From Dranesville Supervisor John Foust:

Here is another update on our snow storm aftermath and power problems.

• Fairfax County Government offices and all the courts will be open on time tomorrow, Friday, Jan. 28, however employees have been granted unscheduled leave.
  Fairfax County Public Schools will be closed Friday.
• VDOT is asking that if possible, residents in subdivisions not park vehicles on the street so that the neighborhoods may be more effectively plowed.
  If it is absolutely necessary to park on the street, please park on the odd numbered side to assist VDOT plows.
• In addition, residents are encouraged to clear the areas around mailboxes and fire hydrants. Postal service employees are working to deliver important medicines and other mail and need access to mail boxes.
• And by clearing snow and ice away from all fire hydrants, they will be clearly visible to public safety personnel in the event of a fire.
• Residents and businesses should also make sure that all parking spots identified as accessible parking spaces for people with disabilities are cleared of snow and ice.

What are your experiences with this latest snowstorm? Did you get stuck in the nightmare 15-hour commute on GW Parkway? What do you think of the roads in Pimmit Hills? Any damages, tress down?

Message from John Foust, Dranesville District Supervisor: My office is open but we currently do not have phone service at our regular phone number. If you need to reach us please email me at Dranesville@fairfaxcounty. gov or call (571) 606-0022 or (703) 927-9997.

I know that many Dranesville residents, particularly in the McLean area, are without power. The latest information I have from Dominion VA Power (DVP) is that there are approximately 71,000 customers in Fairfax County without service. DVP restored service to about 30,000 customers in Northern Virginia last night. DVP has informed us that it will be able to provide estimated times for restoration of service by 2:00 p.m. today. DVP has been hampered in making repairs because of the number of downed trees and abandoned cars. My office will continue to monitor the situation and will keep you informed. The DVP number to report outrages is 1-866-366-4357.

March 12, 2011 the Student Symphonic Orchestra of Fairfax will hold their first concert of the season at the Lutheran Church of the Redeemer, 1545 Chain Bridge Road, McLean, VA 22101. 7:30 p.m. Open and Free to the Public.

The Pimmit Hills Citizens Association (PHCA) has a new, interactive membership website, but it’s still at the same address:   The new website is powered by a membership software company designed for community associations. Membership means once you pay your dues, you have access to the restricted parts of the website, including the new Community Forum where we can discuss issues.

We’ve already posted the first two topics: the sewer line replacement issue and the extra parking lot issue at the Pimmit Hills Center. The only way to access the Community Forum and post comments on this and other blogs on the site is to be a member of the PHCA.

November 2010 newsletter of our Dranesville District Supervisor John W. Foust.

From Mark Zetts, co-chair of the McLean Citizens Association Planning and Zoning Committee:

Fairfax County Public Schools is proposing to use Pimmit Hills Center as a dispatch center for FCPS building maintenance vehicles. This use requires a 2232 Review and a public hearing.

Sunny Sarna from FCPS will be giving a presentation on the proposal to the MCA Planning and Zoning committee on Tuesday, November 30 at 7:30 PM at the McLean Community Center. This presentation is the second item on the agenda so it should start between 8:00-8:15 pm.

I attached an informative spreadsheet from FCPS that lists the number of trucks that will be parked there (with pictures) and all the schools in the northeast district that would be supported by this facility.

I have no further information on the details and hours of operation, potential impacts on the local neighborhood, etc. These are questions we will be asking at the meeting.

Please forward this meeting notice to the nearby residents as it will be a good opportunity to hear the proposal, ask questions and comment.

Thank you,
Mark Zetts
Co-chair MCA P&Z Committee

From the PHCA President Carol Martz:

The PHCA Board met with gentlemen from the Fairfax County Public School system. They are planning to put in an extra parking lot at the back of the Pimmit Hills Center.

This lot will only house about 40 small box trucks and assorted work trucks which are involved in maintenance of our local schools during the day and parked at night. There will be no maintenance done at this facility. The trucks will leave the lot between 7 and 8 a.m. and return midafternoon. This should not interfere with the current traffic between 8:30 and 9 as parents deliver their children to Westgate. The facility will be surrounded by a 6 ft. fence. The outside perimeter of the fence will be planted with bushes. The current multitude of trailers will be taken away.

If you have any objection to this plan, please let us know by adding your comments (you must be a PHCA member to comment) or come to our next meeting: Tuesday, December 7 at 7:30 pm at the Pimmit Hills Center.

Pimmit Hills Center parking lot plan (.pdf)

Mclean Police District (Oct 15, 2010)– Detectives from the Crash Reconstruction Unit are seeking witnesses to a crash that occurred near Tysons Corner Center shopping mall involving a Physician’s Transport ambulance and a 2008 silver four-door Mazda around 4:17 p.m. on Thursday, October 7.

The ambulance, driven by a 39-year-old man, was headed northbound on Chain Bridge Road (Route 123) near Tysons Boulevard. The driver of the Mazda, a 28-year-old woman, was attempting to turn left onto Chain Bridge Road from the shopping center when the ambulance struck the driver’s side of her vehicle.

The woman, who was nearly nine months pregnant with twins, was transported to the hospital with serious, but non life-threatening injuries. As a result, she gave birth to the twins prematurely. They initially appeared to be in good condition; however, several hours later, one baby developed a life-threatening condition and remains critical.

The driver and passengers of the ambulance were transported to the hospital with non life-threatening injuries.

Anyone who may have witnessed this crash is asked to contact Crime Solvers by phone at 1-866-411-TIPS/8477, e-mail at www.fairfaxcrimesolvers.org or text “TIP187” plus your message to CRIMES/274637 or call Fairfax County Police at 703-691-2131.

Cindy Kwitchoff's (Editor of the Dispatch & Website) summary of the March 6 PHCA meeting. Views expressed are solely my own:

• Are you familiar with Jill's House, a respite care facility for intellectually disabled children next to McLean Bible Church? Their parents have to take care of these children their entire lives. But what happens when the children get old and their parents pass away and there is no family left to take care of them? The proposed house on Cherri Drive is for six of these ELDERLY intellectually disabled adults, of which there is such a long list of people like this who need a home that there would be no reason to change the type of residents who live here.