The Crier is the Newsletter of the Westbriar Civic Association, Vienna VA

NEW 10/22/18

Creek Crossing Improvements

Several readers in Westbriar have asked about the surveying activity along Creek Crossing Drive. This is being done in support of a joint Vienna and Fairfax County infrastructure effort to improve pedestrian convenience and safety.

The $400,000 program will fill in gaps in sidewalk coverage between Beulah and Old Courthouse Roads. In some places, road drainage is via deep rocky ditches. The surveying is needed to establish property boundaries, as well as the best alignment, taking into account, for example, preservation of valuable trees.

NEW 10/15/18

Vienna Restaurant Burns Down

Photo credit: Vienna Fire Department

Long time iconic eatery Marco Polo burned essentially to the ground over the weekend, leaving only it's familiar latticed brick facade and green awning recognizable from Maple Avenue. The restaurant had been closed for the last year, and nobody was injured. The cause of the fire has not been determined.

NEW 10/15/18

Cat ID'd

The mysterious cat who roams Westbriar Zones A and B, previously assumed lost, apparenty is doing so with permission of its owner. A free spirit. Thanks, Viviana.

Halloween Parade Coming Up!

Wed, Oct 24, 7PM

10/15/18 NEW

Your
Opinions,
Please

The Town of Vienna is asking for your help in fine tuning the Maple Avenue Commercial (MAC) corridor ordinance. Please take an on-line survey consisting of photographs of streetscapes and building styles. You are asked to rate each per your reaction. Actually, it is fun.

The survey is found HERE.

It will take about 15 minutes. See additional details, and how the results will be used to aid in Vienna's future development.

10/15/18 NEW

Michael's Aftermath

The horrific damage suffered by southern states, especially Florida's panhandle last week can be seen in these videos. They were taken by drones flying over beach towns where the eye of the hurricane made landfall. Crews continue to search for survivors and those still missing. President Trump is on the scene today.

Click on images

UPDATE

Subdivision
Takes Shape

Most of the grading and drainage infrastructure has been completed for the largest redevelopment project undertaken in Westbriar to date. Six new homes will be built at the intersection of Follin Lane and Maple Avenue on a combination of four original contiguous lots. The cul de sac serving all homes has been paved.

10/7/18

We Changed the
Hunter Mill Link

When you click Cathy Hudgins's Hunter Mill link in the right column, you will now be visiting their website, not just their newsletter.

Reason: the site contains a lot more information about our corner of Fairfax County. In addition to latest news, you can subscribe to the newsletter Hunter Mill Highlights, and eBlast, so you can make news come to you directly.

8/26/18

Things have started to happen on 66. Stay up-to-date on conditions and closures by subscribing to VDOT's email "66 Outside the Beltway." Click the image on the left, choose "Outside," and look for link "Sign Up for Updates."

Farmer's Market Saturday AM

'til Nov 8.

Faith Baptist,
across from
Fire House

8/14/18

Long-standing Westbriar
Church Considers Closure

The 50 year old Epiphany United Methodist Church on Country Club Drive has asked us to help pass on decision reached Sunday regarding its future. Click here to read a letter to its congregation and supporters.

8/14/18

Automobile
Tampering
Reported

Every few years, there seems to be a week long rash of night time car entries. Five cases were reported in Zone D this week on Westbriar Court, and another was reported in Zone A on Echols Street. All cars were unlocked. Breaking windows or locks is very rare. The evidence is an empty glove compartment with contents thrown on the floor. Police say this is typically the work of juveniles, not professional thieves.

Annoying as it is, the larger danger is that your garage door transmitter might be taken and used to gain access to your home. Please be sure to lock your car if parked outdoors.

8/15/18

HELP STILL
WANTED

We need a volunteer for getting our candles out this year. Our Representative for Zone C will be moving out of Vienna over the summer leaving us a bit short handed. The work involves about 12 man hours in early December. You need not live in Zone C to be eligible

Zone Reps are members of the the Westbriar Civic Association Board of Directors, and are in position to directly shape the future of the oldest active civic association in Vienna.

Can YOU help? Please contact us
by phone 703-319-0840, or email.

6/20/18

CHINA GETS OUT OF
TRASH BUSINESS

China announced last year that it is no longer importing plastic trash, bringing to an end to decades of being the world's largest disposal and recycling center. Without this convenient service, developed countries will have to retool their approach to the wide spread use of these packaging products. From just 2017, a cumulative 8.3 billion metric tons of new plastic has been created. Only 9 percent of all plastic waste has been recycled, and the negative effects on the global environment continue to grow, according to a study by University of Georgia.

6/12/18 Vienna's iconic caboose, stranded decades ago when the rails were removed from the present W&OD Trail, gets a touchup of its favorite color.

James Madison High School girls softball team completed a perfect season of 28 wins, zero losses, and then delivered more of the same on Saturday. The Warhawks shut out Manchester 9-0 to win a second straight state champonship. They now have a two year winning streak of an improbable 42 games.

6/7/18
Glass Bottles
Currently Off the
Recycle List.

Vienna has changed its recycling company, and advises that glass containers, such as beverage bottles and food jars are no longer accepted. Place in your trash container.

