Coraggio Consulting
Fairfax County Board of Supervisors Meeting, Tuesday, September 9, 2025

Date: Tuesday, September 9, 2025
Place: Fairfax County Board of Supervisors, Virginia
Length: 4h 11m (video)
Official meeting video (Fairfax County): https://video.fairfaxcounty.gov/player/clip/3886
Official Board of Supervisors page (Fairfax County): https://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/boardofsupervisors/

Machine transcript (speech-to-text) produced by Coraggio Consulting. Not an official county record. Names and numbers may be misspelled; check the video at the timestamp before quoting.
Speech-to-text: whisper.cpp, model large-v3-turbo. Produced 2026-10-29. Timestamps are [HH:MM:SS] into the meeting video.

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[00:00:07] Good morning, folks. We're going to get started. We're going to go ahead and get started, folks. I want to welcome everyone to our board meeting of September 9th, 2025. And as soon as we can get the buzzer, there we go.

[00:00:27] I want to welcome everyone to our board meeting of September 9th, 2025. We do have a very busy agenda this morning. We are going to begin our meeting as we always do, which is a moment of silence to be followed by the Pledge of Allegiance. And at this time, I'm going to just mention a few things and then ask my colleagues if they would like to have anyone they would like to recognize for our moment of silence this morning as well.

[00:00:53] And first, as we sit here today, I think we all know that on Thursday, we will commemorate the 24th anniversary of the September 11th terrorist attacks. It's hard to believe that was 24 years ago, but we know on that day nearly 3,000 people lost their lives and countless injuries occurred, and they hit close to home here, obviously with the Pentagon in our backyard and the work of our own first responders that day and every day to be able to respond for calls for assistance, and I would hope everyone takes

[00:01:29] a moment on Thursday to remember those who were lost on 9-11 and also to keep our first responders and the work that they do every day in Fairfax County and around our country in our thoughts and prayers as well. I also want to mention, sadly, the passing of Wahid al-Husani. Wahid passed away peacefully on August 25th after a brief battle with acute leukemia with his wife, Farzina, daughter Lisa, and brother Shawkat by his side. Waheed was a Bangladeshi American who

[00:02:07] settled in the Washington, D.C. area in 1974. He was founding secretary of the Federation of Bangladeshi Associations of North America, and his warm heart and volunteer efforts extended far beyond the Bangladeshi community throughout Fairfax County. He served as vice chair of the Fairfax County Democratic Committee and remained active in the committee until the day of his passing.

[00:02:31] He also worked as a legislative specialist for ARP, American Association of Retired Persons Virginia, and volunteered with Rebuild America and Inova Fairfax Hospital. For several years, Waheed also organized an annual food drive benefiting Echo, a local food bank in Springfield.

[00:02:52] Waheed was also the longtime precinct captain for Garfield Precinct, and even after that, giving that up. I know he was a regular volunteer. It's going to be strange on election days in the future to visit the Garfield Precinct and not have Waheed there to greet us. He was a wonderful human being who always had a smile on his face, and I would ask if we could keep Waheed, his family, in our thoughts and prayers. That would be appreciated. And with that, I would recognize any other supervisors who would like to mention. Supervisor Herity.

[00:03:24] Yes, Mr. Chairman, it's with a heavy heart that I share the news of a fatal student overdose in the West Springfield High School community. While it happened outside of school grounds, it clearly impacts the school. We were just talking about opioids at our last meeting, advertising drug take-back day, and sadly, drug overdoses are still happening in the county.

[00:03:47] It's especially disheartening when it happens to our youth. I just want to take the time to remind everybody the importance of education in addressing this issue. It can be put in everything, and only a small amount can kill. Prevention and awareness is something we all need to have constantly present.

[00:04:04] I ask we keep the student, their family, and the West Springfield High School community in our thoughts and prayers. Thank you, Supervisor Herity. Supervisor Stork. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I wanted to remember Paul Siegel, the beloved husband of Betsy Martin, who passed away on September 2, 2025.

[00:04:22] For more than 30 years, Paul and Betsy made their home along Little Hunting Creek, where they built a life filled with love, laughter, and service to the community. In 2002, they co-founded Friends of Little Hunting Creek, turning their passion for the environment into action.

[00:04:39] Thanks to their leadership and the help of neighbors and volunteers, the group's annual creek cleanups have become a tradition and a lasting gift to the community. They've also been very, very involved with the Democratic Party, really working issues related to the environment to try to truly make a difference and ensure that we met really what is the challenges of our future, which is reducing carbon and finding a way to have a cleaner environment.

[00:05:04] Anyone who knew Paul and Betsy knows they shared so much together from their work as litter bugs. They literally had these fancy hats that they wore, silly hats too, at community events encouraging all of us to care for our neighbors as well as serving side-by-side in the Little Hunting Creek Watershed Plan Committee.

[00:05:22] Their energy, humor, and dedication touched countless lives. Paul also enjoyed a long career as statistician at the U.S. Census Bureau where he brought the same thoughtfulness and integrity to his work. Above all, he was a loving husband, father, with two grown children and a proud grandfather.

[00:05:41] Paul will be remembered not only for his professional achievements and community service, but for his kindness and quiet leadership and the deep love he shared with Betsy and his family. His legacy lives on in the cleaner waters of Little Hunting Creek, the community he helped strengthen, and the family and friends who loved him so dearly.

[00:06:00] Thank you. Thank you, Supervisor Stork. And anyone who is in South County or has been involved in environmental causes knows Paul and Betsy well. and Paul's passing was a shock to all of us, but hopefully, you know, Betsy knows our thoughts and prayers are with her as she continues to, and I know she will continue to do the important work that is needed in this county, so a real loss. Thank you for mentioning that. Thank you, Mr.

[00:06:29] Supervisor Lusk. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I'm sorry to share that the Franconia District has lost one of its residents, Walter Hammersley. He passed away on August 24th at 103 years old. Born on October 8th, 1921, Walter enlisted in the Navy during World War II, rising to the rank of yeoman first class. After leaving the Navy, Walter served and worked for the Arlington Realty Company as an investment banker. Walter and his family and his wife, Eleanor, spent most of their

[00:07:06] 67 years living in Virginia, first in Falls Church, then in Springfield. He was also an original member of the Springfield Civic Association and saw the Springfield area grow in many ways. He was an avid Washington sports fan, even naming his dog Natitude.

[00:07:28] I'm so happy I could celebrate Walter's 100th birthday and his 103rd birthday with him. I I appreciate his humor and his joy for life, and I extend my condolences to Walter's family, his friends, and the broader community.

[00:07:46] And second, Mr. Chairman, I want to echo your comments about Waheed, just an amazing man. And he and his wife, I had the opportunity to spend a little time with him early last month, and we don't realize how life is so fragile.

[00:08:09] And the time I spent with him talking, I could see his commitment to his service, working on behalf of the Bangladesh Association, talking about the work that he had done in our community.

[00:08:25] And as you said, he had a huge, huge smile and just true vigor. And I'll be thinking about his family, his friends, and the broader community. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Thank you, Supervisor Lusk.

[00:08:41] And before we rise for a moment of silence, Waheed wrote a poem shortly before he passed away. And as you mentioned, several of us had a chance to see him, talk to him in his last days. And I'm just going to read one tiny excerpt of his poem, which is, In this world of seven billion people, my time has come to an end.

[00:09:03] When my name was called, now I will get to see him. He will ask for the account of everything I've done. There is no place, there is no place there for anything but justice. And I think that is a strong message for all of us and the work that we do in Wahid's own words.

[00:09:24] And with that, if those who are evil could rise for a moment of silence to be followed by the Pledge of Allegiance.

[00:09:45] And we do have five presentations this morning, and we'll try to get through these as efficiently as we can.

[00:10:27] for each presentation, I will announce the proclamation and invite our designated speaker down to the podium in front of me. We will then read the proclamation, and after our speaker's remarks, we'll pose for a picture from the dais. And first up, this morning, we have a proclamation to designate September 8th through 12th, 2025, as Disability Voting Rights Week in Fairfax County.

[00:10:50] And this was requested by myself, Supervisor Walkinshaw, and Supervisor Pouchik. And our speaker is Elizabeth Reese, a member of Rev Up Virginia. If you could come on down, and those who are with you are certainly welcome to join you at the podium as well.

[00:11:07] And while you are coming down, I am going to recognize Supervisor Walkinshaw to read the resolution. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Whereas more than 1.9 million adults in Virginia live with a disability, and in the 2024 election, over 939,000 Virginians with disabilities were projected to be eligible to vote, accounting for 15% of the state's electorate.

[00:11:31] And whereas the voices of voters with disabilities are essential to democracy, and in Virginia, the turnout gap between disabled and non-disabled voters decreased from 11% in 2018 to nearly 0% in the 2022 midterm election, with both groups voting at 53.2%.

[00:11:53] And whereas nationally, 40.2 million people with disabilities were eligible to vote in the 2024 elections, nearly one-sixth of the electorate, while 72.7 million voters, almost one-third of all eligible voters, either have a disability or live with someone who does.

[00:12:13] And whereas since 2020, the number of eligible voters with disabilities has grown 5.1% compared to just 2.5% growth among those without disabilities, yet more than 2.2 million voters with disabilities still face barriers in the 2022 elections.

[00:12:38] And whereas Rev Up Virginia, Register, Educate, Vote, Use Your Power, founded in 2021, empowers Virginians with disabilities and their families to participate in democracy through the national Rev Up campaign with events held across the country each year, including in Fairfax County at George Mason University.

[00:13:00] Now, therefore, be it resolved, the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors, on behalf of all residents, does hereby proclaim September 8th through 12th, 2025, as Disability Voting Rights Week in Fairfax County, and supports the growing involvement of the disability community in the political process and civic engagement.

[00:13:20] So move. And Chair, we'll second that, along with Supervisor Palczyk. Discussion on the motion, Supervisor Walkinshaw. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I just want to thank Rev Up Virginia and Mr. Chairman and Supervisor Palchuk. You'll recall we've presented this proclamation at George Mason University over the last couple of years.

[00:13:38] The schedule didn't quite work out to do that this week. But I'm so excited to have you all here because they really do incredible work here in Fairfax County and across Virginia to support folks with disabilities voting.

[00:13:54] And I also want to give some recognition to the Office of Elections, who do an incredible job, both with curbside voting, with some great technology and machines that Chairman and I tested out last year, really just going the extra mile to make sure that everybody in Fairfax County has the opportunity to exercise their right to vote.

[00:14:17] So thank you all so much for what you do and for being here with us today. I heard the Office of Elections was doing something today, pretty busy. Hold on, hold on. One at a time here. Let's get recognized. Supervisor Pelczyk. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. And again, thank you all for what you do.

[00:14:34] You know, I think we have the same talking points with a lot of numbers. So just trying to bring, I mean, you brought a lot of faces to it today. But to me personally, having been born in a country where democracy came back when I was born, And to me, there's nothing, nothing more important, especially for those of us who are immigrants and naturalized, to be able to vote.

[00:14:55] And any barriers from understanding that ADA helped us make it safer for everyone to be part of our community. I think what Rev Up Virginia is doing for voting and for elections, which is both our biggest duty and our biggest honor, to be able to vote in this country and to be able to vote in Virginia in many elections, including many are able to vote today, I just very much appreciate what you're doing.

[00:15:21] I think not only makes it better for those who have or may have one day disabilities and need that extra support, seeing that, being thoughtful about what the barriers are and how to ensure that everyone has equal access. Just a huge congrats on closing that gap on turnout.

[00:15:40] That is absolutely showing how important that work is. So awesome, excellent work. Thank you. Thank you, Supervisor Pouchek. And let me also thank Rev Up Virginia. Supervisor Walkinshaw mentioned our testing of the machines the office elections put out.

[00:15:56] I just want to be clear, those votes didn't count. We were just experimenting with the machines. They were not hooked up to anything. But we have come a long, long way. And I know for those of us who have been on campus to watch the work that's being done, it's inspiring. And when I look out at the folks who are here today, what inspires me is the young people, so many young people who came here today who are participating in this, because what we're talking about when we're voting is your future.

[00:16:25] And in addition to thanking Rev Up Virginia and thanking our Office of Elections, I also want to thank so many of our administrators and particularly high school government teachers and FCPS, because we have done an amazing job registering our high school kids to participate in voting as well.

[00:16:45] And so we're closing the gap in so many things, people with disabilities, making sure that our youngest voters realize their vote counts too, and this is a democracy. And in a democracy, it requires civic engagement, participation, and the right to vote, and to vote no matter what your situation might present you with.

[00:17:05] And so this is a happy moment this morning. We know there's still work to be done, but we have the right partners to be out there doing that work. And with that, I think, oh, Supervisor Herity. No, I just wanted to echo the comments Supervisor Walkinshaw made on the Office of Elections because they have come a long way, and they do such a great job.

[00:17:26] I've taken my mom to do the curbside voting. I've got a blind nephew, and between the technology, they really make it pretty easy. And so a big thank you to the Office of Elections for what they do. Thank you, Supervisor Herity.

[00:17:41] And it's another reminder of the important work this board does constantly to make voting more open, more accessible, and more available to more people. Because we know when more people vote, our democracy is richer. With that, I think we're ready for a vote.

[00:17:57] All those in favor of the motion, please say aye. Aye. Any opposed? Any abstentions? That motion carries. And as I mentioned, we have representatives from Rev Up here this morning before us, including Elizabeth Reese. Welcome. The floor is yours. Thank you. Thank you, Supervisors.

[00:18:15] Supervisor Walkinshaw, Supervisor Palchik, Supervisor Herity, and Chairman McKay, and all of you. My name is Elizabeth Reese, and this is my son, Calvin. We are residents of the Sully District.

[00:18:33] Calvin was diagnosed with autism when he was three, and that's one of the reasons that I came up to Rev Up Virginia. Calvin's not able to speak. He has some motor challenges, but has developed over time the skills to point to letters on a board as an alternative means of communication.

[00:18:55] I'm a volunteer for Rev Up Virginia, and as Supervisor Walkinshaw said, Rev stands for Register, Educate, Vote, and UP stands for Use Your Power. We are a nonpartisan statewide disability vote coalition. I've been working with Helena Berger and Susan Lydic, our co-founders and co-chairs down there. We're working on a website, so that'll be available soon. And also with us are students and teachers from the John Lewis High School Leadership Program. This is the

[00:19:32] second year that they've joined us for a Disability Voting Rights Week event. And last year, they hosted us at their campus in Springfield. So we're delighted to have them. And together, we are all honored to accept your Disability Voting Rights Week proclamation on behalf of Rev Up Virginia.

[00:19:56] Disability Voting Rights Week is a nonpartisan movement that's about advocacy, celebrating community and building political power. We see the growing political power in the disability of the disability community here in Virginia and Fairfax County. In the 2022 midterms, disabled Virginians voted at the same rate as non-disabled voters, shattering assumptions about political engagement and proving that there is a disability vote that cannot be dismissed.

[00:20:32] This year, during Disability Voting Rights Week, we are holding six events around the Commonwealth. And in fact, as you just heard, some of us are headed to George Mason in a few minutes to engage young people with and without disabilities in the political process and encourage them to vote, especially in today's election.

[00:20:55] We've got a special one going on. And George Mason serves as a polling place, so that should work out pretty well. We're also hosting a statewide candidate forum on Monday, September 15th at 6 p.m. It's online, and we're expecting all six statewide candidates to appear.

[00:21:14] They've confirmed their participation. Your support, Fairfax County's support of Disability Voting Rights Week, is incredibly important to our community and to our mission to increase the political power and influence of the disability vote.

[00:21:32] We want to bring meaningful change to the lives of disabled Virginians and their families. Thank you. Thank you very much, Elizabeth, and thank you all for being here this morning. This is going to be a great picture. If you all could come forward and face the audience, and if Supervisor Walkinshaw and Supervisor Palachuk will join me for this.

[00:24:31] We're going to move on to our next recognition,

[00:25:28] which is a resolution to recognize Elaine Maletta for her five decades, five decades of dedicated service and contributions to animal welfare. This was requested by myself. Our speaker is Elaine herself and others who are with her. I see a lot of folks from the animal community who are with her, if they could come on down at this time.

[00:25:52] And while they are making their way down, I am going to hand the gavel to Supervisor Smith so that I can read the following resolution. Whereas Elaine Maletta has dedicated over 50 years to animal welfare, tirelessly advocating for the rescue, rehabilitation, and rehoming of companion animals in Fairfax County and beyond.

[00:26:14] And whereas since 1984, Elaine has been a guiding force in Animal Allies, an entirely volunteer-run humane organization dedicated to rescuing as many cats and kittens as possible from the streets and placing them into safe, loving, and permanent homes.

[00:26:31] And whereas under Elaine's leadership, animal allies expanded in Northern Virginia, mainly in Woodbridge and Alexandria, and maintains a Culpeper Community Cat Sanctuary providing lifelong care to unadoptable cats. And whereas Elaine has vigorously built foster networks, coordinated adoptions, promoted responsible pet ownership, and raised public awareness of humane treatment through education and advocacy.

[00:26:58] And whereas her decades of service have saved thousands of animals' lives, inspired many volunteers and strengthened the community's commitment to compassion and responsible stewardship for companion animals. Now, therefore, be it resolved that the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors, on behalf of all residents, hereby recognizes and commends Elaine Maletta for her remarkable five decades of service and leadership in animal welfare and extends its deepest gratitude for her lasting impact through animal allies.

[00:27:31] I'll second that motion. Discussion on the motion, Mr. Chairman? Yeah, thank you, Supervisor Smith. And I think looking at who is here assembled to recognize this moment speaks a lot to the contributions and hard work that Elaine has done and the difference that she's made.

[00:27:48] And, you know, I've said this before when we have animal welfare items come to the board that, you know, a lot can be said about a community seen through the way that it treats its most vulnerable residents, including its animals. And seeing folks here from so many different organizations who are doing this work here to celebrate the work that Elaine has done is remarkable.

[00:28:13] And we wanted to take a moment to recognize that five decades is a long time. And I'm sure there are certain animals that stick out in your mind in particular. But as the resolution reads, thousands of lives of animals here have been saved because of the hard work of Elaine, the network that she's created, the organization, Animal Allies, and so many others.

[00:28:38] And so we are just grateful for you, for your decades of service, and wanted to take a moment to thank you on behalf of all those animals that probably have different ways of thanking you than a proclamation, but whose voices matter as well in this humane county that we have here in Fairfax County.

[00:28:58] So thank you very much, and congratulations. Thank you. Supervisor Stork. Well, thank you. Wait one moment. I think some others want to say a few good words about you first. I literally wanted to say a few good words, maybe more than a few, because the difference that you've made along the Richmond Highway corridor, the Route 1 corridor, especially with some of our needier areas where we have maybe an abundance of community cats that, frankly, would have been really handled very differently than what you've been able us to do.

[00:29:32] You've put your words with deeds, and for all of us, that's sometimes a big, big challenge. But the thousands of cats that are purring differently because you made a difference in their lives are ones that we will never forget, and I particularly want to thank you for all that work, as well as I know you have a couple other folks here.

[00:29:51] I see Risa and Gina, in particular, that have been very involved and made a critical difference for all of us. So thank you very much, Elaine. Appreciate it. Thank you. Supervisor Herody. Yeah, I just want to add my voice to this. I know you're a Springfield district resident, but thank you for everything you've done both at the state level with the Virginia Federation of Humane Societies for only half of the 50 years, 25 years, but that's a long, long time.

[00:30:19] Pets Limited, Animal Allies, your generous donation to the Wildlife Rescue League so they can get their rehabilitation centers started. Just a very, very incredible dedication to the animals in Fairfax County. And I, as an animal lover and animal owner, I very much appreciate everything you've done and will continue to do.

[00:30:40] Well, thank you. Thank you. I've got one more. Supervisor Lask. Thank you very much, Madam Vice Chairman. I want to echo my colleagues in recognizing Elaine for 50 years of service to animal welfare. I just want to make the point, it takes someone special to be a voice for the voiceless and advocate for the most vulnerable in our society, and you've done that.

[00:31:03] I learned of a transformative land donation that you and your family made in 2023 that will result in the creation of the Wildlife Rehabilitation Center of Northern Virginia in Caroline County. And I just want to say, I think it's expected to be open sometime in 2026.

