Developer Suggests Combining Casino and Arena — “With Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s plan to build a $2 billion arena in Alexandria for the Washington Capitals and Wizards in jeopardy, three political and business figures have been pitching an unlikely Hail Mary: an idea to pair the sports arena with a new casino in Fairfax County…The idea has been flatly rejected by Youngkin (R) and the teams’ owner, Monumental Sports & Entertainment.” [Washington Post]
No Injuries in Transformer Fire Near NRA HQ — “Just after 7am [Saturday] morning #FCFRD and City of Fairfax Fire Department responded to the 11200 Blk of Waples Mill Rd for a reported building fire. Firefighters arrived on the scene to find an outside transformer on fire. Crews were able to quickly extinguish the fire preventing any exposure to the building.” [FCFRD/Facebook]
Arrest Made in Online Scam of Vienna Resident — “On August 14, 2023, a citizen reported that he was defrauded out of almost $1 million during an online scam that unfolded over several years. A subsequent investigation by police revealed that a Maryland man was involved in the scheme, which aimed to deceive the victim into believing that they were assisting someone in distress.” The Hyattsville man was arrested on March 19. [Vienna Police]
Virginia Makes To-Go Cocktails Permanently Legal — “Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin signed sixty bills on Wednesday, including one that permanently allows the sale of cocktails to-go in the Commonwealth. To-go cocktails were temporarily allowed during the COVID-19 pandemic but were set to expire as of July 1.” [WUSA9]
Vienna-Based Credit Union Seeks Dismissal of Lawsuit — Navy Federal Credit Union said last week that an “external review…found no race-based decision making in our mortgage underwriting,” attributing differences in approval rates to “legitimate, non-race factors.” The same day the review’s conclusion was announced, the firm that’s defending the credit union filed a motion to dismiss in a class-action lawsuit alleging racial discrimination. [CNN]
County Appoints New Environmental Office Leader — “John Morrill has been appointed director of the Office of Environmental and Energy Coordination (OEEC), effective immediately. Morrill brings over 30 years of experience in energy and environmental issues and has served as acting director of the OEEC since March 2023.” [Fairfax County Government]
Park Authority Plans Solar Eclipse Events — The Fairfax County Park Authority “has prepared extraordinary eclipse viewing activities at locations throughout the county on Monday, April 8. Join us for a safe viewing experience that will include both pre- and post-eclipse activities, games and demonstrations.” [FCPA]
Reston Player to Compete in Pickleball Championships — Mani Vaghedi will soon “compete on a national stage after being selected as one of 3,000+ amateur and professional pickleball players who will gather in Naples, Fla., from April 13-20 to compete in the largest and most prestigious pickleball tournament in the world — the 2024 Minto US OPEN Pickleball Championships.” [Fairfax County Times]
It’s Monday — Expect sunny skies and a high near 56 accompanied by a northeast wind at about 8 mph. As the night approaches, the skies will turn partly cloudy and the temperature will drop to around 38, with an east wind at 6 mph. [NWS]
This summer at Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts just got busier.
After announcing an initial line-up in January, the Wolf Trap Foundation for the Performing Arts unveiled additional shows on Tuesday (March 19) that have been booked for its summer 2024 season at the Filene Center, the park’s main outdoor amphitheater, and the Children’s Theatre-in-the-Woods.
The Filene Center’s season typically kicks off with “Blast Off!,” a free fireworks show, around Memorial Day in May, though the exact date won’t be announced until April in coordination with the President’s Own U.S. Marine Band.
The newly expanded slate of concerts features a range of genres, from 1990s R&B — represented by TLC, En Vogue and Jody Watley on July 5 — to musical theater belted by Tony-winning Broadway star Ben Platt on June 23.
There will be some notable collaborations between Daryl Hall of Hall & Oates and Elvis Costello on July 25, The Who lead singer Roger Daltry and singer-songwriter KT Tunstall on June 12, and indie bands The Mountain Goats and The New Pornographers on Aug. 4.
The National Symphony Orchestra is teaming up with indie musician Beck (July 27) and rapper Nas, who will commemorate the 30th anniversary of his debut studio album “Illmatic” on July 21. It has added “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows” (July 24) to the list of movies getting a live score accompaniment, and audiences will be able to sing along to “The Sound of Music” on Aug. 16.
Other highlights include The Roots on Aug. 31, country singer Clint Black on July 3, rockers Cake (Aug. 2) and Blues Travelers (Aug. 23), and ’80s new wave band Crowded House, best known for “Don’t Dream It’s Over,” on Sept. 3.
