Fairfax County Board of Supervisors

Townhouse development on Bowman House tract in Reston wins final approval

Published July 21, 2026 at 2:45PM | Updated July 21, 2026 at 8:49PM

Rendering of EYA's proposed townhouse development at 1850 Old Reston Avenue (via VIKA Virginia/Fairfax County)

The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors has approved a redevelopment plan that will result in 57 townhouses ringing the circa-1899 A. Smith Bowman House at 1850 Old Reston Avenue in Reston.

The 10-0 vote on July 14 allows the American Armed Forces Mutual Aid Association and developer EYA to move forward on the proposal, which replaces a pre-Covid plan for two new office buildings. The association, which owns the property, had intended to transform the 5.2-acre site into a new headquarters campus.

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Founder of Spring Hill adapted aquatics program honored for starting ‘a movement’

By Scott McCaffrey

Published July 21, 2026 at 10:00AM

Bryna Helfer delivers remarks to Fairfax supervisors (screenshot via Fairfax County)

The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors honored a local resident last Tuesday (July 14) for her 35 years of service to the Spring Hill Rec Center’s adapted aquatics program.

Bryna Helfer helped found the program in 1991, and continues to serve as an instructor and booster.

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Fairfax board seeks timeline for anticipated vehicle noise monitoring pilot

By Scott McCaffrey

Published July 20, 2026 at 3:45PM

Exhaust pipes for a BMW car parked in Fairfax City (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

Fairfax County leaders are eager to get a jump start on a new option to automate monitoring for excessive vehicle noise.

The county’s Board of Supervisors unanimously voted on July 14 to direct County Executive Bryan Hill to report a timeline by this fall for implementing the authority newly granted by the General Assembly to Fairfax and some other Virginia localities.

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Retiring Fairfax Water general manager saluted for nearly four decades of service

By Scott McCaffrey

Published July 17, 2026 at 3:45PM

Fairfax Water's Jamie Bain Hedges is honored by Fairfax County Board of Supervisors (courtesy Fairfax County)

The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday (July 14) honored the 37-year service of retiring Fairfax Water General Manager Jamie Bain Hedges.

“We have a luxury in Fairfax County of having clean, accessible water,” Board Chair Jeff McKay said during a ceremony honoring Hedges.

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Herrity’s resolution on Christian heritage again rebuffed by Board colleagues

By Scott McCaffrey

Published July 17, 2026 at 1:45PM

Springfield District Supervisor Pat Herrity (screenshot via Fairfax County)

Democratic members of the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors again blocked efforts on Tuesday (July 14) by Springfield District’s Pat Herrity to designate an autumn day as “Church Heritage Recognition Day.”

Herrity, the 10-member body’s lone Republican, failed to get the necessary seconding motion required to take up consideration of his proposal to recognize Nov. 21 as Fairfax County Church Heritage Recognition Day, which he has unsuccessfully championed for several years.

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Fairfax County school board voices support for sales tax referendum to fund construction projects

By Mary Stachyra Lopez

Published July 16, 2026 at 11:45AM

An electronic voting ballot marking device for people with disabilities (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

The Fairfax County School Board recently passed a resolution affirming its support for a possible 1% sales tax to fund its $400 million backlog of maintenance and capital improvement projects.

In light of the new state budget adopted by the Virginia General Assembly late last month allowing local jurisdictions to increase their sales tax rate up to 1% to support education and transportation, the school board voted unanimously on July 9 to ask the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors to place the issue before voters as a referendum during a general election.

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County board offers fee relief to Burke area residents impacted by microburst

By Scott McCaffrey

Published July 15, 2026 at 2:45PM

The wreckage of a smashed bus shelter on Burke Road near Peppercorn Drive after a June 22, 2026 thunderstorm (staff photo by Mary Stachyra Lopez)

Fairfax County supervisors have taken a step to ease the burden of Burke-area families impacted by last month’s microburst.

The Board of Supervisors voted unanimously yesterday (Tuesday) to waive costs for homeowners depositing debris at the I-66 Transfer Station or I-95 Landfill through July 29.

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Fairfax Tree Commission could be axed in merger of environmental advisory groups

By Scott McCaffrey

Published July 15, 2026 at 9:15AM

Tree branches hang over Anderson Road in Tysons (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors will hold a public hearing on Aug. 25 to consider eliminating the Fairfax’s Tree Commission and consolidating some of its responsibilities with those of the Environmental Quality Advisory Council (EQAC).

The resulting body would be known as the Environmental Commission, under a procedural road map laid out by staff at the Board of Supervisors meeting yesterday (Tuesday).

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Fairfax County begins to assess local impact of changes to state cannabis laws

By Scott McCaffrey

Published July 10, 2026 at 1:45PM

Cannabis cultivation (via Richard T/The CDB on Unsplash)

Fairfax County leaders have begun working to determine what local steps are needed to implement changes in state cannabis laws, and what regulatory powers they will have.

“We want to make sure we put in place what we need to put in place,” Board Chair Jeff McKay said at the July 7 meeting of the Board of Supervisors’ Land Use Policy Committee.

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Fairfax County leaders, staff gear up for impacts of ‘Faith in Housing’ legislation

By Scott McCaffrey

Published July 9, 2026 at 2:45PM

Fairfax County approved plans in 2025 for townhouse development on part of St. Paul's Lutheran Church's property in Idylwood received Fairfax County's approval (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

Fairfax County staff are beginning preparations for adhering to a new state law loosening zoning regulations on development of affordable housing.

Legislation known by proponents as the “Faith in Housing” bills was enacted by the General Assembly and signed by Gov. Abigail Spanberger (D) earlier this year. Set to take effect on Jan. 1, 2027, it requires localities to establish a streamlined process for construction of affordable units on land owned by religious organizations or nonprofit groups.