Who Do You Call About Neighborhood Concerns?
By Fairfax County, April 2008
If there is a neighborhood concern and you are not sure who to call for assistance, Fairfax County has agencies that can provide assistance. Fairfax County has a Web site, www.fairfaxcounty.gov/dpz/faqs/concerns.htm, that has a list of neighborhood concerns and the appropriate agencies that can provide assistance.
This information also is available in the printed publication "Neighborhood Concerns & County Services," which can be obtained by calling the Fairfax County Office of Public Affairs at 703-324-3187. It also is available at the Mason District Governmental Center in the Office of Supervisor Gross, 6507 Columbia Pike, Annandale.
What Your County Supervisor Can Do for You
Based on remarks by Supervisor Penny Gross at the General Meeting of the Westlawn Civic Association, February 2001
The Annandale area has no mayor, but the Mason District Supervisor is the next best thing. Mason District has more than 100 civic associations with almost 100,000 residents. Dealing with complaints and questions from the community is one of the primary duties of Supervisor Gross and everyone on her staff.
Do you know of a zoning violation that you want Supervisor Gross to inspect? Do you know of a dangerous traffic intersection that you want someone from her staff to look at and improve? Would you like the Supervisor to drive a tow truck and haul away a junk vehicle that has been illegally parked on the street?
Well, think again. Supervisor Gross and her staff can answer many questions you may have, and they can refer your concerns to the appropriate county and state agencies for further action. Think of our Supervisor as a referral service, a facilitator for requests you have when you are not sure whom best to contact.
Some people call their Supervisor and expect immediate results. Investigations into alleged or potential violations take time. The process can be lengthy if the county has to build a case that will hold up in court. It helps if the appropriate county officials can contact you with further questions.
Please keep an open mind when you see what you believe is a violation of zoning, health, building code, fire, or parking regulations. It may not be a violation at all, or it may be that the remedy taken is not what you were expecting. For example, a junk vehicle sitting out on your neighbor's property is both unsightly and illegal. If challenged, however, your neighbor may decide to surround the vehicle with a temporary wood fence, which is legal, rather than get rid of the junk vehicle. (FYI-According to police policy, owners of junk vehicles can take up to 120 days to come into compliance.)
The constituency issues that are most difficult to resolve are the ones that require a new law or regulation. The Dillon Rule prevents local governments like Fairfax County from passing new initiatives, such as local sales tax increases, without first getting permission from our state government.
Penny Gross congratulated the Westlawn neighborhood for our willingness to help out with community service. She noted the participation of three Westlawn residents as Mason District representatives on county boards and commissions:
Stephanie Mensh - Disability Services Board
Celeste Campbell - Human Services Committee
Dave Conway - Sign Task Force
Contacting Your Supervisor
When registering a complaint with the Supervisor's office, it is important to give your name so that you can be contacted with additional questions and you can receive feedback on what is happening with your complaint. If you wish to remain anonymous, say so and the office will not forward your name to anyone. If you are especially concerned about remaining anonymous, send your complaint and your request for anonymity to me.
I routinely e-mail Supervisor Gross' office with issues raised by Westlawn residents, and I always get an immediate reply and some feedback later on. E-mail is far less likely to get overlooked or misplaced in her office that a phone message, and it is a simple matter for me to re-send an e-mail and ask for an update. If you choose to e-mail her office at mason@co.fairfax.va.us, you can CC: me at dconway@his.com to keep me up-to-date, too.
As much as she likes to handle constituency issues, Supervisor Gross spends a lot of time dealing with legislative work. For example, on Monday, 5 February, she was at a Board of Supervisors meeting from 8:00 a.m. to 11:45 p.m. The next day, she attended a Metropolitan Working Group meeting as part of her normal workday, and then spent an hour that night talking to Westlawn residents at our General Meeting.