About this section:
Some of the information at this site comes from The Westlawn News, the community's newsletter. It is intended as a source of information and does not necessarily reflect the views of the Westlawn Civic Association. To contribute articles or to send pertinent information please E-mail or mail it to: The Westlawn News, P.O. Box 2003, Falls Church, VA 22042.
McDonald's Renovation Update (updated 11/12/2023)
McDonald's at 6729 Arlington Blvd received Board of Supervisors approval for the Special Exception permitting a drive through and site changes on December 6, 2022. View the final approved Special Exception Plat here: (link)
McDonald's requires site and building permits before the renovation can begin. As of November, 2023, McDonald's is still working towards issuance of those permits and has been for much of 2023 according to permit record statuses on the County website. Current statuses can be seen on this County website: (link)
McDonald's - Pending Special Exception for Proposed Drive Through (updated 5/17/2022)
The McDonald's neighboring the Westlawn Community, located at 6729 Arlington Blvd, is proposing a new drive through and renovation. The drive through requires a Special Exception from Fairfax County. You can view a copy of the current submission to the county Dept. of Planning and Development at their website. The Westlawn Civic Association will discuss this proposal at our next meeting, to be scheduled soon.
October 9, 2018 Meeting:
At our October 9, 2018, meeting we discussed the pending redevelopment of part of Graham Park Plaza. The County-approved Development Plan can be viewed here: http://ldsnet.fairfaxcounty.gov/ldsnet/ldsdwf/4634959.PDF This is a zoning approval only; the development cannot begin until site and building permits are acquired.
Traffic Concerns on Wayne Road
By Jesse Heath, August 2012
Westlawn residents have expressed concerns about the speed of traffic on Wayne Road between Westmoreland Rd. and S Kenfig Dr. I have sent the request below to Supervisor Gross's office. If anyone has any other stretches of road about which there are similar concerns, please let me know. I will update this post once I hear back from Gross's office.
My Email:
I realize that traffic signage may not be within the county's jurisdiction, but perhaps you could advise on whom I should contact. Currently, there is about a half-mile stretch of straight road on Wayne Road, from Westmoreland Rd to S Kenfig Dr, which doesn't have any stop signs or speed bumps (see attached image). As you can guess, this tends to invite drivers to treat this stretch of road like the autobahn. I've noticed that most straight road stretches of this length in the area tend to be punctuated with three-way stops or speed bumps (the service road at Annandale - South St. - is a perfect example where speed bumps are used). My question for you is: how we could get speed bumps/humps or a three-way stop sign installed on this stretch of Wayne Road?
Gross's Office Response:
Good afternoon Mr. Heath. My co-worker, Aaron Frank, shared your e-mail with me, and it is my understanding that you are interested in receiving information about traffic calming. Thank you for providing the attached map, which illustrates clearly the area of concern to you.
Attached for your reference is the Fairfax County Department of Transportation (FCDOT) Residential Traffic Administration Program (RTAP) chart, which provides information about several transportation-related programs, including traffic calming. To initiate the process, Supervisor Gross would need a letter signed by your civic association president requesting to have Wayne Road reviewed for consideration under the Traffic Calming Program. Depending on when the written request is received, an engineering study would be scheduled for Wayne Road during the fall or spring terms when school is in session and the roads sustain the most traffic. Engineering reviews are not conducted in the summer or during the holidays, which also include federal holidays observed on Mondays. The entire road would be evaluated, not a portion.
Physical devices, such as speed tables, raised crosswalks (where appropriate), and speed humps may be used to slow traffic to the posted speed limit of 25 mph on Wayne Road. Although stop signs also may be incorporated into a proposed traffic-calming plan, it must be made clear that stop signs are regulatory signs to queue traffic, they are not speed control devices.
If you have any questions about the information contained in the Traffic Calming portion of the RTAP chart, please let me know. I hope this information is helpful to you, and thank you for your inquiry.
Storm Drainage Concerns
By Jesse Heath, June 2012
Several Westlawn residents have raised concerns about deficiencies in storm drainage around the neighborhood. I brought up the issue with Supervisor Gross' office, and received the following response (my original email is pasted below as well):
Gross' Office:
Thank you for providing the helpful links to identify the locations of the stormwater issues. The maintenance responsibility for the two issues referenced below are that of the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT). This office has received several additional inquiries regarding the stormwater issue present at the intersection of Blundell Road & Wayne Road. VDOT has inspected this issue, and has identified a need for a project to repair this stormwater drain. Due to the magnitude of the project required to repair the stormwater system at this location, I am unable to provide a date for a VDOT project at this time. When a project date is announced for this location, this office will gladly notify you and your neighbors.
