By Brian Trompeter
As they did last year, the Vienna Town Council agreed Jan. 29 to set four top priorities as its goals for the year ahead.
Council members unanimously agreed that this year they will:
• Consider possible zoning-ordinance changes that were not included in the sweeping zoning-code update passed last year, and track developments that have transpired since adoption of the new code.
• Enact a tree ordinance to preserve more mature trees where new homes are being built in residential areas.
• Develop a parks master plan, decide on short- and long-term uses for the town’s annex property (the former Faith Baptist Church).
• Explore options to increase the variety of the town’s housing stock.
The Town Council, at member Ray Brill Jr.’s suggestion, last year began setting four key priorities on which to focus. Priorities for 2023 included developing a parks master plan (including the disposition of the annex property), finishing the Code Create Vienna zoning-code rewrite, preserving the town’s tree canopy and revising the town’s noise ordinance.
In a change from last year’s priority setting, Council members agreed Jan. 29 to maintain the priority list at four by adding a new item once one has been checked off the to-do list.
Council member Charles Anderson said he originally had been skeptical of the four-priority regimen, but had come to appreciate its advantages and credited Brill for helping institute the concept. He also thanked Town Manager Mercury Payton for suggesting approximate time frames for accomplishing the goals, and complimented Council member Jessica Ramakis for summarizing this year’s goals succinctly.
“This is beginning to evolve in a very workable fashion,” Anderson said.
Vienna Town Council Signals Opposition to Proposed Tysons Casino: Joining an increasing chorus of civic associations and elected officials, Vienna Town Council members indicated Jan. 29 that they were against a proposal to build a casino in Tysons.
Council member Charles Anderson arrived at the meeting late, having just returned from a lobbying effort in Richmond along with representatives of several civic organizations.
Anderson said the lobbying had been successful in part because nearly every senator had been bombarded with e-mails from people opposing the gambling venue, which is being pushed heavily by state Sen. David Marsden (D-Fairfax).
“Most of the senators’ aides had no idea this bill had been cooked in stealth and was being put on an incredibly fast track,” Anderson said.
While hopeful the anti-casino lobbying would be effective, opponents are “up against some major forces,” he said.
The entire Town Council opposes the casino and has sent a letter to the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors, said Mayor Linda Colbert. County supervisors would decide on whether to set a public referendum on the matter if the bill clears the General Assembly and receives the governor’s signature.
Vienna Selects Navy Veteran as New Director of Public Works Department: Vienna officials announced Jan. 25 that, after a nationwide search, they had selected Brad Baer as the town’s new public-works director.
Baer, who began his new post Jan. 29, most recently has served since August 2022 as chief of Arlington County’s Facilities Design and Construction Bureau.
“Brad’s experience successfully leading teams in planning, design, construction and maintenance for government and military facilities and capital-improvement projects is what Vienna needs moving forward,” said Town Manager Mercury Payton.
Before working in Arlington, Baer spent 22 years in the U.S. Navy, where he served in the U.S. Navy Civil Engineer Corps and oversaw Navy and Marine Corps installations.
Baer succeeds acting public-works director Christine Horner, who is moving to the Yosemite area in California. Horner stayed on board for Baer’s first few days to help provide a smooth transition, officials said.
Vienna Mayor Linda Colbert praised Horner’s service at the Town Council’s Jan. 29 meeting.
“She has just been invaluable, amazing,” Colbert said. “She has done everything with a smile on her face and with ease. Thank you for everything you did for Vienna.”
