MAN ABOUT TOWN: Why I DON’T Hate Falls Church
By GEORGE SOUTHERN
Falls Church Times Columnist
May 24, 2010
Everybody’s friend, Lindy Hockenberry, has been on my case for a while now — especially after I neglected to endorse her candidacy for City Council. In her most pointed criticism, she commented on my column last week:
“George, I’ve got to ask you—do you really think everything is so wrong in our city that you are so unhappy living here — or are you just trying to generate some reactions?”
Lindy is much too nice to employ the “hater” word, but I’ve been called that too – by a close relation to the mayor (but not by blood). Since I chose to live here, perhaps the insinuation is that I’m a “self-hater” – a self-hating Falls Churchite.
So why don’t I spend my weekly 800 words extolling the virtues of our pleasant little city, rather than always finding something to criticize? Because I write as an earnest, albeit unpaid, member of the Fourth Estate.
In the Americanized version, the first three estates are the three branches of government, and the Fourth Estate is the press. Notwithstanding its many failings, we still rely on the press to hold governments accountable — to expose and to critique – not just serve as the public relations arm of a city or a nation. And so I do my thing, and as of yet I’ve not run out of material.
After living in five countries, four states, and three jurisdictions inside the beltway, I brought my family to settle in Falls Church City. We had been living in Brussels, but still owned a spacious home in Fairfax County, only a short drive from the City, in the subdivision known as Lake Barcroft. In many ways it was idyllic: a large lake with sandy beaches, enough trees to make Falls Church, the “City of Trees,” seem a concrete jungle by comparison, little traffic, and, due to the lake, an ambient summer temperature 7 degrees lower than at Seven Corners.
But upon our return from Brussels we chose a townhouse in Falls Church over the suburban pleasures of Lake Barcroft. Why? Because we had become enamored of the European lifestyle, and Falls Church City, while hardly duplicating it, came a lot closer than Lake Barcroft, where everything other than walking your dog required an automobile (or four, in our case). It just no longer struck us as a sustainable, or even desirable, lifestyle.
Here in Falls Church, I often go a week without driving a car. Our 9-month old van still has under 6,000 miles, even after several long trips. We walk to the bus stop, the library, the drugstore, the hardware store, the hair salon, Cherry Hill Park, Panera, Starbucks, Hoang’s, Koi-Koi, Clare & Don’s, Argia’s, Four Provinces, the Lebanese Butcher, the State Theater, Elevation Burger, La Caraqueña, Blanca’s, the gym, the bike shop, the car repair shop, City Hall, Halalco grocery story, the swimming pool, and on and on (and soon to include Chipotle’s and Pizzeria Orso). When I attend staff meetings of the Falls Church Times, there’s not a member’s house I can’t reach on my bicycle in 10 minutes. Ironically, we do not bowl, even though we live behind one bowling alley, and previously, before the advent of Pearson Square, two.
What’s not to like? Well — plenty. There’s trouble in River City (I mean Mayberry). City leaders have known it for a long time. As a tiny, self-contained municipality unattached to a county, Falls Church City is not sustainable – certainly not in its present form. Only this year has that long-known fact begun to really make an impact, with a tax rate increase of 16 percent (which was not nearly enough). The City’s only hope for independent survival is through a metamorphosis into a Shirlington-Ballston kind of place – not what I had in mind when I moved here.
It’s not what the City fathers and mothers had in mind, either – at least, not at first. But after decades of near non-development, they adopted Plan B: if the stores won’t come to us, then let’s grow the residential base to create a market. And grow it they did – with four major high-rise condominium/apartment structures and more on the way. Shirlington, here we come — personified by Mad Fox Brewing Company.
On the one hand, I welcome the zing that Mad Fox hopefully will inject into an area that currently rolls up the sidewalks at 9 p.m. And we’d be delighted to walk to a Harris-Teeter in the proposed City Center. But none of that is enough to save the City tax-wise – not enough to fund our boutique school system. That would require a Broad Street resembling Tysons Corner — which, by the way, is impossible anyway because the commercial frontage is too shallow for large-scale development.
So I continue to plead my case, unpopular as it is. The only way to save the “village” nature of Falls Church City is through annexation with a county (I prefer Arlington). And in fact, annexation is inevitable, whether or not we destroy our 1950s ambiance in the meantime.
“Hater”?
Yep, I guess I am. Because I hate to see the village charm of this little town continue to disappear.
By George Southern
May 24, 2010
George, I am afraid you’re right. I hate to see the City of Falls Church have to become part of another jurisdiction, but I think it is inevitable. We maintain our own police, sherrif, city government and school system, and while they are first-rate, that does come with a cost. I’m honestly not sure how long the privilege of living in “Mayberry” (an apt phrase, IMHO) is going to be worth the extra cost.