[00:31:23] It's going to be transformative, and it's going to be an amazing legacy for you. So I just wanted to acknowledge that point here, and then just thank you for the impact you've had on the lives of so many animals in this community. Thank you. Okay, so seeing no further discussion, all those in favor of the vote, please say aye.

[00:31:41] Aye. Anyone opposed? Any abstention? That motion carries unanimously. Mr. Chairman. Thank you, Vice Chairman Smith. And I think Elaine's excitement is why she's gotten so much done. We've seen it here this morning. And so at this time, Elaine, welcome. The floor is yours.

[00:31:59] Well, wow, I'm really impressed with myself with what you've said. I don't have as much to say, but anyway, I thank you for your support and for recognizing the achievements of those who work for the betterment of humanity and the betterment of animals.

[00:32:21] I want to thank those who thought I, that were supportive of my being recognized. And I'm impressed with that.

[00:32:39] So I especially say thanks for those who feel that I was worthy of recognition. I have worked very hard over the 50 years to benefit animals, and I was blessed, however. My husband was supportive of my animal work, and that occurred at the beginning of our marriage when I adopted a Siamese kitten that he fell in love with, and he didn't really like cats or knew that he liked cats before that.

[00:33:13] And she loved him. He loved her. She would get in his suitcase when he wanted to go away or went away on a trip, and when we came back from anywhere, she would meow so much that she was hoarse, admonishing us for having gone away and having left her.

[00:33:34] So he was on board with my animal work, and I was blessed with wonderful volunteers, just wonderful volunteers who have sustained the organization because I established Animal Allies 40 years ago and Pets Limited 20 years ago.

[00:33:53] And it was very rough for Animal Allies and other organizations back at that time because there wasn't a highly educated, humanely educated public, and they were bringing litters of kittens to the shelter, and the supply was more than the demand, and they didn't have a really good outcome.

[00:34:19] And others were giving them away for free, and others were leaving them by dumpsters and in other places. So this was very difficult for an adoption volunteer group, to find a good home when a prospective adopter was out there who could take a free kitten and provide no assurances of a responsible pet ownership.

[00:34:50] So it was very difficult, but then our group and other groups tightened up on spay-neuter and had the cats spayed and neutered and the kittens spayed and neutered before adoption.

[00:35:06] And that eliminated having to enforce that, especially when people moved out of the county to places unknown that we haven't even heard of. So it improved. And then Pets Limited came in and offered low-cost spaying and neutering and free spaying and neutering when needed.

[00:35:31] And we've got a waiting list of people who appreciate this service. And because it's very expensive, and especially if they happen to have taken a cat, and at six months old they find the cat is the mother of four kittens, so they can't really afford to get, hardly afford to get one done, and now they have five.

[00:35:59] So it has gotten better, and it has gotten better with the shelters that are working in Fairfax County and the help that they're giving the groups. This has been a tremendous help in moving things forward.

[00:36:19] I did more than I thought I could do during these times, and so did the volunteers do more than what they thought they could do and what I thought that they could do. And one teenager, and this is where young people are getting involved, She is now a vet tech with us, and she had spayed and trapped, spayed and neutered a feral colony of 50 cats in six months.

[00:36:50] And then another volunteer has gone to college in Washington, D.C., and has picked up a number of abandoned kittens and puppies and found good homes for them.

[00:37:06] And another volunteer found a home for an elderly senior dog whose owner had dementia. And she found that dog a home. These were all challenging cases, but the challenging cases were met with success.

[00:37:24] And it's very heartwarming to feel that you've accomplished something like that. And I hope that more people, when faced with a situation that needs help, will not find it too daunting to take this on.

[00:37:50] So I really appreciate all the help that I have been given, because without the help I've been given, I couldn't have done anything, or very little, anyway. I would like to share with you an excerpt from a newsletter sent out last month by an eye surgeon in Fairfax.

[00:38:11] That title is The $100,000 Reason to Get a Pet. Most pet owners, this is what he had said, most pet owners know their furry companions make life better.

[00:38:29] But according to a new study, the value might be higher than anyone realized. Some researchers say it's close to $100,000. Well, one may dispute this, but we certainly value more for these animals than we did 50 years ago.

[00:38:53] Some considered them almost trash 50 years ago, and now they're therapeutic treasures. So I think we've come a long way, but we still have a long way to go. And we hope, you know, we'll have a cooperative effort to move things forward even more.

[00:39:12] And thank you very, very much. Thank you very much, Elaine. We have come a long way, and it's because of organizations and people like you.

[00:39:29] And you mentioned how far we've come in understanding animal welfare. That didn't happen by accident. That happened because of advocacy. And we appreciate all that you've done. And with that, I think we're ready for a photo. If you all could come forward and face the audience and the board rise.

[00:40:25] All right.

[00:41:25] Next up, we have a proclamation to designate September 2025 as Suicide Awareness Month in Fairfax County. And this was requested by myself, Supervisor Smith, and Supervisor Walkinshaw. Our speaker is Vita Murthy, member of the National Capital Area Chapter, American Foundation for Suicide Prevention.

[00:41:46] If you could come on down, and delighted to see a number of folks who are here with you. And while you're coming down, I will hand the microphone over to Supervisor Smith. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Whereas suicide is the 12th leading cause of death in the United States and the 10th major cause of death in the Commonwealth of Virginia, affecting individuals of all age groups, and whereas more than 49,000 lives were lost to suicide in 2023 in the United States And in Virginia, there is an average of more than 1,200 suicides each year.

[00:42:22] And whereas studies show that when firearms are accessible, individuals are more than three times as likely to die by suicide, with 55% of suicides involving firearms. And whereas 988-HOPE-LINK answered 125,406 crisis hotline calls and texts in FY 2024, requiring highly trained crisis workers for safety planning and crisis intervention.

[00:42:51] And whereas effective suicide prevention demands a comprehensive approach, including reducing risk factors, enhancing resilience, and providing support and education to individuals and communities, and whereas organizations like the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, Fairfax Falls Church Community Services Board, and PRS Crisis Link are dedicated to research, education, and support for those affected by suicide.

[00:43:19] Now, therefore, be it resolved that the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors, on behalf of all residents of Fairfax County, does hereby proclaim September 2025 as Suicide Prevention Month in Fairfax County and encourages residents to expand outreach, education, and support for those with mental health challenges.

[00:43:42] I'm happy to second that, along with Supervisor Paucik. Discussion on the motion, Supervisor Smith. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. If those of you that have been here before know that when my daughter was a senior in high school, she attempted suicide. And we were very fortunate through that process, but we had a discussion as a family.

[00:44:03] What do we do? At first, my daughter wanted to tell people, and we had a discussion, and we said, no, we can't tell anybody. Because you're afraid of being judged, of being looked at differently. And I had a friend that said, because, you know, senior year, you have to apply to college.

[00:44:18] A friend said, well, you can't expect that of her. Well, my husband and I bribed her that if she applied to college, she could get a pair of Jessica Simpson boots she wanted. And then when I got on this board in 2016 and found out about the walk for suicide prevention, I talked to my daughter.

[00:44:37] And she said, it's okay to talk about this. And I learned that lesson through my life. We need to talk. There were a couple of people I confided in when I went through this. But it is overwhelming. It is unexpected. We were trying to get my daughter help, and we didn't realize that that wasn't being effective at the time.

[00:44:58] And so it is really incumbent on all of us to speak up, to not be ashamed, and to be aware of what's happening with people, because so often it's easy to look at somebody's life and what they're doing and think they got it all, and it's great. And so I'm happy to be here.

[00:45:16] We're going to talk later about the Walk for Suicide Prevention, but I am really happy to be here to do this. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Thank you, Supervisor Smith. Supervisor Palczyk. Thank you, Mr. Chairman, and thank you, Supervisor Kathy, for your continued support.

[00:45:32] Thank you to all of you for what you do. I know from my time on the school board and then here, there's definitely been a hopeful shift. It's still very, very challenging, especially those of us who do suffer from depression, who do suffer from mental illness and the stigma that comes with that, and being able to speak about it and to support our youth.

[00:46:04] And I think one of the highlights is that there is this community effort. And so much so, it's a little bit breaking news, I think. We received the results of the youth survey just this morning.

[00:46:22] And while we continue to see, you know, unsettling numbers of youth who have attempted suicide or considered it, it has gone down. It is below the levels we have seen, you know, definitely during the pandemic and pre-pandemic now.

[00:46:40] And we continue to struggle as we look at, especially our youth, our young ones, our sixth graders. I still remember having many, many conversations with principals of elementary schools. And that is just heart-wrenching. So I know whether it's due to isolation or time spent online versus in person in community or stress or bullying or all of those factors, I think the more we rally around as a community, the more we think about our physical spaces and how we are able to use them to be outdoors

[00:47:19] and indoors safely together as well as the way we build community and build support especially for our most you know isolated or disenfranchised youth so I want to thank you for what you do it is still a big challenge and a stigma for many and many of our communities to have these conversations and to talk through it and support our kids but I do think that no we see that the work you do and that we do as a community makes an impact and looking forward to the walk moving to the mosaic district in Providence district this year and I know we'll have a strong turnout from our our board in our community so thank you

[00:47:59] thank you Supervisor Palchik Supervisor Stork I think we understand this but suicide definitely shatters lives I know it shattered my family's life when when it happened and and I was I was looking at one of the t-shirts the word hope up there. I think that's the core. If you're human and you don't feel hope, then that's really when we need to be there with you and help you find and see your way through. So I thank you all very much for being here and providing hope. And I know that the walk itself provides hope and reassurance to folks that you're not alone and we can all make a difference. So thank you very much for

[00:48:38] being here. Thank you, Supervisor Stork, Supervisor Walkinshaw. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Just want to Thank you all for your courage and for organizing the walk. And Supervisor Smith, always for your courage and sharing your family's story. I say every year, you know, this walk is one of, if not my favorite event of the year because it is so empowering and inspiring, and I'm looking forward to it.

[00:49:02] And we're going to talk about it later. But I just do want to make a plug for our team, Fairfax, and give credit. As of this moment, Supervisor Bierman is our top donor to our team. I'm going to go online and make my contribution, but thank you all for what you do, and look forward to seeing you all on October 4th.

[00:49:21] Thank you, Supervisor Walkinshaw, and I also want to thank you. Supervisor Pouchik mentioned the youth survey, and we see those numbers going in the right direction. The worst call I receive as an elected official, I get a lot of calls, but the worst call is a suicide notification in our community.

[00:49:41] And I think a lot of folks out there don't think this happens. And the reason is we protect the privacy of the people involved. And so this doesn't get press releases. It doesn't get covered by the news because we want to protect the families involved, as Supervisor Smith said, to try to process and work out in their own way how to deal with an unimaginable tragedy.

[00:50:09] But it happens, and it happens here in Fairfax County, and we know that. And it takes all of us to do something about it. I think this year is particularly important because of not only what some have said about our young people, and I know as a dad of two teenagers, I know what our young people are going through at times and sometimes looking for adults to be leaders and help them.

[00:50:33] But we know suicide affects people of all ages in the county. And why I'm concerned right now is we see at a national level services being pulled back that were available to the most vulnerable people in our community who have some of the highest suicidal tendencies.

[00:50:54] And instead of providing services and resources to those people, unfortunately, it's been politicized and services have been pulled back from the people that need them the most. Make no mistake about it. This is life-saving work.

[00:51:10] And so I think the most important message we can share with our community in Fairfax County is that resources are here. No one should commit suicide because they feel like there's not a resource, a call to make, an emergency response center reaction to this.

[00:51:28] We know we have the 988 center located in Fairfax County that provides support services. We know we have the Merrifield Crisis Center. We have resources and organizations like the one before us that is here to help prevent suicides from happening.

[00:51:45] So please, if you know of someone, you feel like you know of someone, it is important for all of us to intervene, to help that individual, to give them a phone number to call, a resource that's available to them, because that simple gesture might be enough to save a life and to continue to see the downward trend that we're grateful to see in Fairfax County.

[00:52:08] But until we get to zero, we know we have work to do. And so thank you for all of your advocacy. Thank you, Supervisor Smith. You always share your family story. But what you've heard here, Supervisor Stork, myself, many of us, sadly, are close to this issue.

[00:52:25] And I think if you surveyed our county residents, you'd find an overwhelming majority of them have someone or know someone who has committed suicide in their family, in their friend network, in their work network, and we all play a role in helping to prevent this.

[00:52:44] Supervisor Smith. I forgot to finish the story about my daughter. She became a school psychologist, which I think is really important. Thank you. Thank you, Supervisor Smith. With that, I think we're ready for a vote. All those in favor of the motion, please say aye. Aye. Any opposed?

[00:53:00] Any abstentions? That motion carries. And as I mentioned, we have Vita Murthy, member of the National Capital Area Chapter of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, with us. Welcome. The floor is yours. On behalf of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, or AFSP, we would like to start by thanking Chairman McKay, Supervisor Smith, and the entire Fairfax County Board of Supervisors for supporting this proclamation, recognizing Suicide Prevention Month, and for supporting the Fairfax Out of the Darkness Community Walk with your team, Fairfax Board of Supervisors, once again this year.

[00:53:37] My name is Veda Murthy, and I am a senior at Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology. I am a member of the AFSP Fairfax Walk Committee. The reason why I'm standing here today is because four years ago, I lost my dear brother to suicide, and this has completely changed my life forever.

[00:53:58] It is most important to me, as we all heard from all of the stories that you all shared, that everyone is affected by suicide, whether directly or indirectly, and it's so important to spread awareness for resources and just awareness in general for those who truly need it.

[00:54:15] I'm grateful to be here as a representative of the AFSP and our local National Capital Area Chapter, serving Northern Virginia and Washington, D.C. I would also like to thank all of the other organizations here today, as well as other organizations and individuals in our community working to create a culture that is smart about mental health in Fairfax County and beyond.

[00:54:39] Through our collective efforts, we can raise awareness and bring support to break down the stigma and ultimately achieve AFSP's mission to save lives and bring hope to those affected by suicide. For those of you who are not familiar with AFSP, we are a 38-year-old voluntary health organization that gives those affected by suicide a nationwide community to empower research, education, and advocacy to take action against this leading cause of death.

[00:55:12] We are leading the fight to stop suicide. As the largest private suicide prevention organization in the United States, AFSP serves its mission by engaging in the following core strategies. First, by funding scientific research.

[00:55:27] In fact, AFSP is the largest private funder of suicide prevention research in the United States, and their investment in research has helped shape the field to answer the most important questions about suicide and how to prevent it. From that research, AFSP develops programs and resources to educate the public about mental health and suicide prevention, teaching us how we all have a role to play in preventing suicide.

[00:55:53] We also provide support and programs for survivors of suicide loss and those affected by suicide. And we advocate at the national, states, and local levels for public policies in mental health and suicide prevention. For instance, we helped lead the charge to establish 988 as the national three-digit crisis hotline for suicide prevention, mental health, and substance use.

[00:56:18] Suicide is the 11th leading cause of death in the United States, taking more than 49,300 lives in 2023. In Virginia, it is the second leading cause of death among children, teens, and young adults. but it doesn't have to be and it should not be because we all know that suicide is preventable throughout suicide prevention month and all year long the afsp national capital area chapter will continue to provide the fairfax county community countless programs and resources at no cost to

[00:56:52] the public thanks to the support of our life-saving volunteers advocates and donors and sponsors and community allies, we are able to host local chapter events in support of our mission, like the Fairfax County Out of Darkness Community Walk, which will take place this year on Saturday, October 4th at its exciting new location in the Mosaic District. I hope each of you today here and those all across the county will connect with the AFSP National Capital Area Chapter. I also want to urge everyone to follow in the footsteps of the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors, led by Supervisor Kathy

[00:57:29] Smith for forming their very own team. Please take action to fight suicide and support the walk by registering to walk, giving a gift, or signing up to volunteer at afsp.org slash Fairfax. Again, I am truly honored to accept this proclamation on behalf of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, and thank you so much to the board for recognizing our efforts and giving us a voice for all the individuals in our community who are affected by suicide. Thank you.

[00:57:58] Thank you. Thank you very much. That was amazing. Well done, and thank you for turning personal tragedy into awareness and advocacy. Much appreciated in sharing that personal story as well. With that, I think we're ready for a photo. If you all could come forward and face the audience, Supervisor Walkinshaw and Smith will join me.

[00:58:49] And next, we have a proclamation to designate September 2025 as Sickle Cell Awareness Month in Fairfax County.

[01:00:20] This was requested by myself. Our speaker is Valerie Bay, board member of the Heart of Gold Sickle Cell Foundation in Northern Virginia. And I see a lot of folks here with you. If you all could come on down. And while you are doing that, I'm going to hand the gavel to Supervisor Smith so that I can read the following proclamation.

[01:00:39] Whereas sickle cell disease, SCD, is an inherited blood disorder resulting from the transmission of the sickle cell gene by both parents, disproportionately affecting African American, Hispanic, Middle Eastern, Asian, and Mediterranean populations.

[01:00:58] And whereas up to 100,000 individuals in the United States are affected by SCD, including approximately 4,000 here in Virginia, while more than 2 million Americans carry the sickle cell trait, among them an estimated 155,000 Virginians.

[01:01:16] And whereas despite promising advancements in medical research that may lead to enhanced treatments and potential cures, there remains an urgent need for greater awareness, support, and equitable access to quality care, especially within underserved communities where health disparities persist.

[01:01:35] Whereas Fairfax County recognizes the importance of partnering with health care providers, community organizations, and advocacy groups to ensure that individuals living with SCD receive the care, education, and support necessary to manage their condition and lead fulfilling lives.

[01:01:54] Now, therefore, be it resolved that the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors, on behalf of all county residents, does hereby proclaim September 2025 as Sickle Cell Awareness Month in Fairfax County and urges patients, families, and community members to increase awareness, support prevention efforts, and promote continued research and treatment.

[01:02:18] I'll second that along with Supervisor Peltek, Mr. Chairman. Yes, thank you very much. I want to thank the folks who are here this morning to accept this proclamation, and I hope that our county residents listen to the messaging.

[01:02:35] We do this every year. We do this during this month. We make September Sickle Cell Awareness Month, but really it's every month of the year, and in particular in our physician and medical community. And I see some folks here from ANOVA, and we've done this Sickle Cell Awareness Month proclamation at ANOVA a few years in the past.

[01:02:58] And the work that's being done at the medical level is so important. And I still find that, you know, as I talk to people about this around the county, there's still a tremendous lack of understanding of what sickle cell is and what the effects are on our community.

[01:03:17] And I think one of the things that doesn't get mentioned enough is many of us, when we're notified by ANOVA or health department or other providers about critical blood shortages, we encourage people to donate blood. But we also know that less than 10 percent of Americans donate blood, less than 10 percent.

[01:03:38] And we know that blood transfusions are among the most critical treatments for people who are suffering with sickle cell. And so blood donations are critical for so many things, but so critical for this particular disease.

[01:03:56] And so, you know, in our messaging, I would hope that we really push that issue and encourage more and more people in Fairfax County to make the blood donations that are critical to people who are suffering. And then the last thing is, you know, so many health issues affect people disproportionately.

[01:04:16] And in this particular case, when you listen to the disproportionality numbers affecting certain people in our population, equitable health access becomes a really important thing. And, you know, I know there are concerns out there about terminology and words that we use, but just being really clear here, there are health inequities that persist in Fairfax County and across the country.

[01:04:47] And those inequities drive health outcomes disproportionately for certain people. And so while we're raising awareness about SCD here, we're also raising awareness about the health disproportionality of resources, of availability, of treatment that is available to certain populations in our community.

[01:05:09] And so we do that here on this board and with our health department and partner agencies every month of the year, not just in September. And so we see these numbers come down over time. We'll know that we're making a big difference. And as this proclamation also mentions, and this is, I think, a concern for all of us right now, certainly people in the scientific and health community, that we need continued research and investment into this disease and so many others if we are to really care about people's health.

[01:05:42] And it is really important that we're advocating at the state and federal level to make sure that research and investment continues to happen. We are sophisticated enough, a community, to figure this out if we're just willing to put the resources in, put the education into the public, and make sure people understand it.

[01:06:02] And that's really what this proclamation is all about. So I'm happy to offer it again this year and appreciate my colleague's support. Thank you. Supervisor Palchuk. Thank you, Madam Vice Chair and Mr. Chairman, for bringing this forward. Especially thank you to all of you and Valerie and the Heart of Gold Foundation and INOVA.

