News

The Fairfax County Planning Commission voted 10-1 on Wednesday (May 7) to recommend that the Board of Supervisors advance a contentious plan that would allow affordable housing on the current Franconia Governmental Center site.

The vote came after most commissioners said they were satisfied concerns raised by nearby residents could be fully evaluated before an actual development plan is brought forward.


News

Capital One Center might reintroduce parking to a site that had been closed off for the construction of an urban park.

While the park is still in the works, Capital One has proposed building an interim parking garage at 1820 Dolley Madison Blvd near its headquarters in Tysons, asking Fairfax County staff to confirm that no zoning changes are necessary to allow the structure.


News

A Franconia nonprofit needing more space and an unused church building seems like a match made in heaven, but plans to expand Koinonia Foundation have been stuck in development hell.

Koinonia Foundation has long since outgrown its current space at 6037 Franconia Road, where it operates a food pantry, a clothing closet, and emergency financial aid with counseling — all in an 1,100-square-foot space.


Countywide

A staff proposal to restrict future sales of cigarettes and vapes near Fairfax County schools and child-care facilities has drawn a mixed reaction from county supervisors.

The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors directed staff in December to study options for regulating tobacco, nicotine and hemp products after the Virginia General Assembly adopted a law last year allowing localities to restrict sales from new businesses within 1,000 feet of a school or child care facility.


Countywide

Land currently zoned for industrial use across Fairfax County could be converted to residential zoning in an effort to bring more housing stock to the county.

As part of a larger “Plan Forward” initiative started in 2022, Department of Planning and Development (DPD) staff have proposed amending the county’s comprehensive plan to allow more flexibility for industrial land to turn into residential development, while also retaining some designated industrial areas.


Around Town

An office complex near the Spring Hill Metro station in Tysons could soon be reinvigorated by the power of dance.

A dance studio has expressed interest in opening a new location at the Westwood Center, Atlantic Realty Company — which owns and manages the adjacent buildings at 8603 and 8605 Westwood Center Drive — said in a zoning application submitted to Fairfax County in late February.


Countywide

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

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.


Countywide

Fairfax County is proposing new zoning regulations for utility substations that could limit where they can be built and impose stricter standards on projects near residential neighborhoods.

The draft amendments, discussed at a Board of Supervisors Land Use Policy Committee meeting on Tuesday (Jan. 28), aim to address community concerns about the noise and industrial appearance of substations, while accommodating the region’s growing energy needs, zoning administrative staff said.


News

Herndon town leaders didn’t find much success with the 2024 “streeteries” outdoor-dining initiative.

However, they’re hopeful some tweaks in 2025 will provide the data needed to determine whether to move forward with the effort on a permanent basis.


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