This office has contacted VDOT on your behalf regarding the stormwater issue present along Blue Heron Drive. VDOT staff will be inspecting this area, and this office will have more information following their evaluation. I hope this is helpful.
My Email:
The problem is with storm drainage. The exact location of the main problem is at the intersection of Blundell Road and Wayne Road right off of Annandale Road. Whenever we experience a moderately heavy rainfall, the drains overflow and water pools up in the street. The other complaint has to do with Blue Heron Drive, basically starting from the intersection of Blue Heron Drive and Cedarbrooke Court down to the intersection of Blue Heron Drive and Annandale Road. The storm drains - which apparently were put in when the subdivision was developed in 1974 - are a spaced out a bit too far and as a result water pools up in various spots when we experience heavy rain. One of the residents told me that someone from the county had previously promised him that the storm drains would be revisited when the road is resurfaced at some point in the next 10 years.
Neighborhood Maps
By Jesse Heath, May 2012
In response to a request for a map showing the boundaries covered by the Westlawn Civic Association, we have uploaded some maps which may be accessed by clicking on this link. As you can see, creating a WCA map is somewhat complicated by the fact that we are spread across two squares on the Fairfax County tax map (60-2 in the south and 50-4 in the north). I've included the PDFs of those two tax maps, which include more than WCA, and also three image files showing just WCA. For your reference, the WCA boundaries form a triangle consisting of Route 50, Annandale Road, and Wayne Road (both sides).
Letter to and Response from Penny Gross Regarding Westlawn Shopping Center
By Jesse Heath, May 2012
After hearing concerns from various Westlawn residents regarding the Westlawn Shopping Center development, I wrote Penny Gross asking for an update on the construction and clarification of zoning issues related to the placement of cars in the planned construction zone. Below is Gross' assistant's response and my original email.
[Gross office response]
Thank you for your email inquiry to Supervisor Gross, and introducing yourself as the Westlawn Civic Association President. We have adjusted our contact information for the Westlawn Civic Association accordingly. If other changes in the Westlawn Civic Association leadership occurred recently, this office will appreciate you providing contact information for new board members.
As you know, the Proffered Condition Amendment/Special Exception application for the Westlawn Shopping Center was approved in October of 2011 to permit a redesign and modification to the previously approved rezoning for commercial redevelopment. The applicant for the Westlawn Shopping Center has submitted a site plan and rough grading plan to Fairfax County DPWES, and these plans are both currently being reviewed by county staff before the issuance of the necessary permits. This office recently contacted the representative of the Westlawn Shopping Center for an updated timeline for construction, and barring any unforeseen delays, the applicant hopes to begin demolition in July 2012. As this office is updated on a more specific timeline, I will gladly inform you to address any construction-related concerns. I am also forwarding your request of a fence for screening around the construction site to the representative of Westlawn Shopping Center.
In your letter below, you referenced the location of parking and storage of vehicles for sale. Due to the succeeding zoning application in 2011, the site plan associated with RZ 2009-MA-011/SEA 95-M-039, approved on March 9, 2010, was never implemented, and the storage location restrictions noted in item #8 are not applicable. A site plan associated with a zoning application only goes into effect after the construction phase is complete, and in the case of RZ 2009-MA-011/SEA 95-M-039, the construction period never began. In the most recent approval of the Westlawn Shopping Center, provisions regarding the parking of vehicles for sale during the transitional period prior to construction were not specifically addressed in the staff report. Please refer to Proffer 4B in the document attached for parking conditions of vehicles for sale during phases of construction, however.
To ensure that the location of vehicles for sale is in conformance with the current site plan for Westlawn Shopping Center, this office will contact the Office of Code Compliance to investigate this matter. We will also notify the representative of the Westlawn Shopping Center of your concerns with parking location.
I hope this is helpful. Please do not hesitate to contact this office with additional concerns.
[my original email]
My name is Jesse Heath and I am the new Westlawn Civic Association President (taking over for Dave Conway). I hope to make your acquaintance at some point in the near future, as well as have you attend one of our tri-yearly meetings.
