First Vice President Jeff Parnes called the meeting to order at 7 p.m.

Council Members:

Charles Fleming – Chantilly Farm HOA

Lewis Grimm – 2nd Vice President, Franklin Farm Foundation

Judith Hesinger – Bull Run Civic Association

Jim Horner – Century Oaks

Priscilla Knight – Secretary, Sully Station II

Bob Lerch – Rocky Run

Jeff Parnes – 1st Vice President, Chantilly Highlands

Rick Vaughan – Dartmoor Woods HOA

Presenters/Guests:

Tim Belcher – Dewberry

Tom Biesiadny – Director, Fairfax County Department of Transportation

Marci Bonner – Land Design

Young Ho Chang

Michael Coyle – Sup. Frey’s office (Transportation)

Michael Frey – Sully Supervisor

Jim Hart – BZA/PC

Jon Hickox – The Winery at Bull Run

Meaghan Kiefer – Sup. Frey’s office (Land Use)

Jim Lennon, HOD District 67

John Litzenberger – Sully Planning Commissioner

Rob Lofdis – Smith/Packett

Sara V. Mariska, Esq., Walsh, Colucci, Lubeley, Emrich & Walsh, P.C.

David Marsden, Senator, District 37

Nick Perfili – FCDOT

Jon Puvak – Walsh Colucci

Fionnuala Quinn – FABB

Tom Richard – FCDOT

• Michael Frey, Sully District supervisor, spoke to the council and guests about the financial challenges of funding transportation improvements in Fairfax County. He said there’s no money from Richmond for state secondary roads -- all routes with the 600-some number are secondary. Whatever money becomes available will be used for road maintenance.
• Tom Biesiadny, Director, Fairfax County Department of Transportation gave a background briefing on the situation. He said road construction and maintenance is a state responsibility, but funding from the state is going down. He said his office has estimated that the deficit is about $3 million a year. He asked for citizens’ opinions regarding the Transportation Funding Survey by 4:30 p.m. on Oct. 12.
• How Transportation is Funded in Fairfax County
  • Roads – federal, state and private funding. Fairfax County uses bonds to pay for many roads.
  • Transit Services – Metro, the Connector, and VRE funds come from state, regional, and private sources, including fares.
  • Bike and Pedestrian Paths are paid for with private and government funds.
• Current Transportation Funding
  • Federal transportation funding has been capped for the next two years. Beyond then, we don't know how much will be allocated. The federal government has made loans more available, but the loans must be repaid.
  • State funding for secondary roads has decreased from $29 million in Fiscal Year 2004 to $0 in FY 2010. By FY 2017, all state funding must be used for highway maintenance. There will be nothing left over to match federal highway construction funds.
  • State funding for transit is essentially flat, despite growing needs.
  • Commercial and industrial enterprises are being assessed an 11 percent tax per $100 assessed value to help pay for transportation, but it must go to existing commitments.
  • The County anticipates a huge deficit from FY 2012 to FY 2021.
    • $8.1 billion in needs
    • -5.1 billion in anticipated revenues from existing source
    • $3.0 billion in deficit (10-year total)
  • Fairfax needs $300 million per year for transportation.
• The Funding Problem
  • To meet the existing and projected needs of Fairfax County, new sources of revenue must be found or expectations and the number of projects must be reduced even further.
  • Impacts of Reduced Funding
    • Virginia has been ranked as number 1 for business by CNBC, but Virginia has gone from 1st to 3rd and from 10th to 33rd in transportation and infrastructure quality. Failure to maintain and improve roads will mean longer commutes, more air pollution from stalled traffic, and fewer jobs if businesses do not considered the Commonwealth a good place to work.
• County Projects Needed
  • None of the projects identified for providing additional road capacity are funded.
  • Examples of Unfunded Projects:
    • Tysons Corner redevelopment
    • Base Realignment -- BRAC
    • Transit service
    • Activity centers -- Bailey’s Crossroads, Reston, Springfield, and McLean
    • Bike and pedestrian trials
  • Types of Projects:
    • Spot/corridor projects
    • Bus capital and operation
    • Interchanges
    • Road widening and extensions
    • Bike and pedestrian trails
    • No Metrorail expansions have been funded.
    • Maintenance includes mowing, repairing curbs and potholes, storm drains, snow plowing, etc.
• Benefit-Cost Analysis
  • FCDOT, working with a consultant, has produced a working tool that can be used to help select projects to fund.
• New Sources of Funding
  • Additional local revenue sources could make improvements. Revenues raised in the County will stay in the County.
  • Revenue Options – The General Assembly would have to authorize a higher tax rate for sales, gas, hotel, or vehicle rental, etc. Fairfax County can authorize higher income, meals, real estate, personal property, commercial and industrial tax rates. It can require more developer contributions; it can also reduce the number of projects.
• What Can Citizens Do?
  • Take the county's transportation funding survey.
  • A Summary of the survey results and comments will be presented to the Board of Supervisors at their Oct. 23 meeting.
• Questions from the Audience

  Q: Where does personal property tax go? A: The general fund

  Q: Where is BRAC funding coming from? A: The federal government is paying for road improvements near Fort Belvoir.