Local musicians will also get a showcase, with rockers Virginia Coalition, emmet swimming and the Pat McGee Band coming together for “NOVA Nite” on Aug.7.
Over at the Children’s Theatre-in-the-Woods, families will be treated to hour-long music, dance, theater, puppetry and magic performances on Tuesday through Sunday mornings at 10:30 a.m. from June 20 to Aug. 3.
Full schedules for both the Filene Center and Children’s Theatre-in-the-Woods can be found on Wolf Trap’s website. Tickets for the just-announced shows will go on sale at 10 a.m. next Friday, March 29.
Fairfax County’s next budget could give its public libraries a little more spending money for books.
At the Board of Supervisors meeting on Tuesday (March 19), Hunter Mill District Supervisor Walter Alcorn proposed allocating an additional $500,000 in the upcoming fiscal year 2025 budget to Fairfax County Public Library’s book collection.
“The Library continues to be one of the most popular services provided by the county and our Library branches are a vital hub of community information,” Alcorn said in his board matter. “…We continue to face issues with meeting the demand for library materials even with the digital formats.”
County Executive Bryan Hill presented a proposed budget on Feb. 20 that increases FCPL’s funding by $410,027, partially offsetting a $1.2 million jump in personnel-related costs with cuts to the system’s operating expenses.
Planned reductions include eliminating a vacant management position, shifting to black-and-white public copiers instead of color ones, adjustments to the number of computers at each branch based on usage, taking over data storage from a third-party vendor and making FCPL’s quarterly magazine digital-only.
Overall, the county is budgeting just under $35 million in expenditures for the library system, most of which ($22 million) goes toward day-to-day operations at its 23 branches.
Alcorn noted that the county’s funding is supplemented by contributions from the nonprofit Fairfax Library Foundation and the Friends groups that support individual branches. The Friends of Reston Regional Library, for instance, donated $100,000 earlier this year to boost the children’s books collection county-wide.
However, funding for books and other materials remains inadequate “to meet the needs of our residents,” who sometimes have to wait months or even more than a year for popular items, he said.
With increased demand for popular and new materials, the Library must balance a proper allocation of limited resources for those items with the needs for materials in support of K-12 students, and ensuring that materials are updated, available in print, large print, audio and digital copies and in multiple languages. Additional funds to the collection budget will ensure that we are providing the resources our community demands from our Library and decrease the wait times so that people can access those resources in a timely fashion.
The Board of Supervisors agreed unanimously on Tuesday to add Alcorn’s proposal to its list of items to consider incorporating into the budget, which includes $3.83 million in not-yet-allocated funds.
Springfield District Supervisor Pat Herrity also asked county staff to find out why FCPL is only devoting about 10% of its budget to purchasing materials and whether that guidance comes from the county, the library’s Board of Trustees or the state.
“I think we do need to clearly invest in our library collections,” Herrity said. “It’s something our citizens like. It’s a basic public service we need to promote.”
Town hall meetings on the proposed budget are currently underway, with the Franconia District holding the next one at 6 p.m. today (Friday). Public hearings are scheduled for April 16-18, and the board will mark up the budget, including determining whether to add items like the library funding, on April 30.
A final FY 2025 budget will be adopted on May 7.
