Vienna Town Council

Town of Vienna grapples with frustration over dead zones in cell phone coverage

Published May 20, 2026 at 2:45PM | Updated May 20, 2026 at 4:59PM

Vienna Town Hall (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

Throughout the Town of Vienna’s 4.4 square miles, and in adjacent areas of Fairfax County, a number of businesses and residents have struggled with dead zones or otherwise weak cell phone coverage, leading to increasing frustration and even the passage of state legislation.

In a work session on May 11, staff and wireless providers told Vienna Town Council members that taller antennas are needed — and potentially a new review process with less oversight from the Board of Architectural Review (BAR) — to fix the recurring issues.

News

Vienna Town Council approves new budget with ‘modest’ property tax rate cut

By Angela Woolsey

Published May 19, 2026 at 3:00PM

The Vienna Town Council adopts a fiscal year 2027 budget presented by finance director Steven Barlow (courtesy Town of Vienna)

Vienna residents can expect to pay more in property taxes and water and sewer fees in the upcoming fiscal year, but their bills won’t be quite as high as they would’ve been under the town’s initially proposed budget.

The Vienna Town Council adopted a fiscal year 2027 budget yesterday that reduces the local real estate tax rate by a half-cent, from 19.5 cents to 19 cents per $100 of assessed value, while maintaining existing service and staffing levels, according to Director of Finance Steven Barlow.

News

Vienna officials tackle safety concerns with e-scooters, other mobility devices

By Emily Leayman

Published February 13, 2026 at 10:00AM

Bird scooters parked at the Vienna Town Green (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

With its first Capital Bikeshare stations on the way, Vienna leaders want to tackle concerns about the safety of micro-mobility devices like electric scooters and electric bikes head on.

Earlier this month, the Vienna Town Council endorsed an educational campaign recommended by the town’s Transportation Safety Commission about the laws and risks of e-scooters, e-bikes and other shared micromobility devices.

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Vienna Town Council weighs next steps for proposed aquatics center

By Emily Leayman

Published February 5, 2026 at 3:45PM

A bird's eye view of the Vienna aquatics and fitness center concept proposed for the former Vienna Baptist Church site (via Kimmel Bogrette Architecture report)

Vienna Town Council members have concerns about uncertain costs for the proposed aquatics and fitness facility and other pressing capital projects as a key vote looms later this month.

The town council is scheduled to consider awarding a contract on Feb. 23 to a firm that will oversee the planning and design of the aquatics facility, Vienna Parks and Recreation Director Leslie Herman said in a presentation on Monday (Feb. 2).

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Retirements, low vacancies lead to $450K budget deficit projection in Vienna

By Emily Leayman

Published February 4, 2026 at 2:45PM

Flags wave outside Vienna Town Hall in snow (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

Vienna officials are expecting a year-end budget deficit as a result of rising retirement costs, overtime pressures and limited staff vacancies.

According to a mid-year budget update presented to the town council on Monday (Feb. 2), Town of Vienna Finance Director Steven Barlow outlined the $450,000 deficit anticipated in the $34.7 million general fund budget when fiscal year 2026 ends on June 30.

Countywide

UPDATED: Fairfax County facilities, schools to stay closed on Tuesday due to ice

By Angela Woolsey

Published January 26, 2026 at 2:15PM | Updated January 26, 2026 at 7:44PM

Vienna Town Hall during Winter Storm Fern on Jan. 25, 2026 (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

Fairfax County government offices and schools will remain closed tomorrow (Tuesday), as work continues to clean up roads after yesterday’s Winter Storm Fern.

In addition to closing schools for a second day, Fairfax County Public Schools is canceling all activities on school grounds, including extracurricular programs, team practices, field trips, middle school after-school programs, and adult education classes.

News

Vienna Town Council backs off new restrictions on lawn care noise

By Angela Woolsey

Published December 11, 2025 at 9:15AM

A landscaping worker with a weed trimmer in Vienna (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

The Vienna Town Council decided not to move forward this week with tightened restrictions on noise produced by lawn and landscaping equipment.

After receiving largely dissatisfied feedback at a public hearing, the council voted 6-1 on Monday (Dec. 8) to reject noise ordinance amendments that would’ve prohibited multiple pieces of equipment from being used on residential properties before 8 a.m. and expanded a Sunday ban on all contractor noise to also include federal holidays.

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Vienna accepts $3M from Navy Federal to jump-start work on aquatics center

By Angela Woolsey

Published November 17, 2025 at 10:00AM

A sign for Vienna's Annex Reimagined initiative on the vacant site at 301 Center Street South (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

The Town of Vienna will soon dive headfirst into planning for its potential aquatics and fitness center with some financial assistance from Navy Federal Credit Union.

A majority of Vienna Town Council members agreed on Nov. 10 to authorize an agreement that will allow staff to accept a $3 million advance from Navy Federal for hiring a project manager and architectural firm, fulfilling the company’s offer last year to help fund the facility’s design.

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Vienna could seek state funding for proposed W&OD Trail visitor center

By Angela Woolsey

Published November 10, 2025 at 10:00AM | Updated November 10, 2025 at 1:37PM

The Washington & Old Dominion Trail visitor center could replace the office building at 125 Church Street (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

The Town of Vienna intends to seek state funding to support a planned Washington & Old Dominion (W&OD) Trail visitor center.

The request for $8 million is among more than two dozen priorities identified in the town’s legislative agenda for the Virginia General Assembly’s upcoming 2026 session.

News

Vienna voters reelect Colbert as mayor, choose new town council

By Angela Woolsey

Published November 5, 2025 at 12:00PM | Updated November 5, 2025 at 4:28PM

A banner over Maple Avenue alerts passersby to the Vienna Town Council election on Nov. 4, 2025 (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

Vienna Mayor Linda Colbert will serve a third term, and Sandra Allen emerged as the odd person out in last night’s Vienna Town Council elections.

Pursuing her first reelection bid after narrowly winning in 2023, Allen was one of seven candidates vying for the council’s six seats. She received 3,146 votes, trailing the next lowest vote-getter, Dann Nash, who secured 3,917 votes, according to unofficial results from the Virginia Department of Elections.