  Q: John Litzenberger asked whether the 2.1 percent tax for Metro goes to help sustain the entire Metro system or just the system in the County. A: This tax is based on a formula that includes the number of riders and stations. Since people in Fairfax ride Metro throughout the system, tax money should go to support the subway system.

  Q: Are all jurisdictions across the state affected by the decline of secondary-road funding, which has gone to zero? A: Senator Mars den said all Virginia counties have had funding cut for secondary roads. The Fair Lakes/Fairfax County Parkway improvement is being paid for with federal ARRA stimulus funds and some funds from the Commonwealth. Sen. Mars den noted that the General Assembly passed a 17 percent gas tax years ago, but today that equates to just 8 percent in real dollars. The state’s economy has changed, because the economy is so bad in Southside and Southwest Virginia. For these regions, the biggest concern is education funding. Therefore it’s difficult to get a majority of state representatives to allocate money for transportation in Northern Virginia.

  Q: Lewis Grimm asked more questions about the secondary road funding. A: Delegate Jim Lennon said Richmond changed the number of the Fairfax County Parkway so that it will qualify for more funding. He said Northern Virginia is getting more than its fair share of funds for road construction compared to the rest of the state, but since we put more vehicles on roads, the roads will need more maintenance. Sen. Mars den said we can't borrow anymore money.

  Q: Why are some roads improved and others not? A: Del. Lennon said VDOT is supposed to score the roads every five years and fix the worst problems, such as potholes. He is trying to get answers for why some roads are being improved and some aren't.

  Q: Ms. Knight asked why the grass along some roads is mowed and not along other roads. A: Sup. Frey said the HOAs are doing the mowing along Stone Road. Sen. Mars den said that he has gotten jail inmates to do mowing and trash pickup along the roads. Sup. Frey said they used to use state prisoners, but they posed too much of a risk.

• Supervisor Frey said the Braddock Road and Pleasant Valley Road intersection needs to be fixed. VDOT proposed a roundabout several years ago, but the reduction in secondary-road funding killed it years ago. The Loudoun Board of Supervisors will match $1 million from the state to improve the intersection, but the project requires $5-$6 million, to include fixing the “huge drainage problem.” Frey said VDOT is going to pull together all the engineering and will meet with elected officials to discuss what should be done. He emphasized that nothing will not be done right away. Frey noted that since Fairfax has no secondary money for improving the intersection, Loudoun County will need to pay more or find more funding.

1. 8:30
   • Residential Development on EDS site fronting Centreville Road between Wall Rd and Cox Offices
   • Proponent: Sara V. Mariska, Esq., Walsh, Colucci, Lubeley, Emrich & Walsh, P.C.
   • Action: Site Plan
   • Location: EDS site fronting Centreville Road between Wall Rd and Cox Offices, Oak Hill, Virginia 2017
   • Sara reports that they have received Staffing comments from Fairfax County and have submitted their responses. The EDS Site will go to the Planning Commission on October 17 and the Board of Supervisors on October 30 so she wants update the Sully District Council in advance of the Planning Commission hearing and Board hearing.
     This revision to the plan most recently presented to the SDC this May increases the number of townhouses and rearranges existing open space

     Sara Mariska, Esq., from Walsh, Colucci, Lubeley, Emrich & Walsh, P.C, presented a proposal to modify the mix of units in the Timber Ridge section near Wall Road. They will have 198 two-story condos, 180 elevator condos, 340 multi-family apartments, 85 townhouses, and the rest will be condos. There will be 65 combined affordable and workforce units. All units will be for sale except for the multi-family apartments. The changes will make the project more economical. The developer will continue to commit to the road improvements on Centreville Road, etc. They will have a field improvement plan. They will establish a berm along Centreville Road.
     Marcie from Land Design showed the artist’s renditions of the landscaping. The development will have 80 feet from the road to the buildings, which will give them plenty of room to plant trees and bushes.
     Ms. Mariska said the developer hopes to begin construction in spring 2013. Construction will take about four years. She said they will keep the SDC informed and she asked for our support.
     Currently, Lincoln does not have plans to proceed with the retail section of the area until the economy improves. Jeff Parnes said Chantilly Highlands homeowners are disappointed that the retail plans will not go forward as an integral part. Tim Belcher from Dewberry said Lincoln may begin construction for retail before the residential section is completed.
     Belcher said there will be five ball parks with about 268 parking spots.
     John Litzenberger said it would be nice to have some units constructed with universal design in accordance with the Americans Disability Act, ADA, for disabled veterans for the workforce units. He noted that some disabled veterans will probably be working in the government buildings nearby.

     By CONSENSUS, the SDC is amenable to the implementation of universal design for some of the units and it has no objections to the proposed changes for the development.