Third Arrest Made in McLean Home Burglary — Yesterday (Thursday) morning, Fairfax County police detectives arrested a 24-year-old Lorton resident in Bailey’s Crossroads, identifying him as the third suspect in an armed burglary of a house in McLean. All three men charged in the incident, which occurred in the 1300 block of Spring Hill Road on Nov. 27, are in custody. [FCPD]
Police Union to Oppose FCPD Use of A.I. — “The Fairfax chapter of the Southern States Police Benevolent Association will issue a position soon opposing Truleo, citing privacy and workload concerns, a representative said.” The Fairfax County Police Department said earlier this month that it will use Truleo’s artificial intelligence-based platform to analyze body camera footage. [Gazette Leader]
Residents Encouraged to Turn Off Lights — “LIGHTS OUT FAIRFAX! Turn off your outdoor lights this Saturday, March 23 from 8:30-9:30 p.m. and reconnect with the beauty of #DarkSkies! Help combat light pollution together and enjoy a magical night under the stars. Spread the word, invite your neighbors, friends and family for this powerful connection with the natural world!” [Fairfax County Park Authority/Facebook]
Compass Coffee Gets Approval for West Falls Church Cafe — “The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors on March 19 unanimously granted Compass Coffee LLC a special exception to install a coffee shop with two drive-through lanes at a former BB&T Bank branch” in the Shops at West Falls Church. “Compass Coffee will contribute $11,587 toward future construction of a 10-foot-wide trail along Route 29, which will replace the current 4-foot-wide sidewalk.” [Gazette Leader]
Tysons and Reston Companies Named Startups to Watch — “Tysons-based Aravenda and Reston-based TruWeather Solutions placed on DC Inno’s list of ’10 Startups to Watch in Greater Washington’ — its annual list of companies that are ‘setting the pace and challenging the status quo.'” Aravenda provides resale software to businesses, while TruWeather Solutions supplies “weather data analytics and weather risk management products to federal agencies.” [Fairfax County EDA]
Governor Vetoes Criminal Justice Bills — “Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R) announced vetoes on nearly two dozen criminal justice-related bills…including a measure to prohibit declaring a child under age 11 to be a juvenile delinquent and one requiring the development of standards for when it is permissible to lie to a suspect during police interrogations.” [Washington Post]
Former Apple Engineers Launch Vienna Startup — “A Vienna software startup founded by a cohort of former Apple Inc. engineers has emerged from stealth mode after landing $47 million in fresh funding…Antithesis Operations LLC, which develops a technology that can automatically find bugs in software used across companies or organizations, will use the proceeds largely to build out its team of engineers and software developers.” [DC Inno]
South Run Trail to Be Paved — Work will begin next Wednesday (March 27) “on a trail paving initiative along a 550-foot section of the South Run Stream Valley trail system. The paving will occur between the new fiberglass bridge (Preakness Bridge) and the culvert closest to Lee Chapel Road underpass. Weather permitting, the work is expected to be completed within approximately one week.” [FCPA]
It’s Friday — Expect sunshine and a high of 53 today. Tonight, rain will arrive mainly after 11pm, accompanied by patchy fog after 2am and a low temperature around 46. There is a 100% chance of precipitation with rainfall amounts ranging from half to three-quarters of an inch. [NWS]
Students are getting organized in response to a lawsuit challenging Fairfax County Public Schools for its LGBTQ-inclusive policies.
The Pride Liberation Project, a student-run group that advocates for LGBTQ+ rights in Virginia, will host a rally “against anti-trans hate” outside Luther Jackson Middle School in Merrifield at 6 p.m. today (Thursday). The demonstration will precede the Fairfax County School Board’s meeting, which starts at 7 p.m.
“I’m really hoping that Fairfax County and our school board will stop this attempt to hurt and degrade my fellow students,” Laura Troung, a senior at Falls Church High School, said. “LGBTQIA+ students are already disproportionately facing the youth mental health crisis in addition to bullying and harassment at schools and this is just adding salt into the wound.”
Represented by America First Legal, a right-wing legal group led by former Donald Trump advisor Stephen Miller, an unnamed high school student sued the school board on March 4 over its policies dictating that students be treated in accordance with their gender identity.
In her complaint, the student says being “compelled” to address classmates by the name and pronoun that matches their gender identity violates her religious beliefs as a Roman Catholic. She also argues that the policies discriminate on the basis of sex because of her discomfort with using the same bathroom as transgender girls.
Students with the Pride Liberation Project, however, describe FCPS’ regulation 2603 as critical to creating a safe, welcoming environment for LGBTQ+ individuals.
Transgender youth whose peers affirmed their identities, including by using their correct names and pronouns, reported significant reductions in symptoms of severe depression, suicidal thoughts and suicide attempts in a 2018 study conducted by University of Texas at Austin researchers.
In contrast, reported school-based hate crimes targeting LGBTQ people have soared since 2015, particularly in states with laws that restrict the rights of transgender students or prohibit education on gender and sexuality, according to the Washington Post.
The Virginia Department of Education’s model policies directing schools to treat students based on their “biological sex” spurred protests and school walkouts across the state in September 2022, including ones organized by the Pride Liberation Project.
Students also rallied outside Luther Jackson Middle School last year after FCPS pledged not to adopt the state policies.
“The fact that so many of my friends and teachers respect my pronouns and my name is life-saving to me,” Moth DiNizzo, a McLean High School junior, said. “I know that they care about me and trust my own self-perception. It’s wonderful and I want everyone to experience that same joy of being known and trusted.”
The planned rally comes shortly after the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors designated March 31 as Transgender Visibility Day. The International Transgender Day for Visibility was created in 2009 to celebrate the lives and achievements of the transgender community.
