McLean High School Over Capacity, Langley High School Under Capacity, MCA Calls for an Expedited Study of the Boundary between Them

McLean High School’s student body currently stands at 114% of the school’s capacity and is projected by FCPS to worsen to 126% by School Year (SY) 2023-24.  Following a recent renovation that added classrooms, enrollment at Langley stands at 82% of capacity and is projected to decrease to 79% by SY 2023-24.  Presently, the FCPS Capital Improvement Program does not identify a remedy for the McLean High School overcrowding problem.

How Bright Should the County’s New LED Streetlights Be? MCA Recommends Lower Lighting Levels and Other Safeguards

Outdoor lighting is shifting to the newer technology of Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs), which are more energy-efficient and lower cost than traditional lighting technologies.  Fairfax County entered into an agreement with Dominion Energy to convert the County’s approximate 58,000 streetlights to LEDs. Specifications will be set out in the Public Facilities Manual. 

 Additionally, the Outdoor Lighting Ordinance, which regulates private as well as public outdoor lighting, needs to be updated in response to the lighting technologies now available. 

 One variable is the perceived “color temperature” of emitted light, which is measured by a Kelvin scale, with lower numbers corresponding to a “warmer” color  (yellowish), and higher numbers corresponding to “cooler” color (bluish). Several health and scientific organizations have advised minimizing “blue light” emissions which can create glare, impact human sleep, and disorient animal species. 

 At its meeting of December 5, 2018, the MCA Board passed a Resolution on this topic prepared by the Environment, Parks, and Recreation Committee. The resolution recommends streetlight conversions in Fairfax County to LEDs with lower blue light emissions at approximately 2700 Kelvin. The resolution also encourages best practices such as shielded fixtures to prevent upward light, adaptive controls such as dimmers and timers, and minimizing lighting to specific needs. 

 Fairfax County and Dominion have recently agreed that a standard of 3000 Kelvin will be implemented in Fairfax County streetlights, as compared with 4000 Kelvin initially proposed by Dominion. Fixtures will minimize up-light and will be shielded to direct light to the intended roadways and pedestrian areas.

Asphalt Sidewalks and No Curbs on Part of Chain Bridge Road? MCA Asks for Improvements

In early March, local residents raised concerns with MCA about aspects of a proposed residential development on the north side of Chain Bridge Road, west of the intersection with Westmoreland Street.  A developer assembled 3.2 acres consisting of the 1638 and 1642 Chain Bridge Road properties.  The developer proposes to build nine new houses at the existing zoning of R-3 (Residential, 3 dwelling units per acre).  The new houses would be accessed via an interior street, while some of the rear yards would back onto Chain Bridge Road.

 Ordinarily, a developer at R-3 density would be expected to provide concrete curb and gutter, and concrete sidewalk 5 feet wide (the County’s current standard).  However, the developer applied to the County for two waivers – one for relief from the obligation to make Road Frontage Improvements on Chain Bridge Road, and another asking that asphalt trail be substituted for concrete sidewalk along Chain Bridge Road. 

 Considering that road frontage improvements would improve storm water drainage, and that concrete sidewalk is justified based on the location of the property and the character and needs of the area, the MCA Transportation Committee concluded that MCA should oppose the two Waiver requests.  Accordingly, MCA wrote to the County on March 14, urging the County to deny the two Waiver requests and thereby maintain requirements for road frontage improvements and concrete sidewalk.

An Extraordinary and Constructive Dialogue: McLean Area Students Share Concerns with Fairfax School Leaders

One after another, McLean elementary, middle and high school students expressed their concerns and suggestions to Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) Superintendent Dr. Scott Brabrand and his staff.  The venue was an interactive forum on March 5 hosted by MCA's Education and Youth Committee with particular focus on student mental health. 

McLean-area students drove the Q&A session. Young students, including those in elementary schools, shared their experiences and made suggestions, ranging from reorganizing the recess schedule to allow for more time outside to programs aimed at promoting positivity among students.

Middle and high school students asked about the FCPS leaders’ plans for relieving overcrowding at McLean High School. 

They raised concerns about FCPS’ mental-health support for the students. Several students shared their personal stories to highlight areas where FCPS might improve, including addressing discrimination within schools and promoting the diversity of students.

