South County Federation

Meeting at South County Secondary School

Tuesday, October 4^th, 2011 @ 7:30 p.m.

**** MINUTES ****

BOARD REPORTS (10 Minutes)

Called to order at 7:30PM

President’s report.  Spoke of the upcoming South County Federation candidates’ night as well as the one currently being held by the Mason Neck Civic Association.  Supervisor Hyland is scheduled to attend that, but has stopped by to give his update.  President Dickinson stated the federation forum would be moderated. [Exact process has not been set.  Some to all officers and committee chairs will come up with questions and/or select written questions from their committees and/or audience. – Alan ]

SUPERVISORS/LEGISLATORS TIME and DISCUSSION

Mount Vernon District Supervisor Gerry Hyland

Supervisor Hyland briefed the federation on various matters including:

Inova Lorton Healthplex Dedication

Weather permitting, VDoT projects temporary bridge on Lorton Road to be done in about 2 weeks

HOT lanes sound walls

Laurel Hill House structural assessment

BLM Meadowwood Barn

Public Information Meeting, October 19^th, 6-8PM, South County Government Center

   To discuss US1 improvements between Telegraph Road and Woodlawn

Property Taxes due October 5

Neighborhood Enhancement Public Private Partnership program

Old medicine disposal events soon at Fairfax County police stations

Absentee voting started

BoS considering changes to livestock regulations regarding chickens

 

President Dickinson invited Chris Caperton to give information about Laurel Hill Adaptive Re-use

 

Chris Caperton, County Planning Department

BoS and Alexander Company have entered into an interim agreement that allows some prepatory site work, site studies for stormwater management, and engineering studies.  Projected cost is $1.4 million.  In the event Alexander Company determines the project is not viable, the County has agreed to reimburse up to $700,000 to Alexander Company for related deliverables during the interim use period.  Agreement to be looked at again by BoS in March 2013, but Alexander Company expects to bring it to them sooner.

90’ ballfield is currently in use and expected to remain so next two years or so

On request of federation Education Committee Chair Christine Morin, agreement to coordinate and share information with Fairfax County schools staff.  She noted that there are aspects of the project that she was surprised to find schools staff were unaware of.

 

Laurel Hill House assessment: Eventual use of the structure has yet to be determined.  It has been ballparked to cost $250,000 just to stabilize the very old house.  County will need to weigh any expense for preservation and renovation versus the benefit gained from the yet to be determined use.

 

 

STANDING AND SPECIAL COMMITTEE REPORTS

• Education (Christine Morin)
  • Middle school principle selection process is ongoing
  • Education committee is seeking to meet with the cluster superintendent
  • Jack Dale will be leaving at the end of his term
    • School board elections will shape the board that choose his successor
• Land Use Committee (Linwood Gorham & Martin Rizer)
  • Green Corridor Concept discussion
    • Goal of having enough projects inour area to have the perception of negative viewed uses become positive
    • Several green initiatives already in place
      • Covanta Trash to Energy
      • Landfill methane reclaimation
      • Noman Cole re-use water
  • Presentation by Cindy Smith on behalf of her community and Newington Civic Association.
    • Cindy Smith gave reasons to not support RZ 2011-LE008, which would rezone a site at the northern side of Nweington Road where in intersects Loisdale Road.
    • Resolution 11-13 opposing approval of RZ 2011-LE-008 passed 41-0-0.
• Public Safety
• Environmental and Parks
  • Resolution 11-14 opposing construction of the proposed Giles Run Meadow Road and calling for funds to have been used for that purpose instead be used for other park and recreation expeditures.  Passed 37-0-4.  Federation member Linwood Gorham abstained to recuse himself as an appointed member of the Fairfax County Park Authority board.
  • Mason Neck State Park seeking volunteers to help with labor related to trails
  • South Run Recreation Center hosting Fall Hoedown this weekend
• Transportation
  • Revisited Lorton Road repair and public meeting on US1 improvements within Fort Belvoir
  • BoS is awaiting information requested of Prince William County about the budget issues for their program that removes advertising from VDoT right of ways.
  • Maryland DOT will soon begin removal program for commercial signs with $25 fine.
  • Planning Commissioner Earl Flanagan started a discussion noting the discrepancy in the transportation corridor widths planned for by the county (176 feet) and that of Fort Belvoir (150 feet).
    • Extra width is for public transit
    • Noted that though there has been talk of light rail, that mode is generally limited to 4% inclines and the construction cost would be fairly expensive given how far the ground level of US1 rises coming north up to Pohick Road.  Monorail can handle 10% incline.
    • Prince William County officials are calling for any process extending metro down Route 1 includes consider extension to Woodbridge and Dumfries.

 

OLD BUSINESS

• Lorton Community Action Center
  • Still seeing a critical need for donations of food and money
  • Registration for holiday assistance has begun
• Lorton Arts Foundation Tenth Anniversary Gala, October 22^nd at Workhouse Arts Center 7-11PM
  • Black Tie, $250, Congressman Tom Davis to be presented Founders’ Award

NEW BUSINESS

• New West Springfield district police station commander invited to address federation general meeting
• Upcoming federation executive officer election
• Neal McBride spoke briefly about a ‘hidden garden’ recently found by a community member and asked that the federation and related organizations consider efforts to preserve and promote it.  He passed around pictures of the site clearly showing stonewalls and branch/limb fencing.
• President Dickinson announced that DHS will be conducting response training exercises on October 18^th and 19^th.
• Next meetings

o   November 1^st meeting: 7:30PM, South County Secondary School library

o   December 6^th meeting: 7:30PM, South County Secondary School library

o   January 10^th meeting: 7:30PM, South County Secondary School library

• We meet on the second Tuesday in January & September

Adjournment at 9:25PM.