Council to Meet in Closed Session on Water Suit

By STAN FENDLEY
Falls Church Times Staff

Jan. 25, 2010

The Falls Church City Council will meet in closed session at 7:30 pm tonight to discuss the City’s water litigation against Fairfax County Water Authority.  The Council will begin its normal open session at 8:30 pm.

In its open session, the Council will receive the Planning Commission’s annual report by Planning Commission chairman John Lawrence, receive a report from City Manager Wyatt Shields, and then consider a number of measures, including:

• (TO 10-01) Ordinance To Amend The Budget Of Expenditures And Revenues of the General Fund, Water Fund and Capital Improvement Project Fund For The Fiscal Year 2010 (John Tuohy, CFO) (1st reading 1-11-10)
• (TO 10-02) Ordinance to Amend Chapter 28 of the Falls Church City Code, “Miscellaneous Offenses”, Article VII, “Weapons”, Sections 28-190 and 28-191, Carrying Dangerous Weapons – Prohibited. (John Foster, City Attorney) (1st reading 1-11-10)
• (TR 10-11) Resolution Establishing A One Time Early Retirement Incentive For City Employees
• And a measure to Authorize the City Manager to Award a Contract to Sagres Construction Corp. in the Amount of $118,775.00 for the Construction of the Westlawn Elementary School Water Main Project.

The meeting will occur in Council Chambers, 300 Park Avenue, Falls Church City.  The full meeting agenda is available at the City website.

VIDEO: Property Owner Decries Seniors Housing Plan

January 6, 2010

During the Jan. 4 Falls Church City Council/Planning Commission joint work session, Mayor Gardner stated that “for the reasons of time,” property owner Thomas Sawner should not be allowed to speak. Planning Commission Chairman John Lawrence replied, “I don’t understand how not listening to someone who’s a serious investor in Falls Church is going to help anything. I don’t understand how giving him two minutes is such a burden.” The discussion over whether Sawner should be allowed to speak went on for three minutes, after which Sawner spoke for two minutes. Watch the five-minute video below. (Related story: City Gets Questions, Complaints on Affordable Housing Plan)

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City Gets Questions, Complaints on Affordable Housing Plan

By GEORGE BROMLEY
Falls Church Times Staff

January 5, 2010

Last night’s joint City Council and Planning Commission work session featured an extensive presentation on the revised plan for the City Center South Senior Apartments.

The proposed building, now christened “The Wilden” in honor of the late Bob Wilden, long-time advocate for affordable housing, is a joint project of the Falls Church Housing Corporation and its partner, The Community Builders, a Boston-based company which specializes in the construction of affordable housing projects.  To go forward, the project will require Council approval of a special exception.

The mixed-use design has been scaled down from 174 to 66 apartments.   Although its official address is 350 South Washington Street, the site actually is closer to the corner of South Maple Avenue and West Fairfax Street.

Some officials questioned aspects of the project’s complex financing.  Councilman David Snyder said the projected $40,000-per-year cost to the City was too low, making the case that the true City cost would exceed $300,000 per year.   Councilman Dan Maller indicated concerns that the project’s financial documents do not show the reality of debt repayment coming from the City’s General Fund after the third year of the project’s life.

The strongest concern, however, was voiced by Mr. Thomas Sawner, owner of the  adjacent property at 360 South Washington Street.  Although Mayor Gardner initially did not favor allowing Mr. Sawner to speak at the work session, she agreed to give him two minutes after Planning Commission Chairman John Lawrence pressed for Mr. Sawner to be heard. (See VIDEO: Property Owner Decries Seniors Housing Plan.)

Previously, Mr. Sawner’s property was to be purchased by the Falls Church Housing Corporation and included in the larger 174-unit project, along with the Homestretch building at 370 South Washington.   Now the project will disadvantage his property, according to Sawner.

“This throws me under the bus.  It’s a nice building but what happens to the other two [360 and 370 South Washington]?  My project will be orphaned.”

Mr. Sawner could hold considerable leverage over the project through easements he possesses.  According to a city staff memo, the project’s success will need the cooperation of adjacent property owners regarding the easements, but Mr. Sawner stated that the applicant had made no attempt to resolve easement issues.

The City Council will vote on “first reading” of the special exception ordinance on Monday, Jan. 11.  To become law, an ordinance requires a majority vote of Council on both first and second reading.

N. Washington Streetscape Plan Presented at Work Session

By GEORGE BROMLEY
Falls Church Times Staff

The highlight of the City Council and Planning Commission’s joint work session Monday night was a presentation on the proposed streetscape design for North Washington Street.

The extensive draft plan, in the works since May 2008, includes a  number of sustainable technologies such as bioretention cells, permeable pavements, native vegetation and locally-available materials.

The plan proposes the use of bio-retention cells in the planting areas that will collect storm water, filter it, and allow it to infiltrate the ground.  The cells will be terraced on the sloped portions of the street.  Vegetation used in the planters would be appropriate for bio-retention areas and would not require additional irrigation.

