November 12 - 18, 2015
Fa lls Chur c h, V i r g i ni a • ww w. fc np. c om • Fr ee
Fou n d ed 1991 • Vol. XXV No. 38
Falls Church • Tysons Corner • Merrifield • McLean • North Arlington • Bailey’s Crossroads
Inside This Week Council Mulls No More ‘By Right’ for Churches The Falls Church City Council is considering an ordinance amendment that will require application and approval of a special use permit for several uses that are presently permitted “by right” in the business and light industry zones of the City. See News Briefs, page 8
Vehicle Break-In Spree Continues in F.C.
Vehicles in the City of Falls Church continue to be at risk, as the spree of vehicle thefts and larcenies in the Little City moves into a fourth month. According to the latest Falls Church crime report, four vehicles were broken into and robbed and another vehicle was stolen altogether last Wednesday.
Mason Row Developers Add to List of Concessions & Community Benefits O n V eteran’s D ay
Crunch Time Coming For Key Decisions by Planners, Council
by Nicholas F. Benton
Falls Church News-Press
arranged its sale to his client just over a year ago, require the owner to accept a price far below its market value, and especially below its potential in a Lee Highway corridor that, with the Mosaic so nearby, is ripe for major new development.
The Spectrum Group, proposing development of the 4.3 acre “Mason Row” site adjacent the W. Broad and N. West Street intersection, announced new voluntary concessions Monday night in a work session before the Falls Church City Council, bringing them up to the level of concessions by other developers who’ve won approval for their projects in the City. The Spectrum Group offered to increase their contribution to the schools’ capital fund to $7,511 per residential unit on the property, and to comply with the City’s desired level of affordable housing units as a percentage of the total housing units. There were also technical changes to address traffic issues at the intersection areas around the project. The plan goes back to the Planning Commission now before returning to the City Council for its final vote, up or down, in early December. Council members were mindful of the vote in last week’s City Council election that went in favor of all the candidates who were for maintaining the City’s “smart growth” momentum and against those who campaigned for a moratorium. All three of last week’s winners — Mayor David Tarter, Councilman Phil Duncan (hooked up via speakerphone from Knoxville) and Council memberelect Letty Hardi were present in the audience Monday night. Council member Nader Baroukh, who served a stint as mayor and will be leaving the Council in January as he chose not
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See News Briefs, page 8
Paul Krugman: Dispair, American Style
There is a darkness spreading over part of our society. And we don’t really understand why. See page 14
Press Pass with Boney James
Grammy-nominated saxophonist Boney James was messing around in his studio with Pro Tools plugins, making sounds inspired by artists like Tinashé, Sam Smith and Ellie Goulding, when he came up with the title and theme for his latest album futuresoul. See page 25
THE CITY OF FALLS CHURCH RECOGNIZED former and current military service members at its 21st Annual Veterans Day Ceremony Wednesday at the City’s Veterans Memorial in front of the Community Center. City resident and retired U.S. Army Colonel Dr. Sue Meyers, wife of Major General Harold Greene, was the keynote speaker at the ceremony. Greene died in the line of duty while serving in Kabul, Afghanistan on August 5, 2014. (Photo: Drew Costley)
Fairfax Water Reveals Plan to Condemn Mosaic-Area Land by Nicholas F. Benton
Falls Church News-Press
Index
Editorial..................6 Letters....................6 News & Notes.12-13 Comment......... 14-17 Sports..................18 Business News....22
Food & Dining......23 Calendar.........26-27 Classified Ads .....28 Comics, Sudoku & Crossword...........29 Critter Corner.......30
A notice from the Fairfax County Water Authority to the owner of a commercial property facing onto Lee Highway near the booming Mosaic shopping center announced suddenly on Oct. 29 the authority’s intent to “acquire the
property by condemnation or other means,” and providing only three weeks before a public hearing on Nov. 19 will mark the final opportunity for the owner’s or anyone else’s input on the decision. The move by Fairfax Water to impose “eminent domain” over the land will, according to the commercial real estate broker who