NEWSLETTER
SEPTEMBER 2025 |
Dear MCA Membership:
I hope everyone enjoyed the summer of 2025 as we look forward to a busy fall (and maybe an extended summer). MCA is collaborating with other McLean organizations and Fairfax County in support of our community on several fall and winter events.
I recently signed a letter supporting the Historic Pleasant Grove Church’s request for a Preserving Black Churches capital grant from the African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund. At our September meeting, Michelle Arcari Rose, President of the Friends of Pleasant Grove, briefed the MCA Board of Directors, which overwhelming voted to approve the letter. I think you will enjoy visiting this historic church, which is located at 8641 Lewinsville Road in McLean.
And please see the information below regarding TSA’s No Casino webinar; MRC’s Movie Night – Friday, October 3; MCF’s 5K run – Saturday, October 4; MPA’s Artfest – Sunday, October 5; MAS's McLean Art Gallery opening -- October 10; MVFD’s Open House – October 11; MVFD’s Blood Drive – October 17; and the MVFD’s fundraising raffle to help purchase a new fire engine.
I will be participating in all of the above, along with other MCA volunteers. I look forward to volunteering with you or meeting your family at these wonderful community events during the remarkably busy month of October.
Enjoy our beautiful Virginia fall season.
Camille | Community Events For All Ages:
McLean 5K to benefit McLean Community Foundation. Saturday, October 4th, 8am race start, McLean Square Shopping Center, 6631 Old Dominion Drive. A certified course through McLean is designed to appeal to runners of all abilities. Run! Donate! (and write MCA in the "company info" space -- MCA has gotten us started with a $500 donation; our goal is $2K in donations from MCA members!) Contact Steve Donovan.
See the MCF Website for information on how to donate by check or online.
1) On your check or on the online form you can enter "In Honor of MCA."
2) You will receive an auto-generated email acknowledging your gift.
3) Send an email to info@mcleancitizens.org indicating that you have made a donation.
MPAartfest2025. Sunday, October 5th, 10am-4pm, McLean Central Park, Old Dominion & Route 123. MPAartfest brings mini art galleries to the newly renovated Central Park. Now in its 18th year, MPAartfest showcases juried artists from throughout the Mid-Atlantic region. This free event also features two performance stages, four children’s art tents, food vendors, and -- new this year -- a yarn bombing installation. Volunteer to represent MCA at Signupgenius or contact Camille White-Partain.
McLean Art Society's McLean Art Gallery opening reception. Friday, October 10, 5pm-8pm, Chesterbrook Shopping Center, 6224B Old Dominion Drive (behind Starbucks). Guests will have the opportunity to meet the artists, and all artwork is for sale. Beginning September 17th, gallery is open Wednesday through Sunday, 10 am-6pm. Contact Camille White-Partain.
McLean Volunteer Fire Department Fire Prevention Open House. Saturday, October 11th, 10am-2pm, 1455 Laughlin Avenue. Once a year, the fire department opens its firehouse to the public to showcase its apparatus, conduct live rescue demonstrations, provide fire safety education, and offer fun activities for the whole family. Volunteer to represent MCA at Signupgenius or contact Raj Mehra. See below for information on the MVFD raffle! | | Help McLean VFD Buy a New Fire Engine
Help McLean Volunteer Fire Department purchase a new fire engine by participating in their raffle.
Tickets -- only $10 each -- give you a chance to win fabulous prizes, donated by local merchants and service providers.
| | | | Webinar: Tysons Casino Update
Senate Bill 982, which sought to approve a Tysons casino, did not advance through the Virginia House of Delegates during the last legislative session. However, it is widely expected that the bill will be re-introduced in the upcoming session.
The Tysons Stakeholders Alliance, a coalition of residents in the Greater Tysons area who are opposed to a casino, has organized an informational webinar on Wednesday, September 24th from 7:00 pm to 8:00 pm.
Topics will include:
- The current status of the casino proposal and what to expect next.
- Potential impacts on the local economy and residents’ pocketbooks.
- How a casino could affect the character of our community, and ways you can get involved.
At the end of the session, panelists will take questions from attendees.
Use this link to register -- and feel free to share the registration link with friends, neighbors, and others who may be interested. | | | MCA Urges Governance Review of County Pension Plans
At its September 3rd meeting, MCA approved a resolution presented by the Budget & Taxation Committee that urges the Board of Supervisors to conduct an analysis of the merits of changing the governance structure of the three Fairfax County pension plans.
County employees participate in one of three pension plans: Employee Retirement System (ERS); Police Officers Retirement System (PORS); and Uniformed Retirement System (URS). In 2024, the County hired a consultant to conduct Governance Reviews of ERS, PORS and URS, which suggested that one committee oversee functions such as audit, benefits administration, Executive Director compensation and succession planning, and identified problems that would be easier to solve if the three pension plans had one board of trustees. MCA commends the County for procuring the Governance Reviews, along with other independent analyses of each pension plan’s investment strategies, policies, procedures, and performance, and recommends that the BOS implement a thorough process for considering placing governance of the three plans under one board of trustees.
