January 28, 2010
Sidewalks already exist on one side of Courthouse ... Comments (4)
... but major roads in NW still are waiting (Lewis, Windover, West) for any:
Vienna Council OKs Controversial Courthouse Road Sidewalk Project
by Brian Trompeter
January 26, 2010
When Vienna officials last November proposed adding a sidewalk along Courthouse Road between Ware and Nutley streets, S.W., they received enough flak from nearby residents to reconsider the idea.
But when the matter came up again at a Jan. 25 public hearing, the Vienna Town Council sided with the majority of residents who testified, and voted 5-2 in favor of the sidewalk.
Council members who supported the project said the sidewalk’s benefits outweighed neighbors’ objections.
“You can’t make everybody happy,” said Mayor M. Jane Seeman. “I see this as for the good of the whole town.”
The sidewalk will be 4 feet wide, instead of 5 feet as town officials originally proposed, and built by Arthur Construction of Dulles. The project will cost up to $60,000, which will come from the town’s capital-improvement fund.
Opponents said the street’s pedestrian safety could be improved with crosswalks, better lighting and stepped up traffic enforcement by town police.
“If the town slows vehicle speeds down, the pedestrian problem will solve itself,” said Mike Harris of 501 Ware St., S.W.
Many of the sidewalk’s opponents live on Stephens Court, S.W. The rear portions of their properties face Courthouse Road, and some of the parcels are protected by privacy fences.
Some who objected to the sidewalk said they feared a loss of privacy in their homes, but proponents countered that pedestrians already walk on the grass on the south side of Courthouse Road.
“Let’s give them a safe place to walk,” said Council member Laurie Cole, adding, “We all have some burden from part of the town on us. We have to look at the big picture for all the residents.”
Courthouse Road is a major route for pedestrians, bicyclists and motorists traveling between Meadow Lane Park and the Maple Avenue commercial area, James Madison High School, Nottoway Park and the Vienna Metro station.
When the council deferred the proposal on Nov. 2, members wanted to know why the Vienna Sidewalk Task Force placed the Courthouse Road project on its top-priority list. There is a 4-foot-wide sidewalk on the other side of the road, and many streets in town do not have sidewalks on either side, several officials noted.
That was the concern expressed by Town Council member George Lovelace, who opposed the project along with council member Michael Polychrones.
“This is one principle that we should uphold: that every neighborhood have a sidewalk on at least one side of the street,” Lovelace said.
Polychrones said he usually sides with the views of residents living closest to proposed projects, and wanted to be consistent. He was a little surprised at who joined him in voting nay.
“Madam Mayor, we should check the temperature outside,” Polychrones said. “Hell has frozen over. On a controversial issue in this town, Councilman Lovelace and I agree with each other.”
So, when exactly will Vienna be on TV? Comments (1)
From the Sun Gazette:
The Vienna Town Council on Jan. 25 unanimously approved a franchise with CoxCom Inc. that would abandon the town’s currently unused analog cable channel in exchange for $50,000 and a future digital channel.Local governments receive cable television channels and Public, Education and Government (PEG) funds in exchange for granting cable franchises.
Vienna shares Channel 23 with the town of Herndon. Town officials for years have considered broadcasting town-government meetings over the channel, the way Fairfax County and many other localities do.
Vienna resident George Creed, a Realtor and member of the town’s Board of Zoning Appeals, prodded town officials to move forward with community-access broadcasting.
“It’s a great idea,” Creed said. “The only disappointment is, we haven’t activated [the channel] yet. I think it’s high time we do something.”
In return for its onetime cash contribution to the town, CoxCom will be able to fit four or five digital cable channels in the place of the former analog one, said Town Attorney Steven Briglia.
January 07, 2010
Snow Removal Followup ... Comments (10)
Vienna Staff Promise Improvements to Snow-Removal Efforts
by Brian Trompeter
January 6, 2010
Following highly disparaged snow-removal efforts after a mid-December blizzard, Vienna officials held an after-action meeting and soon will produce a report outlining improvement efforts, Town Manager John Schoeberlein said at the Jan. 4 Vienna Town Council meeting.
Schoeberlein’s assurances came too late for Vienna resident Lynn Sanderson, who lit into Vienna officials during the meeting’s public-comment section.
“It was the worst mess I’ve ever seen in my life, in 32 years of living in the town,” Sanderson said. “And you ought to be ashamed of yourselves for allowing it to happen.”
Sanderson continued, “If you can’t do it, there’s the door. Run!” She added, “I’m not faulting the guys that drive the trucks. I’m faulting management. You all slipped on the ice. It’s too bad your butt didn’t hit the ground and bounce a few times. It has to be said: If you can’t do the job, get out.”
by Brian Trompeter January 6, 2010
Following highly disparaged snow-removal efforts after a mid-December blizzard, Vienna officials held an after-action meeting and soon will produce a report outlining improvement efforts, Town Manager John Schoeberlein said at the Jan. 4 Vienna Town Council meeting.