[01:06:22] I'm going to hold it up. Just as a reminder, it's coming up. I know Valerie sent it to me as soon as it was ready. But September 25th, I appreciate so much that both the Adult Sickle Cell Center at INOVA and the continued work in advocacy of the Heart of Gold Foundation is bringing this important town hall those of us who want to learn more, who want to be more engaged, and those of us, those in our community who want to come and have resources or share stories, it's an incredible opportunity coming up on September 25th. So thank you. I just want to thank you so much for your continued

[01:06:59] advocacy. And Valerie, in your retirement, thank you for continuing to be such a strong member of our community and advocate. And I look forward to seeing you all on September 25th. Thank you. Supervisor Lusk. Thank you very much, Madam Vice Chairman. I'll just say I appreciate this motion, and it's so important for us to make sure that people understand the impacts of this disease.

[01:07:23] And what I'll say is it really does cause some very harsh health-related conditions for those who have this disease. One of my friends unfortunately succumbed to this disease a number of years back, And I'll say that in his prime, usually those who have this disease will live 20 years or less than those who have a normal life span.

[01:07:54] And this is because of the difficulties that this disease wrecks on the body. And I just want to reiterate the point that the chairman made around the transfusions and really looking for ways to have more people consider donating. This is the thing that makes a difference for those who live with this disease.

[01:08:13] It gives them the ability to extend their life, and it also helps them cope with some of the medical conditions that I was referring to earlier. So it's so important, particularly Red Cross and others, when they're asking for those donations, and particularly those who are African American, because you're going to have certain components of your blood that are going to be more specific to helping address this disease.

[01:08:43] So I just want to lift that up as being necessary and important. I just want to say thank you all for what you're doing to address this unfortunate circumstance for those. And it's just, there's no rhyme or reason. As we heard as well from the chairman, you know, it's reflected in your genes.

[01:09:04] And there's nothing you can do about it. So I hope more research will be done to help us find a cure. Thank you very much. Thank you, Supervisor Lusk. Seeing no further discussion, all those in favor of the motion, please say aye. Aye. Anyone opposed? Any abstentions?

[01:09:20] That motion carries. Mr. Chairman. Thank you very much, Vice Chair Smith. And as was mentioned, we have Valerie Bay, board member of the Heart of Gold Sickle Cell Foundation in Northern Virginia. And I hope she knows there's no such thing as retirement. But with that stunning accusation, welcome.

[01:09:38] The floor is yours. Good morning, Chairman McKay, members of the board, and County Executive Brian Hill. Wonderful to be here. Thank you once again for supporting this proclamation. We really appreciate your ongoing dedication. You know, my sister and I became advocates 14 years ago because of our niece, Clarissa Pearson, who lived with sickle cell disease and founded the Heart of Gold.

[01:10:02] The first time we came before this board, Clarissa watched us on channel 16 from her hospital bed. Sadly, she passed in 2021, just days before her 42nd birthday. We carry forward her vision to support families, raise awareness, and work toward ending sickle cell disease through education, genetic testing, and unity.

[01:10:23] Too many in this county still suffer simply because they don't know about the dedicated Sickle Cell Center and other resources right here available in their own backyard. I do want to mention that we have some of our community partners with us this morning, as well as my sister, Melanie Pearson Hurley, CEO and President of the Heart of Gold, Pediatric Specialist of Virginia, Northern Virginia Jack and Jill, and the Inova Adult Sickle Cell Center, as well as Melwood.

[01:10:53] You know, during my 36 years as a county employee, I witnessed Fairfax County's deep commitment to its diverse population. Today, we ask you to continue that tradition by encouraging county agencies, departments, and offices to support this proclamation by displaying educational materials in their lobby area, share awareness messages through outlets like Channel 16 and the Office of Public Affairs and their social media platforms, and partner with the Heart of Goal and our community allies to connect residents with resources.

[01:11:24] We'll send sample educational packets to each of your offices and are ready to work with your chiefs of staff, Fairfax County public information officers from the Health Department, Department of Family Services, Community Services Board, and others to ensure information is available across the county.

[01:11:42] Finally, as Supervisor Palachuk mentioned, we invite everyone to join us and our partners at the Inova Sickle Cell Town Hall on September 25th at the Inova Center for Personalized Health. It will be an opportunity to meet families, hear their stories, and learn more about the importance of knowing your sickle cell trait at every age.

[01:12:02] Together, we can ensure Fairfax County can be a model showing what it means to not only raise awareness, but to stand with sickle cell families and help change the future for generations to come. Thank you for your leadership and your partnership in this important topic.

[01:12:19] Thank you very much, Valerie, and thank you for all of your leadership on this. It is much appreciated, and as I said, no such thing as retirement, so I know we'll continue to see you around. With that, I think we're ready for a photo, and if you all could come forward and face the audience, then the board could rise.

[01:12:38] And finally, this morning, we have a proclamation to designate September 2025 as Hunger Action Month in Fairfax County.

[01:14:06] This was requested by myself, Supervisor Palchuk, and Supervisor Smith. Our speaker is Reverend Jonathan T.J. Wilkins, Sr., pastor of Mount Olive Baptist Church. And I know a lot of folks here with you, which is wonderful to see. If you all could come on down to the podium while you are doing that, I'm going to hand the gavel over to Supervisor Smith so that I can read the following proclamation.

[01:14:33] Whereas September is recognized as Hunger Action Month, a time dedicated to raising awareness about food insecurity and supporting anti-hunger efforts in communities across the United States. And whereas 27% of individuals struggle with food insecurity in Fairfax County, and over 65,000 children rely on free and reduced-price meals in the Fairfax County public schools.

[01:14:59] And whereas food insecurity affects our most vulnerable populations, including almost 13,000 participants in the Women, Infants, and Children WIC program, almost 900 home-delivered meal recipients, and 57,000 individuals receiving Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program SNAP benefits, And whereas a network of county agencies, nonprofit organizations, and faith-based groups worked tirelessly to combat food insecurity in Fairfax County, now therefore be it resolved that the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors, on behalf of all residents of Fairfax County,

[01:15:39] does hereby proclaim September 2025 as Hunger Action Month and urges all residents to engage in raising awareness, supporting local hunger relief efforts, and taking action to help eliminate food insecurity in our community.

[01:15:56] I'll second that, along with Supervisors Alcorn and Palchuk. Mr. Chairman. Thank you very much. First, what an amazing turnout from this. And I have to say, we know to combat food insecurity literally takes an army in our community to do that.

[01:16:13] And that's why it's so good to see such a huge turnout here this morning. You know, when I think about this, I often gravitate towards thinking about the kids and the statistic that's in here about Fairfax County Public Schools. And we know that when schools were closed during the pandemic, there was a lot of talk about loss of academic performance.

[01:16:35] The thing that wasn't talked enough about was, and we did a good job here in Fairfax, you know, trying to replace this. But what wasn't talked enough about is school sometimes is the only place where a lot of our young children get healthy meals. And what happens when school is not open is something I think a lot about because, you know, we know that kids can't perform, adults can't perform unless they have access to healthy foods.

[01:17:05] And so one of the things we made a big investment in is the Capital Area Food Bank headquarters location down in South County. And I remember going there and touring it, and one of the things that really stuck out at me was the generosity of so many of our grocery stores, small businesses in Fairfax County that donate foods to the Capital Area Food Bank and to so many of our other organizations.

[01:17:33] That one just jumps out at me as being a big one, but we know there's so many smaller organizations embedded in our community all over Fairfax County that do this work. And if they weren't getting really three key things, one, donations from our small business and grocery stores and other places that they could not serve the community that they needed to serve, we know that if they weren't getting financial donations from other people in our community, they wouldn't be able to deliver as well.

[01:18:02] And then lastly, the army of volunteers that it takes to be able to address this issue. And having been at food distribution centers in the county, both during the pandemic and after the pandemic, didn't really matter because the demand is there.

[01:18:19] And to watch these operations provide food to people in our community is just, it's amazing how well they're run. And so we know our faith communities, our nonprofits, our network of volunteers is feeding people literally in Fairfax County every day.

[01:18:37] And so as I said with the last proclamation, I'll say with this one, this is Hunger Action Month, but people are hungry every day. Not just in September, not just during this month, not just on Tuesdays, but 365 days a year, there is need out there.

[01:18:55] And so while we're drawing attention to it now, we know that it takes the work of all of you, of all of us, of people in our community that I mentioned to tackle this issue every single day here in Fairfax County. And it's important to say in Fairfax County because people don't know how many people, and these numbers are good, but people don't know how many people right here in our neighborhoods are people we know that are suffering from food insecurity and in many cases not coming forward because they're afraid or they're ashamed to get the help that they need.

[01:19:31] But trust me when I say people in every community in this county suffer from food insecurity. So thank you for what you're doing. We will continue to raise awareness. We will continue to promote programs like Stuff the Bus and so many other things that we do. But while we're doing that, let us keep in mind this is not only a September activity.

[01:19:52] This is a year-round activity. Thank you. Supervisor Alcorn, then Palachuk. Thank you very much, Madam Vice Chair. I want to jump on what the chairman said, and I'm glad you mentioned stuff the bus. You know, there are ways that folks in our community can help with this, and I think we need to encourage it.

[01:20:10] And one of the reasons I think we absolutely have to double down on getting the community support is, frankly, what's going on with our federal government. And the changes that I know you all have seen on the front lines in terms of the support that we're getting from federal sources is having a real impact.

[01:20:31] And frankly, as we try to move forward and get past that and make the adjustments that are necessary, I would encourage you all as leaders in this movement to keep us informed on the Board of Supervisors. Let us know what's going on, you know, when you're no longer getting food from sources that you had been getting before, when you're running up against real problems in fulfilling the mission.

[01:21:00] It's really important for us. And I know, Mr. Chairman, you brought this up in a previous proclamation today, too. But I think it's just as valid here with this issue. So I don't want to end on a downer note, but thank you all for what you're doing so much and really appreciate not only what you're doing, but also keeping us in the loop.

[01:21:22] So thank you. I have Supervisor Palczyk, then Bierman. I want to echo so much of what my colleagues have said, and I know that we, as a board, and the work you do as volunteers to double down on the efforts to help combat are important.

[01:21:38] I think one thing that also wasn't shared today, right, is really as we all try to get to those root causes, right? And I know, I don't know if there's a 2025 report out yet, but the Capital Area Food Bank had their report out, their hunger report of 2024.

[01:21:54] And we know that the increased cost of living, especially families earning between $100,000 and $150,000 a year, right? which used to sound like an amazing income and still is, but is not keeping up with the cost of housing, of child care, of being able to afford to live in our community, in our county, in our nation.

[01:22:19] And so we need all of it. We need to make sure that we continue to have access to those services and address hunger where we see it every day in our children, in our families, And also rally together to try to tackle those increased costs, costs of being able to live, to afford, to raise a family where we know there are jobs and opportunities.

[01:22:44] So I want to thank you. I know the chairman has a board matter coming up around the housing issue. And as we continue to tackle those root causes that lead to increased hunger and lack of access to opportunity, Thank you for your work every day and for helping elevate the voices and the needs that are, unfortunately, continuing to grow in our community.

[01:23:09] So thank you. Thank you. Supervisor Beerman, then Lusk. Thank you. Just very quickly wanted to thank all of the organizations that are here today and the, in some ways, an alphabet soup of organizations across the county who are doing this.

[01:23:26] Stuff the Bus has been mentioned. Of course, I believe we have eight different locations, eight different organizations that are helping with hunger stuff, including Link Against Hunger, Sheriff McLean, you name it. I admittedly focus on the ones that are in my district.

[01:23:42] But I wanted to bring up one thing, which is also Saturday is Red Bag Day for Food for Neighbors, yet another great organization tackling these issues. And if you want a great volunteer opportunity, Food for Neighbors is always a great way to do it.

[01:23:59] They go out and they take food from people, put it in their red bags, and then you get to help sort it. Even my five-year-old gets in the mix. So Food for Neighbors has a red bag sorting day this Saturday, foodforneighbors.org. But thank you to everybody who's working so hard on these issues and focused on helping people in their community.

[01:24:18] We really appreciate it. Thank you. Thank you. Supervisor Lusk. I won't repeat comments my colleagues have made, but we'll just reiterate one thing, and that is it's tough to think about other things.

[01:24:34] Think about your future. Think about education. Think about work when you don't have food, and we have to remember that. This affects our students in profound ways, and I'm blessed that I was a recipient of free lunch when I was a student, And I'll say at the time, there was a stigma attached to it because you had to get a white card and you had to take that white card up to the register to get your food.

[01:25:04] I think we've worked over the years to make that less obvious, which I appreciate for those that are going through that circumstance today. Because you're already at a disadvantage, and here you are having to reiterate that to everyone around you.

[01:25:19] And I just want to acknowledge Capillary Food Bank and their pop-up distributions, particularly in support of those who lost their jobs as a result of some decisions that are being made at the federal level. And then I know that we have an imminent kind of impact that could come as a result of the contractors in the future.

[01:25:40] So we've got to be thinking about what we're going to be doing to address that increasing need as we know it is coming. And just want to acknowledge, I think I saw United Community and a couple of other folks in the back. I'll just shout out to Kornonia Echo and my community for just making sure that our residents have food.

[01:26:04] And there's so much more that needs to be done. I hope people who are listening, people who are hearing this message and this call to action, call to action, please donate. please support the food banks. Please support these groups who are providing this very needed and critical service. Thank you very much. Thank you. And Pastor Wilkins from Mount Olive Baptist Church will be our speaker, and I'm so happy to see Mount Olive represented here. And I do have to call out Dr. Brenda McBurrow for all her work. She partnered with us during the pandemic and with

[01:26:39] the community, and she was my community champion in 2021. And I know that Western Fairfax Christian Ministries is here, and they're going to have a Walk for Hunger on October 18th as part of the Centerville Days Parade and all that. So our community is working together, and we know the need is just going to grow. So I thank you for being here, and I'm going to turn... Oh, I've got to do the vote. Seeing no further discussion. All those in favor of the motion, please say aye.

[01:27:08] I. Anyone opposed? Any abstentions? That motion carries. Mr. Chairman. Thank you, Vice Chair Smith. And as you heard here, some groups mentioned, I do want to reiterate, no matter where you live in Fairfax County, there is a group close to you that you can engage with to help because this is something that affects every part of the county, every community.

[01:27:29] And so, as Supervisor Smith mentioned, we have Senior Pastor Wilkins here with us from the great Mount Olive Baptist Church. And before he speaks, I've got to say, the pastor, he's motivated his congregants to be here, which is always a good sign.

[01:27:45] Always a good sign. Pastor, the floor is yours. Thank you so much, and good morning to each of you. Thank you, Chairman Jeffrey McKay, and to all of the Board of Supervisors. I know that perhaps my face is unfamiliar to many of you.

[01:28:01] My predecessor, who I've succeeded, the Reverend Eugene Johnson, who served 31 years in the Sully District, has left some big shoes to fill. But I thank him for his leadership, and I wish to take a moment to thank Alyssa Brooks and the Neighborhood and Community Services team for this gracious invitation.

[01:28:23] I also want to acknowledge all of our friends and partners to Supervisor I call Un-Cathy Smith, Dan Dolan, and County Executive Brian Hill, who have all stood with us attending our Back to School Festival, where we were able to hand out some 1,200 backpacks to students to show that this work is not done in isolation, but in partnership.

[01:28:50] On behalf of Mount Olive Baptist Church, we are honored to receive this proclamation during Hunger Action Month. And we accept it not as a recognition of one church alone, but as a call to the entire community to ensure that no one in Fairfax County goes to bed hungry.

[01:29:14] Fairfax County is one of the most prosperous counties in the nation, yet some of our citizens, as you've heard, are still hungry. Behind the noise that we all have heard, beyond the harsh rhetoric, hidden in the fine print of our collective progress, is a reality that we cannot ignore.

[01:29:35] And that is that real people, working people and not, are struggling to put food on the table. More than some 105,000 of our neighbors are food insecure. Across the DMV, that number escalates to 1.2 million. But food insecurity does not look like what we think it looks like all the time.

[01:29:56] Food insecurity includes a child who eats lunch at school but has very little to eat for dinner. It looks like parents who are forced to choose now between food and rent. It looks like mothers and fathers who are quietly skipping meals so that their kids can have something to eat.

[01:30:16] It includes senior citizens that we all know that are forced to trade groceries for medicine. And it includes now young adults who have lost a job and are forced to cut food from their budget. At Mount Olive Baptist Church, we have seen this need and we have heard the cry.

[01:30:33] And by God's grace, we have sought to respond, not with rhetoric, but with resources. Since 2012, we've served some 125,000 bags of food to local schools. When the pandemic shut its doors, we opened ours, distributing some 35,000 food boxes in the Sully District.

[01:30:52] Today, we don't wait for people to come to us. We make it our business and our priority to deliver food to children and seniors who can't come to us. Each month with partners like Fairfax County's Food Access Program, the Capital Area Food Bank, WFCM, we feed some 300 families with fresh produce twice a month and today at 1 o'clock if you can make it.

[01:31:22] This, this is the work. This is the work of a community that believes that every table has room for one more seat. Which means if anyone is still hungry, the work is not finished. If hunger remains the work, it is not done.

[01:31:41] But as the late Reverend Clay Evans used to say, there is no secret what God can do. We believe God has extended us the invitation and has placed before our community an opportunity. Not just to count meals, but to reimagine possibilities.

[01:31:57] If Jesus could take one fish sandwich from perhaps Sweetwater and feed 5,000, surely, surely we can build plans. Surely we can make policies. Surely we can strengthen our partnerships to ensure that everyone has a plate.

[01:32:16] Growing up, we didn't have much at all. but if you came to our house at dinner time we were told to make room and hand you a plate and it was it was all it wasn't always just about the plate it was more than a plate it it was never just about the plate it was about a plate filled with generosity a plate seasoned with sincerity a plate sprinkled with concern and a plate served hot with hope for a better tomorrow

[01:32:45] And as long as you were in the house, if we had food, you had a plate. Fairfax County is our home. Is this my home? Fairfax County. Fairfax County is our home. Fairfax citizens are our family.

[01:33:03] and we must refuse to let anyone or anything outside our home dictate who should and should not get food on the table. And history, when history, when history is written and our time is recorded, let it be said that we demanded another plate until every table is filled, until every neighbor is fed until fairfax county is not only known for prosperity but it is known

[01:33:38] for reimagined possibilities our ask is our prayer and our prayer is our calling hand us the opportunity and together we will hand someone else another plate thank you very much thank you very much pastor uh you may have big shoes to fill as you said but you're well on your way Thank you.

[01:34:13] So, well done. With that, I think we're ready for a photo. And if all of you could come forward, face the audience, Supervisor Smith and Palczyk will join me and the board will rise.

[01:35:40] Right.

[01:36:58] Next on our agenda is the presentation of the Virginia Law Enforcement Professional Standards Commission, VLEPSC, Accreditation Certificates of 2025. And we are going to hear a presentation of the Virginia Law Enforcement Professional Standards Commission accreditation certificates of 2025.

[01:37:18] And I will welcome to the podium Todd Klingenpeel, program manager of the Virginia Law Enforcement Professional Standards Commission, to begin the presentation. And I would ask, I know there's a lot of folks who are here for this, but at a minimum, if we could have Chief Davis and Sheriff Kincaid come on down as well.

[01:37:38] And while they're coming down, before we go to the presentation, I ask that this be put on the agenda this morning for a lot of different reasons, but not the least of which is because so often we take for granted the day-to-day work of our public safety agencies, in this morning's case, the police department and the sheriff's office, and we don't think about just how outstanding they are.

[01:38:03] And we don't think about how outstanding they are compared to all the other peer organizations across the country. And what this is this morning is a big deal. This is not just a friendly certificate or a recognition or a salute.

[01:38:20] This is a big deal, and it's a big deal that reflects the work that these two agencies do every single day that culminates into the standards that they meet or exceed compared to their national peers. And so we want to take a moment not only to recognize the VLEPSC and go through the accreditation certificates, but most importantly for us parochially and personally to thank Chief Davis and his team at the Fairfax County Police Department, Sheriff Kincaid and her team in our Fairfax County Sheriff's Office. I know that when I turn the podium over to Todd, he's probably

[01:39:00] heard this from a lot of other organizations across the country, but we feel like ours is the best. And I would put our public safety officials up against any public safety office in Virginia or in the nation any day of the week. And I think this is another credit to them. So Todd's presentation will be approximately three to four minutes per agency, and he's going to outline the accreditation process, the results of their individual on-site assessment.

