[{"_1":2,"_111":-5,"_112":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,99],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6551254,"mediaKeyId","5346867-7c1cbe054955161453e70d8902ebb70d","parentId",5346867,"title","Fairfax City launches coordinated Safe Streets, pedestrian and Old Town circulation studies; councilors weigh plaza pilot","audioSeconds",4227,"startMs",66000,"endMs",4293000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5346867-7c1cbe054955161453e70d8902ebb70d&start=66&end=4293","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5346867-7c1cbe054955161453e70d8902ebb70d/thumbnail_66000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6551254/Fairfax-City/Fairfax-County/Virginia/Fairfax-City-launches-coordinated-Safe-Streets-pedestrian-and-Old-Town-circulation-studies-councilors-weigh-plaza-pilot","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6551254-e3e3132bb00efdf3146007d42cbdfedc/orig.mp4?Expires=1771148596&Signature=flTWR~6AbfLC82pm9QtsIUiYMiWJbN~csjIf74GQ2SEz5tWPAGPDV7HRuQKZyegjXZd~fIFBFyYMcVD5gpw3gxiLI2Wcbw-bq6nPZKSOHj~VgIm1A4errK9ZrjKYXZoutz4cf8uBw6cAHinnGmWZfntOK7R2rE28J-ElQYvUZLKl28xqw9MLMLN70dBP0ZUOywa8iuCTeyrb~3y9GdcoWh7vbQ0lA-X7wcnhAJ2Dk-MDQHGdrmyrAr3hy3pGwYmIOHDK4MsXzeaT6K2Vr5-IkxZE3NNXowJ-VEwkzGSqKDMAZbqTRrYGfQ8HXR6HFZMOvONdmLaYkH4hTT7M-R47CA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Fairfax City","date","2025-07-01T00:00:00Z","article","City staff on July 1 told the Fairfax City Council they will develop three linked plans — a citywide safety action plan, a pedestrian master plan and a detailed Old Town circulation study — to prioritize pedestrian safety, walkability and traffic circulation and to position the city for construction funding.

The presentation, led by Chloe Ritter, the city’s transportation planner, explained the work as a single “Move Fairfax City” project that layers analysis, public engagement and funding. “We were awarded a $400,000 grant from the federal Safe Streets for All program, and that’s matched with $150,000 in local funding,” Ritter said as she opened the briefing.

Why it matters: staff said the three studies are meant to turn long-range policy guidance in the comprehensive plan, bicycle master plan and Old Town Small Area Plan into prioritized, implementable projects. The approach is intended to create consistent recommendations across studies, reduce duplication of outreach and create competitive applications for future implementation grants.

What staff will do: Alta and Timmins Group consultants described the safety action plan as using a safe-systems approach to focus on infrastructure, speed management, post-crash care, behavior and safer vehicles. “The real goal here … is trying to eliminate severe injuries and traffic deaths,” Ryan Sharp, a consultant with Alta, told council. The plan will map a high-injury network based on a five-year crash analysis, use connected‑vehicle (telematics) data to spot risk where crashes have not yet occurred, and recommend capital projects for the city’s capital improvement program and grant applications.

The pedestrian master plan will use the safety analysis plus pedestrian-level metrics — sidewalk gaps, pedestrian level of traffic stress and crossing frequency — to recommend mobility and comfort improvements, presenters said. The Old Town circulation study will be the most detailed: staff already collected traffic counts at 13 intersections, field observations and will test feasible alternatives that may require tradeoffs between vehicle throughput, parking and space for pedestrians and cyclists.

Tradeoffs and examples: presenters reminded the council that significant Old Town changes will require tradeoffs. They cited a past analysis of University Drive bike lanes, which found making space through the Old Town center would have removed a travel lane and increased congestion — so the city did not pursue full bike lanes through the center at that time. Staff said the circulation study will explore alternatives such as returning to a one‑way pair, or creating a loop road with an inner pedestrian precinct as the Small Area Plan suggests.

Council reaction and direction: council members broadly welcomed the coordinated approach and recommended community‑focused engagement and modeling. Councilmember Amos said he “loves the idea of focusing and emphasizing the pedestrian precinct,” and proposed studying a pedestrian plaza pilot in Old Town that could be evaluated for traffic, economic impact and feasibility in partnership with the Economic Development Authority and Old Town Fairfax Business Association. Councilmember McQuillan supported evaluating expanded outdoor dining and open-container options tied to temporary closures. Several members urged the use of interactive public engagement tools and partnerships with George Mason University for modeling and visualization. Staff said Phase 1 engagement is planned for the fall and a draft plan could return in spring or summer 2026.

