Author: Scott McCaffrey

A Northern Virginia native, Scott McCaffrey has four decades of reporting, editing and newsroom experience in the local area plus Florida, South Carolina and the eastern panhandle of West Virginia. He spent 26 years as editor of the Sun Gazette newspaper chain. For Local News Now, he covers government and civic issues in Arlington, Fairfax County and Falls Church.

News

New fire station for Tysons wins support of planning commission

By Scott McCaffrey
Rendering of planned Fire Station 29 in Tysons (via Fairfax County)

Plans to build a modern fire station to serve the Tysons area took a key step forward on Wednesday night (Feb. 5).

The Fairfax County Planning Commission voted unanimously to recommend that the Board of Supervisors approve a number of zoning changes for a 4.05-acre site in the 8300 block of Jones Branch Drive that will serve as the future home of firefighters and paramedics of Fire Station 29.

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Countywide

Fairfax County board requests report on efforts to combat illegal dumping

By Scott McCaffrey
Garbage along Electronic Drive on Feb. 21, 2022, in Springfield (photo by David Taube)

The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors directed County Executive Bryan Hill on Tuesday (Feb. 4) to develop proposals refining how the county government deals with illegal dumping.

The directive was based on a Jan. 15 memorandum from the county’s Environmental Quality Advisory Council (EQAC) that laid out both concerns and possible solutions.

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Countywide

Fairfax County to ease bureaucratic hurdles for special events organizers

By Scott McCaffrey
A crowd forms for a concert at Reston Town Center's pavilion (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors tooks steps on Tuesday (Feb. 4) that it hopes will ease the administrative burden on those organizing small-scale outdoor special events throughout the county.

Supervisors voted unanimously to amend administrative-permit rules for special events that are open to the public. The vote came at the very tail end of the board meeting.

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News

Planned Reston senior-living facility wins approval of county board

By Scott McCaffrey
Rendering of The Canopy, Silverstone Senior Living's proposed senior living facility at 10819 Leesburg Pike (via Fairfax County)

The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors took less than 10 minutes on Tuesday (Feb. 4) to approve land-use changes allowing for a continuing-care facility along Route 7 in the Reston/Great Falls area.

The proposal by Silverstone Senior Living calls for up to 130 units — a mix of independent-living and assisted-living options — on the 22.5-acre parcel at 10819 Leesburg Pike, across from Riva Ridge Road and west of Baron Cameron Avenue.

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News

Fairfax promotes transit options for federal workers ordered back to the office

By Scott McCaffrey
Electronic display shows a system map at the Vienna Metro station (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

More federal employees soon may be back working full-time from their offices — at least those who don’t get laid off.

The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors directed staff on Tuesday (Feb. 4) to develop a communication and outreach strategy to inform workers who will be returning to the office, as ordered by the Trump administration, of the full range of available transit options and ways to make commuting less costly.

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News

FCPS gets go-ahead for new Dunn Loring Elementary School

By Scott McCaffrey
Aerial view of the proposed Dunn Loring Elementary School (via Fairfax County Public Schools)

Fairfax County Public Schools has received the zoning changes necessary to build a future Dunn Loring Elementary School.

The unanimous vote yesterday (Tuesday) by the Board of Supervisors doesn’t mean a school will necessarily be built at the site of the current Dunn Loring Administrative Center, but a four-story building to serve nearly 1,000 students is now allowed, if the Fairfax County School Board ultimately opts to move forward.

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News

Residential development could complement future Fairfax City performing arts venue

By Scott McCaffrey
A drawing showing the proposed The Ox Block B development (via Ox Hill Companies/City of Fairfax)

As discussions continue on the first block of The Ox Fairfax, Ox Hill Companies is starting to craft a plan for a second block of the mixed-use development, which could transform the historic heart of Old Town Fairfax.

The Fairfax City Council will get a briefing this evening (Feb. 4) on a concept plan for “Block B” of The Ox. Submitted last October, the proposal calls for a six-story residential building with 240 units on a 2-acre site at 4021 and 4031 University Drive.

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Countywide

Fairfax County might ask voters to approve funding for early childhood education facilities

By Scott McCaffrey
A preschool kid drawing (via Gabe Pierce/Unsplash)

Fairfax County leaders anticipate asking voters to support funding this fall for early childhood education facilities.

Details of the potential standalone bond referendum, including the proposed dollar amount and projects to be supported, will come when County Executive Bryan Hill unveils his fiscal year 2026 budget and related capital-improvement program on Tuesday, Feb. 18.

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News

Planning commission, residents concerned by density of housing proposed for Lorton site

By Scott McCaffrey
The concept plan for Laurel Highlands' proposed housing development on Ox Road (via Fairfax County)

Fairfax County Planning Commission members will try again next month to find the appropriate level of residential development on a series of parcels on Ox Road (Route 123) in the Lorton area.

A developer — L&F Laurel Highlands LLC — has proposed building almost two dozen new single-family houses on eight acres of mostly vacant land at 9224, 9300 and 9304 Ox Road near the intersection with Hooes Road.

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Countywide

Fairfax County board questions cost of sliding-fee plan for park services

By Scott McCaffrey
A person sits on a bench outside the Providence Rec Center (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

Fairfax County Park Authority staff laid out a $12 million, multi-year plan on Tuesday (Jan. 28) to factor equity into the costs paid by county residents for park services.

However, FCPA Executive Director Jai Cole’s presentation of the proposal to the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors at a health and human services committee meeting on Tuesday (Jan. 28) sparked concerns about the expected administrative costs.

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