[01:39:29] He'll highlight the comments from the assessment team and the accomplishments of the Fairfax County Police Department, the Fairfax County Sheriff's Office. Commissioner Mike Kokus, Chief of the Charlottesville Police Department, will also speak on the process from the VLEPSC Commission, and we thank him for coming up from Charlottesville to join us here in Fairfax County as well.

[01:39:51] And with that, I am going to welcome, he's already at the podium, Todd Klingenpeel, Program Manager of the Virginia Law Enforcement Professional Standards Commission, to begin our presentation. Welcome. Thank you, Chairman McKay. Thank you, members of the board. I appreciate you all having me here this morning, along with Chief Kochis, one of our commissioners.

[01:40:11] This is a fantastic day for Fairfax County. And what I mean by that, the people that protect you, you all, the citizens of Fairfax County, this board, and every member of the business community knows that they are performing at the highest level possible.

[01:40:29] I'm going to start off this morning by telling you a little bit about this program. This program began in 1996 after about three years of research that was done. The Virginia Sheriff's Association, the Virginia Chiefs of Police, and the Department of Criminal Justice Services here in the Commonwealth got together and wanted to do something to make the law enforcement agencies within the Commonwealth more professional and ensure that they were performing at the highest level possible.

[01:40:57] There's 193 standards that the agencies that participate in this program have to meet. That's over 570 bullets. That has to do with administration, personnel, operations, and training.

[01:41:16] And when you think about that, in the Commonwealth there's over 400 agencies that are eligible to be a part of this program, but around 26%, only 110 agencies receive a certificate and have gone through this process. Both your sheriff's office and your police department have maintained this level and are still performing at this level.

[01:41:39] Let's talk about the police department first off. Back in 1995, your police department put in an application to be one of the first agencies to become accredited in the Commonwealth of Virginia. January 1996, they were the first agency to go through the process.

[01:41:58] They were the first agency in the Commonwealth to receive this award. They have been a part of this program since the first days of the program. And that says a lot. Chief Davis, we sent a team of highly trained assessors to their agency, your agency, back in April.

[01:42:15] They did a ride-along with Officer Kyle Lewis. A few things they said about Officer Kyle Lewis were he had total respect and understanding of what the citizens of Fairfax County were going through. He handled several calls that were some sensitive in nature when our assessors were with him.

[01:42:34] They said he provided sound advice. He was very attentive to the needs. He handled himself so professionally, and also he was well-trained and knowledgeable. Everybody that our assessors encountered had pride in their agency.

[01:42:50] They had pride in their community. They were enthusiastic. They said that integrity and honesty were at the highest level throughout the agency. Before I turn it over here in just a few minutes to Mike Koch just to talk a little bit more about the process and also to Chief Davis regarding this, I want to say a little bit about the sheriff's office as well.

[01:43:13] Your sheriff's office has been a part of this program for over 20 years. That says a lot. Back in March, we sent a team of highly trained assessors to your sheriff's office. They found that everybody was eager to go through the process. Now, think about that.

[01:43:28] Here in the Commonwealth of Virginia, a group of outsiders, police professionals, come to your police department or sheriff's office and want to look through all your files and talk to all your people and talk to the citizens. Do you think everybody's going to be eager to go through the process? Probably not.

[01:43:44] But they said they were eager to show the duties that they performed and the service that they provide to the community. The team was impressed by how prepared your sheriff's office was. And that says a lot. When we go into an agency, we don't always find that.

[01:44:00] But we found it here in Fairfax County with both your police department and sheriff's office. They did a ride along with Deputy Barb. Deputy Barb is a master deputy. They said that this guy represented his community with excellence. They said that your sheriff's office is an impressive agency and they're functioning at the highest level.

[01:44:23] I want to thank you all for letting me be here this morning. Thank you for the opportunity to speak with you a little bit about the process and about these two wonderful agencies here in the Commonwealth, two of our finest. As you said, I agree with you 100%. I'm going to turn this over to Mike Kotches. He's one of our commissioners. We have 12 commissioners, and Mike Kotches is going to say a few words.

[01:44:40] Thank you. Great. Thank you. Thank you, Todd. And, Chairman, I think you said it best early on, that's something I want to hit on, that this isn't just a checker box. This isn't just an automatic thing. I will tell you when those assessors come into an agency, they go through those files with a fine-tooth comb.

[01:44:59] They're asking questions where this team here and the teams that do this work, I'll tell you what, as a chief, as a sheriff, we set the tone. But at the end of the day, these are the folks that make these accreditations happen.

[01:45:17] And so I'll keep my comments short and just say, knowing the leaders of both of your agencies pretty well, Sheriffs Kincaid and Chief Davis, you have two fine leaders at the helm of your organizations. You have a lot to be proud of, and this county is very lucky to have them. So with that, thank you.

[01:45:34] Thank you very much, Chief. And we want to take advantage of an opportunity, since you mentioned them and we agree with you, Before we do the presentation, if we could ask Sheriff Kincaid and, of course, our chief, the police department, Chief Davis, if they want to share a few words.

[01:45:54] You want me to flip a coin? Flip a coin here. Good morning. I just said age before beauty. That's all. I just want to thank the program manager, Todd Klingan-Peele. There was a change during the course of a few years.

[01:46:11] And I've got to tell you that the commissioners, and having served as a commissioner, I know all the hard work and dedication that goes into ensuring that we, as law enforcement, not only are doing the right thing, but going above and beyond. And that is your sheriff's office and your police department.

[01:46:28] And as you said, Chairman McKay, two of the finest, I always say, and for those of you that haven't heard it, we are the best sheriff's office in the Commonwealth of Virginia. And I tell everybody who will listen, even those that won't. So, again, this is certainly a tribute to my staff who make this happen.

[01:46:46] It's not me. It's them. So thank you all very much, and major thanks to all of my staff who were a part of this, unfortunately. Well, not unfortunately. We have another accreditation going on, so this has been the month of accreditation. So those that were instrumental in this process, unfortunately, are not here, but certainly will take back the praise and the thanks for the work that they've done.

[01:47:09] so thank you all. Thank you Sheriff Kincaid. Chief Davis. Thank you Chairman and thank you Sheriff. We stand here together because we're both proud of our agencies and thankful for the support that the entire Board of Supervisors gives us every day. Without even asking, without knowing, it's just the course of business here in Fairfax County. So I think when you're when you're average or even varying degrees of good, you hope when an accreditation team of assessors comes in that they interact with the right people we neither one of our agencies has to do that talk to whoever you want to talk to pick someone in the hallway pick someone in the

[01:47:46] parking lot you can ride with whoever you want to ride with tell us what station you want to go to we're that confident collectively in the men and women who serve in the police department and the office of the sheriff so it's really a proud moment we've been re-accredited several times but it's nothing we should ever take for granted, both here throughout the Commonwealth with Vilepsy and then several accreditation cycles with the CALEA on the national stage.

[01:48:14] So I'll just point out one person, Amy Sanchez, to my immediate left. She does this hard work year-round. She's the most organized person I've ever met, knows where to go to find all types of information. Please don't contact her.

[01:48:31] But she really knows the ins and outs of the police department. Many thanks to Amy and her team, and we're all proud to stand here together today to accept this. Thank you. Thank you very much.

[01:48:52] And we're going to make sure we take a photo here. And if you all could come forward, face the audience, the board could rise.

[01:49:12] Supervisor Luss, the chair of our public safety committee, will join me for the photo. And before we do that, I do want to emphasize one of the things that was said very quickly, which is this is not a check-the-box moment. And I want to thank the LEPSC for the work that they do because it's so important.

[01:49:34] We know every department is different. We know every area of Virginia is different. But having standards statewide are really important for measuring success. And for us here in Fairfax County, we know we're the safest jurisdiction of our size in the country. And that is in large part to the men and women before us, the training that they get, the hard work of our departments, the engagement of our residents, and the trust that exists between our residents and our law enforcement officers.

[01:50:03] And it's really important this year to be doing this because we don't take it for granted. To be among the best, and in my opinion, the best, you have to constantly always be evolving and improving. And that's what we're seeing here through these awards.

[01:50:19] Lastly, there are skeptics out there that we hear about all the time, skeptics about statistics, about law enforcement, about the work that our departments are doing. And it is so important to have third-party, outside, independent organizations that review the work of these departments so that their word matters.

[01:50:39] It's not a statistic that's been baked inside our departments. It's part of our culture, and there are outside, third-party, independent organizations that evaluate the work of our public safety professionals, and their word is stronger than any one individual or anyone else.

[01:50:55] And so this is a particularly important thing to focus on when we accept this award and when our chief and sheriff accept this on behalf of their departments. And so congratulations again. Thank you all for being here, and thank you for doing the work behind the scenes that get us this accreditation.

[01:51:13] And with that, we will now pose for a photo, and if you all could come forward and face the audience, the board could rise.

[01:51:19] At this time, we're going to move on to board matters, and these have been compiled digitally.

[01:53:24] As always, we're going to go alphabetically by district, following myself and Vice Chair Smith. I am going to hand the gavel over to Vice Chairman Smith, and I apologize in advance. I have a number of board matters. Hopefully they won't take much time.

[01:53:40] But my first one is I move to approve without objection the proclamations listed in this document to be presented inside or outside of the boardroom as appropriate. And you see the whole list of proclamations there. And I appreciate my colleagues submitting their countywide ones so that we can make sure they get on this list.

[01:54:01] It helps the staff out a lot in processing this and being efficient in scheduling these. So I thank them for that, Madam Vice Chair. Without objection, it's so ordered. Thank you. My next board matter is a letter to Transportation Secretary and Acting NASA Administrator Sean Duffy regarding Space Shuttle Discovery relocation.

[01:54:20] The Space Shuttle Discovery, of course, as we all know, is housed at the Stephen F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Fairfax County, where it's been a major cultural and educational asset since 2012. The Smithsonian Institution legally owns Discovery and has maintained it with exceptional care.

[01:54:38] Recent legislative developments have raised the possibility of relocating Discovery. This potential move involves complex transportation challenges, significant costs, and risk to the shuttle's preservation, concerns emphasized by the Congressional Research Service and the Smithsonian.

[01:54:55] Because Secretary Duffy serves in the dual capacity as both U.S. Secretary of Transportation and acting NASA Administrator, Fairfax County views his role as pivotal in any decisions involving Discovery's future. And therefore, Madam Vice Chair, I have a letter attached here, a draft letter that raises these concerns and urges that this Discovery maintain its current location here at the Udvar-Hazy Center in Fairfax County.

[01:55:23] and I would move the Board of Supervisors approve the attached letter to Secretary Sean Duffy, urging him to carefully consider the legal, logistical, financial, and preservation challenges involved in relocating space shuttle Discovery and to support keeping it at the Udvar-Hazy Center in Fairfax County. I'll second that motion along with Supervisor Beerman. Any discussion?

[01:55:46] Hearing none, all those in favor of the motion say aye. Aye. Any opposed? Any abstentions? That motion carries. Mr. Chairman. Thank you very much. My next board matter is the 50th anniversary of Fairfax County's 1975 comprehensive plan. Yesterday was the 50th anniversary of the adoption of Fairfax County's 1975 countywide comprehensive plan. The plan adopted by the Board of Supervisors on September 8th, 1975 came about after a decade of rapid growth that was occurring in Fairfax County. That was on September 8th of 1975. I was two years old. I mean, I was sorry, I was two days

[01:56:24] old, two days old laying in an incubator at Holy Cross Hospital, hoping to survive while we were adopting our first Fairfax County conference plan. So a lot of great things happened in 1975. While the history of planning in Fairfax County goes back to the 1950s, it was the 1975 plan that served as a roadmap for a county that was transforming from a farming and suburban community to the diverse landscape we see today. Many of the key components of the 1975 plan remain in the current comprehensive plan, such as the emphasis on focusing growth in centers, protecting residential neighborhoods, decreasing automobile dependency,

[01:57:04] and protecting environmentally sensitive areas. The comprehensive plan today, as it has been in the past as a result of a strong partnership among the Fairfax County Planning Commission, Department of Planning and Development, other professional county staff, and our citizens who work diligently to develop a comprehensive plan for Board of Supervisors' adoption that reflects the visions and values of our community. The quality of life and economic prosperity enjoyed today by Fairfax County residents is a testament to the importance of our historical and current planning processes. The comprehensive plan laid the foundation for how our neighborhoods and

[01:57:40] activity areas are designed and the access our community has to basic and essential services such as parks, libraries, schools, and a multimodal transportation system. Therefore, I move the Board of Supervisors recognize the 50th anniversary of the 1975 Countywide Comprehensive Plan and invite past and present planning commissioners and Department of Planning and development staff to come before this board at its November 18, 2025 meeting to receive a proclamation recognizing their contributions.

[01:58:13] I'll second that motion, along with Supervisor Palachuk and Supervisor Herity. Any discussion on the motion? Only that we have some commissioners here with us this morning, and we thank you for your service, and it is great to have you in the auditorium. The only trouble with this is that I always believed that the 70s were 20 years ago, so I'm having a little trouble there.

[01:58:32] They're now ARC card recipients. I have Supervisor Palchuk and then Herity. I was going to say, I haven't checked the numbers, but I believe four of us were not alive at that time. Some barely. And so it is very much, I think, a generational document and testament to where we are.

[01:58:54] and I'm very much looking forward to recognizing those who've been so involved and helping us go into the next generation of the Comprehensive Plan. Supervisor Haraday. I don't really have anything. I was five, but my dad did vote for the plan, so a little bit of participation.

[01:59:15] Supervisor Alcorn. Thank you, and I would just make a small request. We also have had a lot of task forces over the years, And some of those have been significant. So I would suggest as individual supervisors, no task force chair, maybe that might be appropriate to come, who contributed significantly to include them as well.

[01:59:37] I actually, on that point, I think if you have people who have been involved in this work that you think should be part of the recognition, they should be invited to attend as well, and we'll see if we can fit everyone in the auditorium. Be one of those big pictures. That's right. That's right. Big selfie.

[01:59:53] Thank you. thank you seeing no further discussion all those in favor of the motion please say aye aye anyone opposed any abstentions that motion carries mr chairman thank you very much my next board matter is a coordinated communications campaign on the availability and status of covet 19 vaccine and other vaccines during the coven 19 pandemic fairfax county led by the fairfax county health department board of supervisors and office of public affairs provided accurate and timely information to our residents on how to protect themselves in mitigating the spread of the virus.

[02:00:26] Moreover, when vaccines became available, the Fairfax County Health Department and other county agencies had already developed a plan to vaccinate thousands of residents each day. Through these actions, Fairfax County furthered itself as a trusted source of information. With changes occurring at the federal level, coupled with new guidance on who will be eligible to receive the updated COVID-19 vaccine, along with a rise in cases in our area, It's imperative that Fairfax County remain a bearer of trusted and accurate messaging.

[02:00:58] The Fairfax County Health Department recently updated its website with the latest information on this subject, and this too should be shared with the broader community. Therefore, I move without objection that the Board direct the Office of Public Affairs to work with the Fairfax County Health Department on a coordinated communications program related to information on who is eligible for the vaccine, where they can receive the vaccine, and that this is pushed out and updated to our community as appropriate.

[02:01:25] There's a lot of uncertainty and concern here in Fairfax County and nationally about vaccines in general. As such, we ask the Fairfax County Health Department continue, as they have, to remain on top of these developments and push out science-based medical advice that the county has historically used to share information about the importance of vaccines that promote public health.

[02:01:47] I'm surprised I have to make this motion, honestly. I further move without objection that the Fairfax County Health Department relayed to the Board any and all pertinent information as it relates, but may not be limited to structural challenges that may be incorporated into the Board's legislative program.

[02:02:05] This is meant to ensure that both Fairfax County and the Commonwealth of Virginia are at the forefront of public health grounded in medical research, data, and accuracy in keeping our residents healthy. Without objection, it is so ordered. Mr. Chairman. Thank you, Vice Chairman Smith.

[02:02:21] My next board matter, I apologize for the length of it. Hopefully, it will take me longer to read this than it will for us to discuss it. But this is part two of a board matter that I did at our last board meeting and dealing with our economic advantage and some of the work that we're doing to grow our economy.

[02:02:40] Essential to growing our economy is growing our housing stock, both market rate and affordable housing. And so this board matter relates to housing initiative to increase production and sustain our economic advantage. At the August 26th board meeting, as I mentioned, I presented a board matter entitled Fairfax County's Economic Competitiveness. This board matter aligns with that motion and is an integral part of sustaining our strong economic position here in the county.

[02:03:07] The provision of attainable housing remains a major priority for Fairfax County and has a significant role to play in our economic health and competitiveness. We know that our entire nation, region, state, and county are facing a housing crisis. We have been very active in meeting that crisis head-on, but always want to be a leader in that effort, always rethinking and challenging our community to meet this need and looking for opportunities to try innovative approaches. Pursuant to my board matter of March 22, 2022, the board set a goal of adding 10,000 affordable housing units by 2034, and we are well on our way to achieving that goal.

[02:03:45] There is, however, more work to be done to ensure that we're able to produce at the scale necessary to meet the need for housing that is attainable across the continuum of need so that those who want to live here can find a place to rent or own that is affordable to them and that will help keep our community vibrant and affordable for all families.

[02:04:05] With that outcome in mind, I have a number of initiatives that I'm proposing for review as follows, which I expect to be helpful for both affordable housing and low to moderate income families, as well as for the production of the full spectrum of housing generally. Point one, development incentives and process. As the board is aware, we adopted certain incentives for commercial revitalization districts and areas to facilitate development in those areas of the county that had been identified as in need of assistance to thrive. Those incentives included reduced parking requirements, expedited processing, and the ability to do concurrent

[02:04:42] processing of site plans without board authorization. I believe that it is time to consider whether we should adopt similar incentives for affordable housing projects. As such, I move that the board direct the county executive to work with the Department of Planning and Development, DPD, Department of Housing and Community Development, HCD, and Land Development Services, LDS, to propose incentives for housing projects that contain affordable units similar to those incentives in commercial revitalization districts and that the circumstances in which these incentives would apply. Furthermore, while the total processing time for site plans is

[02:05:19] dependent upon both the county and the submitting engineer, I believe it is essential that site plans with a housing component be processed in as short a time as possible to further our housing goals. As such, I move that the board direct the county executive to work with LDS and ESI to develop and implement a plan wherein all site plans that contain a residential component are processed by LDS within one year or less from acceptance.

[02:05:45] I further move that the county direct county executive to work with the deputy county executive for community development and other appropriate agencies to establish a cross-functional housing workgroup focused on identifying and facilitating opportunities to streamline the development process for all residential developments as having supply to meet demand is a key factor in affordability and to make recommendations to the board as appropriate.

[02:06:11] Point two, an expanded focus on entry-level homeownership. While we're making progress on our 10,000-unit goal for affordable housing, I believe we would benefit from further considering how we meet the continuum of need of those who we are working to serve.

[02:06:27] Much of our emphasis on affordable housing is, appropriately, on the rental side. There is also a critical need for starter homes for people who want to move from rental units into homeownership. Our Affordable Dwelling Unit, ADU, ordinance provides some units, but not enough to satisfy the need.

[02:06:47] Furthermore, the need may also include those whose income exceeds the limits of the ADU program. I believe that we need strategies to foster the provision of starter homes for moderate-income families, which, among other things, is essential for retaining workers who want to move from rental housing to homeownership.

[02:07:05] Therefore, I move that the Board direct the county executive to work with HCD and other appropriate departments to develop strategies for the various demographics that are hard-pressed to afford to purchase a home in Fairfax County. This analysis should not be limited to an expansion of already successful transit-oriented development, TOD, accessory living units, and other innovative strategies to help reduce the cost of building new housing units across the county.

[02:07:31] For example, there are circumstances around the country where individuals, nonprofits, or municipalities have created villages of small, relatively affordable homes. I believe that there are some sites owned by the Board that may be suitable for a pilot project for creation of such a starter home village.

[02:07:48] I therefore move that the Board direct the County Executive to work with appropriate agencies, identify potential sites, and determine the feasibility and logistics of such a proposal. Point three, and this involves our faith community. A number of years ago, the board directed staff to inventory places of worship that might be suitable for adding affordable housing to their property.