MCA further urges the Supervisors to schedule a committee meeting in 2025 to discuss how ERS, PORS and URS are responding to each Governance Review recommendation and to schedule annual meetings where all Supervisors are briefed on the three pension plans.
The MCA Budget & Taxation (B&T) Committee typically meets on the third Thursday of the month. For more information, contact B&T Committee Chair Jim Kulikowski.
|  | MCA Lends Conditional Support to Leesburg Pike Townhome Development
MCA approved a resolution presented by the Planning & Zoning Committee in support of a developer's applications for a property located at 7600 Leesburg Pike. The applicant seeks to demolish the property's 1986 office building that has had difficulty attracting tenants for several years and replace it with a townhome community. In its application, the developer seeks to rezone the property to residential and obtain a County Comprehensive Plan amendment increasing the residential density to 12 to 16 dwelling units per acre (du/a). The property is located across Leesburg Pike from Marshall High School, between the Pimmit Hills residential community behind it and the school. It is also adjacent to the Tysons Ridge townhome community, which itself was recently constructed on the site of an underutilized office building. In October, 2021, the Board of Supervisors approved the rezoning of that neighboring property to residential at a density of 12 to 16 du/a.
MCA conditioned its support on the applicant providing pedestrian walkways, including during construction, to ensure safe passage from Pimmit Hills to the high school; preserving the existing tree buffer; and submitting a construction plan that minimizes negative effects on Pimmit Hills.
Notwithstanding MCA's support of the application, MCA noted its continued concern about the cumulative effect of office-to-residential conversions on school populations, traffic, active transportation, and public services.
The MCA Planning & Zoning Committee (P&Z) typically meets on the fourth Tuesday of the month; however, the next meeting is September 16th due to holiday conflicts. For more information, contact P&Z Committee Chair Bob Perito. | | Courtesy Tysons Community Alliance |
Tysons Community Alliance CEO Addresses Greater Tysons Citizens Coalition
The Greater Tysons Citizens Coalition (GTCC) welcomed Tysons Community Alliance (TCA) CEO Katie Cristol to its July 10th meeting for an update on Tysons' progress toward achieving its ambitious live-work-play goals. Ms. Cristol spent 90 minutes with the group, sharing an information slide deck and answering attendees' questions on a range of topics, including how to get around and park in Tysons, the status of the temporary soccer mini-pitch slated to open soon in Tysons' Scotts Run neighborhood, improvements planned for the Chain Bridge Road (Route 123)/Leesburg Pike (Route 7) intersection, and the challenges faced by high-rise residential buildings seeking to attract and keep ground-floor retail.
The TCA slide presentation, which included a professionally produced video, addressed the following topics, the breadth of which is indicative of the scope of TCA's work:
-- Placemaking and Wayfinding
-- Research and Business Support
-- Communications, Branding, and Engagement
-- Transportation and Mobility
-- Administrative and Governance
Ms. Cristol was elated to announce that a few days before the meeting TCA had moved into its new offices on PenFed Plaza (the elevated plaza at the end of the Tysons Metro bridge over Route 123) at Tysons Corner Center. Below are some useful TCA links:
-- Tysons Teammates (a platform for contributing to Tysons via professional collaborations, projects, and social activities)
-- Tysons Datahub (new site with up-to-date information on population, vacancy rates, Metro ridership, and other economic indicators)
-- TCA website (new site with neighborhood guides, event information, and more)
We invite you to view the TCA slide presentation (and TCA video) or watch the GTCC video that includes both the presentation and discussion.
We also invite you to attend any of our upcoming in-person or Zoom meetings, including a September 11th business meeting, held via Zoom, where we will discuss future meeting topics and potential speakers. GTCC meetings are typically held on the second Thursday of the month, beginning at 7 pm. In-person meetings take place in the McLean Community Center's McLean Room. For more information, contact GTCC Chair and MCA Tysons Liaison, Sally Horn, at tysons_liaison@mcleancitizens.org
| Public Safety/Seniors Liaison | County Resources for Seniors and Caregivers
The Department of Family Services’ Division of Adult & Aging Services older adults’ website has a great deal of information to support aging in place. Click on Older Adults Services | Family Services to search different topics of interest. Note the blue boxes for Older Adults and Family Caregivers.
Another great resource is the Aging Well! Resource Guide | Family Services, which provides information on services, programs, recreational activities, educational opportunities, and community engagement activities for older adults, people with disabilities and caregivers.
Caregivers can subscribe to receive alerts via email, text or voice with information about the latest caregiving supportive services, including workshops, webinars, case management, in-home respite, and much more. After subscribing, create an account (or if you already have one, sign into your account), and select Area Agency on Aging/Caregiving.
There is also a help line:
Aging, Disability and Caregiver Resources Line
703-324-7948, TTY 711
Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
-- Patrick Smaldore, Public Safety & Seniors Liaison | |