At its meeting on Tuesday (March 19), the board approved the proclamation 9-0 with Springfield District Supervisor Pat Herrity, the board’s only Republican member, away from the table.
Supervisors said the designation is an important acknowledgement of the county’s diversity and their commitment as elected officials to support all residents.
“We have an obligation to do everything we can not just to protect [the LGBTQ+ community], but to use our voices to stand up and support them and to make sure that the rest of our community sees that that’s what their government is doing,” Chairman Jeff McKay said. “Regardless of what’s happening in Richmond, we will always stand up and fight to protect every single person in this county.”
Brush Fires Break Out Around D.C. Area — “Fires in Virginia and Maryland brought a smoky haze into the D.C. region Wednesday evening, as a combination of strong winds and low humidity created conditions that the National Weather Service could fuel more blazes…Fairfax County fire officials reported that crews were working ‘six outside fires’ and that dispatchers fielded calls for reports of smoke blown into the county” from other areas. [Washington Post]
FCPS Updates Covid Guidance — “In accordance with the updated Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) respiratory virus guidance, FCPS and the Fairfax County Health Department have updated school COVID-19 recommendations. The COVID-19 isolation period of five days is no longer recommended.” Students can now return to class if they’re “fever-free for 24 hours without fever-reducing medication” and their symptoms “have improved or resolved.” [FCPS]
Residents Move Into New Senior Living Complex — “Woodleigh Chase, the massive new independent-living complex on Braddock Road in Fairfax, has already welcomed 25 residents, although it will take five years to complete the build-out. The development is restricted to people at least 62 years old. When completed, the 43-acre Woodleigh Chase complex will have 1,500 units in nine buildings and two clubhouses, says Sales Director David Taylor.” [Annandale Today]
Design Wrapping Up on Joint Health and Community Center — “Fairfax City and Fairfax County are jointly redeveloping the county’s Joseph Willard Health Center and the City’s Sherwood Community Center into a single location for healthcare, wellness, fitness and arts, plus programs for children and seniors.” A consultant for the city recently reported that it’s “now wrapping up the schematic design, and construction is expected to be finished, the end of 2027.” [The Connection]
Sidewalk Not Required for New Vienna House — “Most new houses in Vienna must provide certain public improvements – including sidewalk, curb and gutter – but that will not be the case for a home that’s planned to be built in the Windover Heights Historic District. The Vienna Town Council on March 18 voted 6-0 (member Charles Anderson was absent) not to require those usually requisite upgrades at 288 Windover Ave., N.W.” [Gazette Leader]
County Appoints New Human Rights Office Leader — “Michael L. Simms has been appointed director of the Office of Human Rights and Equity Programs (OHREP), effective immediately. Simms has served as acting director of the office since December 2023, following the retirement of OHREP’s former director, Kenneth Saunders.” [Fairfax County Government]
Fairfax City Lets Students Design “I Voted” Stickers — “Even though they may not be old enough to vote, K-12 students in the City of Fairfax can still contribute to the 2024 election by designing the stickers that will be given to voters on election day…The 2024 Sticker Design Contest kicked off on Jan. 15 and all entries must be received on or before April 12.” [Patch]
It’s Thursday — Expect sunny skies and a high near 48 degrees, accompanied by a northwest wind of 9 to 14 mph and gusts up to 21 mph. Thursday night will be mostly clear, with a low around 32 degrees, and a northeast wind of 6 to 8 mph. [NWS]
Amid a surge in digital storage demand in Northern Virginia, Fairfax County is drafting stricter zoning regulations to enhance oversight of data center projects.
On Tuesday (March 19), the Board of Supervisors directed staff to update the county’s zoning laws to include new data center development criteria, such as increased residential buffers, size limits, energy efficiency standards and a mandatory noise study in the site plan.
“The increasing demand for data centers and the increased understanding of their potential impacts reveal a need to consider strengthening our current regulations,” Sully District Supervisor Kathy Smith said, emphasizing the “urgency” of the new rules sought by the board.
Potential changes include new requirements for data center developments to receive a special exception in zoned areas where they are currently allowed by right, meaning they can be built without county board or planning commission approval or public hearings.
Last year, the board requested research, findings and recommendations from county staff on possible new guidelines for data centers, including ways to mitigate their environmental impact, criteria for locating facilities and the approval process for data centers.
The report presented to the board in January found that, while data centers bring advantages such as high-paying jobs and significant tax revenue, they have also encountered resistance from residents worried about the noise, greenhouse gas emissions, and high energy usage of the facilities.