Schoeberlein’s assurances came too late for Vienna resident Lynn Sanderson, who lit into Vienna officials during the meeting’s public-comment section.
“It was the worst mess I’ve ever seen in my life, in 32 years of living in the town,” Sanderson said. “And you ought to be ashamed of yourselves for allowing it to happen.”
Sanderson continued, “If you can’t do it, there’s the door. Run!” She added, “I’m not faulting the guys that drive the trucks. I’m faulting management. You all slipped on the ice. It’s too bad your butt didn’t hit the ground and bounce a few times. It has to be said: If you can’t do the job, get out.”
January 03, 2010
Viva la Cedar Lane Shopping Center! Comments (3)
Man Wounded by Assailant with Knife in Vienna
Sun Gazette, December 30, 2009
Vienna police are looking for a man who allegedly cut another man with a knife on Dec. 24 in the 200 block of Cedar Lane, S.E.
At about 10:19 p.m., a man in need of assistance flagged down an officer. The man told the officer he had been slashed on the arm by an unknown assailant, police said.
The officer summoned Fairfax County Emergency Medical Services to treat the victim’s non-life-threatening wound.
The victim told police that after a verbal interaction near the McDonald’s restaurant on Cedar Lane, the alleged assailant threatened him and then attacked, cutting his arm with a utility-style razor knife. The assailant then fled on foot, police said.
The assailant is described as Hispanic, in his 50s, with white hair and wearing blue pants and a striped shirt.
Police ask anyone with information regarding this case to call Master Police Officer J. Evans at (703) 255-7825.
Sun Gazette, December 30, 2009
Vienna police are looking for a man who allegedly cut another man with a knife on Dec. 24 in the 200 block of Cedar Lane, S.E.
At about 10:19 p.m., a man in need of assistance flagged down an officer. The man told the officer he had been slashed on the arm by an unknown assailant, police said.
The officer summoned Fairfax County Emergency Medical Services to treat the victim’s non-life-threatening wound.
The victim told police that after a verbal interaction near the McDonald’s restaurant on Cedar Lane, the alleged assailant threatened him and then attacked, cutting his arm with a utility-style razor knife. The assailant then fled on foot, police said.
The assailant is described as Hispanic, in his 50s, with white hair and wearing blue pants and a striped shirt.
Police ask anyone with information regarding this case to call Master Police Officer J. Evans at (703) 255-7825.
New Building in Vienna Comments (12)
New Shops Opening on Maple Avenue Midtown Plaza developed by local businessman. By Donna Manz, The Connection December 15, 2009Where now a big, deep hole sits on Maple Avenue, a new retail complex will spring.
Long-time Vienna businessman Charles Chahel is developing Midtown Plaza at the corner of Glyndon Street and Maple Avenue, where Chahel’s Sunoco station used to sit. Current plans at 256 Maple Ave. E. call for four shops, each approximately 1,300 square feet, and parking spaces for 25 vehicles.
“A lot of traffic goes by there,” Chahel said. “I want to make a place where people will stop, spend time there, say ‘OK, let’s meet over there.’”
Chahel said he has businesses in mind but is flexible about tenants. He is hoping for a mix that will draw people to it as a kind of community meeting space.
Chahel has lived in the Oakton area for 21 years and has had businesses in Vienna for 20 of those years. He owns four gas stations and repair garages between Tysons Corner and Oakton, and other properties in Northern Virginia. Midtown Plaza is his first Vienna retail project.
“Everything I do, I do with integrity,” said Chahel. “My reputation is very important to me.
“We do a lot of automotive business and that’s an industry that doesn’t have a good name. We strive to give it one.”
The longevity of Chahel’s staff at his four stations, most of whom have worked for him for more than 10 years, reflects his business culture, that of “good customer service and honest work,” he said.
That, he said, is the type of business he’d like to see come into Midtown Plaza.
The new complex is set back 15 feet from Maple Avenue with parking spaces in back. The architect, Ziad Demian of Demian/Wilbur in Washington, D.C., sited the building, along the Glyndon side, to create a small corner square.
“The idea was to create a meeting space … something so that people will say, ‘meet me at 256 Maple Ave.,’” said Demian. Demian and Chahel shared a vision of what they wanted of the plaza: a pedestrian environment, a sense of place, and a way of marking the corner to introduce a new Vienna landmark.
The building was designed to be unique and constructed of beautiful materials, such as wood and glass, said Demian. When people walk by, they will see the structure, not a parking lot.
“You’ll walk by and want to stop there,” Demian said.
Midtown Plaza is slated for completion by late spring.