I’m curious as to why you would prefer we merge with Arlington, though, since we came from Fairfax.
You go, George! Once again, you have accurately described the angst of long time residents. And Lindy Hockenberry? I’m sorry, but I don’t think she stands as the arbiter of what’s so great about Falls Church!
“The European lifestyle.” George has correctly named the thing I find most appealng about living in Falls Church. (Although I first experienced it in Australia.)
“So I continue to plead my case, unpopular as it is. The only way to save the “village” nature of Falls Church City is through annexation with a county (I prefer Arlington). And in fact, annexation is inevitable, whether or not we destroy our 1950s ambiance in the meantime.”
I’ve been reading your columns for several months now and find them refreshingly honest. However, is there any evidence that Arlington County would take us? It seems that they have enough problems of their own. Also, what would happen to George Mason/MEH/Mt. Daniel, all of which are located in Fairfax County? Sold at auction? Turned into continuing educations centers?
As a newly arrived (2008) resident, I was curious about City history. There must have been budget problems in the recessions of the 70′s, early 80s and the late 80s. How did we survive then?
More than likely we’ll revert to Fairfax County. That’s something I’m not looking forward to, FCPS reputation notwithstanding. My kids will lose the small school atmosphere, opportunity to play varsity sports and the personal teacher support they receive at Mason. I see them getting lost in one of the mega high schools of McLean, Marshall or Falls Church. Not what I signed up for when I bought our expensive house.
Brad,
All the reasons you give (a portion of your comment below), are what makes the CITY of Falls Church a special place to live….and you’d give that up because your taxes (during these bad times) have gone up $50 or $100 a month?
===================================================
More than likely we’ll revert to Fairfax County. That’s something I’m not looking forward to, FCPS reputation notwithstanding. My kids will lose the small school atmosphere, opportunity to play varsity sports and the personal teacher support they receive at Mason. I see them getting lost in one of the mega high schools of McLean, Marshall or Falls Church. Not what I signed up for when I bought our expensive house.
I absolutely don’t want to give it up and am willing to pay higher taxes to keep it. But will it be enough? I’m concerned that it won’t be.
Hey now, that’s a lot of doom and gloom – can we at least bias ourselves to the gloom and shelve the doom? Yes, I feel pretty gloomy as I pull out the checkbook to pay next week’s tax installment, but I don’t buy the doom argument. Better decision making could help:
1. Showers for bicyclists on Hillwood just because Spendulus would build them? I’m a skeptic – who pays the janitorial staff to keep the place clean? Sounds like the kind of facility that gets permanently locked up because there’s no budget to pay the upkeep. No thanks, Jim Moran.
2. Is low income housing in on a commercially zoned property the best use? True commercial would generate more revenue – this decision was a dis-service. Here’s hoping a challenge arises that kills off this weed.
3. Trees are referenced in George’s article and he’s right – FC is a tree city in name only. Why don’t we kill off the entire tree department? People will plant trees without the city’s pesky intervention… so we lose the “tree city” designation by not having the staff – that moniker doesn’t generate a dime of tax revenue. Urban lore about trying to work with that notoriously difficult shop does discourage development (residential and commercial) which in turn impairs growth of the tax base.
4. How’s about metered parking along 7 during non-rush? People might actually stop to visit a businesses if they could find a place to park… and those quarters might help pay the cost of that special parking enforcement car the city already owns. Maybe meter both Park and Maple as well.
5. If there’s no plan to distribute the resultant mulch, the City shouldn’t collect the raw materials that creates it. Cancel leaf collection and let homeowners deal with their own leaves… who knows maybe a landscape company or two will get a new customer.
6. How’s about market rates for booths at events like the Memorial Day Parade? Take a look at the size of the crowd this coming weekend – surely there’s a way to make it a positive net-income event (if it isn’t already).
As long as the city has citizens they will offer ideas. Some of them might actually be good (not to say that any of mine are…) Anyways, that’s why I don’t buy into doom.
Rob, related to your #6, do you know what rates the City charges for Memorial Day booths (or Farmers Market or anything else)? I agree, the City should be sure to be getting a fair cut of that. During the budget process I dug into the Events part of the budget and it did seem to be a net positive… but not by much.
I think #5 is tricky if most people would end up bagging their leaves and throwing them out in the trash – that would have an equal (or greater) cost I think (but I’m just guessing).
