City Council to Vote Monday on Tax Increase, Budget Cuts, Affordable Housing Loan

By STAN FENDLEY
Falls Church Times Staff

March 21, 2010

The Falls Church City Council will vote Monday on preliminary approval of a 20-cent property tax increase, $9 million in budget cuts, including $2 million in school cuts, as well as final approval of a $2 million loan for affordable housing.

The affordable housing project, called “The Wilden,” will come first on the evening’s agenda.  Included will be a Special Exception ordinance allowing residential construction in a commercial area and approval of the $2 million City loan.

A City staff memo describing the details of the project is available at the City website, along with other background materials.

Following recommendations from the Falls Church Planning Commission, conditions will be added to the $2 million City loan for the project, including those relating to the use of proceeds from the potential sale of Winter Hill Apartments, the financing of land acquisition and parking construction on adjacent property at 360 S. Washington Street, and new loan default protections.

Also on the affordable housing agenda will be measures providing a tax exemption for the project and making related zoning code changes.

The staff memo relating to the affordable housing project also details arguments for and against the project made by members of the Falls Church Economic Development Authority and a number of Falls Church residents.

After taking action on the affordable housing project, the Council will take its preliminary vote on a FY2011 budget that cuts spending by almost $9 million and raises the City real estate tax from $1.07 to $1.27 per hundred dollars of value.  Under the proposed measure, the City FY2011 budget will be set at $64 million, as opposed to $73 million in FY2010.  The school operating budget will drop by $2 million, from $36.8 million in FY2010 to $34.8 in FY2011.

The City Council meeting will begin at 7:30 p.m. in Council Chambers, 300 Park Avenue.  The meeting will be showing on local cable television and via the Internet (link available at the City web site.)