December 29, 2009
Vienna: Progressive Business Development! Comments (13)
Sometimes we are too hard on the Vienna machine. Let's take a moment to offer praise where praise is due. For years Vienna was home to one of the most run down Safeway grocery stores around. It is gone now to be replaced with a new Walgreens. Wow! What a success story! The great thing about Vienna getting another drugstore? It's not a bank! In all seriousness look at the fine work of the Vienna machine. They took a beat up building and were able to put a new store in there and PRESERVE the building almost unchanged! Ladies and gentlesheep, that took some serious work and effort! That is true historic preservation. You can actually read the minutes here of Town leaders Paul Layer and Shirley 'Demon' and witness their attention to detail. Job well done! When will the Seeman be cutting the ribbon?
December 23, 2009
Deborah Brehony: Ignorant or Dunce? Comments (0)
From Deborah Brehony:
"...I can't find a damn thing on the Virginia Supreme Court site about your alledged [sic] lawsuit- Not a word under Appelate [sic] Cases or Defendants."
December 21, 2009
Snow Removal Report Card Comments (13)
Vienna's Grade: D-
What happened to our normally excellent snow removal in town? Budget cuts?
December 19, 2009
Does this mean the Harris Teeter offer is out for Marco Polo location? Comments (7)
Mixed-Use Proposal Could Prove Facelift for Vienna’s Commercial Core
by Brian Trompeter
December 16, 2009
Vienna’s commercial area may get a new look in coming years if the Vienna Town Council approves a developer’s mixed-use zoning proposal for a property that’s now the home of Marco Polo Restaurant.
John Sekas, owner of Sekas Homes Ltd., has suggested a mixed-use commercial zoning amendment that would allow buildings up to 50 feet tall, cut parking requirements by one-third and permit retail, office and condominiums on the same site.
Sekas’ plan calls for a U-shaped building with a central, parking-free courtyard in the 200 block of Maple Avenue, W. The idea is to provide a safe environment for pedestrians and a place where people ideally could obtain essential services without needing a car, he said.
Under Sekas’ proposal, parcels would have to consist of at least two contiguous acres to qualify for the new zone. Town officials said they’re not sure if that minimum is sufficient.
The plan also calls for one parking space for every 300 square feet of office, retail and residential floor area. Current town rules call for one parking space for every 200 square feet.
This initial design assumes acquisition of the adjacent Bank of America property, which might not be available, Sekas said.
Sekas’ proposal is a hybrid of recommendations made in a town-commissioned Maple Avenue study and Vienna’s Church Street Vision Plan, which in the mid-1990s led to the creation of the C1-B commercial zone along a section of Church Street.
Signs, plantings and brick sidewalks would be similar to those on Church Street, but building setbacks likely would be larger, town officials said.
The C-1B zone is the only place in town that limits building sizes according to floor-area ratio (FAR), a measure that compares the square footage of a site’s buildings with that of its land footprint. The C-1B zone allows up to 0.7 FAR, but Sekas is asking for 1.5 FAR on Maple Avenue. By comparison, floor-area ratios in Tysons Corner often are between 2 and 5, Sekas said.
The town’s current building-height limit of 35 feet was imposed after construction of Vienna’s tallest building, the six-story White Oak Tower on Maple Avenue, W. Town officials have fought to maintain lower heights to keep development from changing Vienna’s small-town appearance and feel.
Town officials long have wanted to revitalize the Maple Avenue commercial corridor. The town in the last several years has held a charrette with public participation and commissioned a professional study, which recommended three discrete mini-zones along Maple Avenue, each with its own development focus.
But until now, the key obstacles have been public assent, the political will to act and the hesitancy of developers to offer proposals.
Any new plans for Maple Avenue first would be parsed by the Vienna Planning Commission and Vienna Architectural Review Board (ARB), then followed with public hearings and finally a Town Council vote. The council will discuss the issue again at its Feb. 8 work session.
The ARB is prohibited from imposing specific architectural styles, said Town Attorney Steven Briglia. The town was able to achieve an early 20th-century look in its revitalized Church Street area by providing incentives to developers, he said.
The stakes are high as the Town Council moves forward. The new standards would apply to any properties that met the size and location requirements, Vienna Planning and Zoning Director Greg Hembree wrote in an Oct. 1 memorandum.
“We have several people sitting back with their hands in their pockets, waiting to see what you’ll do,” Hembree told the council.
Vienna Mayor M. Jane Seeman said she was excited by the prospect of revamping the town’s commercial corridor.
“With the economic slowdown, this is the perfect time for us to set [the new plans] out and be ready,” she said.
Council member Michael Polychrones also was eager to move ahead on Maple Avenue revitalization.
“We have a lot of pieces of the puzzle,” he said. “Now we have to put it together.”
Vienna’s commercial area may get a new look in coming years if the Vienna Town Council approves a developer’s mixed-use zoning proposal for a property that’s now the home of Marco Polo Restaurant.
John Sekas, owner of Sekas Homes Ltd., has suggested a mixed-use commercial zoning amendment that would allow buildings up to 50 feet tall, cut parking requirements by one-third and permit retail, office and condominiums on the same site.