The plan also calls for permeable pavement in certain areas along the street.  Permeable pavement is designed to allow storm water to infiltrate into the ground.  The design includes perforated pipes below the surface to drain stored water.

The plan specifies details for the street furnishings, which include the bus shelters, trash and recycling receptacles, benches, and light fixtures.

Final design guidelines will be prepared and then presented to the Council for formal adoption, though it is unclear how soon and how much of the streetscape plan actually will be adopted and subsequently implemented. Read more

City Council Meeting with Planning Commission on Zoning

The Falls Church City Council will meet in joint session with the City Planning Commission Monday, Sept. 21 to discuss the ongoing rewrite of the City’s zoning code.  The two bodies will start by hearing from the Zoning Ordinance Advisory Committee.  

The City’s effort to update its zoning code started in 2007 with input from the consulting firm Clarion Associates on a comprehensive review, update, and rewrite of the City’s zoning ordinance.

The City website states that ”while parts of the City’s 1950’s era suburban-type zoning ordinance were updated over the years, it needs to be comprehensively updated and rewritten to work better for a City that is built-out, urbanizing, and redeveloping. The revisions are intended to make the City’s zoning ordinance more clear, concise, current, creative, flexible, and comprehensive.”

Recently, the construction of homes on smaller-than-standard lots has received criticism from a number of parties in the City, giving more impetus to complete the zoning rewrite. 

The Zoning Ordinance Advisory Committee (ZOAC), according tothe City website, “was created to provide citizen oversight of the City’s effort.”  The ZOAC will meet monthly through the end of 2009.

The City plans to release a final draft of the revised zoning code this year for public comment.

Additional information on the zoning code rewrite is available on the City website.

Following discussion of the zoning code, the City Council will discuss an amendment to the City towing ordinance, prompted by recent complaints of  ”predatory towing.”

The joint City Council-Planning Commission meeting begins at 7:30 p.m. in the Training Room, Level G, City Hall.  City Council meetings are rebroadcast on Fridays starting at noon on RCN Cable Channel (2), Cox Cable Channel (12) and Verizon Cable Channel (35).

City Planning Commission, Economic Development Authority Get to Know Each Other

The Falls Church Planning Commission and Falls Church Economic Development Authority will have their first joint work session Monday night at City Hall.

The two organizations will discuss a range of issues, including the City’s estimating model for predicting the fiscal impact of construction projects, the North Washington Street Streetscape project, business input to the development review process, and an item entitled “Comprehensive Plan Update:  New Economic Development Chapter?”

The City web site agenda page for the meeting provides memos to introduce the groups to each other.

The EDA notes that it has held developer forum events, commissioned studies, assisted in funding software upgrades for the fiscal impact model, funded a City branding initiative, hired a new consultant to provide advice on land use planning on commercially-zoned gateways, and granted funds to promote the Tinner Hills Blues Festival.  The EDA Chair is David Tarter.  The EDA is assisted by the City’s economic development office, headed by Rick Goff.

The Planning Commission memo says that the Commission follows both State and City mandates, including subdivision review, Capital Improvements Program preparation and recommendation, zoning map and text amendment recommendation, preparation and maintenance of the City’s comprehensive plan, site plan review, and review of special exceptions and special use permits.  The Planning Commission Chair is John Lawrence.  The Planning Commission is assisted by the City’s office of development services, headed by Sue Cotellessa.

The meeting will occur Monday July 20 at 7pm in Council Chambers at City Hall.

Monday’s Planning Commission Agenda: Streetscape, Homestretch Group Home

The Falls Church Planning Commission agenda for Monday night includes hearing results of the June Town Hall meeting on the North Washington Street Streetscape project (in joint session with the City Council) and a special use permit for a group home for Homestretch, Inc. at 209 East Broad Street.

The meeting begins in joint session with the City Council at 7:30pm the Training Room at City Hall.  The entire agenda is available at

Planning Chair Raises Questions re ‘Perrier Jouét’ Building

Some aspects of recent development have been questioned by Falls Church Planning Commission Chair John Lawrence.  His memo to the City Planning Department follows.

Memorandum

From:             John D. Lawrence
To:                  Planning Department
Subject:         The “Perrier Jouét” Building at 800 W. Broad

I have received numerous notes and comments from people about the building at 800 West Broad.  Please see the pictures below as I presume that this building will be named (much like a stadium) after a corporate sponsor that appears to be Perrier Jouét champagne.  Given its appearance, I feel the need to ask some important questions concerning this structure.

1.       Did the City Arborist approve the type of vegetation displayed?  Is this a native plant?

2.      Is it an invasive species that might end up on the 706 building as a result of the shared parking agreement?  Need opinion of the ESC’s Invasive Species Task Force.

3.      Is it deciduous in winter?  If not, how will it provide adequate screening?

4.      If deciduous, does DES have equipment large enough to collect and dispose of the leaves?

5.      If swept to the curb for fall leaf collection, will this impede westbound traffic on West Broad Street? Read more

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