[02:08:10] Since that time, Fairfax Christian Church in Seven Corners was rezoned to permit the addition of affordable housing by Wesley Housing. In our last board meeting, a plan amendment in rezoning to add housing to the St. Paul's Lutheran Church on Idlewood Road was approved.

[02:08:26] In addition, we have received a number of SSPA nominations with similar requests. As these co-locations can be highly desirable, I move that the board direct the county executive to work with DPD and HCD to review how we might further incentivize such requests.

[02:08:42] This might include, but should not be limited to, consideration of the possibility of removing the requirement for a plan amendment under certain conditions, such as we did with the building repurposing or allowing affordable housing by right in certain circumstances and providing the option for faith communities to transfer land directly to the FCRHA in order to expedite the processing and remove some of the technical components that they run into.

[02:09:09] Next point, public-private partnerships and capacity. HCD has been very successful in facilitating affordable housing developments through both solicited and unsolicited proposals. Several of these are in process or in the queue, but are held up due to resource issues internal to the county.

[02:09:27] Over the past budget cycles, staff resources in HCD have been increased to support this critical need. However, additional existing resources from other departments within the county would be beneficial to support HCD's efforts. Therefore, I move that the board direct the county executive to review options by which other departments could provide increased technical support to HCD so that we can expedite their review and increase the number of proposals that lead to public-private affordable housing developments.

[02:09:59] I further move that the board direct the Department of Purchasing and Material Management, DPMM, in partnership with the Office of the County Attorney, HCD, and other appropriate agencies to review the Public-Private Educational Facilities and Infrastructure Act, PPEA, guidelines to identify opportunities to streamline our own processes.

[02:10:21] Next point, affordable housing finance. Fairfax County has a highly successful local housing finance agency in the form of the Fairfax County Redevelopment and Housing Authority. HCD, on behalf of the SCRHA, has done an excellent and creative job in financing affordable housing projects with their capital stacks.

[02:10:40] Since the financing of projects in today's economy is a major obstacle in getting projects constructed, I move the board direct the county executive to work with HCD and other appropriate departments to explore additional opportunities and capital strategies to make affordable projects feasible.

[02:10:59] Next, the role of the private sector. As we heard in the housing symposium on August 28th, attracting and retaining talent is a challenge that we share with the private sector. A major component of that challenge is the ability of workers to secure housing that is attractive, convenient, and most importantly, affordable to them.

[02:11:17] I therefore move the board direct the county executive to work with the appropriate county agencies and the private sector, including the Northern Virginia Chamber of Commerce, who made affordable housing a key goal as well in their recently published NOVA roadmap to explore ways in which the private sector can assist in enhancing the production of affordable and market rate housing in Fairfax County.

[02:11:39] Next, legislative priorities. We're not alone in viewing the provision of housing as a key component of a successful and economically viable community. Both the federal government and the Commonwealth are considering housing-related legislation. It's critical that our voice be heard in these forums.

[02:11:56] Therefore, I move the board direct the county executive to work with our legislative staff and others to adjust our state and federal legislative packages for the upcoming legislative sessions to clearly reflect the board's positions and resource needs related to affordable housing.

[02:12:12] I recognize that all of this is a robust request with a number of components, but we know that addressing the problem is multifaceted, coordinated, and a timely manner is required. As such, I move that the board direct the county executive to provide a roadmap to address the requested information holistically no later than next spring at a land use policy committee meeting, since many of these items are land use related, including how they might fit into the update of the housing element of the comprehensive policy plan expected in 2026.

[02:12:47] Other topics may need to come back to the housing committee or other board committees as determined by staff, my office, and specific committee chairs. I'll second that along. Supervisor Alcorn and a bunch of others. Mr. Chairman. Yeah, very briefly. First, I want to thank our staff because there's a number of people in the county staff, deputy county executives, Tom Fleetwood, the county executive, who worked on the language here. So everything that's being asked for in here has been heavily vetted. And to their credit, especially Mr. Fleetwood's credit, some of the

[02:13:24] ideas here came from the staff to get this direction to help them be able to do the good work that we're doing and I say good work that we're doing because we are doing so much in the affordable housing space but we also know sometimes things can get caught up sometimes inadvertently because there's not further direction from the board on the flexibility that we want staff to apply to these and the fact that affordable housing is a countywide goal not just owned by Department of Housing HCD or Fairfax County Redevelopment Housing authority, but it is a need owned by all the county agencies that work for us here in Fairfax

[02:14:03] County. And so this is meant to be an all hands on deck. And then at the end of this, I mentioned coming back with a housing roadmap. So what I don't want to do here is have everybody weigh in on one little thing or one thing that's missing. You see the timeline here. The underlying mission is flexibility, creativity, come back with some ideas. They don't need to be limited to the ideas that I've raised in the board matter, although I would like all the ideas that are raised in this board matter addressed, but to potentially be expanded upon by other things that we haven't thought of.

[02:14:37] And to that end, I would encourage my colleagues, if there's something that you believe in your own district is missing here or something that you would want to make sure comes back in the roadmap, that we have sufficient time here to be able to make sure those issues get addressed. And I didn't want to do a board matter that asked for one or two things by a certain date because we know that all of these things that have been mentioned in here will take different amounts of time. And I'm giving the county executive discretion to come back with some of these that are easier to do, quicker to do sooner through our committee structure so that we'll continue to have conversations about them before adoption,

[02:15:14] but also to give them the flexibility to use the creativity that I know our staff has to meet the urgent need that we know exists right now and you can't address affordable housing unless you address housing and the supply and demand issue and so both of them are critically important and while we're highly successful I think there's some areas we can do better in some areas that we're missing and this board matter is meant to be a continual conversation of this board with our staff through various mechanisms but most importantly this is our board signaling to the

[02:15:49] county executive to be creative, to our departments that are working on this, to be creative and help us meet this moment so that we continue to make progress. The reason this is also a second part, as was mentioned, of the economic competitiveness board matter I did at the last board meeting is because no matter where we go in this county, I think most of us sitting at this dais will say that affordability for workers is the number one issue that many of our businesses are facing. There is a reason why the Northern Virginia Chamber out of nowhere this year made

[02:16:24] this a pivotal part of their economic success strategy because they too have realized what most of us on this board have realized for a long time, which is without affordable housing and without a workforce, not only can we not fill the jobs, but as we look at a new school year starting this year, and I go in and meet with our high school kids and I look at them and try to figure out who in that classroom is going to be able to afford to live in Fairfax County when they graduate, it concerns me. It concerns me because each person in each desk in those classrooms,

[02:16:59] the county is making an enormous investment in their education, upwards of $20,000 a year for every year that they're in FCPS. The last thing we can afford to do is let that young talent go somewhere else simply because they can't find affordable housing in Fairfax County. And so this is absolutely an essential piece of our economic strategy, that of the chambers and the private sectors and the business community. It comes up at every forum I'm at. It comes up in every conversation with the public. And we just need to make sure that we are not creating any obstacles

[02:17:34] for the development of affordable housing. And when I say we, I mean this board and the county staff. And the time it takes us to process affordable housing applications is a part of that as well. So here we have a trigger for our county technical staff review, but I think we all have to be mindful of the urgency of this moment and the time it takes for us to get affordable housing production happening within our own magisterial districts and housing production period in our own magisterial districts. And so this is a call to action that I hope my colleagues will all support. Thank you. Thank you. Supervisor Jimenez and then Palchuk and then Alcorn.

[02:18:13] Thank you so much, Madam Chair, and thank you, Chairman McKay and Tom Fleetwood and staff for this timely and important board matter. Mr. Chairman, you mentioned one of the projects in my district, in Mason District, and I'm glad you highlighted that project.

[02:18:30] I know you and I have sat in roundtables talking about this issue before, but the First Christian Development with Wesley Housing is a strong example of how we can partner with faith communities to deliver affordable housing. But it also shows the challenges this project has taken years of work, from the planned amendment to the rezoning, and it still hasn't broken ground.

[02:18:54] Wesley Housing and First Christian Church have been excellent partners, and there are many other congregations across Mason District and Fairfax County that would like to pursue similar opportunities. However, this process and how long these timelines are undermine projects like these when market conditions change or when opportunities for grants and tax credit deadlines are missed.

[02:19:16] Streamlining this process is critical moving forward, shortening timelines and fewer procedural hurdles would make these projects easier to deliver and keep them financially viable, ensuring opportunities for affordable housing are not lost. That is why I believe this board matter is an important step forward.

[02:19:33] It sends the message that we are serious about reducing barriers, supporting our partners, and finding practical ways to deliver more affordable housing for our communities. Thank you. Thank you. Supervisor Palczyk, then Alcorn. Thank you, Madam Vice Chair. And thank you to the chairman, to me, and not only because I'm the chair of our housing committee, but I think those of us who are seeing the growing challenges and the generational challenges of our workforce, our future workforce, and even our seniors who are often house rich but income poor and trying to figure out how to have more choices and options to be able to retire in the county where they lived.

[02:20:12] As of July, the median sale price reached nearly $769,000, up 5% from last year. And as the chairman said, as much as we invest in our affordable housing, as much as we invest in our education, our excellent public schools, our transit systems, if we don't address the challenge of being able to have housing, especially different types of housing at different income levels, especially in our transit areas, in our activity areas, where we know that people are

[02:20:47] driving in just to be able to work in our county. We'll continue to see that we make it harder to build, and we make it more expensive to build. And now the D.C. region has unfortunately become the second highest member of the McMansion areas. We have the second largest number of mansions.

[02:21:10] in the whole country, according to Zillow. That's homes that are larger than 5,000 square feet. So there are many challenges. We had an excellent conversation, and film screaming, and the chairman participated in a panel. And I appreciate that Supervisors Alcorn and Bierman were able to attend and hear this conversation about, we didn't get here overnight.

[02:21:33] So I know there's a lot of advocacy about moving faster and doing more. I think this board matter helps us definitely move in that right direction to try to address the barriers that will make the biggest impact on the need for supply, the need for more affordable units, accessible units, whatever you call them.

[02:21:53] It really is units for families like many of ours who were able to move here, raise a family in the past decades. And so to me, this comprehensive look is critical. I appreciate that it's not just about our housing agency, it is about all of our agencies and all of our work, because it is. Both the power and the burden is at the local level to do a lot of this work, and so it is upon us to do that, and as the chairman said, to ensure that those students that we invest in don't have to leave the county,

[02:22:27] that their biggest fear as they're graduating high school is how they could ever afford to live in the community that raised them. And so to me, this is, if not the one of the most important board matters and challenges that we face in the county.

[02:22:43] So I just want to thank you for this comprehensive look and appreciate the work of all the staff and of Tom Fleetwood and his team for their continued leadership in this work and for bringing in new and creative ideas for these new and creative problems that aren't just here in the county.

[02:23:01] They're across the nation. we know that. Even Kalamazoo has the housing challenge. But it's just doubled down in places where we do have opportunity, and the cost of living makes it so inaccessible for so many. Thank you. I have Supervisor Alcorn, then Herity. Thank you, Madam Vice Chair. Thank you, Mr. Chairman, for bringing this board matter forward.

[02:23:21] You know, it's substantive. It's not just talk. These are real things that we deal with at the county level, and I think things could help. And the other thing that it does not do is it doesn't sacrifice the environment. So it's, you know, and I realize, I think we all do, that, you know, strategies could impact the environment, but this is not pointing in that direction. There are three areas that I would, I either have suggestions or maybe some additional thoughts. First, under the development incentives and process bullet, I want to make sure that we're

[02:23:57] careful about the reduced parking idea. You know, in terms of using that as an incentive for creating new and affordable housing, that could well work in some places, but often these are site-specific situations. And we did recently reduce parking requirements through parking reimagined. And in a community where Parking is already a challenge.

[02:24:24] I wouldn't want this to be a trip wire, you know, for a new affordable housing project. A couple other things. I really, really like the bullet expanded focus on entry-level homeowners. These approaches could be really helpful.

[02:24:42] And certainly in Hunter Mill District, we're growing not quite as fast as Sully District, but close. in terms of population, according to recent reports. But what we are missing as we grow is new market affordable for sale units.

[02:25:02] And that's a criticism I hear a lot of new development around transit stations, at least in Hunter Mill, that the units really aren't affordable. And except, of course, for our WDU units.

[02:25:18] So we do have a fraction, 10%, 12% often of units that are affordable, but the rest of them often are not. So I consider this a market failure. I think the market is moving forward, as Supervisor Palczyk mentioned, with development of very large homes.

[02:25:39] And we're seeing very large townhouses, very large condominiums being financed. But what I'm hearing is that nobody wants to finance smaller condominiums, smaller townhouse developments.

[02:25:57] So I think this is one piece of, obviously, a larger issue. The fact that in Hunter Mill alone, we have tens of thousands of units zoned but not built or under construction. I think a lot of that is due to the lack of financing interest.

[02:26:14] So I think this is one piece of that. But still, I think there are a couple things we might want to think about to move forward with affordable entry level homeownership. So the first way is I think we need to look at ways the county or the state might assist in the financing of already entitled housing developments to get market affordable condominiums and townhouses.

[02:26:42] How are other jurisdictions doing it? Maybe this is something that requires state action. I don't know. But the lack of financing for this piece seems to be a really critical thing. And the other thing on this is I really like the village concept in the board matter.

[02:27:01] And I would encourage DPD to evaluate that idea and how it potentially could scale during our ongoing policy planning exercise and updates. and also any future updates of the comprehensive plans, concept for future development, particularly how these villages that are not currently near transit or proposed for being near transit could become new transit-ready communities.

[02:27:29] I think we have some real potential for that. And then lastly, on the faith communities properties bullet, I appreciate very much what Supervisor Jimenez said, but I think we need to be careful with that one as well.

[02:27:47] We have a lot of churches that are in the middle of low-density residential communities. I don't have that many of them in Hunter Mill, but I know they're all around the county. But let's also remember that churches and other institutions like schools do not currently require site-specific comprehensive plan designation.

[02:28:10] In other words, if somebody wants to put a church in a residential zone, you don't need a comp plan amendment. You just go straight to zoning. So, and this is already noted in here that perhaps we don't need to require a comprehensive plan amendment for new affordable housing on church property, but maybe we should also consider that for other institutional uses similar to churches that don't require the comprehensive plan amendments to do that.

[02:28:40] And I just remind everybody, this still means there has to be zoning approval. So the community is not being cut out of this in any way. It just streamlines the process a little bit and helps things, I think, move forward. And frankly, many times the community has very specific questions that are only answerable in the zoning review process.

[02:29:04] So I think going along that lines could really help. So, anyway, just thank you again, Mr. Chairman. I appreciate your leadership on this and look forward to next steps. Thank you. I have Supervisor Herity, then Lusk. I'm going to try to be quick on this.

[02:29:23] Clearly, affordability in housing is one of our top issues in Fairfax County. It is, by all accounts, the chambers and everyone else's. That's why I did a Herity report in April of last year to lay out my thoughts on it.

[02:29:41] I want to thank the chairman for bringing this. I think there's a lot good in this to like. I have some concerns with some of it. I think there's some things that are missing. So I'm going to try to run through those real quick. I like the fact that there's a recognition that giving away county land and hundreds of millions of dollars in subsidies to build 10,000 units is not going to solve the problem.

[02:30:03] Because I think we've been kind of relying on that. And as the board knows, I haven't been a fan of that process. We've talked for years about the need to streamline our permitting and zoning process. We were told PLUS was going to fix it. Well, it hasn't.

[02:30:20] Hopefully, we can get the action and accountability this time. And it's interesting. I'm talking about this. And just this morning, Tracy Strunk, thank you, Tracy, just took four months off of a potential affordable house, I mean, I'm sorry, extended stay to market rate affordable housing project in my district.

[02:30:42] So thank you for being. I think senior staff is very creative, but our process is very, very, very burdensome. It's too hard to open a business, too hard to make simple improvements like building a deck. We really need to work on that. Happy to see the focus on home ownership.

[02:31:01] It's probably the biggest thing. I bring it up in every housing committee meeting I can, and I feature the benefits of it in my heritage report. Residents get to choose where they live. You build generational wealth. You get certainty. If your income goes up, you stay there, unlike government-subsidized affordable housing.

[02:31:23] You can build a revolving fund. You actually can provide a lower subsidy than you do and have meaningful impact. Anyway, so that's all a very, very good thing. Some of the concerns real quick.

[02:31:40] I will echo your concern on parking. I will again bring up that, unfortunately, our one policy focuses this housing on anybody who wants to live in Fairfax County versus supporting county residents or employees of county businesses.

[02:31:59] We do have the ability to put preferences for residency on affordable housing, but we don't. And that's something we really need to consider. With a looming budget shortfall and 5% to 10% cuts, again, being asked for all of our departments, including public safety, who was here earlier today, we can't afford to subsidize the cost of housing for anyone who wants to live in Fairfax.

[02:32:25] The other thing, incentives really already exist for affordable housing developers. LIHTC is one of them. I've got a LIHTC affordable housing project in my district that's been in the entitlement process for three years. We need to work those things through with a priority, and I'm happy to see that that's in there, that's in this.

[02:32:47] I'm also interested in hearing more on the faith community's consideration. I think we can be more flexible about using their spaces for our shelter programs and potentially affordable housing. However, the idea of by-right development most likely won't make sense in a lot of cases, and we take our citizens out of a very important process.

[02:33:09] So I don't think I'm going to be able to support that. I shared the concerns the chairman mentioned with the ability to staff to respond to all this. This is a lot. It's a big ask. So I'm looking forward to seeing what comes back.

[02:33:27] Some of the key things that I see that are missing, and, you know, Supervisor Alcorn mentioned small units not being financed, and it's really because of the regulatory cost of those smaller units. And if you talk to builders, and I talk to builders, that's what it is.

[02:33:43] I relentlessly ask at this dais and in our committee meetings about the impact of new regulations on the cost of housing. The urban park requirements, the one I've run into the most, it's reduce the number of units, increase the cost of the units, increase the development time, and it results in really these parks that by the park authority and everybody else's description don't really provide much value.

[02:34:14] I spoke in industry. So my suggestion here is that we should focus on a goal of reducing and add a goal of reducing the regulatory cost of housing by 25% of the current cost.

[02:34:30] And I spoke with industry. They're going to be willing partners. We need to reduce the cost that we're putting on housing. And I think that piece needs to be a big piece of this going forward. Speaking of regulatory costs, we've got Plan Forward quickly approaching.

[02:34:46] And while I know staff's working on it, we have no idea what the cost impact of Plan Forward's going to be on individual housing units. There was a mention of industry. I hope we add NVBIA and NAOP to that list because they're the ones that actually build, depending on whether you're talking the multifamily or you're talking the small home builders, those are the two.

[02:35:11] Northern Virginia Chamber is obviously a great industry partner, but NVBA and NAOP should definitely be there. And I'm just going to conclude. There are a couple more, but I'll conclude.

[02:35:27] Overall, I think there's more good than bad in this, and I'm going to support it as the individual proposals are coming back to the board. It is a serious issue, and I would hope that we add taking a serious look at the cost and timeline impact of the recent regulatory actions as a friendly amendment.

[02:35:47] Okay, we'll come back to that one. Okay, let me get everybody's comments. So I just want to send a little friendly reminder here that the chairman said we could send what we think that isn't here. We don't need to do it all at the dais.

[02:36:05] Supervisor Lusten-Bearman. Yes, I want to thank the chairman also for bringing this forward and recognize that this is pivotal and important. I'll acknowledge, too, that I'm very keenly focused on expanding entry-level homeownership because I recognize that this will have a tremendous impact for those who are able to acquire housing.

[02:36:30] One of the things I've noted, and it's kind of interesting, I don't have for Fairfax County, but for the nation, it's typical for older Americans to occupy a larger share of homeownership. The share of homeowners by Americans older than 55 years grew from 44.3% in 2008 to 54% in 2023.

[02:36:55] And this is according to a study by Construction Coverage. Meanwhile, Americans aged 35 to 54 saw a decline in homeownership, with their share dropping from 42.3% in 2008 to 34% in 2023.

[02:37:14] So clearly there is an opportunity here, I think, where we can think about those baby boomers, those who are thinking about leaving their homes. Is there a process, a program, a methodology that we could employ to help maybe some of our younger residents move into their homes?