Sekas’ plan calls for a U-shaped building with a central, parking-free courtyard in the 200 block of Maple Avenue, W. The idea is to provide a safe environment for pedestrians and a place where people ideally could obtain essential services without needing a car, he said.
Under Sekas’ proposal, parcels would have to consist of at least two contiguous acres to qualify for the new zone. Town officials said they’re not sure if that minimum is sufficient.
The plan also calls for one parking space for every 300 square feet of office, retail and residential floor area. Current town rules call for one parking space for every 200 square feet.
This initial design assumes acquisition of the adjacent Bank of America property, which might not be available, Sekas said.
Sekas’ proposal is a hybrid of recommendations made in a town-commissioned Maple Avenue study and Vienna’s Church Street Vision Plan, which in the mid-1990s led to the creation of the C1-B commercial zone along a section of Church Street.
Signs, plantings and brick sidewalks would be similar to those on Church Street, but building setbacks likely would be larger, town officials said.
The C-1B zone is the only place in town that limits building sizes according to floor-area ratio (FAR), a measure that compares the square footage of a site’s buildings with that of its land footprint. The C-1B zone allows up to 0.7 FAR, but Sekas is asking for 1.5 FAR on Maple Avenue. By comparison, floor-area ratios in Tysons Corner often are between 2 and 5, Sekas said.
The town’s current building-height limit of 35 feet was imposed after construction of Vienna’s tallest building, the six-story White Oak Tower on Maple Avenue, W. Town officials have fought to maintain lower heights to keep development from changing Vienna’s small-town appearance and feel.
Town officials long have wanted to revitalize the Maple Avenue commercial corridor. The town in the last several years has held a charrette with public participation and commissioned a professional study, which recommended three discrete mini-zones along Maple Avenue, each with its own development focus.
But until now, the key obstacles have been public assent, the political will to act and the hesitancy of developers to offer proposals.
Any new plans for Maple Avenue first would be parsed by the Vienna Planning Commission and Vienna Architectural Review Board (ARB), then followed with public hearings and finally a Town Council vote. The council will discuss the issue again at its Feb. 8 work session.
The ARB is prohibited from imposing specific architectural styles, said Town Attorney Steven Briglia. The town was able to achieve an early 20th-century look in its revitalized Church Street area by providing incentives to developers, he said.
The stakes are high as the Town Council moves forward. The new standards would apply to any properties that met the size and location requirements, Vienna Planning and Zoning Director Greg Hembree wrote in an Oct. 1 memorandum.
“We have several people sitting back with their hands in their pockets, waiting to see what you’ll do,” Hembree told the council.
Vienna Mayor M. Jane Seeman said she was excited by the prospect of revamping the town’s commercial corridor.
“With the economic slowdown, this is the perfect time for us to set [the new plans] out and be ready,” she said.
Council member Michael Polychrones also was eager to move ahead on Maple Avenue revitalization.
“We have a lot of pieces of the puzzle,” he said. “Now we have to put it together.”
December 17, 2009
Revamped Commercial Areas or Slug Time? Comments (0)
The local papers are running with the headline "Mixed-Use Proposal Could Prove Facelift for Vienna’s Commercial Core." Yes, it would be nice to see the Marco Polo razed (the plan on the table), but folks this is Vienna -- home of Jane Seeman and George Lovelace -- two Council members with the collective reasoning abilities of salted slugs. Let's see if this new plan is actually a facelift for Vienna or just a payout to developers and Town Council favorite Chuckster Sloan.
December 16, 2009
Virginia Supreme Court Comments (0)
Litigation involving the Vienna historic district is now before the Virginia Supreme Court.
December 14, 2009
What Say You, Vienna? Comments (5)
Will Falls Church voters move to a fall election?
Questions about timing, newfound budget woes have been raised
By Fredrick Kunkle
Washington Post Staff Writer
Monday, December 14, 2009
The Falls Church City Council on Monday will take up the issue of whether to hold municipal elections in November rather than May, a change embraced by a growing number of Virginia municipalities that has ignited sharp debate in the tiny Northern Virginia city.
The council gave preliminary approval to the measure Nov. 23 by a 4 to 3 vote. To change the 2010 election scheduled for May to November, the council would have to adopt the measure by majority vote at the Monday session to meet a deadline imposed by law. The council is also considering a proposal to further study the measure and schedule a referendum.
The proposal to hold autumn elections has sparked a controversy in the city of 11,000 people. Backers say the change would save money and boost voter participation. Opponents say moving the election date could shield the city's political leadership from voters' wrath as officials struggle with a nasty hole in the budget.
City Attorney John Foster estimated that the switch could save $18,000 every two years. Backers also say past election data offer proof that more people go to the polls during state and national elections.
But opponents fear that voters who cast ballots in national or state elections in November will be less familiar with close-to-home matters that could affect them. They also worry that fall elections will inevitably take on a partisan cast.