Since assuming my position, I have received several questions and concerns from Westlawn residents, most significantly with respect to the Westlawn Shopping Center development. The primary issue centers around the timeline of the development and, specifically, the commencement of visible construction activities at the development site. As you probably know, currently all of the former tenants have been evicted (for about 1.5 months now) and the parking lot has been blocked off to the public. Aside from that, nothing visible has been accomplished. Indeed, by all appearances the site is host to a series of condemned buildings surrounded by Bill Page's excess inventory of cars. Although these observations are clear to the average passer-by, the most concerned Westlawn residents include those operating businesses in the commercial development across Annandale Road.
We feel it is reasonable to request the following from Bill Page:
1. A general timeline regarding the initiation of construction and regular updates regarding any changes to this schedule
2. A "screen" fence to surround the construction site (i.e., such as those found at most other construction sites in the area)
We would also appreciate it if the zoning department ensures that the property is being used in accordance with the zoning permit and plan approved by the Board of Supervisors. In that regard, I would drawn your attention to paragraph 8 of the letter sent by the Board to Page's attorney on March 10, 2010 (attached), stating, "There shall be no outdoor storage or sales of materials on the site, with the exception of vehicles for sale (which may be parked in that area designated on the GDP/SE Plat as "Prop. Vehicle Display Area," or in the Garage)." Currently, Mr. Page has vehicles stored throughout the southeast portion of the lot, far away from the "Prop. Vehicle Display Area" (as that area is defined on page 15 of the attached proffer statement from Page). In fact, the vehicles are stored where the proposed pharmacy, proposed financial institution, and new parking lot are set to be constructed, which calls into question Mr. Page's commitment to complete the development according to an expedient timetable.
I would welcome your thoughts on these concerns and request - and of course any facts on the development that I may have misunderstood. I look forward to hearing from you.
Thank you and best regards,
Jesse Heath
Changes to the Website
By Richard Hutchison, April 2012
We have made several changes to our online presence. In the last newsletter, we announced that the website had moved over to Google Sites. While it is still available at the address that we gave there, you can now access it at its new, permanent home: http://www.westlawncivic.org/
We have also added several new features to benefit our neighborhood. We have now created a community calendar on the website to help list upcoming activities and events. You will be able to access this calendar from your web browser, or even from your smart phone. If you know of any events that should be added to the calendar, email them to our webmaster at richardhutchison@gmail.com.
Finally, we have created a Google Group and email list for our community to make it easier to stay in touch between newsletters. Everyone is welcome to join the list, and any member can send a message to the entire group at westlawn-civic-association@googlegroups.com. To sign up, go to the website and click on the link for “Email List” or email our webmaster at richardhutchison@gmail.com.
We look forward to using these and other tools to help bring our community closer together.
Changes to the Bylaws
By Richard Hutchison, April 2012
There are several proposed changes to the Westlawn Civic Association bylaws that will be discussed and voted upon at the May meeting. Among these changes, we are revising the duties of the Association officers, and consolidating the positions of Recording Secretary and Corresponding Secretary into a single officer. We are also officially removing the requirement to use Robert’s Rules of Order at the meetings (a requirement that has been ignored for some time). We have also made a few minor changes to clarify other points.
You can read the full list of changes here.
President and Newsletter Editor Needed
By Dave Conway, January 2012
The year 2012 will be my last year as President and newsletter editor, and we need two people to step up and take over these positions. I have enjoyed serving the community for the last 15 years, and it is now time for others to come forward and lead our civic association. I would like to use the upcoming year as a transition year to make it easy on the next newsletter editor and the next President.
As newsletter editor (Vice President), you get to decide what information would be useful for your fellow Westlawn neighbors—information that most of us would otherwise not get. We recently streamlined our newsletter to cut costs and make it easier to produce. Also, we have several people who regularly contribute to the newsletter, so the editor does not have to come up with all the articles.
As President, you get to interact with county officials and represent the interests of the Westlawn community. You are the first person who the Mason District Supervisor’s office will contact with questions or information, such as applications for zoning exemptions by nearby businesses, and you get to contact their office with neighborhood requests such as repainting school crosswalks. I’ve learned a lot as your civic association president, and it is a privilege to serve the community as a civic leader.
These positions are opportunities for you to become more engaged with your community and to give something back. If you can help, please come to the February meeting and offer to help.