[02:37:37] So I hope that that's going to be part of the research and analysis that we do here is kind of this matching. This could be maybe an AI tool as well to some degree, but maybe with some finessing as well. But how do we support those who want to eventually leave their homes and those who need them?

[02:37:57] And then I'll say, too, thinking about the private sector, and I love this idea of working with the Chamber and NVBI and others, but I'm also thinking, you know, Fairfax County has a list of our largest employers that are headquartered here, that actually this is their home. What are we doing to kind of interface with them? What are we doing to talk about what the needs are with them specifically? And I guess the chamber can be a conduit for that, but I'm also going to argue that I don't know if all of

[02:38:32] those companies are members of the chamber. So we've got to think about how do we use our own data to help us connect with employers who see this problem firsthand and who might be able to help us with some solutions. So I just, again, like the thought process, the intent, and the suggestions that have been raised here. And then on the public-private partnerships, and I can say in my own district just trying to get through a project that has the public-private partnership,

[02:39:07] we do need to look at how we, you know, support and how we advance those projects. So I'm really eager to see if there are any additional thoughts on how we can streamline and make it more efficient of a process. Because I think time, the longer it takes us to deliver housing, it's to the disadvantage of those who don't have the housing today. And we talk about this. We're educating our students through our public school system. Those students are going off to college and they

[02:39:45] have to make choices. They've made choices as to whether they come back home or they go work somewhere else. They go to a market that's less expensive. And that's a problem for us. We're losing some of our talent. And in the long run, that's not in our interest. So I think we've got to figure out how we can deliver more expeditiously. And I know there's a number of recommendations here that will do that, and there'll be others. I look forward to the future discussions on these items and know that they will have a tremendous impact. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Thank you, Supervisor Bierman, then Stork. Oh boy, Mr. Chairman, this is really quite comprehensive.

[02:40:23] I think it's going to touch on a lot of important things. I think it might get messy at times, but I think what's really key is that time is money when it comes to housing affordability. I think a lot of us share the belief that we need to move our processes faster and more efficiently, and I think we also share the belief that in order to be successful throughout this process, we need to make sure that we're continually giving our citizens voices but not individual vetoes, and we need to engage the community in understanding the ways in which building more housing will be beneficial for all.

[02:40:58] That's another aspect of this comprehensive plan that I really like, which is that you touch on very, very large groups and sometimes diffuse, sometimes groups that don't agree with each other and try to engage them on how we make things better. And with that, I'll close.

[02:41:15] Thanks. Succinct. I love it. Supervisor Stork. Thank you, Madam Vice Chair. And I'm going to add my voice to what's mostly already been said, but it is about housing for all. Housing for all means folks that, frankly, are homeless, or they're living in their car, or they're couch surfing, or they're, frankly, even on our staff.

[02:41:38] They're young people who don't have the opportunity or the options to home ownership, which is, I think, the American dream, and clearly, I think, a key part of who we are and what we want to be. In other words, not leaving anyone behind as we create our housing process. And I think, Supervisor Alcorn, you mentioned a number of things that I think are true opportunities for us about approval and the unbuilt housing that's already been approved and how do we incentivize and encourage folks to do that.

[02:42:04] Senior housing transitions, I know, are a key part of that. I know you're going to talk about it. You're going to put that into your committee discussions. I think I'm very supportive of that. Talking to contractors, I know one of the opportunities we have, though, is about putting together and approving template kinds of packages that you could, you know, Essentially, you build a home and you build a series of homes, much like was built here in the 60s and 70s in particular.

[02:42:27] Even you can go back to the 40s and 50s where you had these templates of packages that you could go. And the core of that was you reduce costs. And reducing costs is a key part of that. But it's across the board. It's not just regulatory issues, but it's also about the design costs, which you can reduce if you have a template.

[02:42:45] Construction costs, because it's faster, easier. You can use manufactured housing, which we've used in a very limited way. I think there's a huge potential for that here. And you get contractors who get it and work with this. It's just putting those land pieces together.

[02:43:02] State help is essential to that process. But I would also add we cannot afford to have the federal government tie, essentially, both hands behind our back as we're trying to do this. And if you're going to have federal taxes, I'm sorry, tariffs on materials that you use, which is a huge part of the process of building those homes, you're going to make it that much more difficult.

[02:43:23] And if you're going to make it difficult for people to work here, people who have the trades and skills, and to stay here and be able to be an effective member of our community, you're going to make those employment costs and construction costs go up even more, which makes it even more difficult.

[02:43:39] So it's across-the-board cost reduction that we all can make a difference with, and we all, I know, want to do that. So thank you. Thank you. Mr. Chairman. Yeah, thank you, Vice Chairman Smith, and I appreciate all of my colleagues' comments. I just want to wrap up a few things and make a few things really clear.

[02:43:57] First, this motion is in no way meant to hamper whatsoever citizen involvement. So if you're interested in killing this, keep telling people that. It's patently false. Nothing in here is removing citizen involvement. In fact, in some cases, it's enhancing it by requiring it to happen more quickly.

[02:44:15] The second thing is, and I mentioned this on Sunday, that there's nothing in this motion either that suggests that affordable housing isn't going to meet the highest quality standards. And I hear in Richmond some bills that do things like take away stormwater management requirements and other things, which is building substandard communities and will actually work against the production of affordable housing.

[02:44:39] The quality standard that we put into developments should not matter whether it is affordable or not. Yesterday, I was with my son up at North Hill in the Mount Vernon district at the park, the public park at the top that, you know, we did the North Hill development. and there were dozens and dozens of kids out there enjoying the park.

[02:44:58] And as I was walking up to the park, passed a very high-quality development that we did in the county, 100% affordable, with the right amenities, so that the kids could be out there enjoying green space, enjoying public parks in the same way kids that don't live in affordable developments get to do.

[02:45:14] So removing park requirements or waiving stormwater isn't the right way to go. The people who will live in these units deserve and expect to have amenities. What we do need to do here is do it a lot quicker because quality is not commensurate with time spent.

[02:45:32] You can have both. You can expedite dramatically the construction of units and still maintain a high level of quality that residents of Fairfax County expect. And by the way, we'll be supporting then the next development that comes forward when we do these right. If you shortchange, you're going to actually have a negative effect on affordable housing.

[02:45:50] And the last thing I will say is this is going to take individual leadership of members of this board of supervisors because a lot of people talk. But when you look at the number of residential use permits issued by district and you look at the percent of commercial growth that is happening per magisterial district, it paints a story.

[02:46:13] And the story is there are individuals who need to step up and do more. Having no growth happening in your community, having no residential units be built, having low percentage of commercial development at a time our economy needs it the most. It might be easy to sit here and blame county staff or blame processes or blame regulations, but it really starts with us encouraging development, redevelopment to happen, encouraging that in our communities we have a rich ecosystem, that we're planning appropriately, and that we are in fact encouraging good, smart growth to happen in the communities that we

[02:46:52] represent. And I don't want to lose sight of that granular piece because it's easy to blame other people, but we play individually a role in this as well. I think there's a lot of improvement to be made on the staff side and processing and time spent. I think all of us have had the frustrating calls from people that it just takes too long to get things done here, and I think when we think about how long it takes to get things done, we need to start with how long it takes us to get things to the county staff as well as we look at how long it takes the county staff to process something. So we are all in this together, and I think we all have an important role to play.

[02:47:29] Quality will always be arbiter number one. For me, citizen involvement will always be a component of this. If you hear anything to the contrary, show me where that is, because there's nothing in here that removes citizen involvement. And as I said before, I think the fluidity of that citizen involvement, being involved real time as applications are coming through, is perhaps the most important thing we can do for the citizens that we represent. It does them no good. It does the applicants no good. And as others have said, it does the families who are waiting for affordable housing no good to string out processes for years and years and years at a time for no real good

[02:48:04] reason other than there will always be people who will be concerned. There's a difference between addressing their concerns and hearing them and tying up a process because there are people concerned. And I think we all have that collectively. We all have that obligation if we're going to solve this problem together. So this gives a lot of latitude to the county executive looking forward to the pieces as they come back to us as we address this issue holistically. And I appreciate my colleagues' support of the motion. Thank you. Seeing no further discussion on the motion,

[02:48:41] all those in favor of the motion, please say aye. Aye. Anyone opposed? Any abstentions? That motion carries. Thank you, Vice Chairman Smith. And one last obvious announcement, and this is all hypothetical at this point, but as we are aware, it's been said several times here today, there is a special election taking place today. We'll not be sure of the outcome of the election until the polls close, obviously, and every vote is counted. It's important that the board prepare for all potential outcomes. This election presents the possibility that there will be a seat vacated in the Braddock District, which would necessitate action taken by this board to help facilitate

[02:49:18] a timely submission or request of a special election date to fill that seat. Obviously, the people of Braddock District, if this does happen, the faster we can fill that seat, the better for them, and it may necessitate action by this board.

[02:49:34] So in the event that that seat is vacated, please be on the lookout for information distributed by the clerk of the board that will be working with my office on potential next steps, including the potential of having to call a special meeting of the board of supervisors. So I just want to give people alert that we're working on that.

[02:49:52] Should this happen, we will be ready to look for that information about a potential special board meeting that might be necessitated. And so I'm just making my board members aware of that this morning. So with that, this afternoon. With that, thank you, Vice Chair Smith.

[02:50:09] Thank you. And you are up next. Thank you. Parktoberfest 2025. The Friends of E.C. Lawrence Park are once again inviting everyone to celebrate Parktoberfest on October 4, 2025, beginning at 12 noon and ending at 5 p.m.

[02:50:26] Located on the Cables Mill lawn, this year's Parktoberfest features live music, good food, vendor stands, and cold seasonal brew from Sully's own Ono Brewery. I ask without objection that this information be shared with the public. Without objection, that is so ordered. Supervisor Smith. And I also want to make an announcement about the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention's Out of the Darkness Community Walk.

[02:50:48] On Saturday, October 4, you are invited to join Team Fairfax BOS at the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, AFSP's annual Out of the Darkness Community Walk. This event raises support for scientific research, evidence-based resources, training, and advocacy.

[02:51:05] The walk will take place in a new location this year. So for years and years, we were in Fairfax City. It's from 12.30 to 2 p.m. at the Mosaic District in Merrifield. And check-in starts at 11 a.m. and I want to thank Supervisor Walkinshaw for his partnership with us doing this each year.

[02:51:23] It's really an important event, and I hope to see all of you there this year. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. And no rain this year. No rain, that's right. With that, without objection, that is so ordered, Supervisor Walkinshaw. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I have one board matter.

[02:51:39] This is a joint board matter with you regarding a comment to the U.S. EPA to uphold the endangerment finding regarding greenhouse gas emissions. In 2009, the EPA issued a science-based finding that the buildup of heat-trapping greenhouse gases in the atmosphere endangers public health and welfare.

[02:51:57] The EPA's judgment, called the Endangerment Finding, reflected the growing scientific evidence on the causes and impacts of climate change. This finding was made after a thorough rulemaking process that considered thousands of public comments and was upheld by the courts. In the 16 years since, the scientific basis for the finding has only grown stronger.

[02:52:17] This finding underpins various EPA regulations aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions, including emissions from cars, light trucks, power plants, and certain industrial facilities. As a result of EPA regulations, new passenger vehicles today emit 24% less climate pollution than they did in 2011.

[02:52:39] Furthermore, burning fossil fuels not only causes greenhouse gas emissions, but also increases dangerous ground-level air pollutants that directly affect human health, such as carbon monoxide particulates and nitrous oxides. According to a recent study of the health impacts of air pollution in the U.S., 91,000 premature deaths are caused every year by exposure to these emissions.

[02:53:02] A disproportionately high number of these deaths are in low-income and communities of color. Based on 2019 data, the World Health Organization estimates that outdoor air pollution caused an estimated 4.2 million premature deaths worldwide.

[02:53:19] These statistics show that there is still room for improvement. However, EPA's endangerment finding and the resulting regulations have substantially helped improve local air quality, as demonstrated by more than two decades of air quality data documenting this region's compliance with the Clean Air Act.

[02:53:36] In July 2025, the EPA, under the Trump administration, proposed to rescind the endangerment finding, an action which would remove the legal basis for existing and future regulations on greenhouse gas emissions from vehicles and other major sources.

[02:53:53] This decision would expose Fairfax County residents to increased air pollution directly affecting health and amplify hazards from extreme weather events caused by climate change. The EPA is welcoming comments from the public on this matter until September 22, 2025.

[02:54:11] Therefore, we move that the Board of Supervisors authorize the county executive and legislative staff to prepare and submit comments on behalf of Fairfax County under the chairman's signature to the U.S. EPA opposing the rescission of the endangerment finding. These comments should be based on facts specific to the Fairfax County region, such as the documented increase in severe weather and related property damage incurred over the past decades and the documented improvement in regional air quality from improved vehicle emissions.

[02:54:40] These comments should be submitted by staff to the U.S. EPA prior to the end of the public comment period on September 22nd 2025 so and I'm happy to second that along with Supervisor Bierman any further discussion on the motion seeing and hearing none all those in favor please say aye aye any opposed any abstentions that motion carries eight to zero Supervisor Smith and Supervisor Herity being absent Supervisor Walkinshaw thank you mr. chairman just just one other thing and it was alluded to

[02:55:12] to earlier. It is possible that this is my last meeting as a member of this board. I'm super superstitious, and there are a couple of variables, but since it could be the last one, I just wanted to share with you all, and I'll put this in the present tense, not the past tense, how much I enjoy working with you and how much respect I have for all of you on this board, the senior county management team led by the county executive, all of the county staff. It is an incredible honor to

[02:55:45] serve in this capacity, and I want to take the opportunity to share that. Please do not use this as an opportunity to eulogize me, but I'm not going anywhere one way or the other, but I really appreciate the opportunity to work with all of you. Thank you.

[02:56:03] Thank you, Supervisor Walkinshaw. I think for all of us, the feeling is mutual. so thank you for that. Supervisor Smith. I had to step away from the table. Can I be counted as a yes vote? Thank you. We can count you as a yes vote. So the motion on the last item now will be nine to zero. Supervisor Herity being absent. Supervisor Walkinshaw, you were finished. All right.

[02:56:27] Supervisor Beerman. I was going to start the roast of James Walkinshaw, but I'm also a superstitious guy. No board matters here. Thank you. Thank you, Supervisor Beerman. supervisor lusk thank you very much mr chairman i'll go very quickly i just have a handed out item i'll read it very quickly mr chairman central springfield is becoming the place to be during the summer on saturday september 6th 2025 a kids festival at springfield overlook was

[02:57:04] held from 1 p.m to 3 p.m the festival included a magic show by abracadabra alex and a kids concert that was featuring Marcia and the positrons many kids and their families came out to enjoy the event and the space this is important the space is available for reservation through the park authority for community or private celebrations and you can reach out to the staff for that and I want to acknowledge staff from the community revitalization section of the Department of Planning and Development along with staff from the park

[02:57:39] Authority were very instrumental in bringing these community members and activities to this rooftop event. So I just wanted to acknowledge them for that. And then secondly, Mr. Chairman, on September, on Saturday, August 30th, 2025, over 200 people participated in the annual Springfield Bridgewalk event that began with a walk across the Amherst Avenue Memorial Bridge, followed by a community celebration at the American Legion Post 176.

[02:58:10] I want to give special thanks to my colleague, Bragg District Supervisor James Wackenshaw, for walking with us and being a part of the covenant signing. This year, the Franconia-Springville community joined with leadership from the Fort Belvoir Garrison, the American Legion Post 176, Veterans of Foreign Services Post 7327, the Mount Vernon and Springfield Chamber of Commerce, and the Springfield Civic Association, as well as Friends of Richard Byrd Library, Fire and Rescue Station Number 22, and CERT Canteen, the Alexandria Chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity,

[02:58:48] and many Springfield area businesses for this Bridgewalk event. So I want to say thank you to everyone who participated. And it was a truly special event with just amazing weather this year. And then I'll just say, Mr. Chairman, this could not have happened without the hard work and planning of staff from my own office, participants from the American Legion, the 4 Bill 4 Garrison, the VFW Post, the Frank County District Police Station for their traffic control and management, the Springfield Volunteer Station number 22,

[02:59:26] and Fairfax County Park Authority for use of the showmobile, which made it a much better event as well. and then Neighborhood and Community Services and VDOT. Just want to acknowledge all of those entities for their support and participation in the event this year.

[02:59:41] Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Thank you. And next up is Supervisor Alcorn. No board matters. Thank you, Supervisor Alcorn. Supervisor Jimenez. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, I'm not superstitious. So real quickly, Mr. Walkinshaw, it's been an honor to have you as a colleague but most importantly, a friend, and I know that we'll all be watching as you do amazing things for the residents of Virginia and the country. So I do have three very quick announcements.

[03:00:11] I'd like to welcome, if you don't mind standing up, our newest staffer, Michaela Henry, to the Mason District Office, a Fairfax County native and graduate of Georgetown's Health and Public Interest Master's Program. Michaela brings experience from D.C. Health, the Department of Commerce, and Capitol Hill. She's passionate about public health and public service, and we are excited to have her supporting our constituents, so please give a round of applause and welcoming our new staff. Number two, we're moving along. Please join us. I know you've all been waiting

[03:00:46] for this announcement for a while, so please join us for Colmore Hispanic Heritage Community Day on Saturday, September 13th, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Colmore Community Library. We'll present our Hispanic Heritage Month proclamation and celebrate the culture and contributions that make Mason District not only the cultural hub but makes it shine. On to our third announcement today. Among the honorees of this year's L.E. Doyle Park Service Awards is Mason District's own Tim Bowers. Since 2017, Tim has led the Edible Garden Project at Green Spring Gardens coordinating the efforts of

[03:01:22] more than 40 master gardeners. Together they have grown and donated over 8,000 pounds of fresh produce to local food banks, expanding access to healthy food for families in need. The Ellie Doyle Awards are the Park Authority's highest recognition of volunteerism, and Tim's dedication exemplifies that service that strengthens our community. Help me in congratulating Mr. Bowers and to all of this year's nominees. And with that, Mr. Chairman, my announcements are done. Thank you very much, Supervisor Jimenez. Appreciate that. Supervisor Stork. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I have a couple

[03:02:00] written and I have one verbal. The first one is the William H. Randall Estates Historic District located in the Mount Vernon District is an exceptional community that reflects both the architectural character of the mid-20th century Northern Virginia and the significant heritage of its African-American residents. Built between 1962 and 1974 by African-American developer Jube Shiver, the Randall Estates subdivision provided modern, well-built, well-made homes for Black families at a time when segregation and redlining restricted access to quality housing.

[03:02:32] The community's 40 contributing buildings, brick monument signs, and retaining wall remain strong examples of mid-century subdivision planning, featuring ranch, international, minimal, traditional, split level, and colonial revival styles.

[03:02:47] This nomination is far more than the subdivisions' homes and streets. With its 1961 inception, Randall Estates was one of the very few subdivisions created by and for African-Americans prior to the passage of the Civil Rights Act in 1964.

[03:03:04] In total, there are only three other similar subdivisions in the American South which have been identified. Randall Estates stands as a living record of the courage, determination, and vision of those who've built a thriving community in the face of systematic barriers, including legal racial segregation, restrictive de-covenants, which we know there are a number of, Fairfax County and financial redlining. Its original design reflects both the architectural trends of the era and the social progress achieved by creating an inclusive space for middle-class black families in Northern Virginia. The subdivision will retain a high degree of

[03:03:42] historic integrity today, and the William H. Randall Estates Historic District Registration nominations will continue to affirm this community's important role in our collective heritage for future generations. Therefore, Mr. Chairman, I move without objection. The Board of Supervisors support the nomination of the William H. Randall Estates Historic District for listing on the Virginia Landmarks Register and the National Register of Historic Places and send the attached letter of support to the Virginia Department of Historic Resources.

[03:04:12] Why don't we make that a motion, Supervisor Stork, which I'm happy to second. Any discussion on the motion? I think we're all very, very proud of the efforts and, frankly, the foresight that so many people had, and particularly in the African-American community. And we've met and known many of those individuals because they've been part of our schools, big parts of our schools as well as part of our community.

[03:04:37] Indeed. If there's no further discussion, all those in favor of the motion, please say aye. Aye. Any opposed? Any abstentions? That motion carries. Supervisor Bierman being absent. Supervisor Stork. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. My next board matter really relates to, in some ways, the history of Mount Vernon and how pervasive and long-term it is.