Sam Mabry, a former council member and vice mayor, said he thinks the interest in moving the elections to November coincides with the recent discovery of an unexpected $4 million gap in the city budget, which could force tax increases and service cuts.
In a Nov. 16 memo, the city's chief financial officer identified an estimated $7.7 million shortfall in the coming fiscal year on revenue of $59.4 million. The city's charter calls for the budget to be settled near the time some council members stand for election.
Mayor Robin S. Gardner rejected criticism that the proposal to change the voting date was motivated by a desire to put some distance between the budget deliberations and elections.
"I find it troubling that some people believe our citizens aren't going to remember how people handled the budget situation six months later," Gardner said.
Gardner said she thinks November elections would attract more voters and expand the base of people involved in city governance. Gardner, a Democrat, also disputed the idea that the November election cycle would heighten partisan emotions. She said opinions on matters of local government, such as zoning and taxes, are seldom shaped by party politics. "I've voted for Republicans in local elections," she said.
But council member Nader Baroukh likened the proposal to a power grab.
"It just doesn't smell good. There's a taint about it that doesn't sit well with me," Baroukh said. "This is something so fundamental for how we vote and when we vote, that this is not something that should be decided by council. It should be decided by referendum."
Mary Jo Fields, research director for the Virginia Municipal League, said that 15 of Virginia's 39 cities and 19 of its 180 towns hold their local elections in November. Several municipalities, including Alexandria, are in the process of changing.
By Fredrick Kunkle
Washington Post Staff Writer
Monday, December 14, 2009
The Falls Church City Council on Monday will take up the issue of whether to hold municipal elections in November rather than May, a change embraced by a growing number of Virginia municipalities that has ignited sharp debate in the tiny Northern Virginia city.
The council gave preliminary approval to the measure Nov. 23 by a 4 to 3 vote. To change the 2010 election scheduled for May to November, the council would have to adopt the measure by majority vote at the Monday session to meet a deadline imposed by law. The council is also considering a proposal to further study the measure and schedule a referendum.
The proposal to hold autumn elections has sparked a controversy in the city of 11,000 people. Backers say the change would save money and boost voter participation. Opponents say moving the election date could shield the city's political leadership from voters' wrath as officials struggle with a nasty hole in the budget.
City Attorney John Foster estimated that the switch could save $18,000 every two years. Backers also say past election data offer proof that more people go to the polls during state and national elections.
But opponents fear that voters who cast ballots in national or state elections in November will be less familiar with close-to-home matters that could affect them. They also worry that fall elections will inevitably take on a partisan cast.
Sam Mabry, a former council member and vice mayor, said he thinks the interest in moving the elections to November coincides with the recent discovery of an unexpected $4 million gap in the city budget, which could force tax increases and service cuts.
In a Nov. 16 memo, the city's chief financial officer identified an estimated $7.7 million shortfall in the coming fiscal year on revenue of $59.4 million. The city's charter calls for the budget to be settled near the time some council members stand for election.
Mayor Robin S. Gardner rejected criticism that the proposal to change the voting date was motivated by a desire to put some distance between the budget deliberations and elections.
"I find it troubling that some people believe our citizens aren't going to remember how people handled the budget situation six months later," Gardner said.
Gardner said she thinks November elections would attract more voters and expand the base of people involved in city governance. Gardner, a Democrat, also disputed the idea that the November election cycle would heighten partisan emotions. She said opinions on matters of local government, such as zoning and taxes, are seldom shaped by party politics. "I've voted for Republicans in local elections," she said.
But council member Nader Baroukh likened the proposal to a power grab.
"It just doesn't smell good. There's a taint about it that doesn't sit well with me," Baroukh said. "This is something so fundamental for how we vote and when we vote, that this is not something that should be decided by council. It should be decided by referendum."
Mary Jo Fields, research director for the Virginia Municipal League, said that 15 of Virginia's 39 cities and 19 of its 180 towns hold their local elections in November. Several municipalities, including Alexandria, are in the process of changing.
December 10, 2009
They've been paying for outside help all this time? Comments (2)
From the Sun Gazette:
Proudly listed some cost-saving measures undertaken by town employees in recent weeks. Instead of paying for outside help, Vienna workers decorated Town Hall and the Town Green for the holiday season, said Vienna Mayor M. Jane Seeman.
December 03, 2009
Will the Town Ever Address this Intersection? Comments (2)
Many of us drive by/through this intersection several times a day and every day there is a near-miss accident to witness.
Lawyers Road at Church Street, NW 09-11695
November 18 4:37 p.m.One vehicle was travelling along Lawyers Road approaching Church Street. A second vehicle pulled out from Church Street and attempted to make a left turn on to Lawyers Road. The second vehicle struck the first.
The driver of the second vehicle was charged with Failure to Pay Full Time and Attention.