Whenever George writes about this idea my main question is – why would joining Arlington or Fairfax prevent the changes that George is trying to avoid? He references Shirlington… isn’t that in Arlington County? Or is the idea that the changes will happen anyway and if we join a county it will just be cheaper for us? It really makes no sense to me that we could join a county and magically get to keep Mayberry the way it is.
I have lived here almost all of my life. I am a graduate of the school system. My son is also graduate. The school system is obviously most important to folks. Need to somehow keep control as an independent City school district of some sort….if that is even possible or legal. Turn over everything else and get cross-serviced, preferably by Arlington County. The City cannot continue to operate as it now does, and serve the interests of all citizens – - families, singles, retirees, etc. It is not financially-viable to do so for a 2.2. square mile municipality in today’s world unless there is a major shift in the ratio of residential tax base to business tax base….and I am not sure a majority of folks want to see a Broad Street that resembles Leesburg Pike near Tysons or Bailey’s Crossroads. It is a terrible dilemma – - one that has existed for a long time and will only continue to get worse…..”treading water” is about the best we can hope for.
Another gloomy Monday and sure enough another post of gloom and doom from George—let the sunshine in please. First of all, let’s disperse with any form of delusional thinking on my part to even think that you would endorse me for council or anyone else who might share my opinions on our city’s future. Many of us had that pegged way back when FCT started. I’m over the election—really— and now feel a little more free to express my opinions more and not worry about my reputation for trying to be so “nice” all the time.
Also, I have no problems with the Fourth Estate as long as the truth and factual commentating prevail and don’t throw the FCNP at me. Now, you write an opinion piece with the main thread being that we can’t continue as an independent city and that the only solution that you propose is annexation with Arlington—that is where we greatly differ and I will continue to be on your case about that. I am a proud member of those who are passionate about our city and our schools and because of that passion I will not abdicate what little power I have to strive for ways for us to continue our independence in the future.
Much has been written by people on this site saying that they agree with you and why don’t we just go ahead and see if Arlington or Fairfax would take us. They seem to think that all of our problems would be solved, our taxes would go down and our beloved little village would just go on into happyville—what are they NOT thinking!
First development—Clarendon—Ballston—I would hope for Shirlington but not likely. With either jurisdiction dense development would come—we are prime property—location, location, location! Do you think we’d have a say in that? No way.
Second schools—GMHS/MEHMS sit on one of the most valuable properties in all of northern Virginia and at a metro site! With either—it is gone into very dense development. Mt. Daniel? Maybe with Fairfax—gone with Arlington. TJ? Would maybe stay. There is so much more that would change and not what I would want—hope we don’t get what some are wishing for.
What we do need is solid long-term development to broaden our tax base. Here I need to quote you “after decades of near non-development, they adopted plan B…” and yes, I am proud that we did finally go from the empty lot/under producing properties/abandoned buildings just sitting there for years theory of economic development and brought new revenues into our city—and I kinda like all of those new people. I’m glad they want to live here. Another great observation”…Broad Street resembling Tysons…impossible because the commercial frontage is too shallow for large-scale development.” Thank you for seeing that as a problem. So much for all of those people calling it condo canyon.
What lies in our future? Two new members on council added to others already on council who don’t want any new development if #1 it is by their homes or #2 with any new people—please just go home at night and work here only during the day. And also, please be able to afford yourselves—don’t want to have to help you out. Not too good as I see it. We need to change those attitudes—our independent future depends on it! Let the sunshine in!
Andy, costs for Memorial Day booths range between $50 and $190. You can find out all of the options at: http://www.fallschurchva.gov/Content/Government/Departments/CommunityServices/RecsParks/VendorApps.aspx?cnlid=2362
One can also sponsor various events at Memorial Day and other events:
http://www.fallschurchva.gov/Content/Docs/SponsorshipBrochure.pdf?cnlid=2483
Post-merger, would Rte 7 continue appear as it does now, or would it look like Wilson Blvd in Clarendon? Maybe it would look more like Columbia Pike? Or Westover? Will there be a library to walk to? Who will decide? It won’t be local voters.
A reasonable ratio of commercial to residential values and a willingness to pay higher taxes **ought** to support some modest “extra” amenities for residents, such as our schools.
Today, however, we clearly don’t have the right balance between our desires and our ability to finance them. We seem to have had the right balance in the 1980s. What happened?
Can we compromise on spending so as to maintain SOME amenities that are better than those of our neighbors? Is it really all or nothing?
Today the power to make those decisions is still in our hands. Merging into Arlington or Fairfax will get us Arlington/Fairfax taxes **and** services. Why is that a good bargain?
