Although some of the biggest stories in Burke next year will no doubt come as a surprise, many ongoing issues and scheduled events are likely to have an impact on the town.
Area Plans Review
Already under way in the northern half of Fairfax County, the Area Plans Review comes to the south county in 2005, as the districts of Braddock, Lee, Mason, Mount Vernon and Springfield undergo the Fairfax County APR process late in the year.
The process is designed as a way for citizens to offer submissions for changes to the county's Comprehensive Plan. Under Virginia law, the plan is a guide to decision-making about building and use of environmental resources. In September and October, citizens will have the chance to submit nominations to the APR board. Task forces will be appointed by each of the districts from November through January 2006. The APR hearing process will begin in 2006.
South County High
With the hiring process already under way, the new South County high school in Lorton will open its doors in September. The school will be virtually identical to Westfield High School in Chantilly, and former Westfield principal Dale Rumberger will be the principal. On Jan. 27, the Fairfax County School Board will vote on the final boundaries for the school; and once the attendance area is determined, a community committee will be formed to solicit possible names for the school. A decision on the name will be made by April. When the school opens for the first day of school, it will include Grades 7-10, and possibly 11th grade. A survey of families of potential juniors will determine whether the school will open with a junior class.
Burke Centre VRE Garage
With the passage of the November bond referendum by Fairfax County voters, plans will proceed in the new year for a new Virginia Railway Express (VRE) parking garage in Burke Centre near the station on Roberts Road. The Burke Centre VRE parking garage and formation task force will reconvene on Jan. 25 at 7 p.m., in Braddock Hall to discuss garage design proposals and will continue regular meetings throughout the year with the goal of forming a recommendation to the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors. The task force, under the director of Supervisor Sharon Bulova (D-Braddock), met from September 2003 to February 2004 to discuss the garage.
Election Year
Virginia has elections in the so-called off-off years, when there are no national elections (president, senator or congressmen) at the top of the ticket to generate voter interest.
This year, however, the state will see a governor's race when the term-limited Mark Warner (D) leaves office. The presumptive candidates are Lt. Gov. Timothy Kaine (D) and Attorney General Jerry Kilgore (R).
Also up for re-election will be the entire Virginia House of Delegates.
Interchange Project Progress
2005 will be a year of quiet progress for the Virginia Department of Transportation's Springfield Interchange Project. The final two phases, Phase VI and Phase VII, were both begun in 2003 and are scheduled for completion in late 2007, marking the end of the project. Phase VI deals with I-95 northbound, and Phase VII deals with I-395 southbound and the HOV lanes. With the project less than three years away from completion, more new businesses could be in the works for central Springfield. Possible areas of growth include the vacant lot east of Springfield Plaza, where Marriott plans to build a Town Suites hotel, as well as possible developments in the Springfield Mall, located on Frontier Drive.
Route 1 Road Project
Started in February 2004, the project to widen Route 1 is scheduled to be completed in November. The $14.2 million project will result in widening Route 1 from a four-lane divided highway to a six-lane divided highway with a multipurpose trail on the east side, between Lorton Road and Armistead Road. Between Lorton Road and Telegraph Road, Route 1 will have seven lanes, three northbound, and four southbound, and a dedicated turn lane southbound. This project, contracted by Martin & Gass Inc., will ease the congestion on the Route 1 corridor.