Source: Vienna Crime Reports online
November 23, 2009
How many "long term" guests does 'Wolf Trap No-tell Motel' have? Comments (2)
Vienna Police Department Crime Reports:
Defrauding an Innkeeper
Wolftrap Hotel
Between November 1 and November 9
A long term guest of the hotel was past due on his room payments. The individual fled when asked about payment. This case is still being investigated.
What Part of Vienna? Comments (1)
NW? NE? SW? SE? Why is this detail omitted?
Vehicle-Tampering Incidents Prompt Warning
November 18, 2009Vienna police, reacting to a slew of vehicle-tampering cases this month, recently sent an automated telephone message to town residents warning them to lock their vehicles and report suspicious activities.
On Nov. 6 between midnight and approximately 7 a.m., more than 15 vehicles were unlawfully entered by unknown subjects, police said. Two of these vehicles were then stolen.
In all cases, no forced entry was apparent and police suspect that the vehicles’ doors were left unlocked. Some vehicles were parked in their driveways, while others were parked on the street. In some cases items of value were stolen.
The intruders may have found valet keys in the glove boxes of the two stolen vehicles, police said.
The suspect or suspects involved likely are committing crimes of opportunity, police said. The perpetrators walk around and try door handles on vehicles. If the doors open, the intruders enter and rummage through the vehicles.
Police remind residents to lock all vehicle doors and remove all valuables. If residents have newer vehicles with valet keys, those keys should be removed from the interior of the vehicle.
Residents should report any suspicious noises or activities outside their homes during the hours in question by calling Vienna police at (703) 255-6366. Residents also should call police if they see people wandering their neighborhoods at unusual hours, police said.
November 18, 2009
If FCPS Wants More Walkers, Build Sidewalks for Vienna! Comments (1)
Students may face an uphill climb
To help cut busing costs, Fairfax officials suggest getting more kids to walk to school
By Fredrick Kunkle
Washington Post Staff Writer
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Almost everyone has a grandparent who claims to have walked two miles to school every morning. Uphill. In the snow. Etc.
In Fairfax County, it could soon be your 12-year-old trudging to school.
Hard times have a way of making old ideas seem new. With nothing but grim budgets ahead, some members of the Fairfax Board of Supervisors want the county's schools to save money on buses by encouraging more kids to walk to school, perhaps by moving back the boundaries for bus-riding eligibility.
It's an idea that has received more attention nationwide in recent years as a way to fight child obesity, reduce air pollution and ease traffic. It became especially popular when diesel fuel prices climbed to $4 a gallon a year ago, and it's popular now as governments struggle through the worst recession in generations.
The cost of putting a school bus on the street is approximately equal to keeping a teacher on staff, said Linda P. Farbry, director of transportation for Fairfax public schools.
It also doesn't hurt that the campaign -- especially the "Walking School Bus" that encourages parents to coordinate neighborhood routes, wear safety vests and share escort duty -- fits with the baby boomer habit of reviving childhood practices. An oft-quoted study found that in 1969, 41 percent of students walked or bicycled to school. By 2001, that figure had dropped to 13 percent.
Supervisor Jeff C. McKay (D-Lee) has his own childhood memories.
"The schools do nothing to teach the benefits of walking and biking to school," McKay said. "Somehow we got away from that, because when I went through the schools, they had presentations by police and others talking about the importance of walking and biking to school."
McKay's suggestion that more kids walk also reflects the growing financial tensions between the School Board, which sets school policies and answers mostly to parents, and the Board of Supervisors, which controls school funding and answers mostly to taxpayers. McKay said that one of the biggest complaints he hears from constituents is about the number of half-full school buses they see.
But there are also plenty of reasons why bucking a 40-year trend of transporting kids to school is not going to be easy. Fairfax, which occupies 400 square miles, was built around the automobile.
Noreen C. McDonald, an assistant professor at the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill who studies children's transportation habits, said that walking has declined as distances to schools have increased, the percentage of working mothers has doubled and attitudes about safety have changed.
"People have some very strong fears about leaving their children unsupervised," McDonald said.
Susan Mosios, 47, a substitute teacher and jewelry designer who lives in Lorton, said she allows her 9-year-old son, Jacob, to walk to school, but only so far. "I'd like it to be like the old days, when people could walk. But I worry about the people who could take the child," she said outside Laurel Hill Elementary School.
Fairfax transportation officials said they understand the concern. "We're already having difficulty with parents who live inside these boundaries, saying it's already too far for a kindergartner to walk a mile," Farbry said. "And we don't dispute that."
By Fredrick Kunkle
Washington Post Staff Writer
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Almost everyone has a grandparent who claims to have walked two miles to school every morning. Uphill. In the snow. Etc.
In Fairfax County, it could soon be your 12-year-old trudging to school.