Hillel—I don’t think we had the right balance in the 80′s. As a matter of fact, we almost lost our school system with drastic drops in enrollment. Tyler Gardens was demolished and Cherry Hill built and that took some time. People weren’t moving so no new families. We had three elementary schools k-6 and GM 7-12 and when I started teaching in 1969, I think we had about 2,500 kids. We closed one elementary school, Madison, and kept the 6th grade at GM after renovating TJ, K-1 at MT.D and 2-5 at TJ. We even began to recruit kids for kindergarten and started accepting tuition students. We dropped from double AA sports to single A. Also, we were laying off teachers. If the right balance was to not have greater expences for schools maybe, but it was a difficult time. Maybe someone on the SB could get those dates and numbers for us.
Gordon, thanks for the links!
So much (negative) passion for OUR city. With all the vacancies on our Boards and Commissions why don’t you (citizens of FC) volunteer and help us that do volunteer (and vote), keep our City independent and viable. WE can do it, Working Together……
Rob, regarding item #4. The parking officer is a bright spot in the budget….his yearly cost is 28,000 ( 20G for part time wages, 8G for his car). The Police Dept was clear…he brings in much, much more in revenue than he costs. If you check out the budget docs for the Police Dept you will see the info.
George,
I for one very much appreciate your commentary and respect the crucial role of “the fourth estate” in a democratic society. I also think that we really need the bad idea of giving up Falls Church City’s independent status foisted about so that we can all talk it over and hopefully go in an entirely different direction.
Please someone correct me if I am wrong, but my understanding is that we can NOT “back-door” our way into Arlington County. Virginia law would require that we return to the County from which we incorporated (declared our independence and became a City); and that would be Fairfax. It is also my understanding that Arlington is also prevented (by their Charter from the Legislature) from annexing any land. Again, I believe a return to Fairfax County is our only option.
So any conversation about associating with Arlington (at least to my understanding) is moot. We can not do it.
So what would it mean to return to Fairfax? It will mean our kids will go to a High School with student bodies larger than my undergraduate College. It would mean constant school redistricting battles. It would mean trekking to Fairfax Government center to do any kind of business. It will mean no local control over decision-making on schools, development, services, events, etc. We would become a very-small neighborhood in a very large county; and we would have a greatly diminished voice. We would not have our own Commissioner of the Revenue, or Treasurer, or Sheriff, or Council, or City Staff, or School Board.
Some may relish in the idea that incorporating with Fairfax will eliminate those Falls Church City functions and shave $5 a day off of their tax burden. With that being said, I don’t understand why people who are in favor of incorporating Falls Church into Fairfax County don’t just move there now. The Housing market in Falls Church seems red-hot. There has probably not been a better time in recent memory to sell a home in Falls Church City, vote with your feet, and move to close-by Greater Falls Church (Fairfax County) neighborhoods like Pimmet Hills, Seven Corners, Greenway Downs, Bailey’s, Jefferson, etc…. I did a quick review of those Fairfax areas and saw numerous single family homes in those areas listed for less than $400K. We will absolutely welcome you with wide open arms to come spend your money at the drugstore, the hardware store, the hair salon, Panera, Starbucks, Hoang’s, Koi-Koi, Clare & Don’s, Argia’s, Four Provinces, the Lebanese Butcher, the State Theater, Elevation Burger, La Caraqueña, Blanca’s, the gym, the bike shop, the car repair shop, Halalco grocery story, and on and on (and soon to include Chipotle’s and Pizzeria Orso). Interestingly though, there are NO homes in that same less than $400K price range in Falls Church City. Lowest priced SFH in the city is $550k. How could that be? Hillwood and Birch and Tyler Park are just across the street from the economic Armageddon that is Falls Church City. Those neighborhoods have the Full Faith and Credit of the Fairfax Leviathan at their back. Those folks are paying so much less in taxes, how can their houses be so much cheaper than the houses in the sinking ship City of Falls Church? I wonder why that is? What is it that distinguishes Falls Church City from those other close-by areas. Could it be our independent schools and top notch services? Hmmmmm…..Maybe that’s worth saving, worth fighting for. You say that annexation is inevitable. For the record, I don’t think anything is inevitable – nothing is written. Food for thought.
Greg –
Your comment is the most comprehensive I have received. Thank you! I may make it the basis for a subsequent column, since I have answers to every point you raise. However, I’m giving our readers a break over Memorial Day and will not revisit this issue immediately. In the meantime, since you’re soon to be installed as a School Board member, start chewing on this: the schools are overflowing, and your Board says we need a new $50 million high school. The City is unable to take on that debt — unlike the federal government, we can’t just keep raising the debt ceiling. Your move.