     The Chantilly Highlands community members will meet on Oct. 1 to hear more about the project.
     Subsequent to the Chantilly Highlands presentation Ms. Mariska provided the following:

     • Fact Sheet
     • Site Plan
     • Aerial View of Property
     • Buffer Images
     • Centreville Road Buffer Views
     • Views of Main St
     • Garden Park Conceptual Plan
     • Play Park Conceptual Plan
     • Public Park Concept Plan
     
     The staff report recommended approval

2. 9:00
   • Proponent: Jonathan D. Puvak and Lynne Strobel, Walsh Colucci Lubeley Emrich & Walsh, P.C.
   • Action: Rezoning and development application for an independent living and medical care facilities
   • Location: Centreville Road, to the north of McLearen Road
     At our June meeting we heard, and had no objection to, a presentation to locate both a senior citizen assisted living and nursing facility on Centreville Road north of its intersection with McLearen Rd.
   • The Health Care Advisory Board held a public meeting on September 10 to their review Rezoning/Final Development Plan Application number RZ/FDP 2012-SU-010
     • The proposed site is located on 8.46 acres northwest of the Centreville Road (Rt. 657) and McLearen Road intersection. The applicant is seeking approval to build a residential nursing and independent/assisted living facility: One hundred senior independent living units and about 60 units for assisted living, some of which will be memory care units, will be located in a four-story building measuring 162,498 square feet. The skilled nursing facility will be housed in a separate two-story 83,740 square foot building containing a total of 96 units, or 166 beds.
     • This facility will replace Commonwealth Care Center, located in the City of Fairfax; existing services must be relocated because of a decision made by lnova Health System, the original proprietor, to divest its nursing home business but retain the real property housing those services. To construct the new nursing home, the project proposes to use the 143 licensed beds at Commonwealth Care Center plus 23 beds from the Cameron Glen Care Center located in Reston.
     • HCAB reviews zoning and special exception applications for medical care facilities from a health care rather that land use perspective, using such criteria as community and medical need, access to care, cost, quality and continuity of care. The HCAB will make recommendations regarding the proposal to the Board of Supervisors and the Planning Commission.
   • The proponents returned to keep the SDC current with their on-going progress:
     • Jon Purvak from Walsh, Colucci, Lubeley, Emrich & Walsh, P.C, and Rob Lofdis from Smith Packett presented plans for two facilities next to each other on Centreville Road. They will be near Rachel Carson Middle School, just north of McLearen Road. The proposal is to rezone the area to allow two buildings: one for independent, assisted, and memory-assisted living; the other for nursing and rehabilitation. They will be separate operations.
     • Sixty units in the assisted living side will be for Alzheimer’s patients.
     • The independent-living facility will have an underground parking lot.
     • The existing Commonwealth Health Rehabilitation is being relocated here and part of Cameron home.
     • Mr. Parnes, Ms. Knight, and other SDC members mentioned that the two facilities should be connected somehow so residents do not have to go outside into the elements if they have to go from one building to the next.
     • The presenters said they have designed a sidewalk entrance from the complex to Rachel Carson School so that the residents can volunteer in classrooms if they so choose.
     • Mr. Lofdis said they have built these buildings before; they are prototypical.
     • The developers will proffer a LEED certification for the construction. It was noted that triple-paned windows would not only save energy, but reduce traffic sounds for the residents.
   • By CONSENSUS, the SDC agreed to recommend that The Crossings have: some sort of integration between the two facilities in case residents have to move into the nursing home for awhile; an enclosed skyway or a tunnel between the two buildings so a spouse or friend can easily visit someone in the other building; and a covered area for picking up and dropping off residents because it takes awhile to assist the elderly.

3. 9:30
   • Proponent: Jim Hickox
   • Action: Agricultural and Forestal District - AF 2012-SU-001
   • Location: 15950 Lee Highway, Centreville, VA
     Fairfax County accepted their application for a 21-acre Agricultural and Forestal District, with their Planning Commission public hearing on 17 October and the Board of Supervisors' hearing on 30 October/
     A copy of their application as well as their statement of justification is posted for review.
   • Mr. Jon Hickox from the Winery at Bull Run is asking for an Agricultural and Forestal District designation.
   • The winery abuts Bull Run, Mr. Hickox said his family has 21 acres for their Bull Run winery. They want to preserve the historical features and looks. They will have two acres of vineyards and 14 acres of woods, etc.
   • Mr. Parnes explained that with such a district, the Hickox family would be entitled to a tax abatement for eight years. The land use can be either agricultural or forestry. The land owners must retain the history of the area. The commitment is that the land owners will not develop the land for at least eight years. They need to have at least 15 acres to qualify and the Hickox family does.
   • By CONSENSUS, the SDC had no objections to the application.
   • After the meeting, Jim Hickox provided photos of the Bull Run Winery

     Approach Drive with Fence and Vines	Artifact Case	Artifact Case	Artifact Case	Casks
     Gates to Casks	Foundation of Old Farmhouse	Foundation of Old Farmhouse Historical Marker	Panoramic View	Visitors Center
     Visitors Center Counter	Visitors Center Tables	Picnic Tables

The meeting was adjourned at 10:30 p.m.

Respectively submitted by,

Jeffrey Parnes
1st Vice President
Sully District Council