Hard times have a way of making old ideas seem new. With nothing but grim budgets ahead, some members of the Fairfax Board of Supervisors want the county's schools to save money on buses by encouraging more kids to walk to school, perhaps by moving back the boundaries for bus-riding eligibility.
It's an idea that has received more attention nationwide in recent years as a way to fight child obesity, reduce air pollution and ease traffic. It became especially popular when diesel fuel prices climbed to $4 a gallon a year ago, and it's popular now as governments struggle through the worst recession in generations.
The cost of putting a school bus on the street is approximately equal to keeping a teacher on staff, said Linda P. Farbry, director of transportation for Fairfax public schools.
It also doesn't hurt that the campaign -- especially the "Walking School Bus" that encourages parents to coordinate neighborhood routes, wear safety vests and share escort duty -- fits with the baby boomer habit of reviving childhood practices. An oft-quoted study found that in 1969, 41 percent of students walked or bicycled to school. By 2001, that figure had dropped to 13 percent.
Supervisor Jeff C. McKay (D-Lee) has his own childhood memories.
"The schools do nothing to teach the benefits of walking and biking to school," McKay said. "Somehow we got away from that, because when I went through the schools, they had presentations by police and others talking about the importance of walking and biking to school."
McKay's suggestion that more kids walk also reflects the growing financial tensions between the School Board, which sets school policies and answers mostly to parents, and the Board of Supervisors, which controls school funding and answers mostly to taxpayers. McKay said that one of the biggest complaints he hears from constituents is about the number of half-full school buses they see.
But there are also plenty of reasons why bucking a 40-year trend of transporting kids to school is not going to be easy. Fairfax, which occupies 400 square miles, was built around the automobile.
Noreen C. McDonald, an assistant professor at the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill who studies children's transportation habits, said that walking has declined as distances to schools have increased, the percentage of working mothers has doubled and attitudes about safety have changed.
"People have some very strong fears about leaving their children unsupervised," McDonald said.
Susan Mosios, 47, a substitute teacher and jewelry designer who lives in Lorton, said she allows her 9-year-old son, Jacob, to walk to school, but only so far. "I'd like it to be like the old days, when people could walk. But I worry about the people who could take the child," she said outside Laurel Hill Elementary School.
Fairfax transportation officials said they understand the concern. "We're already having difficulty with parents who live inside these boundaries, saying it's already too far for a kindergartner to walk a mile," Farbry said. "And we don't dispute that."
Continue reading "If FCPS Wants More Walkers, Build Sidewalks for Vienna!" »
November 13, 2009
Over $40K for Laptops for Town Council? This is needed? Comments (8)
Vienna Council OK’s Purchase of Laptops for Its Members
by Brian Trompeter
November 11, 2009
The Vienna Town Council is moving ahead with plans to buy laptop computers for its members and upgrade audio-visual capabilities in the council’s chamber at Town Hall.
According to a report authored by town information-technology employees Craig Griffin and Brian Farrell, presented at the Town Council’s Nov. 9 work session, the town would need to purchase at least seven laptops - one for each council member - but 11 would provide one for everyone at the dais.
The town, like most Virginia jurisdictions, will face harrowing budget prospects next year. But the computer purchases would be financed not from the general fund but Public, Education and Government (PEG) funds paid by cable franchises within the town.
Two cable franchises now pay, in quarterly installments, about $110,000 per year in PEG funds, said Vienna Town Manager John Schoeberlein. The town’s PEG account balance stands at $343,000, he said.
The laptops and electrical improvements to the dais likely would cost about $16,000 and agenda-management software an additional $25,000, Schoeberlein said.
Laptop computers are highly portable and typically last from three to five years. However, they can be a nuisance to carry around and are more susceptible to theft and damage than desktop computers, the report read.
Council members are considering wireless capabilities for the computers, which would necessitate fewer modifications to the semicircular dais. However, holes might have to be cut into the dais’ angled surfaces anyway so the computers do not take up too much of Town Council members’ work space, said Griffin, the town’s information-technology administrator.
The council may wish to invest in docking stations for the laptops, which would cost $125 to $250 each, Griffin said. The stations would provide power directly instead of through the computers’ batteries and offer Internet access via wired connections, which tend to be faster, more secure and more reliable than wireless service, he said.
The town makes audio recordings of its meetings at Town Hall, with the exception of Town Council work sessions, using an aging tape-recorder system. Unlike many jurisdictions, the town does not record meetings on videotape or broadcast them via local cable services.
If the council so desires, PEG funds also could be spent on audio-visual upgrades in the council chamber, such as electronic overhead projects, digital video projectors for PowerPoint presentations and monitors that would allow the public to see better displays being shown to the council.
Vienna town meetings for many years have featured transparencies projected on side walls, using an old-fashioned overhead projector, and maps and plans on poster boards set on easels facing the council, not the audience.
Town information-technology employees now will come up with a laptop-computer purchase proposal to present to the council.
