, or your plastic SmarTrip Card online, at Fare Vending Machines located in Metrorail stations, and at the Metro Center Sales Office. For more information, visit wmata.com/sale.
- Share Feedback for Route 50 STARS Safety and Operational Improvements Study – Chantilly
The Virginia Department of Transportation’s STARS program (Strategically Targeted Affordable Roadway Solutions) brings together community members and agency staff in order to jointly identify cost-effective measures aimed at improving safety and reducing congestion. The program is currently in its second phase during which potential innovative intersection improvements, including partial median u-turns, at Lees Corner Road and Stringfellow Road are being reviewed. Potential safety improvements for side street intersections along the Route 50 service road are also being assessed.
While the virtual public information meeting took place on September 28, community feedback can be submitted until October 8, 2021 via the project website.
- Community Input Meetings Set for Proposed Fairfax Connector Bus Service in the Centreville, Chantilly, Vienna and Tysons Areas
Fairfax County Department of Transportation (FCDOT) is seeking community input on a proposed plan for bus service provided by Fairfax Connector in the Centreville, Chantilly, Vienna, Tysons (CCVT) and neighboring areas, such as McLean and West Falls Church. There will be a virtual community input meeting on October 7 while a survey will be available until October 18.
Following the latest round of community engagement, FCDOT has developed a preferred plan for improved Fairfax Connector bus service in the CCVT areas. The plan aims to improve on-time performance and streamline service to meet the needs of the community and commuters. Please help shape the plan by attending one of the meetings and taking the online survey.
Recreation and the Arts
- ArtsFairfax Honors Arts Visionaries Oct. 15
ArtsFairfax invites the community to celebrate 10 years of recognizing local arts visionaries during their Arts Awardees on Oct. 15. Join the celebration honoring the National Museum of U.S. Army, 1st Stage, Traveling Players Ensemble, Reston Town Center Association and artist Kelli Schollard-Sincock at the new Capital One Center. Learn more
- Caboose to Caboose Bike Event in October
The towns of Herndon and Vienna are joining NOVA Parks for a fun ride or walk along the W&OD Trail from the Vienna Caboose to the Herndon Caboose. Pick a day in the month of October and ride when it works for you. The round-trip distance is 16.6 miles, and you get an entire month to give it a try. This is a fun bike ride or walk for all ages. Learn more.
- ParktoberFest at E.C. Lawrence Park
ParktoberFest is a new family-friendly event brought to you by the Ellanor C. Lawrence Park Friends group and the Fairfax County Park Authority. The event will be held on Saturday, October 9 from noon until 5 p.m. on the lawn of Middlegate House (5235 Walney Road, Centreville).
There will be live music performances by The Walkaways and Jay Byrd with various vendors from local businesses present. Those in attendance will get to sample local brews and take part in the festivities while enjoying the outdoors. Entrance to the event is free and free parking is available in the gravel lot across from the pond (but walking and biking to the site are encouraged). For more information, please call 703-631-0013; or visit the Ellanor C. Lawrence Park Friends website. For booth/table information, please email info@eclpfriends.org.
- Donate Food During the Stuff the Bus Events
Stuff the Bus is a collaborative program between Fairfax County Government and local nonprofits that was established in 2011 with the goal of supporting local food pantries. The initiative has helped collect over 220 tons of food to date and will be accepting donations at various locations on Saturday, October 9 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Please visit the program website for a list of requested items and locations. For those who are unable to donate in person, monetary donations can be made by visiting Volunteer Fairfax’s Stuff the Bus Donation Page.
The following two locations in the Sully District will participate and donations to them will benefit the Western Fairfax Christian Ministry: |
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Sully District Governmental Center
4900 Stonecroft Blvd, Chantilly, VA 20151 |
| Chantilly Regional Library
4000 Stringfellow Road
Chantilly, VA 20151 |
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| Voting
- Early voting began Friday, September 17 for the November 2nd general election for Virginia governor and other state offices.
These early voting sites are open and Fairfax County voters can cast their ballots at any of these locations across the county:
| Weekdays: 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Saturdays (Sept. 18, Oct 23 & 30): 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Sunday, October 24: 1 – 5 p.m |
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Fairfax County Government Center
Conference Rooms 2/3
12000 Government Center Parkway, Fairfax 22035 |
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| Mount Vernon Governmental Center
2511 Parkers Lane, Alexandria 22306
North County Governmental Center
1801 Cameron Glen Drive, Reston 20190 |
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| An additional 13 early voting locations will be offered beginning Thursday, October 21. Any registered Fairfax County voter can vote early, and October 30th is the last day for early voting.
Virginia law requires all voters to show identification when they vote — but a photo ID, like a driver’s license, is no longer required. You may use as ID a copy of your:
o Current utility bill
o Bank statement
o otingGovernment check
o Paycheck
o Other government document with the voter’s name and address
Of course, photo IDs remain an acceptable form of identification — and you can even use an expired Virginia driver’s license no matter how long ago it expired. More information, including a detailed list of acceptable IDs is on the Virginia Department of Elections website.
The following offices are on the ballot on November 2nd:
o Governor
o Lieutenant Governor
o Attorney General
o House of Delegates
o Public School Bond
Sample Ballots are available at the Office of Elections website.
Absentee ballot mailing will begin on Sept.17 for those voters who have requested to receive a ballot by mail
Cast ballots can be returned by mail, or they can be put in a drop-off box at any early voting site during the hours they’re open. There is also a secure, 24-hour drop-off box available outside the Fairfax County Government Center.
However, voters choose to return their mail-in ballots, they still must sign the return envelope, and a witness signature is also required. (Earlier during the pandemic, state lawmakers exempted voters from providing a witness signature if they felt unsafe, but this legal requirement is now back in place for November 2 and future elections.)
To have a ballot sent to you, apply by Oct. 22 at 5 p.m. Any registered voter can vote by mail without needing a reason or excuse.
The fastest and most secure way to apply for a ballot is online on the Virginia Department of Elections website. Your Virginia driver’s license number is needed to apply online, along with the last four digits of your Social Security number.
For questions or more information about voting and deadlines, contact the Fairfax County Office of Elections at 703-222-0776, TTY 711.
Ballot drop-off boxes are available at all early voting locations when locations are open for voting. The drop boxes are for voted ballots which are secured in the envelope provided to the voter. All instructions in the absentee ballot must be followed.
Voted ballots may be dropped off outside the Government Center at an attended drop box during business hours. An accessible, secure drop box is installed outside the building, permitting voters to drop off their ballots 24/7.
Voted ballots may also be dropped off at any early voting site during hours of operation.
On Election Day, ballots may be brought to your regular polling place when the polls are open.
- Voting on Election Day at Your Regular Polling Place
November 2, 2021, General and Special Elections:
o All registered voters may vote in this election. Not sure if you are registered? Please visit the Virginia Department of Elections website.
o Polls are open from 6:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. on Election Day. If you are line by 7:00 p.m., you will be able to vote.
• Before you vote, check your registration status
• Find your polling place
• Make sure you bring an acceptable form of identification |
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Enjoy,
Jeffrey M. Parnes
Civic Affairs Committee Chair
Chantilly Highlands Homes Association
703.424.2956 (P)
484.307.2552 (F)
chhacivicaffairs@chha.org
@chhaweb
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