At a land use policy committee meeting on March 12, the county supervisors signaled that they support staff’s recommendations for amending the zoning ordinance with higher standards.
Northern Virginia remains the world’s leader in data centers with 51 million square feet of space, per a recent JLL report. Fairfax County has roughly a third of the square footage of neighboring Loudoun and Prince William counties, the region’s epicenter of development.
Supervisors noted that there’s been significant community pushback against large projects like the recently approved Digital Gateway in Prince William. At Tuesday’s board meeting, Mason District Supervisor Andres Jimenez said the county needs to make sure “we’re putting data centers where they belong.”
“We have very few [data center projects] on the horizon that we know of, but it’s important that we get the protections right and the guidelines right, and the quickest way to do that is to get these zoning ordinance amendments approved,” Chairman Jeff McKay said.
The county staff recommendations
In terms of land use and site design, staff suggested that developers secure special exception approval from the county before constructing data centers in most commercial and industrial districts.
Staff also recommended that, in industrial districts where data centers are permitted by right, the county could proactively implement height and size limitations, along with minimum distances for equipment, such as generators, from residential zones.
Due to the swift pace of data center development, staff also advise collaborating with utility providers, including NOVEC and Dominion Energy, to evaluate how future development might affect energy demand. Read More
Settlement money from vape-maker Juul will help Fairfax County Public Schools bolster security at some high schools.
The Fairfax County School Board is set to vote tomorrow (Thursday) on adjustments to the school system’s fiscal year 2024 budget, including allocations of the $3.2 million it received from Juul after settling a class-action lawsuit over the company’s flavored e-cigarettes last year.
In a presentation to the board on March 7, FCPS staff recommended using the funding to “install security scanning technology at select high schools” as part of a new pilot program. If approved, the funds would add onto $3 million designated for the program in August, FCPS Chief Financial Officer Leigh Burden noted.
However, FCPS has been tight-lipped about the pilot, including on the technology being implemented and how many schools are participating.
“At this time, we are not prepared to provide details of the program to the public,” an FCPS spokesperson told FFXnow. “This information will be released when, and as appropriate, to include the identification of schools. Safety and security physical and technical systems are needed to assist in operational safety planning.”
FCPS confirmed the safety and security screening pilot is separate from the security vestibules that it has been adding at dozens of schools around the county. Prioritized by the school board in response to the May 24 shooting in Uvalde, Texas, the vestibules add an extra layer of verification for visitors seeking to enter school buildings.
Last April, Superintendent Michelle Reid detailed several other security measures that FCPS was either testing or considering, including vape sensors in bathrooms, panic alarm systems and a weapons screening system.
At the time, FCPS said the weapons screening system was in the pilot phase. It’s unclear if that’s the same as the screening technology pilot now poised to get additional funding.
The school board also approved funding in December for exterior security cameras at nine elementary schools, along with money to support continuous employee background checks.
Other changes proposed as part of the FY 2024 third-quarter review include a transfer of $3.3 million from a reserve fund to a fund dedicated to supporting FCPS’ summer school programs.
“Summer school focuses on executive functioning, acceleration of reading and mathematics foundation skills, enrichment programs at the elementary and middle school level, and course credit recovery to ensure on-time graduation at the high school level,” staff said in a summary of the third-quarter review.
The money will support programs for 35,000 students at 73 sites, according to Burden. FCPS had set aside a total of $6.7 million in August for enhanced summer learning programs, but that was before staff finalized the locations and enrollment projections.
The budget is also being adjusted to reflect a grant received for food services, new federal funding for adult education and an $143.5 million increase in “additional contractual commitments” for bond-funded renovation projects at Bren Mar Park, Brookfield and Lees Corner elementary schools.
