News | FFXnow - Part 478

Morning Notes

Published January 18, 2024 at 8:15AM

Snow covers the ground in Vienna (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

Public Hearing on Chantilly Data Center Coming — The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors will hold a public hearing next Tuesday, Jan. 23, on a proposal to build a data center or warehouse off of Route 50 in Chantilly. Residents of the nearby Pleasant Valley community told the planning commission in September that the data center would be bad for their neighborhood and the environment. [The Connection]

Grocery Store Under Construction in Hybla Valley — “Renovations have begun at the former Safeway site at Mount Vernon Square, and the projected opening date for the new Fresh World supermarket is mid- to late summer 2024, according to Joshua Kim, a property management representative for Mt. Vernon Square LLC, which purchased the shopping center last June.” [On the MoVe]

Fans of Pickleball in Vienna Get a Little More Time to Play

By GazetteLeader

Published January 18, 2024 at 6:00AM

By Brian Trompeter

After a request by a local club and the acquiescence of a narrow majority of neighbors, the Vienna Parks and Recreation Department will expand Saturday hours for pickleball playing in February, town officials announced Jan. 8.

Vienna Council Members Adopt Plan For Future Swearing-In Ceremonies

By GazetteLeader

Published January 18, 2024 at 6:00AM

By Brian Trompeter

Following the Vienna Town Council’s November elections in odd-numbered years, newly elected members will be sworn in at 6 p.m. at Town Hall the first business day of the new year.

Fairfax Planning Body Recommends Outdoor-Dining Flexibility

By GazetteLeader

Published January 18, 2024 at 6:00AM

By Brian Trompeter

Proposed new outdoor-dining rules, modeled on ones implemented during the pandemic, on Jan. 10 earned the unanimous recommendation of the Fairfax County Planning Commission.

Downstate Legislator Seeks Return to Spring Elections

By GazetteLeader

Published January 18, 2024 at 6:00AM

By Brian Trompeter

A delegate from the Newport News area has done what Vienna Town Council members sought in their 2024 legislative agenda: introduced legislation that would move municipal elections from November back to May, if localities requested it.

Bill Would Mandate Student Rep on All Va. School Boards

By Scott McCaffrey

Published January 18, 2024 at 6:00AM

It didn’t get very far in 2023, but a local member of the General Assembly has brought back a proposal requiring all school systems across the commonwealth to have a student representative.

The bill, HB 958, is patroned by Del. Alfonso Lopez (D-Arlington), and is similar in scope to one he introduced in last year’s session.

Teen injured in shooting outside Tropical Smoothie in Lincolnia

By Angela Woolsey

Published January 17, 2024 at 3:30PM

Tropical Smoothie Cafe at Pinecrest Plaza in Lincolnia (via Google Maps)

A teen was hospitalized last night (Tuesday) after getting shot outside Tropical Smoothie Cafe in Lincolnia’s Pinecrest Plaza.

Police officers were called to the 6500 block of Little River Turnpike just before 8 p.m. in response to “multiple calls for a shooting,” the Fairfax County Police Department said today in a news release.

Report: New state legislation would allow casino in Tysons, but not Reston

By Angela Woolsey

Published January 17, 2024 at 1:30PM | Updated January 17, 2024 at 2:28PM

A proposed state bill would allow a casino to be built in Tysons, if approved by voters (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

(Updated at 2:30 p.m.) The new, much-debated state bill to allow a casino in Fairfax County has arrived with some limited but critical changes from its previous iteration.

Though the bill doesn’t appear to be available online yet, NBC4 reports that state Sen. Dave Marsden (D-35) has filed legislation that would add Fairfax County to the small list of Virginia localities eligible for a casino.

To increase housing, Fairfax County pursues alternatives to ending single-family-only zoning

By Angela Woolsey

Published January 17, 2024 at 11:30AM | Updated January 17, 2024 at 11:47AM

Single-family detached houses in McLean (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

In their quest to boost the region’s limited housing supply, Northern Virginia leaders have explored a variety of potential solutions.

Arlington and Alexandria in particular garnered plenty of headlines — and legal scrutiny, in the county’s case — when officials voted separately last year to allow more dense housing in areas previously reserved for single-family detached homes, among other zoning reforms.

GW Parkway reopens to traffic in McLean area after snow

By Angela Woolsey

Published January 17, 2024 at 10:00AM

The GW Parkway's northern section has reopen to traffic after this week's snow (via Google Maps)

Snow remains on the ground after the D.C. area’s biggest snowstorm in two years, but the George Washington Memorial Parkway at least has reopened for traffic.

The roadway’s northern section from I-495 (Capital Beltway) in McLean to Spout Run in Arlington had been closed since Monday morning (Jan. 15) in response to the forecasted snow, which was expected to exceed 2 inches.