Fairfax County Board of Supervisors

Published February 18, 2025 at 3:45PM

Fairfax County Government Center (staff photo by James Jarvis)

Additional taxes, including the possibility of a meals tax, program and staff cuts and less-than-requested funding for the school system are all incorporated in the Fairfax County government’s draft $5.7 billion fiscal year 2026 budget proposed by County Executive Bryan Hill.

“I don’t think anybody is happy with this budget, but this is where we are,” Hill said when delivering his proposal to the Board of Supervisors this morning (Tuesday). “We have been working diligently to figure out how to make this mildly palatable, to find the right balance.”

Countywide

Fairfax County’s bid for pilot to address loud vehicle exhausts hits roadblock

By Scott McCaffrey

Published February 18, 2025 at 2:30PM

Automotive exhaust (photo via Oscar Sutton/Unsplash)

An effort by Fairfax County officials to crack down on excessively loud vehicle exhaust systems is facing an uncertain future in Richmond, where state legislators recently voiced concerns about the possible costs.

The powerful Senate Committee on Finance and Appropriations voted 10-4 Monday night (Feb. 17) to send the proposed legislation to the State Crime Commission, which will study its provisions and report back later to the General Assembly.

Countywide

Fairfax awaits police union approval to consolidate animal-control services

By Scott McCaffrey

Published February 14, 2025 at 11:15AM

A Fairfax County Animal Protection Police van (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

Pending final agreement with a key bargaining unit, Fairfax County government officials are ready to move forward with a consolidation of animal care and protection services.

The change, which was approved last year as part of the county’s fiscal year 2025 budget, will move operations currently handled by the Animal Protection Police (APP) within the Fairfax County Police Department to the county’s Department of Animal Services (formerly the Department of Animal Sheltering, or DAS).

Countywide

Fairfax County staff pitch moving wildlife management from police to park authority

By Scott McCaffrey

Published February 13, 2025 at 9:45AM

A buck walks by a house in Vienna (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors reacted tepidly this week to a staff proposal that would shift wildlife management responsibilities from the county’s police department to the Fairfax County Park Authority.

“We need a little more time to discuss this [and] make sure we think this through, very carefully,” Hunter Mill District Supervisor Walter Alcorn said at a meeting of the board’s safety and security committee on Tuesday (Feb. 11).

Countywide

County board hopeful automatic criminal record-sealing mandate will be delayed

By Scott McCaffrey

Published February 10, 2025 at 2:30PM

The Virginia State Capitol building (file photo)

Fairfax County and other localities across the state may get more time to address state-mandated limits on public accessibility for some criminal records.

Legislation moving toward likely adoption in the Virginia General Assembly will give local governments an additional 12 months — until July 1, 2026 — to implement changes to the current expungement process that had been mandated four years ago.

Countywide

Fairfax County board requests report on efforts to combat illegal dumping

By Scott McCaffrey

Published February 7, 2025 at 11:15AM

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.

Countywide

Fairfax County to ease bureaucratic hurdles for special events organizers

By Scott McCaffrey

Published February 6, 2025 at 3:20PM

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.

News

Planned Reston senior-living facility wins approval of county board

By Scott McCaffrey

Published February 6, 2025 at 9:00AM

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.

News

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

By Scott McCaffrey

Published February 6, 2025 at 8:15AM

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.

News

FCPS gets go-ahead for new Dunn Loring Elementary School

By Scott McCaffrey

Published February 5, 2025 at 10:00AM

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.