Man Charged With Indecent Exposures at Local Malls — A 29-year-old man from Maryland was arrested on March 15 for allegedly exposing himself at Five Below in Springfield Town Center on Oct. 12 and again in Spencer’s at Fair Oaks Mall. Police believe there may be other victims “due to the repeated nature of these offenses.” [FCPD]
FCPD Shares Locations of Sobriety Checkpoints — “The Fairfax County Police Department will be conducting sobriety checkpoints around the county throughout the year to identify and remove impaired drivers from local roadways. The checkpoints, hosted by the department’s dedicated Driving Under the Influence squad and district stations, will occur between 11 p.m. and 2 a.m.” [Gazette Leader]
Get Sneak Peek of Future Metrorail Cars — “Out with the old, and in with the new! Metro is set to showcase its newest trains and railcars on the National Mall from March 20 to April 3. At Fleet of the Future Expo, visitors can walk inside a mock-up rail car to experience their future ride on an 8,000-series rail car.” The trains aren’t expected to be deployed “en masse” until 2026. [NBC4, Washington Post]
Fairfax Station Road to Close for Pipe Work — “Fairfax Station Road (Route 660) between Colchester Road (Route 612) and Route 123 (Ox Road) will be closed to through traffic, weather permitting, Monday, March 25 and Wednesday, March 27 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day to replace drainage pipes…Drivers are asked to follow posted detour signs.” [VDOT]
County Transportation Department Labeled “Bicycle-Friendly” — “The League of American Bicyclists recently recognized the Fairfax County Department of Transportation (FCDOT) with a silver level Bicycle-Friendly Business designation. The recognition was awarded after an extensive review of FCDOT’s facilities and programs to support its two-wheeled commuters, along with how the agency works to encourage bicycling in the community.” [FCDOT]
Jobs Agency Renews Reston Office Lease — “Employment agency Quadrant has renewed its 23,000-square-foot lease at 1881 Campus Commons Drive in Reston, Va. TF Cornerstone acquired the 245,755-square-foot office building in September for $25.1 million, adding to a larger campus it has been assembling since 2015.” [Commercial Observer]
Workforce Hub Could Help Military Veterans — The Workforce Innovation Skills Hub, which opened in Hybla Valley in fall 2022, is finalizing a program to provide entrepreneurship training to spouses and “transitioning” military personnel from Fort Belvoir. Conducted with George Mason University’s business school, the program “will train local residents and students on how to start their own businesses and provide them with options — either to work for a company or to start their own.” [On the MoVe]
Author Details History of Local Mixed-Race Community — “All that remains of Ilda is a historic marker and the name of the Ilda Community Recreation Association on Braeburn Drive…Tom Shoop, a former resident of that area, felt there was a lot more to the story and wrote a book, ‘A Place Called Ilda: Race and Resilience at a Northern Virginia Crossroads,’ which was published this year by the University of Virginia Press.” [Annandale Today]
It’s Wednesday — Expect a mostly sunny day with a high around 62 degrees and breezes. Winds will start at 8-13 mph, then increase to 15-20 mph in the afternoon. Night will be mostly clear with a low of about 32 degrees, featuring northwest winds of 13-17 mph and gusts up to 24 mph. [NWS]
The Virginia General Assembly passed a measure three years ago allowing local governments to decrease roadway speed limits in their localities to as low as 15 mph. But recently, lawmakers found that the Virginia Department of Transportation denied seven of eight speed limit decrease requests, because, by state law, only the Commissioner of Highways can authorize changes on state-maintained roads.
Earlier this month, legislation advanced that would expand a locality’s speed-reducing authority to roadways within a business or residence district, including state-owned highways.
The number of requests represent a small fraction of the local governments in Virginia, including the 190 towns and 39 independent cities in the commonwealth, according to data from the U.S. Census. For the localities that are seeking to reduce speeding, though, the limits of the 2021 legislation are a challenge.
“Everybody can concede that there’s an issue here, but we have very little authority to do anything about it,” said Mayor Roger Vance, who represents the Town of Hillsboro, which was denied their request to lower the local speed limit to 20 mph last year.
The 2021 legislation did not extend localities’ speed reducing power to state-owned highways, which typically run through some towns like Middleburg and Hillsboro.
As proposed, the new bill would require local governments to conduct engineering and traffic studies as part of any effort to change the speed limit, post “lawfully placed” signs showing the reduced speed limit and notify the commissioner of the change.
The bill nearly failed in the Senate in February after Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle Sears split a tie vote, but it was reconsidered successfully and sent to Gov. Glenn Youngkin for approval.
Del. Betsy Carr, D-Richmond, the legislation’s sponsor, said she is working with the governor’s administration to ensure Youngkin signs her bill into law, but it could require an amendment.
Representatives from the Virginia Municipal League and Virginia Association of Counties, representing local governments in the commonwealth, said their members supported this bill.
“We firmly believe that this enhanced authority serves as an invaluable addition to our existing toolkit for implementing crucial safety measures,” said James Hutzler, government relations associate for VACO, in a statement. “With this legislation in place, counties will be empowered to take proactive steps towards safeguarding the well-being of our communities.” Read More