Apparently, its a matter of economics. The price that glass currently commands is less than the cost of pulling them out of the single recycle stream.

6/618

Vienna Approves Unique Parking Proposal

The Vienna Town Council on Monday approved the purchase of the second floor of a condominium to be designed as a 121 car parking lot. The project will replace a single story building at 223-241 Mill Street NE which currently houses several businesses including Tops of the Town, Vienna Lawnmower, and Vienna Hardwoods. The new structure will be four story mixed use with commercial businesses and parking at street level, and storage on the 3rd and 4th levels. Additional retail parking is included below grade.

Council's approval of the condo purchase is contigent upon delivery of a final,

satisfactory purchase contract and condominum documents.

The funding would be through Meals Taxes, currently set at 3%. Parking will initially be free to the public, although that could change in the future. Vienna has been seeking additional parking along Church Street for ten years, and the proposal was considerd the best solution. The Town has actively sought public opinion since last winter through hearings and through questions/answers dialog posted on www.viennava.gov.

6/7/18

Major Vienna
Development May
Be Coming

Hekemian Inc. is in early stages of negotiating with Vienna for redevelopment of land presently occupied by the Wolf Trap Motel and the Tequilla Grande restaurant at Nutley and Maple Avenues. The plan includes 160 apartments, and 19,000 square feet of retail space.

A change from present C-1 Zoning to Maple Ave Commercial is part of the plan. At Monday's Council Meeting, a public hearing for the zoning change was scheduled for July 9.

6/7/18

Sizeable Investments

Two new homes surpass 7000 square feet, making them for now the largest in Westbriar. Both are in Zone B, and both are being built by Cloud 9.

405 Niblick, left, at 7476 sq ft was started in January and is under sales contract. 402 Mashie, right, with a similar floor plan was started 2 months ago, and has already been sold.

5/14/18

Vienna Scout Troop
Welcomes New Members

Rich in tradition and vibrant programming, our troop has over 80 years of history. We serve youth in the development of leadership skills, teamwork, and self-confidence -- all while havig fun. Activities include weekly meetings and monthly weekend activities such as camping, hiking, canoeing, caving, skiing, and biking. Most of our scouts participate in annual summer camps and high adventure opportunities. We meet on Wednesday evenings at our charting organization -- Vienna Presbyterian Church.

For more information, or to schedule a visit, please contact: join.troop152@gmail.com

1/11/18

Did You Get Alexa for Christmas?

Shhhh. Alexa is listening. Jenifer Joy Madden, our favorite local author and exponent of common sense, especially with respect to children in the Internet Age, has some interesting insights into this and other high tech toys. Perhaps some things you have not considered. Check it out HERE.

3/20/17

Roundly
Appreciated

Six months into its operation, the roundabout at Park and Locust is highly rated by Vienna commuters. In an informal survey taken at Giant and at Cedar Park, motorists were nearly unanimous in their praise for this innovation. "It completely solved the left turn backup from Locust," said one. "Best traffic upgrade Vienna has ever made," said another.

It was a risky decision, since roundabouts (as distinguished from traffic circles) are so rare in this country. It would take getting used to. And what if it simply added confusion, or led to accidents? Indeed, several people surveyed told of near-misses early on, where drivers on Park Street were unaware they no longer had their customary right of way.

But the gamble paid off. After some tweaking with signage, and a learning curve, the intersection seems in retrospect to be a no-brainer. Traffic on Park is a bit slower, but the payoff is that everyone gets through without a long teeth-clenching wait. While it is still a bit early for valid accident statistics, so far it appears that safety is not an issue.

The Verdict is in!

Kudos to the Vienna Transportation Commission.

"The Pessimist complains about the wind; the Optimist expects the wind to change; the Realist adjusts the sails." William Arthur Ward

6/26/16

Westbriar's
2-Way System
Up and Running

NextDoor has already
found 4 cats in our
neighborhood!

Members of Westbriar have asked for it, and we now have it!

And that's the ability to talk directly with their neighborhoods. Do you want to borrow a ladder? Report a lost cat? Organize a book club or exercise class? Sell your old golf clubs? Share a great recipe? Advertise your availability for dog walking, or leaf raking? Recommend a painter?

You can do all this and much more. Join us on NextDoor. 100% of Westbriar Civic Association is now "wired" together. Each of our eight Zones is now a NextDoor Group. Much of Vienna has already joined and you can reach out to them also.

To join, simply CLICK HERE. Put in your address.
It will know you are part of Westbriar. Enter your CODE.
Fill out your profile, and say "Hi" to your neighbors.

See this short video for an introduction to NextDoor.

6/4/16
Still the #1 Scam
in this Area

It is the Computer Version of the Nigerian Letter. Twenty one Westbriar residents have reported getting the call, and four have been taken for an expensive ride. Thousands in Northern Virginia have been hit. Don't let it happen to you.

The caller usually has a thick Asian or African accent. "Hello, this is Microsoft calling. Your computer is giving out errors." See More.

Never doubt that a small group of committed people can change the world. Indeed, it is the the only thing that ever has. Margaret Mead