More than 25 residents showed up at Tuesday's Fairfax City Council meeting to convince city officials to buy the Grefe property and turn it into a park and nature center. The property, located in the southeast quadrant of the city off Mosby Road, faces possible development.
"How many places in the city can you walk a box turtle?" said resident David Birnbaum.
The citizens who came to the meeting had signed a petition circulated by George Hanover, a resident of an adjoining neighborhood. The petition received more than 170 signatures. The petition, which requests that the city buy the land, was started after the city had a preliminary notification meeting in the neighborhood in August.
At that meeting, city staff announced possible plans for the property's development. More than 70 people showed up at the meeting, according to neighborhood resident James Raiger.
Some residents of the adjoining neighborhoods said they are prepared to pay for a tax increase in order to pay for the land.
"This land, and all the land around it isn't going to come cheap," said Page Johnson in an interview outside of the meeting.
The council, impressed by the citizen turnout, said they would consider their request.
"I do want them to know that we have listened and have heard," said Council member Joan W. Cross.
ANOTHER ISSUE that came up during the meeting concerned signage. Several businesses were on the agenda requesting special exemptions for their signs.
Council member R. Scott Silverthorne reiterated to the Council his interest in making a comprehensive plan to restrict signage within Fairfax. Council member Jeffrey C. Greenfield agreed, saying that Route 50 is cluttered with signage.
"The CUE Bus and the Metrobus signs are on two different poles," Greenfield said, citing an example of excessive signage.
Later, during the comments portion of the meeting, Silverthorne said the revenue and treasury offices were considering allowing the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) to establish a licensing agency in their offices. This move wouldn't allow a full-service DMV, Silverthorne said, but would allow residents to perform some DMV tasks in town without having to go to the agencies outside of the city limits.
The Council intends to discuss this issue at a future work session.
"The challenge is to convince the DMV," Silverthorne said.
Greenfield asked Mayor Robert F. Lederer if the police could enforce the "don't block the box" intersections in downtown Fairfax. These intersections were adopted so that cars wouldn't block the intersections, and so that pedestrians could cross the street safely.
Lederer replied that he would ask the police to perform spot checks, especially at the corner of University Avenue and Main Street, which was Greenfield's request.
THE COUNCIL voted unanimously on the following agenda:
o The Council approved, with conditions, the request by Abbey Carpet & Floors of 9979 Main St. to install a second ground-mounted sign on the lot. The Zoning Ordinance had only permitted one ground-mounted sign on the lot, and the Carlos O'Kelley's restaurant already had a sign in place.
o The Council approved with conditions the signage for Cho's Garden Restaurant of 9940 Lee Highway. It allowed the applicant to reduce the required setback from the property line, but denied the request to allow ground-mounted signage that is greater than six feet in height and in excess maximum square footage.
o The Council also permitted the Rhodeside Grill of 3971 Chain Bridge Road to provide live music Thursday through Saturday, between 10 p.m. and 1:30 a.m.
o The Council approved the ordinance to bring the City Code in line with the changes to the Fairfax County Code as it pertains to regulation of family home child-care providers. Family home child-care providers must have CPR and first-aid training; professional training in areas of health, safety, and child development; a TB test for all providers; criminal record checks for providers and their family members every five years; and a carbon monoxide detector in the home. The city also instituted a $14 application fee for all providers.