[03:04:57] We talk a lot about the 250th and all the different celebrations that we're doing and churches in our area that have reflected that. In this case, it's the 125th anniversary of the Cranford United Methodist Memorial Chapel. This is done in conjunction with yourself. Fairbanks County's history is deeply rooted in places that have served as both the physical and spiritual foundations of our community.

[03:05:19] this year's Grantford United Methodist Church is celebrating the 125th anniversary of its Memorial Chapel. The corner of Gunston Road and Old Colchester Road has served as a historically significant site since 1730, predating the formation of Fairfax County itself.

[03:05:36] It was the location where Poet Church first stood, led by a vestry that included George Washington and George Mason. Alongside the church, a cemetery was established that continues to hold the remains of Revolutionary and Civil War soldiers, as well as veterans from other American conflicts.

[03:05:52] A few years ago, the cemetery was first in Fairvice County to be researched using GPS and ground-penetrating radar by the Park Authority, archaeology team, and Cranford, which uncovered more than 200 unmarked graves, some for the first time in nearly two centuries.

[03:06:10] The site became a cornerstone for the Methodist ministry in Virginia. John Lewis, a Methodist writer, gathered worshipers at the site before a formal church was established in 1830. Lewis Chapel was later constructed in 1857, we know the name of that road, right, serving not only as a chapel but also as a schoolhouse and Civil War hospital with bullet holes from Union soldiers still visible in its walls today.

[03:06:35] In 1900, the current Cranford Chapel was built by local craftsman James Cranford and consecrated as a lasting place of worship. The chapel has been in continuous use since incorporating Lewis Chapel into its structure in 1953. For generations, it has stood as a beacon of faith, resilience, and community for Lorton residents.

[03:06:57] To mark this milestone, Cranville will host a 125th anniversary community celebration on Saturday, October 11th from 12 to 5, featuring an open house, music, food, vendors, fellowship, and much more. On Sunday, October 12th, from 10.30 to 1 o'clock, they invite all others to join them for a time capsule opening, followed by a worship service and potluck.

[03:07:20] Therefore, Mr. Chairman, we ask without objection that the board direct the Office of Public Affairs to prepare a resolution to be presented outside the boardroom on October 11th at the 125th celebration in recognition of Cranford's rich history and important community contributions.

[03:07:36] And without objection, that is so ordered, Supervisor Stork. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. And my last item is a small business forum that, I'll try to hold this up while I mention it. September is National Preparedness Month, and I'm pleased to share that my office, in partnership with the Fairfax County Department of Economic Initiatives, is holding a free small business event, How to Safeguard Your Business, on Wednesday, September 24th from 8 to 10 a.m. at Primo Family Restaurant in the Bellevue Shopping Center.

[03:08:10] This event will feature networking and presentations from Fairfax Corps, the Department of Emergency Management and Security, Fairfax County Police, Fire and Rescue, who will all share information on how to keep your business safe and resilient. We hope our small businesses will take advantage of this important opportunity to safeguard what you've built while also connecting with county resources.

[03:08:32] I encourage all small business owners to join us for this important and free event. Special thanks to DEI team member Frank Koons, who also is a former small business owner, for working with my team to pull this all together. So thank you all. Thank you, Supervisor Stork.

[03:08:47] And next up is Supervisor Palczyk. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Just one board matter, and it's a request to the Office of Public Affairs, as we have done in the past, to publicize our diaper drive for National Diaper Need Awareness Week. National Diaper Need Awareness Week, observed annually since 2012, marks its 14th year in 2025, and will take place September 15th to the 21st.

[03:09:13] In recognition, my office is hosting a diaper drive from September 8th to the 19th to help support families in need. With half of U.S. families struggling to afford this essential necessity, we invite residents and community partners to donate diapers of all sizes. Donations can be dropped off at the Jim Scott Community Center at 3001 Baden Drive, Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m.

[03:09:37] Therefore, I move without objection that the Office of Public Affairs helps share this information through their channels to raise awareness and encourage participation. And, Mr. Chairman, I have just one announcement. I think he's here behind me. There he is. I think in a brand new suit.

[03:09:53] We have Hunter Wagner is a longtime Northern Virginian, though I know resides in a different district. They're also urban, with a background in policy, digital operations, and communications. Hunter holds an undergraduate degree in foreign affairs and a master's degree in public policy from the University of Virginia, though we won't hold that against him either.

[03:10:14] Yeah, exactly. His thesis work focused on effectuating new policy pathways to improve recovery infrastructure for survivors of sexual assault. In his most recent role, he founded Allo, a direct-to-parent health education app supporting parents and teaching their kids about subjects ranging from personal boundaries to healthy eating to hygiene.

[03:10:39] And all of his parents very much appreciate all the support. Hunter has a strong interest in improving the accessibility of the policymaking process through effective and engaging communication strategies, which we very much appreciate. He is looking forward to working with us and serving the residents of Providence.

[03:10:55] We love having him. And though he didn't put it here, he's also one of our beloved master gardeners in the office. Many of us who took up or have been trying to improve our green thumbs and sharing our produce here with the office.

[03:11:12] I know Supervisor Herity and many others are also very involved in that work. So we look forward to having his talent and his energy help us reach more of our residents in the Providence District. So a warm welcome to Hunter. And with that, Mr. Chairman, that is all I have for today.

[03:11:33] Thank you, Supervisor Palczyk. Supervisor Herity. Yes, Mr. Chairman, I have three. They're proclamation requests. Since we're running late, I'm going to go ahead and summarize them and do the motion. You all have the language not to downplay the importance of any of them. The first one is proclaiming October 2025 as Cybersecurity Awareness Month jointly with Supervisor Lusk.

[03:11:55] We all know how important maintaining the security of our data is. Therefore, Mr. Chairman, I ask without objection the Board of Supervisors to proclaim October 2025 as Cybersecurity Awareness Month in Fairfax County direct staff to prepare a proclamation to be presented outside the boardroom on October 9th, 2025. Second, to direct the Office of Public Affairs to promote this proclamation in the Department of Information Technology's annual Security Awareness Day event for Fairfax

[03:12:30] County employees to be held on Thursday, October 9th, 2025. The event will provide staff opportunities here from industry experts on many things that can be done in securing access to personal data as well as the data they have access to at work. And without objection, that is so ordered.

[03:12:49] The second one is Government Contracting Day. Mr. Chairman, I ask without objection that November 5th, 2025, be declared Government Contracting Day in Fairfax County and a proclamation be prepared to be presented outside the boardroom. And without objection, that is so ordered, A more important year than ever for that.

[03:13:08] Yep. The last one is one I put on the, we were trying to negotiate final details on this one, but designate October 6th through the 10th, 2025 as Digital Inclusion Week in Fairfax County. I move without objection, board designate October 6th through the 10th, 2025 as Digital Inclusion Week.

[03:13:30] Direct the Office of Public Affairs to prepare a proclamation to be presented to Cox Communication outside the boardroom for their continued efforts to improve digital access in our community. And without objection, that is so ordered. That's all I have, Mr. Chairman. Just a reminder for board members, we talked about quicker a few minutes ago on affordable housing.

[03:13:50] We need to think about how we can be more efficient. My office did send out a memo asking board members who have countywide proclamations to send those into my office. I'll include them. It's much easier for the Office of Public Affairs and everyone involved to include them on the master list of countywide proclamations that I make.

[03:14:09] Obviously, ones that are specific to your district still bring forward as the district supervisor. But if they involve a countywide issue, send them into my office and we'll make sure that I'm doing them jointly with the board member who submits them. And it will speed up the process and make our staff's job a whole lot easier.

[03:14:27] With that, we are going to move on to administrative items, and I am going to turn to Supervisor Smith to see if we have a motion for admin items 1 through 22. Mr. Chairman, I move approval of admin items 1 through 22. The Chair will second that, along with Supervisor Paucik.

[03:14:47] I heard a voice over here, Supervisor Lusk. Are there any admin items Board members would like to have pulled for discussion or a separate vote? Seeing and hearing none. All those in favor of Administrative Items 1 through 22, please say aye.

[03:15:02] Aye. Any opposed? Any abstentions? That motion carries. And that brings us to action items. Action item number one is approval of the Washington Transnational Organized Crime East Hemisphere and Major Theft Task Force TOCMTTF Memorandum of Understanding MOU between the Federal Bureau of Investigation, FBI, and the Fairfax County Police Department, FCPD, Let me ask if Supervisor Lusk has a motion.

[03:15:32] Yes, Mr. Chairman, I do. I will quickly move the county executive's recommendation that the Board of Supervisors authorize the chief of police to sign the memorandum of understanding between the FBI and the Fairfax County Police Department. Mr. Chair will second that motion.

[03:15:48] Is there any discussion on the motion? Discussion on the motion? Supervisor Palchuk. Mr. Chairman, no, very much support this, and I want to point out, because I made sure to go through it and note that Ms. Escalante, our Director for Immigrant Community Affairs, was involved in this and that it is in accordance with our trust policy.

[03:16:07] Yep, as is always the case on these, and I appreciate you pointing that out, but you will see that continue. If there's no further discussion, all those in favor of the motion, please say aye. Aye. Any opposed? Any abstentions? That motion carries. Action item number two is approval of the referendum of Understanding, MOU Regional Render Safe Team, between the Federal Bureau of Investigation, FBI, and the Fairfax County Police Department, FCPD. Supervisor Lusk. Thank you again, Mr. Chairman. Quickly, I move that the Board accept the County Executive's recommendation to authorize the Chief of Police to sign an MOU between the FBI and the Fairfax County

[03:16:46] Police Department. The Chair will second that. Any discussion on the motion? Seeing and hearing none. All those in favor, please say aye. Aye. Any opposed? Any abstentions? That motion carries. Action item three is approval of proposed revisions to the Fairfax County relocation guidelines and I'm going to turn to Supervisor Palczyk for a motion. Yes, thank you Mr. Chairman. I do move approval and because of time I did ask staff to be here but I'm happy to give just a quick update if that's all right. Let me second the motion. Let me second the motion. Discussion on the motion. Supervisor Palczyk. Thank you Mr. Chairman. My apologies. I know we're a little bit

[03:17:25] short on time but to me it's it's very important work that's been happening between the housing agency our legal department and others to enhance our tenant protections and benefits and to clarify some of our expectations of owners when tenants and affordable properties are being temporarily or permanently displaced and I know this has been a lot of our conversation in our housing committee so if the board's okay with it I was just going to ask ask Director Fleetwood to add anything additional that's really critical to this proposed revision to the relocation guidelines.

[03:18:02] Mr. Fleetwood. Good afternoon, Mr. Chairman. Tom Fleetwood with the Department of Housing and Community Development. I would only add that this has been that the product before you is the result of a collaborative process where we engaged a number of stakeholders in the community to be able to ensure that We understand their concerns and are addressing the needs of folks who might potentially be affected by redevelopment.

[03:18:31] Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Fleetwood, and your team for your work and especially for engaging with the stakeholders in these revisions. Thank you very much. Supervisor Pouchek, is there any further discussion? Supervisor Herity. Just two quick questions.

[03:18:48] We had a pretty long conversation earlier today on the affordability of housing. Did we look at what this will cost the developer on a kind of a per-unit basis to comply with this? And I know there's just recommendations.

[03:19:05] That's going to be my second question. Supervisor Herity, what we did here with this is to establish a framework for negotiation with developers of projects that are subject to our affordable housing preservation policy.

[03:19:26] It wouldn't really be possible at the outset to estimate a cost because each of these will be very different. But that being said, again, we did engage industry on this matter and feel very comfortable with what we're recommending.

[03:19:45] Okay, and I guess my second question is to, and I think if you had gone to industry and asked for a cost, they would have helped you come up with one, and I'd suggest that that might be a good path going forward. The second is I just want to clarify that these are recommendations, not requirements, and they wouldn't be a reason for them to be denied or excluded.

[03:20:13] While I can't speak for the land use process, these are guidelines, not requirements, that would be negotiated. That's correct. That helps that they're only recommendations, not requirements. Okay. Any further questions or discussion?

[03:20:30] Seeing and hearing none, all those in favor of action three, please say aye. Aye. Any opposed? Any abstentions? That motion carries. Action four is authorization for the county executive to execute a water quality credit agreement between the town of Warrington and Fairfax County.

[03:20:46] And I'm going to turn to Supervisor Smith for a motion. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I move approval of the staff recommendation that the board authorize the county executive to execute the attached water quality agreement between the town and the county. And the Chair will second that, along with Supervisor Lusk.

[03:21:01] Any discussion on the motion? Any discussion on the motion? Seeing and hearing none, all those in favor, please say aye. Aye. Any opposed? Any abstentions? That motion carries. And that brings us to closed session.

[03:21:16] And before I turn to Vice Chair Smith for a motion, let me ask the county attorney how long we need for closed session. Mr. Chairman, I estimate approximately one hour. One hour. So our public hearings start at 2.30. That means we need to be back here. 3.30, I'm sorry. That means we need to be back here at 2.30.

[03:21:34] So if this motion is approved, the board will report to closed session at 2.30 so that we may begin our public hearings on time. Supervisor Smith. Mr. Chairman, I move the Board of Supervisors recess and go into closed session for discussion and consideration of matters enumerated in Virginia Code Section 2.2-3711 and listed in the attached agenda for this meeting.

[03:21:56] And in addition, as permitted by Virginia Code Section 2.2-3711A8, legal analysis of federal agency guidance interpreting the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act. You've heard the motion. It's been seconded by Supervisor Lusk and the chair. Discussion on the motion?

[03:22:17] Seeing and hearing none, all those in favor, please say aye. Aye. Any opposed? Any abstentions? That motion carries. The board will go to lunch and report to closed session.

[03:22:26] at exactly 2.30. Go ahead and get started in our afternoon public hearings, and before we move to

[03:28:42] our public hearings, the Board has just completed closed session, and at this time I'm going to turn to Vice Chair Smith for a motion. Mr. Chairman, I move that the Board of Supervisors certify that, to the best of each member's knowledge, only public business matters lawfully exempted from the open meeting requirements by virtue of Virginia Code Section 2.2-3711, and only such public business matters as were identified in the motion by which closed session was convened were heard, discussed, or considered by the Board of Supervisors during the closed session.

[03:29:11] You've heard the motion. The Chair will second that. Is there any discussion on the motion? Seeing and hearing none, all those in favor, please say aye. Aye. Any opposed? Any abstentions? That motion carries. And we do have one motion coming out of closed session. Supervisor Lusk. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I move the Board of Supervisors deny the settlement demand of the personal representative of the estate of Timothy Johnson according to the terms and conditions outlined by the county attorney in closed session.

[03:29:38] Madam Chair, we'll second that motion. Is there a discussion on the motion? Seeing and hearing none, all those in favor of the motion, please say aye. Aye. Any opposed? Any abstentions? That motion carries. And that brings us to our afternoon public hearings. We only have four this afternoon.

[03:29:55] But just as a reminder about public hearings, individuals wishing to provide testimony have a number of options. They can testify here in person or they can provide testimony by phone or by YouTube video. At the designated point in the public hearing, I'll call for any speakers from the speakers list and they will either come forward or their video will be shown or they will be connected by telephone. There will then be an opportunity for anyone else present who would like to speak on this matter to come down to the podium or for people viewing remotely to call in at 703-324-1020. Speakers testifying by a video must have signed up and submitted their video no

[03:30:33] later than 9 a.m. on the day prior to the public hearing. For public hearing testimony, you're given three minutes to speak as an individual. If you're a spokesperson for a group, you are given five minutes. With that being said, I'm going to call our first case, which is a public hearing on proposed plan amendment SSPA 2023-3-2BR ANA contracting that will be held concurrently with the public hearing on RZ2020-SU-005 ANA contracting, both in the Sully District.

[03:31:06] And could we please have the applicant reaffirm the affidavit? 822 of this year on behalf of the applicant. Thank you.

[03:31:21] Thank you, Mr. Regal. Are there any disclosures from board members? any disclosures from board members seeing and hearing none I will now recognize staff for a staff presentation thank you mr. chair my name is Sophia Fisher with the Department of Planning and Development and here with me is Sharon Williams also the Department of Planning and Development and before I get started I'm gonna give a quick presentation on the plan amendment and then Sharon will talk about the rezoning and then if there are any questions, we're happy to answer them after Sharon's presentation concludes.

[03:31:57] Great. So for the plan amendment, the site is located in land unit F1 of the Dulles Suburban Center of the Comprehensive Plan. It is about 9.4 acres and consists of one parcel, tax map 33-2, double circle one, parcel one. The plan recommends industrial slash flex uses up to 0.35 FAR. On April 11, 2023, the Board of Supervisors authorized consideration of a planned amendment to consider warehouse or surface parking for vehicle storage. The warehouse could have been

[03:32:37] up to 0.35 FAR. The authorization was subsequently amended at the applicant's request to include additional uses and allow for additional flexibility on the site. The site is currently undeveloped and contains significant environmental resources, including floodplain, RPA, and EQC.

[03:33:01] Staff reviewed the proposed plan amendment to consider warehouse or surface parking for vehicle storage up to 0.35 FAR, with specific considerations related to the environment, stormwater management, and interpersonal access. Again, the amendment was, authorization was amended and included additional uses, including a contractor's office and storage yard and contractor shop, all with a maximum of 0.35 FAR. Staff found that the proposed amendment

[03:33:38] would expand the planned uses on the site to provide additional flexibility to develop the site in a manner consistent with the surrounding industrial uses. The change is not proposed to increase the existing planned intensity. The existing guidance in the area is sufficient to preserve environmental resources and provide for enhanced stormwater management, and so no additional environmental policy language is needed for this site-specific plan amendment.

[03:34:08] Staff does support the additional flexibility in industrial uses on site. This concludes my portion, and now Sharon's going to talk about the rezoning. Hello, everyone. This is Sharon Williams, and I will cover the rezoning application rz2020-su-005 the subject property is 9.4 acres located north of route 50 bordering louding county to the west as shown in this image and as sofia mentioned the site is undeveloped and heavily wooded with the majority of the property containing resource protection area floodplain and environmental quality corridor in addition a sanitary sewer easement also runs through the property the site

[03:34:44] is currently zoned i3 and it lies within the airport noise impact overlay district and the the water supply protection overlay district this applicant is requesting approval to rezone the property from the i-3 district to the i-5 district to permit the development of either a contractor's office and shop new vehicle storage vehicle storage slash impoundment yard a storage yard or any combination of those uses three site layout options are proposed to allow for flexibility with two options depicting 20 000 square feet of potential buildable area and one option showing only vehicle storage the maximum proposed gross square

[03:35:19] footage on site would be 20,000 square feet, which equates to a 0.05 FAR. In all options, approximately 66% open space is proposed to be provided. And as shown here, we've got development options one and two, again, which proposed 20,000 square feet of development within a rectangular building envelope on site. For option one, it depicts the proposed building envelope in the northwestern corner of the site with a vertical slash north-south orientation on site, and then option 2 depicts the proposed building envelope in the middle of the developable portion of the site with a horizontal west-east orientation.

[03:35:57] In both options 1 and 2, the proposed parking spaces will be located around the edges of the developable portion of the property outside of the RPA, EQC, and floodplain. The subject property does not have direct access to Route 50. For all proposed development options, access to the site will be provided via an inter-parcel access point from the adjacent parcel lot 2b2 at the southwest corner of the site and then shown here is proposed development option number three this option proposes only surface parking which would be used for the storage of either new or used vehicles under this proposed option surface parking is proposed within the same limits of clearing and grading as shown for options one

[03:36:35] and two each development option includes an eight foot tall security fence to surround the proposed uses the northern portion of the fence would be constructed within the floodplain rpa and eqc along the existing sanitary sewer easement where the land has already been cleared of trees and additional landscaping. Additionally, picnic tables are proposed between the parking lot and the RPA, EQC, and floodplain. A 10-foot wide buffer is also provided between the limits of clearing and grading and the RPA slash EQC areas. With every proposed development option, this applicant proposes 261,660 square feet of 10-year tree canopy on site, a majority of which

[03:37:13] is provided through tree preservation within the eastern portion of the site. 7,000 square feet of 10-year tree canopy is provided via new tree plantings, and a minimum, as I said, of 66% open space would be provided on site with a majority of that proposed open space located within the northern and eastern portions of the site containing environmentally sensitive features.