Next steps and timing: staff said Phase 1 outreach would begin in the fall and include online story maps, pop-up events and targeted mailings. The steering committee for the safety action plan will serve as the SS4A-required Vision Zero task force and will guide recommendations. Staff hopes to complete the action plan in time to compete for the SS4A implementation NOFO expected in 2026.

What council asked staff to prioritize: councilors asked staff to (1) study a pedestrian plaza pilot in Old Town, (2) evaluate tradeoffs between parking, vehicle throughput and pedestrian space, (3) pursue visual and interactive public engagement, and (4) coordinate with Fairfax County on projects that cross jurisdictional boundaries such as South Street and adjacent redevelopment. Presenters confirmed they will include speed‑management recommendations, examine data going back at least five years for crash analysis (the standard staff said it will use) and evaluate countermeasures such as “no turn on red” where crash patterns suggest it.

Context: staff framed the combined approach as both a way to be cost‑efficient with grant funding and as a mechanism to produce prioritized projects for the capital improvement program and competitive grant applications for construction. No formal council votes occurred on the plans at the July 1 work session; staff sought feedback and will return with engagement details and draft recommendations.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","City Council Work Session\tJul 1, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","City staff on July 1 told the Fairfax City Council they will develop three linked plans — a citywide safety action plan, a pedestrian master plan and a detailed Old Town circulation study — to prioritize pedestrian safety, walkability and traffic circulation and to position the city for construction funding.","taxTitle","Fairfax City, Fairfax County, Virginia","taxId",59088,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6551239,"Fairfax City council finalizes edits to community survey; staff to launch outreach and return with results in fall",2132,9994000,12126000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5346867-7c1cbe054955161453e70d8902ebb70d&start=9994&end=12126","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5346867-7c1cbe054955161453e70d8902ebb70d/thumbnail_9994000.jpg","/articles/6551239/Fairfax-City/Fairfax-County/Virginia/Fairfax-City-council-finalizes-edits-to-community-survey-staff-to-launch-outreach-and-return-with-results-in-fall","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6551239-afc3d424852513abacb3cd0dc3c6990b/orig.mp4?Expires=1771148597&Signature=Zb52QTQ-BgEeWBC4angjZ0k4Vbc3~vrqnulRPqZlR1qqFLlrrRE49eM~x0PhjwCFKhT5-VYFp2MhJsa9iLvqwk51xlYgg-3XnIAroswlHPDGqpYzWMmeGTFIIYDCJw~~foX4fDoZPZiz0mU6SqSxCxiRg7SEinicLysWccyqr8A9dXcXLj6qiKUNZc2dq8Ii4a9icbHSBQE7uGxyVGmgG93mS4OQTeJsmIXhaed7A3FtB8VXjTthJcvM0d82p~YEfW1dagJrgbAXVAob-wM4P1kgbHaXDRilY1nDatT7eOEX-dRSK6aWKV0Z58dYEflXpd1gPtdS4eccTRBB1nZVcQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Fairfax City staff and the mayor and council on July 1 reviewed a draft community survey and agreed on a set of edits and next steps for distribution and analysis.

What was decided: City Manager Brian Foster walked the council through suggested edits. The council agreed to keep a pair of questions about local public education quality and the city’s tuition/contract with Fairfax County Public Schools, to add a reference to the Ready311 app in the survey’s service‑delivery question, and to remove a question that asked respondents to rate the “amount of development” (council members said the question was too ambiguous). Council also asked staff to split one earlier combined item (quality/amount of development) and ultimately agreed to remove the item after discussion. The survey will retain other topic groups such as housing, services, preservation of small‑town character and natural resources.

Public review and timeline: staff said they would confirm any additional design steps with their consultant and then launch the survey. The city manager told council the consultant anticipated survey results and analysis in the mid‑September timeframe; staff will schedule a work session to present full results and recommendations when the analysis is complete.

Communications and council support: council members discussed whether city communications staff should support councilmember outreach events. The city manager said staff can answer factual questions and can attend neighborhood meetings at staff discretion; he cautioned there is a line between staff support for information and the appearance of staff involvement in political activity. Council asked staff to consult communications consultant Jane Dittmar and return with detailed guidance about allowable staff support and recommended practices.