-George
George,
When I was a little boy and I would beg for something I “wanted” in a grocery store line like say a pack of baseball cards – my Mom would tell me that “I was old enough now for my “wants” not to hurt me (as an aside I now employ this same technique on my daughters).
I suspect the School System, and the rest of the City for that matter, is entering a period where we are going to have to concentrate on satisfying “needs” and our “wants” will have to be delayed. Yes, everyone “wants” a new high school. The question is do we really “need” one? Two months from now, I may be writing a letter in this paper rallying for a new High School right now; but I’m not there yet. I will admit that, in the near term, we (City Leaders) will have to be innovative in our approach to satisfying facility and service needs. But that doesn’t mean throwing our hands in the air and running to Fairfax County with surrender documents. I’m not even sure that in the long term, we won’t be better suited than Fairfax County to weather this storm. If there is something that is inevitable, I would submit it is a reversal in the string of bad economic and legal news that has plagued the City over the past year or so. We have new people coming on Council and School Board. We have opportunities for new ideas and direction. I just want to make sure that new direction is one aimed at City improvement and not City capitulation.
Let’s sit down and have coffee and talk about it.
George,
Yep, I brewed beer in Shirlington at the very successful Capitol City Brewing Company that injected a lot of tax money into Arlington County, the Commonwealth and the Federal Government and employed over 75 people from dishwashers to General Managers.
I can only hope to do the same in Falls Church. Maybe I will see you at our place in July.
Cheers,
Bill Madden
CEO/Brewer
Mad Fox Brewing Company
Greg, I agree with you. If Fairfax County is so appealing to some of you, by all means, move! We’ve all heard stories about the wait lists for before- and after-school care, the long bus rides for their students (and for commuters!), classroom sizes, and all sorts of bureaucracy woes not related to the schools, not to mention HOA dictates about the color of the azalea you can plant. And sure, our city and its governance have been far from perfect, but are some of you so fickle that you’ll dump on the diamond in the rough for the sparkling Diamondique all around us when the going gets tough?
Further, I’m not convinced we “need” a new high school, either. That said, I don’t necessarily “want” to, but I do “need” to carefully read the Board’s reasoning before I come to a firm opinion, though.
Just a clarification- the school board has not said we need a new high school now- the school board has said we need a long term facilities master plan. That plan might include a new or renovated or expanded high school, but it also needs to include a complete look at the K-12 facilities needs. There have been long held assumptions about a high school project being next, but the board wanted to step back and really study the needs first.
You can read the various documents and current status of the project at
http://www.fccps.org/board/facilitystudy/index.html
The various documents there are the result of a year long study and work by various committees that included hiring experts on planning, demographics, architecture, etc, and the city and school staff and elected officials working together to analyze needs- expected population growth, condition of facilities, safety and security, potential school sites, etc. It is quite possible that the population growth will dictate a more pressing need at the elementary level than the HS level. Part of this discussion also involves a review of the grade configurations. The goal is to not spend any money until there is a long term plan, so that any expenses move us towards the long term goals, even if we have to stretch things out over a longer time period.
The next steps will be to finalize the reports and adopt a plan (and the plan would then be subject to revision as conditions change). The school board took some action Tuesday night to move the process forward, including proposals being discussed to form a number of subcommittees that would involve the broader community in issues such as potential sites (including comparing the pros and cons of the current sites versus alternatives), partnering with developers and other parties, long term funding issues, etc. If you want to read more about that proposal and the action taken Tuesday, take a look at the agenda and supporting materials posted on BoardDocs at the FCCPS web site.
Ron
Ron — Thank you for the clarification, but may I make a clarification to your clarification? Your statement that the School Board only wants a “master plan” doesn’t sound as expensive as a new school building. But the web link you provide states it in black and white: $50 million for “construction projects” just three years from now. Your comment neglects to mention dollars, so it’s worth repeating: $50 million. And as to whether this is a “want” or a “need,” I guess that depends on how many trailers we “want” or “need.” And trailers are not good places to serve lunch or play basketball. The projections are that Mount Daniel and TJ will be full by 2015 and George Mason by 2016. Do we wait until the schools (and trailers) are full before construction begins? Thank goodness the current School Board chairman will be sitting on City Council! A lot of communication needs to take place.
No disagreement here!
We can not just wait. One of the driving forces when we launched the study last year was that we did not want to simply wait and then not have as many options. We wanted to be sure that before we put a shovel in the ground, we had some agreement that we were working on projects that fit the long term goals, rather than just responding and never quite getting on the right track. The school board did request the $50 million number for the budget, but the council scaled it back to $30 million to fit the formulas they use for debt availability. There is no plan on the table that says “here is how we will spend $30 million.”