GOCA Update Nov 2, 2024
- shelleydeutch
- May 3
- 5 min read
Dear Oakton Neighbors and Friends,
It is turning out to be a busy Fall! See below for news of an upcoming County session for the proposed AT&T development on November 12th, GOCA’s annual meeting on November 14th at which we will solicit your input for next year’s priorities, and Oakton’s first Restaurant Week in January.
Community News
Update on AT&T Site Development
Results of County Vote on Data Center Regulations
Community Feedback Sought for Active Transportation and Trail Network
High Schools To Get Outdoor Classrooms
GOCA News
Annual GOCA Meeting on Thursday, November 14th, 7-9pm - Public Invited!
Announcing Oakton’s First Restaurant Week!
New Park Bench Thanks to Scout Troop #1978
Oakton Residents Keeping our VDOT Roadways Clean
In Search of a Flagpole
Oakton Community Directory Available
Other Items
Providence District Winter Gear Drive
Free Movie Screening: “The Street Project”
Invasive Plant Removal
Blake Lane Park
Oakton Community Park
Community News
Update on AT&T Site Development. The traffic impact study commissioned by the proposed developer, EYA, was accepted by Fairfax County Department of Transportation (FCDOT) after its third iteration. The study identified significant problems with traffic in our area, some of which would be worsened further by the development, but defers identification of most traffic mitigations to the rezoning phase, which would occur after a Plan amendment is accepted. The traffic study and staff comments can be found online and we encourage you to hear about them from County planners on November 12 th at 7pm at Oakton High School at 2900 Sutton Road. To get more details about the meeting, please visit this site. The Board of Supervisors could vote on the overall Plan amendment before the end of this year. If the amendment is approved, the project will be reviewed for rezoning. To follow the developments on the issue as they happen, please visit the Options for Oakton website or Options for Oakton and Smart Growth for Oakton Facebook page.
Results of County Vote on Data Center Regulations On September 10th, the Board of Supervisors voted on new regulations for data centers in Fairfax County. Supervisor Palchik joined the majority of her colleagues in accepting enhanced regulations for the data centers, including requiring a minimum distance of a mile from any Metro station; a 200-foot setback from any residential areas; an 80,000-square-foot size limit in most industrial zones; noise studies before site plan approval and occupancy permits; and enhanced screening to reduce visual and noise impacts. The Board rejected stronger regulations, such as requiring all data centers to be subject to Special Exception approval, as was advocated by a large number of environmental and community groups and concerned citizens.
Community Feedback Sought for Active Transportation and Trail Network. FCDOT held a series of open houses this Fall to get public input on its plans to combine the Fairfax County Bicycle Master Plan and the Countywide Trails Plan, with the goal of ensuring a safe, comfortable and convenient network of active transportation options and trails. FCDOT is now holding four virtual sessions on November 12th, 14th, 19th and 20th (in Spanish). You can find more information about the sessions here.
High Schools To Get Outdoor Classrooms. On September 26th, the Board of Supervisors approved a $1.4 million contract for the construction of outdoor classrooms. The project includes new outdoor classrooms for many schools, including three attended by Providence District students– Marshall, Oakton, and Madison High Schools.
GOCA News
Annual GOCA Meeting on Thursday, November 14th, 7 - 9pm–Public Invited! Please join us for our annual gathering at Oakton Library, at which GOCA reports on the status of priority projects and solicits input for its focus in the coming year. We will review the latest on important issues confronting Oakton, and hope to have exciting news about the historic schoolhouse. Please note this meeting was originally scheduled for Wednesday, November 6th.
Announcing Oakton’s First Restaurant Week! Soon, you will hear more about our first ever Restaurant Week, planned for Saturday, January 18th through Saturday, January 25th. Mark your calendars!
New Park Bench Thanks to Scout Troop 1978. We want to thank Dominic Best and the Scouts from Troop 1978 for installing a bench in Oakton Community Park. In addition to building the bench, the Scouts cleared the entire area around the bench of invasive plants with the help of IMA site leader Willow Martin. This work will earn Dominic his Eagle Scout award.
Oakton Residents Keeping our VDOT Roadways Clean. Recently, we provided the names of the following local citizen groups to the Providence District office for recognition by the County. We also wanted to recognize them here:
Members of the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Fairfax and Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, which hold bi-annual clean ups along Hunter Mill Road. Their next cleanup is Saturday, November 9th from 9:30am to noon. If you would like to assist these groups on November 9th or at a later date, please email Catherine Ives.
Oakton residents Dave and Kris Seager who coordinated and funded the installation of plants in the roundabout, along with Merrifield Gardens, on Hunter Mill Road near Oakton Community Park. If you would like to help maintain the roundabout, please contact Dave Seager. Or if you would like to contribute to the costs to maintain the roundabout, please donate here.
Berryland Farms HOA members Donald Massey, Jeff Spohn, Dave McGuire, Andrew Harrison, Provi Spina, Josh, Will and David Berman and Kari Duncan, who clean a two-mile stretch of Vale Road from their neighborhood to Hunter Mill Road four times a year.
If you or your organization would also like to help keep Oakton’s public spaces and roads looking beautiful , please contact the Adopt A Highway Program.
In Search of a Flagpole. At Oakton Day in the Park, you may have noticed that we have recently acquired a period-appropriate 48-star 6’ flag which is now hanging on the wall of the schoolhouse. We would like to better display it on a flagpole in the schoolhouse. Please let us know by email if you have a flag pole that you would like to donate.
Oakton Community Directory Available. A reminder that the 2024 edition of GOCA’s Community Directory is available at Oakton Library on the shelves behind the information desk–-if you didn't already get one, drop by and pick one up. Owners of any local business, no matter how small, who wish to add a complimentary listing or purchase a sponsorship for next year’s edition, are encouraged to contact us at any time.
Other Items
Providence District Winter Gear Drive. The Providence District office is collecting new or gently used winter gear of all sizes through December 31st. Their effort benefits the Committee for Helping Others, Fairfax F.I.S.H., Northern Virginia Family Services, Second Story, and The Lamb Center. If you have winter gear to contribute, please deliver to the Providence District Office at the Jim Scott Community Center, 3001 Vaden Drive, Fairfax.
Free Movie Screening: “The Street Project”. Join safe street advocates on Friday, November 8th at 7pm in the Vienna Community Center Auditorium, 120 Cherry Street, for a screening of “The Street Project” - a documentary about the global, citizen-led fight to make our streets safer. Fairfax Families for Safe Streets, the Coalition for Smarter Growth, and the Fairfax Alliance for Better Bicycling are co-sponsoring this event.
Invasive Plant Removal at Blake Lane Park. November 10th, 10am - 2pm, at 10033 Blake Lane. Please contact Jen Pradas to register interest.
Invasive Plant Removal at Oakton Community Park. Saturday, November 2nd, 9 - 11am and 1 – 3pm. If interested in helping, please contact Karein Lehnigk.
With best regards,
The GOCA Board
Lauren Crum and Shelley Deutch, Co-Chairs Jody Bennett, Linda Byrne, Jackie Davey, Mark Deaton, Janet Kerr-Tener (Founding Co-Chair), Kris Olsen, Robin Thurman, and Gary Wong
See our website at: www.greateroakton.com
GOCA is an all-volunteer, nonprofit organization, and 100% of your donations go to our community efforts. To donate, please visit our Paypal link. If you would like to become more actively involved, email us at contact@greateroakton.com and we can match you with the right opportunity.
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