Next steps: staff will finalize the instrument with the consultant (including the Ready311 mention), launch the survey, and return with results and a presentation in the fall. Councilmembers asked staff to ensure public‑facing materials include renderings and visuals, and to plan public outreach so residents understand how the survey results will inform budget and policy decisions.","Councilmembers reviewed and adjusted questions in a planned citywide community survey, asked staff to mention the Ready311 app, removed one development‑amount question, and asked staff to return with results in mid‑September to October work session for presentation.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6551244,"Fairfax City Council opens review of board-and-commission appointment rules; city clerk to return with bylaws guidance",814,7729000,8543000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5346867-7c1cbe054955161453e70d8902ebb70d&start=7729&end=8543","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5346867-7c1cbe054955161453e70d8902ebb70d/thumbnail_7729000.jpg","/articles/6551244/Fairfax-City/Fairfax-County/Virginia/Fairfax-City-Council-opens-review-of-board-and-commission-appointment-rules-city-clerk-to-return-with-bylaws-guidance","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6551244-82e1d0b372783a227b0945db0ee2746c/orig.mp4?Expires=1771148597&Signature=LTzl2cNA1ALQcPJ773CezVgEsDmW6GUCWoFSIl6SM~oq9Z41xxMvHNNz5HRt5~4tCYQVbVa0XSsFNU~sSANn16NScs0f5ObcirT3HM6lnIQ0YZoCOaXFk-k-Wkt3bf8J6zzE5KV3KLUnwCPCk0YHgviJk2th4kZKq-qbC97WBHZpQ41SJlzlc-LC2yh6CB05XcvcXvWz1XterxfVS1lD~fM3tZVpdsl9Tf8dYnervQnwLmypBAPsIZCr-2ePeWKtxVQyWVu-5TXxbJ5-86UgmX1Uw4BxkKWCePr-OFt8j5vRBDiZpmAchnIP4znxiUDwVOhKwUfQtNBaEwg-KefY6A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Melissa Shinneberry, the city clerk, presented a draft resolution the council uses to set processes for filling vacancies on city‑appointed boards and commissions and outlined options including term limits, reappointment interviews, earlier notice of upcoming vacancies and staff guidance for vacancies.

Why council is reviewing policy: Council asked staff to revisit the 2023 vacancy resolution early in the new council term to consider whether to set term limits, require reappointment interviews, create a skills matrix and clarify conflict‑of‑interest and residency requirements for appointees.

Main discussion points: councilmembers debated whether reappointment interviews should be required for all boards and commissions or only a subset, whether applicants should receive electronic or in‑person interview options, and whether the city should advertise upcoming expiring seats. Several councilors said they valued reappointment interviews because they give council an opportunity to meet candidates and allow candidates to explain continuing service; others urged limiting interviews to specific boards or using video options to reduce the time burden. Councilmember Peterson asked whether state conflict‑of‑interest filing requirements cover advisory boards; staff replied that several boards — planning commission, board of architectural review, board of zoning appeals, economic development authority and board of equalization — are required to file; staff said it will double‑check whether the statutory conflict‑of‑interest filing applies to all advisory bodies and will consult the city attorney.

Procedural follow up: Shinneberry said staff surveyed liaison staff and board chairs; suggested term limits ranged from three to six terms for some bodies and that current staff will prepare an updated package. The council directed the clerk and city attorney to return in the fall with recommended bylaw templates, conflict‑of‑interest guidance and a proposed approach to reappointments and public notification. Council members also asked staff to research how peer localities handle compensation for boards and commissions.

Context and next steps: staff said the current 2023 resolution remains in effect until the council adopts amendments. The city clerk will coordinate with the attorney’s office to confirm statutory requirements, draft board bylaw templates and return with a more detailed work session package later in the year.","Councilmembers discussed draft resolution language on appointments, term limits, reappointment interviews, conflict-of-interest requirements and notification procedures. Staff will return with a fall work session that includes city‑attorney input and draft bylaw templates.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6551249,"Fairfax City staff recommend preliminary engineering for Daniels Run and Fairfax Circle stream restorations",1734,4299000,6033000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5346867-7c1cbe054955161453e70d8902ebb70d&start=4299&end=6033","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5346867-7c1cbe054955161453e70d8902ebb70d/thumbnail_4299000.jpg","/articles/6551249/Fairfax-City/Fairfax-County/Virginia/Fairfax-City-staff-recommend-preliminary-engineering-for-Daniels-Run-and-Fairfax-Circle-stream-restorations","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6551249-b502416be7288fb8768fbbb3c7ff35db/orig.mp4?Expires=1771148597&Signature=VWH-f-Hx1rARZpyPIynGz0rLWybsSzya~tZVbV0zF~mXeAGJl-1N9SumwVK393nURI0Pu9sgRqoRC4jikiRO5HeHbtRChD5nEQAhUbVlfi8I1sHX0SDEmFBiLK4iH9dNoylt0qxmQ0moxeiisKWVNhAkNQwLCNNSoyEsXQhieowjXMxIdOAURcA3NkfaZ0fL7UDgqIge7F3C1mz19JG7Jeyc~juIP-~Ua4EmhRmm2FnBMqsxLNmfLCn95xVPbgdcdxXrFILbHiJt39Ac9GDaO~eed9SjHm9Ew2WvXgV25h8MQ2C4~SSRkd1qB8vWMnSWaVAY6fQ6SRPDAQAjbwHVZQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Fairfax City staff on July 1 presented the results of a comprehensive 2024 stream condition assessment for the Accotink Creek system and recommended moving forward with preliminary engineering on two priority stream restoration projects: Daniels Run Park and an Accotink corridor that spans Fairfax Boulevard to Pickett Road adjacent to Fairfax Circle.