[03:37:36] Any proposed building on site would be one story tall with a maximum height of 40 feet, and the proffers indicate that any principal structure on site would be in conformance with these precedent images shown here and included in the plans. And that concludes my presentation. Thank you so much. Thank you very much. At this time, I recognize the applicant for presentation.

[03:38:00] Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Again, good afternoon. I think to start, context is really key to a proper perspective on this plan amendment rezoning. Now, staff explained this is an undeveloped industrial site that is adjacent to and shares access with an established industrial park. In recent years, there have been logical and necessary discussions as to the need to respect the diminishing supply and availability of industrial zone land in Fairfax County. And essentially what is proposed here helps to preserve one of the last remaining areas in the county for certain necessary uses that are appropriate to that need and require, frankly, an industrial classification.

[03:38:40] In the same spirit of context, what is proposed here has no obvious impacts to any nearby or adjacent residential or non-commercial uses. It's also important to recognize that this is a site that currently has industrial zoning, I-3 to be specific, and this is therefore not an expansion of industrial zoned land. The approach here is also properly tactful and narrow. While there are pages and pages of potentially permitted uses in the I-5 zoning district, what is proposed here are only four potential uses, uses that make sense in the context of the site and one of the

[03:39:18] remaining industrial-oriented areas of the county. The difference between the currently unproffered I-3 and the proffered I-5 is fairly described as incremental, and consistent with well-settled benefits of this land use process, we've looked for opportunities to frankly create opportunities and improvements over the existing buy-right zoning scenario. The proffers not only contain use restrictions, they are 29 in total, and they also reflect a proper respect for the environmental features in the property in alignment with county policies on a range of environmental protection measures stormwater

[03:39:54] management and green building practices like many other commercial industrial parks in the county this one has multiple owners and does rely on a network of recorded public access easements over what are effectively private streets over the course of these applications we have come to find that there is not currently a uniform arrangement among the multiple owners to address practical maintenance considerations related to that shared access reality. That's a question that's been fairly raised by one of the commercial condominiums that governs two of the existing buildings in the industrial park and something that we are prepared to address as I'll explain

[03:40:33] in a moment. It's also worth remembering that shared access through the existing public access easements and that common access point to Route 50 that the staff showed is a foundational reality as to how this park is organized and operates. And based on the existing industrial zoning, the notion of the property developing and ultimately using the established access should be an expected reality. As compared to the other existing development in the park that operates on identical I-5 zoned land, we have proffered out the uses that have higher trip generation characteristics in an effort to

[03:41:10] respect the realities of the access as well. All that said, going forward, we are happy to be part of an effort to create some organization, and importantly, reasonably share in the maintenance costs of the access ways that serve the site and the associated private roads.

[03:41:28] Sharing maintenance going forward makes practical sense, and we are, again, prepared to be part of the solution and have conveyed our willingness to share costs with the condominium owners, and we'll continue those efforts outside of this process. We'd like to also thank the staff.

[03:41:43] This has been percolating around since around the pandemic time, and there's been predictably some reshuffling of trying to find the right rhythm and the right uses, but they've been generous in their time and we are here with the support of the staff and a unanimous recommendation from the Planning Commission. And I'd be happy to answer any questions. Thank you for your time and attention. Thank you very much. Are there any questions of staff or the applicant? Seeing and hearing none, this is a public hearing. I have let's see, I do have one speaker who has signed up to testify on this matter

[03:42:18] Nassim Saidi. I hope I'm pronouncing that right. And if there's anyone else here who wishes to testify on this matter, please come down and sign in with the clerk to my far right, to your left. Welcome. Thank you. Good afternoon, members of the board and county staff. My name is Nassim Saidi, and I serve as counsel to the Dulles South Court Condominium Association, whose owners and Tenants operate more than 40 small businesses at 3856 Dulles South Court.

[03:42:49] We appreciate the opportunity to supplement the detailed written testimony we have filed. The association is opening the use of its two-lane private street at Dulles South Court as the primary entrance for what the applicant describes as a contractor's yard and storage facility for up to 1,000 vehicles.

[03:43:09] Bottom line is that this application, if approved, would impose substantial burden on the association property unless some things are required of the applicant, including maintenance contributions. Since the deferral of the public hearing, association has been making repeated efforts in good faith to discuss with the applicant the association's oppositions and proposed accommodations.

[03:43:32] But the applicant's repeated response has been that they would not discuss the matter until after the rezoning application is approved, and that is very unfair to the association. If approved, the applicant will be the sole beneficiary at the expense of the owners of the association.

[03:43:47] The Dulles South Court was engineered in 2004 as an internal circulation drive for panel vans and passenger cars accessing condominium parking. The pavement narrows to 24 feet, contains multiple 90-degree bends, and terminates at a slope where even a single-unit box trucks struggle to turn.

[03:44:08] The applicant's operation will introduce multi-axle car carriers up to 75 feet in length and a continuous flow of individually-driven rental cars. Their own filings contemplates frequent trips, yet no traffic impacts analysis or payment study has been produced.

[03:44:31] Simply put, the geometry will not accommodate 18 vehicles without mounting curbs, occupying on-street spaces, and blocking the only fire rescue route for the condominiums building. Approval under these circumstances would contradict county design standards and expose all users to unacceptable delay.

[03:44:52] Today, with only condominium traffic, the signal at Route 50 already backs up behind beyond three cycles during peak hours. Adding several hundred daily trips from three separate directions will force drivers to queue inside the condominium, encouraging red light running and jeopardizing pedestrians.

[03:45:11] The applicant relies on a 2001 public access easement recorded three years before the condominium was created. The instrument grants only a non-exclusive right for the public and for county emergency maintenance and police vehicles. It does not compel private owners to host industrial truck traffic, nor does it override the Condominium Act or the association's recorded plots, which vest exclusive control of private street in the association.

[03:45:40] The applicant's own draft proffer recognizes that it still needs association's necessary permissions. Those permissions were formally denied after months of good faith outreach. The association offered alternatives, including direct access to Route 50 or Old Pleasant Valley Road, as well as capital participation in a third exit lane and a fair contribution to a $500,000 pavement restoration.

[03:46:08] Each proposal was either rejected or ignored. The association's small businesses will shoulder 100% of the wear, congestion, and liability, yet receive zero benefit. Repairs to the access road are estimated at half a million dollars, with annual maintenance of at least $10,000.

[03:46:26] Forcing these costs onto the community would be inequitable and contrary to the county's goal of protecting established enterprises. For these reasons, we respectfully ask the Board to deny the portion of the plan amendment and rezoning that authorizes vehicular access via Dulles South Court.

[03:46:43] At a minimum, please defer action until the applicant submits a full VDOT Chapter 527 Traffic Impact Study, a licensed engineering analysis confirming the road can meet industrial street and fire apparatus standards, and a written agreement approved by the association allocating construction and perpetual maintenance obligations.

[03:47:06] Absent these safeguards, the proposal imposes an undue and uncompensated burden on the association's community. Thank you for your time and for protecting the safety and the livelihoods of the existing businesses at Dulles South Court. Thank you, Ms. Seide.

[03:47:24] Let me ask if there are any other speakers. This is a public hearing. Anyone else in the auditorium who wishes to testify on this matter? Anyone else present who would like to speak? This is a public hearing. Seeing and hearing no one, let me ask if we have any callers. There are no callers.

[03:47:39] There are no callers. Give the applicant an opportunity for rebuttal. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I'm not sure I'd characterize what I'm going to say as rebuttal, but a couple points of clarification, I suppose. I would like to note for the record that with respect to the reference to a 527 transportation study that was looked at, it's simply not required.

[03:48:00] The thresholds aren't anywhere near being met based on what's proposed. I also want to state for the record that the applicant understands the practical limitations with respect to the configuration of the private street network and the associated limitations with so-called 18-wheel trucks.

[03:48:16] That's simply not the type of vehicle that will be used because of those limitations, and eyes are wide open as to that reality. And under no scenario would there ever be 1,000 cars practically stored on the property. Our own materials don't show anything near that scope and scale.

[03:48:33] And I'll sort of finish where I finished the primary presentation. We stand before you willing to work on the maintenance. These are not issues of first impression in this county or in these contexts. And it's a logical conclusion to say that in addition to the rights that exist in the public access easements that are held by the county, the owners ought to get together and come up with a reasonable approach to maintenance.

[03:48:57] To my knowledge, there's been at least two, possibly three meetings between the owners since this was deferred. I think we've got the communication open, hopefully a ground plane to build from, and the applicant has asked me to confirm or confer their willingness to continue those discussions and get to a reasonable point in the maintenance.

[03:49:16] It's in everybody's interest, and we'll make sure that happens. Nobody wants the uncertainty. So thank you for your time and attention. Again, we'd be happy to answer any questions. Thank you very much. Are there any further questions from board members? Seeing and hearing none, let me ask at this time if the staff would like to provide closing comments and a recommendation.

[03:49:39] Absolutely. On May 21st, 2025, the Planning Commission recommended the approval of the plan amendment, the concurrent rezoning, and the associated modification of the transitional screening and barriers. Staff concurs with their recommendation, subject to the proffers now dated August 22nd, 2025.

[03:49:55] Thank you very much. Last check questions. Supervisor Alcorn. Yeah, just a quick question for staff. I know projects require access to public streets. Does this project qualify for that, given the access across the private street?

[03:50:15] The GDP shows an access easement, which gets out to Route 50. Okay, thank you. Okay, any additional questions? Seeing and hearing none, I will now close the public hearing and recognize Supervisor Smith for a motion. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I will do a motion first for the comprehensive plan and then for the rezoning.

[03:50:36] I move that the Board of Supervisors adopt the Planning Commission recommendation for Plan Amendment SSPA 2023-Roman numeral 3-2BR as found in the board item. Mr. Chair will second that motion along with Supervisor Palchuk.

[03:50:52] Discussion on that motion? Seeing and hearing none. All those in favor of that motion, please say aye. Aye. Any opposed? Any abstentions? That motion carries. Supervisor Smith. I move that the Board of Supervisors approve RZ2020-SU-005, subject to the proffers dated August 22, 2025, and I further move that the Board of Supervisors approve a modification of subsection 5108.5 of the zoning ordinance requiring transitional screening and barriers on the eastern property boundary in favor of the existing landscape.

[03:51:27] You've heard the motion. It's been seconded by Supervisor Palczyk. Discussion on the motion? Seeing and hearing none. All those in favor, please say aye. Aye. Any opposed? Any abstentions? That motion carries, and that's all, Supervisor Smith. All right. Thank you very much. Let me get a verification. Are we at 4 o'clock? So we have two minutes.

[03:51:51] Two minutes before we call our final two 4 o'clock cases. We'll take a two-minute, very quick recess.

[03:56:21] It is now after 4 o'clock, and we are going to begin our public hearing on AR 92-V-001-03, Belmont Bay Farms Forestial District in the Mount Vernon District. And there is no affidavit for this type of application, so at this time I'd recognize the county staff for a presentation.

[03:56:43] Thank you, Mr. Chairman. My name is Sophia Fisher with the Department of Planning and Development. This application requests to renew the Belmont Bay Statewide Agricultural and Forestal District for an additional 10-year term. The 289-acre property is located on Belmont Boulevard.

[03:57:04] The property is zoned residential estate and is located in the Mill Branch and Cane Creek-run watersheds. The site has extensive environmental quality corridors, resource protection areas, and floodplain, as shown on the map.

[03:57:20] Approximately five acres of the site is used for residential, 49 have been historically used for agriculture, and about 235 acres are forested or open space. A soil and water quality conservation plan was prepared by the Northern Virginia Soil and Water Conservation District. Critical recommendations include nutrient and pest management and erosion control. Other recommended items include record keeping, pasture management, and pond management. The area forester inspected

[03:57:58] the property and determined that there have not been any substantial changes since the last renewal, and that the recommendations from the 2009 management plan should continue to be implemented, but it did emphasize that invasive species should be managed on the site. I should also note that the applicant is adding one small parcel to the district with this renewal. It's a little over one acre. The proposed district renewal satisfies all of the applicable criteria and meets the minimum district acreage and other requirements of the code. Should it be renewed, it would be

[03:58:34] expected to meet all other ordinance provisions. Based on the information from the applicant and staff's analysis, staff recommends approval of the renewal subject to the proposed ordinance provisions and this concludes my presentation and I'd be happy to answer any questions. Thank you. Thank you very much for that presentation.

[03:58:56] The applicant is permitted but not required to make a presentation. Is the applicant present? And you're welcome to share a few thoughts with us. Yes, my name is Churchill Huff. Thank you for having me here today. I'm representing three different landowner applicants that are part of this, but first First and foremost, I did want to thank Sophia and the rest of the team for helping us pull this application renewal together.

[03:59:24] She was very instrumental in that, coming down to visit the site with the supporting materials and guiding us through that application process. This is a parcel of land that has been in my family for about 85 years, 80 years or so.

[03:59:42] My grandfather acquired it in the 1940s and it's pretty much unchanged since then or at least the parcels that are sort of under, that are part of this application.

[03:59:59] He acquired it as a recreational property, he did some light farming on it over the years and that use has more or less continued today. It's a beautiful piece of property, and this is a great program to sort of alleviate any sort of immediate decision-making that would come without the program being present.

[04:00:26] So thank you for your time. I'm glad to field any questions. Thank you very much. Are there any questions of staff or the applicant's representative? I think we're good. Thank you very much. Closing comments and a recommendation from staff?

[04:00:43] think we already heard those staff recommends approval final check questions from board members seeing and hearing none I will now close the public hearing and recognize Supervisor Stork for a motion thank you mr. chairman and it is it's a pleasure and I know on behalf of Mason neck folks as well as the community overall this is a beautiful piece of property and we deeply appreciate its continued continued status as an agricultural and forestal district and the fact that it is still very much that 45 acres in agriculture 235 acres of forest

[04:01:16] some open space but just we all could see the pictures and that is very much what many parts of mason neck still look like and it's a it's really a pleasure to bring this forward and to support this i requested the applicant state on the record their acceptance of the ordinance provisions dated july 2nd 2025 i agree thank you i move that the board of supervisors approve application number AR92V00103 and amend Appendix E of the County Code to renew the Belmont Bay

[04:01:52] Farm's statewide agricultural and forestal district subject to the ordinance provisions dated July 2, 2025. Second. You heard the motion and multiple seconds. Is there any discussion on the motion? Seeing and hearing none, all those in favor of the motion, please say aye. Aye. Any opposed? Any abstentions? That motion carries. Thank you very much. Thank you.

[04:02:15] And finally, we have a public hearing on AFR 2009-SP-002-02, Crawford Local Agricultural and Forestral District Renewal in the Springfield District. And again, there is no affidavit for this type of application, so at this time we would recognize staff for a staff presentation. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. My My name is Natalie DeGraff with the Department of Planning and Development.

[04:02:47] This application requests renewal of the Crawford Local Agricultural and Forrestal District for an eight-year term. The 21.24 acre property is in the Springfield District. The subject property was previously in an Agricultural and Forrestal District originally approved in 2009 and renewed in 2017.

[04:03:07] The acreage of the district has remained unchanged and there has been no changes in the previous eight-year term. The property zone residential conservation is in the Water Supply Protection Overlay District. It is planned for a low-density residential use.

[04:03:23] The property is primarily forested at 14.2 acres. Agricultural use comprises 6.5 acres, and residential use comprises 0.64 acres. This site is located entirely within the Popeshead Creek Watershed and contains floodplain RPA EQC within the central portion of the property.

[04:03:44] A soil and water quality conservation plan was updated for the district in March of 2025. Recommendations include soil erosion, enhancing nutrient management, promoting integrated pest management, record keeping, and best management practices.

[04:04:01] The area forester recommended the applicant continue following the recommendations from the previous plan from 2009, and the application satisfies all Group A criteria and two Group B criteria. The AFDAC and Planning Commission and staff all recommend renewal of this application subject to the proposed ordinance provisions, and I would be happy to answer any questions.

[04:04:26] Thank you. Thank you very much. Are there any questions of staff? Not seeing any? Okay. At this time, again, it's not required, but if the applicant or applicant's representative would like to say anything, they're welcome to. Yes, sir.

[04:04:44] Thank you. I'm not much of a public speaker, so let me just start by thanking you all for this program. When we retired from the military 20 some odd years ago, we lived in Burke and we knew that Fairfax County was where we wanted to fulfill our cherished dream. So we started looking for land and we found four contiguous parcels just right outside of Clifton

[04:05:19] just off of Kinchlow Road, and we started building our forever house. And at some point, so we bought all four of these parcels. And one day, one of the neighbors said, have y'all, I grew up in Arkansas, have y'all ever heard of the Fairfax County Agricultural and Forestal District Program?

[04:05:45] Which I had not. He said, you need to look into that because it may help you. So we did look into it, and we said, whoa, this can really help us. We applied, and we were approved, and that's been almost 20 years, 17, 18 years now.

[04:06:04] And what this program did was really catalyze for us the idea of leaving behind that hectic life we had had for the previous 25 years and moving out to a more peaceful, serenely, is that a word, life in the country.

[04:06:27] And so we have enjoyed that, and the program has really catalyzed that. We had our horses, we tend our garden, we fish in the pond, and we watched our children grow in the environment, enjoying and embracing nature.

[04:06:50] So for all of those things, we're really grateful to the program and what it's given us. And because of that, we're trying now, have been trying, to give back so that we can help others.

[04:07:10] And so at this point, we're continuously improving the farm. For instance, with the county's help, the aquatic plants, whose name I can't pronounce, that was on the pond, they cleared up for us, so now we can fish again.

[04:07:34] We're fighting the wisteria that sort of plagues others as well, and we're removing the trees from heaven and all of those firefly, what do they call them, lanternfly things, to try and fix that up.

[04:07:55] At Ms. Hunter Nichols' advice, we've increased the buffer to the creek that runs through the property so we can help protect the downflow water and maybe the bay. And we're replacing the trees that we're removing with indigenous Virginia trees, both conifers and hardwoods.

[04:08:18] And this year also, as we've done in the years past, come October Clifton Day, which by the way is the 12th of October this year, we're going to open up our horse pasture for the Clifton Boy Scout troop.

[04:08:34] They park cars there so they can raise money for whatever activities that they do. So I just want to thank you all again, as I said earlier, for the program and what it's done for us, and we'll try and keep ourselves worthy of what it's giving us.

[04:08:53] Thank you. Thank you very much. Any questions, thoughts? We thank you. Thank you for that presentation and all that you do with such a beautiful piece of property, and to preserve that and provide community benefit, excellent presentation.

[04:09:09] At this time, this is a public hearing, and I have no speakers who have signed up in advance to testify on this matter. Is there anyone here present who would like to speak on this subject? This is a public hearing. Anyone who would like to testify? Seeing and hearing no one, let me verify we have no callers.

[04:09:26] No callers. No callers. Closing comments and a recommendation from staff? We did that. We recommended approval from the APDAC and the Planning Commission. Okay, very good. Last check, questions from board members. Seeing and hearing none, I will now close the public hearing and recognize Supervisor Herity for a motion.

[04:09:46] Yeah, let me start with the thank you, and then I'll get into the other. But thank you for your service, first of all, to our country, and then for keeping this beautiful property in the ANF. And thank you for everything you do for the community. That's a very popular parking spot for Clifton Day.

[04:10:04] But this is in the Ocacombe watershed. It's a source of much of our drinking water, and it's important that we keep it preserved and clean. So with that, I would, Mr. Chairman, I'd request the applicants state on the record their acceptance of the ordinance provisions dated July 9, 2025.

[04:10:22] Can you just come up and say yay? Yes, sir. We accept those. All right. Thank you so much. Mr. Chairman, I move that the Board of Supervisors approve application number AFR-2009-SP-002-02 and amend Appendix F of the County Code to renew the Crawford Local Agricultural and Forestal District, subject to the ordinance provisions dated July 9, 2025, which were contained in the staff report.

[04:10:53] So moved. Oh, wow, that sounded pretty unanimous. As the only other person that represents that area, I'm going to second that motion. Discussion on the motion. Seeing and hearing none, all those in favor of the motion, please say aye.

[04:11:09] Aye. Any opposed? Any abstentions? That motion carries. Thank you very much. Thank you all. Thank you. Thank you. And with that, that brings us to the end of our meeting of September 9th, 2025. And with that, our board is adjourned.

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