Dr. Brabrand remained focused on the students throughout the forum, and he and his staff spent time with the students during and after the session to discuss how they could improve the issues raised by the students. 

Dr. Brabrand was accompanied by the Dranesville Representative on the FCPS Board Jane Strauss and by Assistant Superintendent Fabio Zuluaga.  The forum was open to the public and attracted over 100 attendees—including PTA members, students, and school administrators.

The Mather at Arbor Row Continuing Care Facility – MCA Board Endorses and Notes the Growing Need for Senior Housing

Arbor Row is a series of blocks along Westpark Drive, northeast of Tysons Galleria.  When completed, the Arbor Row development will include an Urban Park of about 3 acres.  Several years ago, Cityline Partners obtained rezoning of two blocks of Arbor Row district for high-density office use.

Cityline and Mather Lifeways now propose to instead devote this parcel to a Continuing Care Facility (CCF).  A CCF can include several types of senior housing/care within a single campus. The necessary land-use permissions would be accomplished through amendments to the previous rezoning, and a Final Development Plan.

The proposed CCF building would consist of two towers on top of a “podium.” The proposed CCF would not have greater density than the previously approved office use and would generate about 70% fewer car trips than the previously approved office use.  The proposal includes a monetary contribution to the Fairfax County’s Housing Trust Fund for affordable accommodations for older adults and persons with disabilities within Tysons.

MCA’s Planning and Zoning Committee submitted a Resolution to the MCA Board at its April meeting that expressed support for the application, subject to a revision that the monetary contribution to the Fairfax County’s Housing Trust Fund for affordable accommodations be devoted to housing for older adults and persons with disabilities anywhere in Fairfax County because a Tysons’ restriction could not likely produce any affordable accommodations due to the high costs of land and construction in Tysons.  The Board welcomed the proposal, noting a growing need for senior housing and care in Fairfax County, and passed the resolution.

MCA Commends the FY2020 Budget and Recommends Changes

Fairfax County’s new Fiscal Year (FY) 2020 starts July 1, 2019, and the Board of Supervisors (BoS) has been considering an Advertised Budget with $4.4 billion of General Fund revenue and expenditures, an increase of approximately 3.7% over the FY 2019 Adopted Budget.   Approximately 53% of General Fund disbursements would be transferred to Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS), and 47% retained for County services and programs.

 With respect to the Advertised Budget, the MCA Board of Directors passed a Resolution, prepared by the Budget and Taxation Committee, that made the following points.

 Revenue  -  The BoS has voted to preserve the property tax rate at its current level.  MCA endorses the efforts of the BoS to obtain from the General Assembly greater taxing authority for Virginia counties.  The MCA also encourages the BoS to increase user fees for County-provided services to fully recover the County’s costs.

 Pensions  -  As recently as 2001, the assets and liabilities of County and FCPS pension plans were approximately in balance.  Since then, the plans have become increasingly underfunded as pension obligations increased more rapidly than pension assets, with total unfunded liabilities reaching $5.3 billion in June 2018.   MCA commends the BoS and School Board for somewhat reducing pension benefits for newly hired employees and increasing cash contributions to the pension plans.  However, the MCA urges the BoS and School Board to further reduce pension benefits for new hires, to strengthen the plans‘ long-term sustainability.  The MCA also urges the County and FCPS-controlled pension plans to adopt more realistic assumptions for investment income, to reduce the risk of ever-growing County and FCPS employer cash contributions. 

 Fairfax County Public Schools  -  MCA commends the School Board for prioritizing teacher salary increases and for funding mental health support for students.  MCA recommends: continuing to prioritize teacher raises and providing signing bonuses for new teachers in hard-to-fill subject areas; increased maintenance funding; and deferring expansion of a program to provide each student with an FCPS laptop until concerns raised by an evaluation have been addressed.

 Public Safety, Parks, and Libraries  -  MCA urges implementation of staffing increases for the McLean Police District to meet the increasing needs of the Tysons urban center which is within the McLean Police District. MCA urges the BOS to fund new positions for park maintenance and libraries in the Adopted Budgets for FY 2021 onward, and from funds that may become available during FY 2019 and FY 2020 budget reviews.