Council member George Lovelace presented data on laptop computers that could be bought for $475 each. Griffin cautioned that because the computers would be used in the public domain, they would need professional-level software and likely cost $800 to $1,000 apiece.
The town purchases many computers through Dell’s refurbishment program, which sells used-but-modern computers that have been wiped clean of previous data.
Refurbished computers, however, often are outfitted with disparate software packages. Town officials probably should buy new laptops to ensure that recipients’ computers have equal capabilities, Griffin said.
“I don’t want people to have laptop envy,” he said.
November 10, 2009
Another Day, Another Survey. Comments (1)
Does the Mayor and Town Council understand that a survey cannot actually fix a problem? We're not sure if they do.
Vienna Seeks Ways to Prevent Bike-Vehicle Crashes
by Brian Trompeter November 10, 2009Bicyclists plying sidewalks along heavily trafficked Maple Avenue are by far the likeliest to collide with vehicles, Vienna police officials told the Vienna Town Council at its Nov. 9 work session.
Police studied all bicycle crashes within the town limits during the last four years. Nearly all of those accidents involved collisions with vehicles.
There were seven bike accidents - including a cyclist fatality - in 2006, five crashes in 2007 and nine in 2008. Vienna police said they were concerned because in the first 10 months of 2009, there already have been 11 bike accidents.
Most of the collisions resulted from cars striking cyclists while motorists were trying to make right-hand turns. In many cases, drivers were turning right at a red light and their attention was focused on vehicular traffic coming from the left, police said.
Town police recently conducted a survey that asked Vienna residents to identify bicycle and pedestrian dangers and recommend solutions.
The survey received 104 responses, including some asking for a bicycle/pedestrian bridge over, or a tunnel under, Maple Avenue, said Master Police Officer William Murray.
The Town Council rejected the bridge idea in the mid-1990s and settled instead on a stoplight at the Washington & Old Dominion (W&OD) Trail.
Many survey respondents said the town’s signs and markings were sufficient for bicycle and pedestrian crossings and recommended town police enforce laws regarding the behavior of cyclists and pedestrians, as well as motorists.
Many respondents desired bicycle lanes on roadways, but town officials said this would be hard to accomplish along Maple Avenue.
Other residents suggested banning right turns on red along Maple Avenue. This would solve many of the bicycle crashes, but likely lead to sizable traffic backups, said Vienna Police Chief Robert Carlisle.
The 2006 fatality occurred at the non-signalized intersection of Maple Avenue and Mill Street.
Police this year unveiled “Eye to Eye,” a program originated in Portland, Ore., that recommends pedestrians and bicyclists make firm eye contact with drivers before proceeding across intersections.
Town police have highlighted the program in Vienna’s monthly newsletter and provided literature about Eye to Eye to two local bicycle shops. In an effort to reach more people, police may give presentations at local schools and reserve space on a banner across Maple Avenue near the W&OD Trail.
While bicycling on town sidewalks generally is allowed for young children and adults accompanying them, cyclists of all ages may ride on sidewalks in heavily congested traffic areas.
Legally, bicycles are considered vehicles when traveling on roads, but as pedestrians when on sidewalks, Carlisle said.
Council member Laurie Cole urged town police to call their programs “traffic-safety” efforts, instead of aiming them mostly at cyclists and pedestrians.
“It’s everybody’s responsibility,” she said.
November 09, 2009
"We're awesome! Let's pat ourselves on the back over and over again!" Comments (18)
Vienna politicians never get sick of self-congratulatory bullsh%t.
Town of Vienna Wins Certification as ‘Green’ Community
November 7, 2009
The Town of Vienna has earned “green certification” in the Virginia Municipal League’s 2009 Green Government Challenge, a friendly competition among local governments to encourage reduction of carbon emissions.
Awards were presented Oct. 20 at the league’s annual conference in Roanoke.
Vienna was one of seven local governments in the commonwealth awarded silver certification for achieving scores of between 125 and 149 out of a possible 200 “green points.”
In addition to the silver-certification award, Vienna received a $2,000 cash award from Moseley Architects and Trane, for achieving the second-highest green score in the under-15,000 population category.
The town’s efforts included the Vienna Green Expo, held last spring at the Vienna Community Center, where local organizations and businesses provided residents with information on energy efficiency, purchasing local organic products, creating green gardens and recycling options.
“Town employees have also implemented a number of on-the-job green programs, such as office-paper recycling, use of earth-friendly cleaning products and purchase of hybrid vehicles,” town officials said.
Employees Linnea Fechter, Cathy Salgado, Michael Miller and Matthew Randall make up the “Green Team,” which routinely reviews town policies and procedures and looks for ways to improve efficiency and reduce the environmental impact of town operations.
Founded in 1905, membership in the Virginia Municipal League includes all 39 cities, 156 towns and 11 counties in Virginia. Vienna Town Council member Michael Polychrones served as president of the organization in 2008-09.
