Council Members:

Lewis Grimm – 2nd Vice President, Franklin Farm Foundation

Jay Johnston – Treasurer, Virginia Run

Priscilla Knight – Secretary, Sully Station II

Mark McConn – President, Bull Run Civic Association

Jim Neighbors – Sully Station

Jeff Parnes – 1st Vice President, Chantilly Highlands Homes Association

Presenters:

Michael Frey – Sully Supervisor

Guests:

John Litzenberger – Sully Planning Commissioner

1. 7:00
   • State of Sully – Presented by Michael; Frey, Sully Supervisor

     Supervisor Michael Frey discussed developments and issues in Fairfax County and the Sully District.

     • Frey reported that state and county redistricting has been approved by the Justice Department and changed. The Sully district has been changed just a little. Redistricting of precincts could not be more than one percent. Frey said Fairfax doesn't like splitting precincts nor does it want to create new precincts because that costs money. This year, 48 precincts out of 230 in the County will change. Sully will go from 23 to 29 or 30 precincts, depending on federal redistricting.
     • Delegates Dave Bulova and Jim Lennon will represent Sully Station II; Tim Hugo’s district has been redrawn out of Sully Station. Frey said citizens should watch for a postcard from the register because voting places may change.
     • Frey said for most of the year Board supervisors discussed the County budget. The County is losing some key personnel; the County executive, several deputy County executives, and the debt manager are retiring. Frey described Tony Griffin, county executive, as “a rock.” Frey said, “He’s been very steady and dependable, with a calming voice.” Griffin has chaired the Council of Governments. Fairfax will do a nationwide search. Salaries will have to be much higher, over $300 K.
     • The Board of Supervisors will not turn over much in the November election. Only three seats are being contested.
     • Frey said County bonds are better than private bonds; they are paying 4 percent – better than most.
     • One big decision for the Board of Supervisors is Metro. “We’re at the final point for us saying yeah or nay,” Frey stated. The Board is expecting the document with final preliminary engineering. The decision for $3.1 to $3.2 billion will come in October, right before the election. The underground station proposal will be the most expensive. The final preliminary engineering will be made available in July. Then, the Board will have 90 days to decide whether or not to participate. Frey said a station above ground will cost closer to $3.5 billion. The potential additional costs are $1 million. Fairfax would need higher commercial and industrial taxes, federal loans, or bonds to pay for its share of the Metro costs. The airports authority is building the Metro, with Loudoun County paying only 4 percent and Fairfax paying 16 percent.
     • Good news for transportation: VDOT has leftover money and has allocated $780,000 for the culvert on Lee Road. Widening the road and replacing the culverts will cost about a $500,000 more. VDOT hopes to start the bridge in 2013.
     • Fairfax received about $31 million from Richmond a few years ago for secondary road improvements. Today, the Country receives $0.00. Consequently, we can’t even put up a traffic light unless a proffer pays for it. Frey said the County needs more revenue back from Richmond, such as gas tax money, for our secondary roads. Richmond is paying debt from the Commonwealth’s insurance fund and general fund, which is reducing what it can give schools.
     • Frey said the day labor place hopes to open this summer. The shopping center owner, Dwoskin, is donating two places in the center. Zoning for the center, C—7, is so old that it doesn't specify usage. Therefore, the County can’t stop a day labor place even if it wanted to. Frey noted that only the federal government has the authority to enforce immigration laws.
     • The Park Authority is going to get a bond next year, but only about $50 million. The authority will solicit ideas for what they should do with the bond money. Frey suggests repairing trails and linking trail networks.
     • Fairfax went back to Covanta about the landfill at Lorton. Covanta altered terms they had agreed to. The County has been getting 90 percent of energy sales. Covanta wants to change it to 50-50. Fairfax said “No.” The current agreement goes to 2016. Then Covanta will own it. Fairfax will have 900,000 tons of trash per year. Covanta will need trash to burn, so the County has leverage. We’ll have to pay $32 per ton. The County could have bought the plant, but didn’t. Fairfax owns the land, but Covanta owns the plant. It’s very complicated. The land lease goes to 2030.
     • Mark McConn asked about zoning enforcement in his community. He said people are putting up fences and gates on their driveways to keep the County out. Frey said the County doesn't do zoning inspections without a complaint. Mark’s HOA members have horses and farms and they need more space for farm storage – more than 10’ x 10’.
     • Frey said the Board of Supervisors have 40 to 50 zoning violations every meeting. McConn said it’s more expensive to appeal a zoning decision than to go to court.
     • Frey noted that Fairfax had 250,000 residents a few decades ago, but has 1.1 million today. As Fairfax is becoming more densely populated, it is becoming less tolerant of zoning violations.

• Tier I Environmental Impact Study for I-66
  Lewis Grimm said he attended a meeting about road improvements. The problems remain and there is no money to solve them. Jeff Parnes said he will send SDC members emails to see if we want to make comments.

• Bridge Replacement in Little Rocky Run
  Parnes said culverts will be replaced with larger ones. There’s a swamp. The road will be widened.

• Roads
  New roads in Tysons Corner will be built to urban standards instead of suburban standards.

• WFCCA – SDC Merger
  John Litzenberger suggested that we at least have one Land Use committee if the two groups don't merge. He said one committee will simplify the process.

• July and August - No summer presentations
• August 24 - Land Use and Transportation Committee meeting
• September 28 - State Legislature Candidates Night
• October 26 - Sully County (Supervisor and School Board) Candidates Night
• November 16 - We will invite Loudoun Planning staff to discuss plans for development along Rt. 50

Respectively submitted by,

Priscilla Knight
Secretary
Sully District Council