The assessment and why it matters: Satoshi Ito, public‑works program manager, told the council the city re‑surveyed the Accotink drainage using tablet‑based field collection to create 128 roughly 435‑foot segments covering 10.5 miles. The analysis produced seven priority project areas. Stream restoration is one of the most cost‑effective ways to generate pollutant‑reduction credits required by Chesapeake Bay TMDL (total maximum daily load) programs while also improving local water quality, reducing erosion, and replacing invasive species, Ito said.

Staff recommendations: based on data and community feedback, staff recommended preliminary engineering for Daniels Run Park — the highest‑ranked site in the public survey and the area with strong site access and mature trees that could be retained — and for two linked Accotink segments behind Fairfax Circle (from Fairfax Boulevard to Pickett Road). The Fairfax Circle area is more technically constrained by private property and floodplain proximity but offers opportunities to improve floodplain limits by evaluating flow capacity beneath the Blenheim Boulevard and Pickett Road bridges and could qualify for additional funding such as the Community Flood Preparedness Fund.

Technical choices and tradeoffs: presenters explained that two broad technical approaches are typically used: raising the stream bed to reconnect the channel to its floodplain (preferred when adjacent property is not constrained) or lowering the floodplain corridor where private property sits close to the stream — an approach that requires more tree removal but allows the channel to spread and reduces velocity. Staff emphasized that restoration construction can appear disruptive in the short term — with tree removal and exposed soils — but projects are designed with robust planting plans and typically take three to five years to establish a mature corridor.

Public outreach and committee input: staff reported 45 respondents to a public survey and summarized input from the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board and the Environmental Sustainability Committee. The advisory board recommended prioritizing water‑quality and erosion‑control benefits; it suggested adding signage with project renderings at construction sites, evaluating trees lost to long‑term erosion, and coordinating with pending Gateway Regional Park redevelopment. The environmental committee recommended emphasizing replanting, exploring GMU partnerships for post‑project water quality monitoring and macroinvertebrate surveys, and continuing to pursue grant matches.

Next steps and costs: staff said preliminary engineering would define feasible design options, confirm floodplain impacts, produce cost estimates needed for grant applications and budget planning, and start formal community outreach. No construction timetable or final costs were presented; staff noted grant opportunities such as the Stormwater Local Assistance Fund and the Community Flood Preparedness Fund could help finance large projects. Council members requested robust outreach, early signage and clear explanation of temporary visual impacts during construction.

Context: the city completed a prior Accotink/Accotank assessment in 2007–08 and has completed previous restorations (Daniels Run in 2016 and Stafford Drive ongoing). Staff said stream restoration credits are generally less expensive to generate than purchasing credits from out‑of‑watershed banks and are preferable where local waterway improvements are a goal.","A 2024 city stream condition assessment of Accotink Creek produced 128 assessed segments and seven priority restoration options. Staff recommend preliminary engineering for Daniels Run Park and the Accotink corridor adjacent to Fairfax Circle to generate pollutant‑reduction credits and address severe bank erosion.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Fairfax City launches coordinated Safe Streets, pedestrian and Old Town circulation studies; councilors weigh plaza pilot

Fairfax City council finalizes edits to community survey; staff to launch outreach and return with results in fall

Fairfax City Council opens review of board-and-commission appointment rules; city clerk to return with bylaws guidance

Fairfax City staff recommend preliminary engineering for Daniels Run and Fairfax Circle stream restorations