Fairfax County staff have proposed using $300,000 in unspent funds to support ongoing cleanup of Royal Lake Park in Burke following a devastating microburst in June.
The neighborhood was the hardest hit by a June 22 thunderstorm that knocked out power to more than 25,000 people across the county.
The funding to support additional cleanup efforts will come from a $63.53 million package of carryover funds from fiscal year 2026, detailed on Sept. 1 at a Budget Policy Committee meeting. The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors will vote on the proposed spending at its Sept. 15 meeting.
Braddock District Supervisor Rachna Sizemore Heizer said the additional funding “is really important” to address public infrastructure impacted by the storm.
The Royal Lake residential community is centered around the 46-acre Royal Lake Park, located near the intersection of Guinea Road and Burke Road in the Kings Park West area. Within the park is the 38-acre lake.
Among other funding proposals made by staff for consideration by supervisors:
- Adding $8.94 million in support of pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure improvements
- $1 million to augment library collections
- $8.9 million for vehicle needs, particularly for the Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department
- $11.59 million for information-technology projects
- $8.1 million for environmental and energy initiatives
- $2.76 million for the replacement of three underground fuel storage tanks
- $2.25 million to support the next phase of the Access Control Systems replacement at county facilities, primarily the Fairfax County Government Center
- $2.00 million to replenish the Hiring Incentive Bonus Reserve
- $1.93 million to continue emergency preparedness and disaster response programs and activities that were previously funded through federal grants
- $750,000 to fund costs related to the Aug. 4 primary
The Board of Supervisors will hold a public hearing on the carryover review as part of the Sept. 15 meeting before voting to allocate funding.