New Website for Westlawn Civic Association
By Dave Conway, January 2012
In December, I converted the Website for our civic association from my personal Web space at Cox Communications to Google sites. I was forced to make a change because Cox Communications decided it was no longer going to support personal Websites, and I’m glad I made the change!
Our new Website has the same functionality as the old Website, with more features. You do not need to know anything about HTML coding to create and update Web pages. Another great feature is that anyone with a Google user ID and password can be added as an approved editor, so all civic association officers have the ability to create and update pages on the Website. And it is all free!
We are still looking for a volunteer to be our Webmaster in charge of maintaining the Website. I would be glad to train anyone on how to create and update pages and modify layouts. If you can cut and paste, you can do this! Please contact me on 703-237-8572 if you are interested.
Loss of a Westlawn Icon
By Dave Conway, June 2010
We were all saddened to learn of the sudden passing of Jules Meszaros on 11 May. His absence from our civic association meeting that night was telling, as he has been a regular and active participant in our association for as long as I can remember.
Jules has long served our community, both as a tutor at Westlawn Elementary and co-chair of the Westlawn Neighborhood Watch. His tireless efforts to patrol our neighborhood and report zoning and junk car violations made a big difference in holding down crime and keeping the community from deteriorating.
Anyone who knew Jules will tell you that he was a really great guy. He was a person who cared—cared about his wife Antoinette, his family, and his community. We will miss you, Jules.
Commendation for Paul Berger
By Dave Conway, January 2009
In March 2008, the Virginia General Assembly approved House Joint Resolution No. 561, commending longtime Westlawn resident Paul Berger for "his commitment to inspiring people with disabilities to embrace their challenges and pursue their dreams."
Paul suffered a stroke in 1985 at the age of 36, but through determination, creativity, and positive thinking, he overcame his disabling condition to pursue and create opportunities for himself in his professional and personal life and has become a dynamic author, speaker, and businessman who serves as an advocate for and inspiration to all people with disabilities.
Delegate Bob Hull presented Paul with a framed copy of the House Resolution at the October meeting of the Westlawn civic association. The full text of the resolution and some pictures of Paul receiving this recognition can be found at http://www.positivepowerpublishing.com/Joint_561.PaulAwardBobHull.pdf. We all appreciate the great work the Paul has done and continues to do, and we're glad to call him "neighbor."
What You May Not Know About Our Advertisers
By Dave Conway, September 2008
Did you know that Loehmann's Shell (formerly Texaco) has been advertising in our newsletter for a decade, more than any other advertiser? They also are a great place to get your car worked on. Kathy and I have been getting our cars repaired and inspected there for over 20 years. If you ever stop by the service department, let them know you appreciate their continued advertising in our Westlawn newsletter.
You probably know the Frozen Dairy Bar now sells pizza, but have you tried their hot subs and Italian entrées? If not, you are missing a real treat! Their melted parmesan subs are loaded, with a generous amount of sauce and cheese that lasts to the last bite. Their pasta dinners are some of the tastiest around, and again they are generous with their portion size. We often share a pasta or chicken parmesan dinner, always making sure to save room for some frozen custard. Yummy!
Corpus Christi School, Holy Trinity Church, and Graham Road Church often hold social events that are open to everyone at Westlawn. There is no pressure to join, and for many years we took our children to picnics and festivals at all three. And we still go, even after our children have grown up! These organizations also offer a wide variety of excellent religious-based studies and activities for anyone so inclined.
Local residents often advertise in our newsletter, and we have had good experiences using their services. Gutterman Services, Fairfax Realty, BK Painting and Home Improvement, and Waggin' Tails Pet Sitting Service are all recent advertisers who also are Westlawn residents. It seems to me that customer satisfaction is often high when the person providing the service is someone who lives in or near your neighborhood.
Foreclosures in Mason District
By Dave Conway, April 2008
Home foreclosure rates are up dramatically in Fairfax County compared to last year. However, of the more than 4,000 properties reported in foreclosure countywide since January of 2007, only 267 are in Mason District.
As of late March, nine of the 950 homes in Westlawn were under foreclosure, which is a foreclosure rate of 1%. This rate is similar to other neighborhoods in Mason District.
The highest foreclosure rates in Mason District are in a few condominium complexes in the eastern part of the county, where the rates exceed 3%.
Big Changes Coming to the Frozen Dairy Bar
By Dave Conway, September 2006
Looking at the long lines at the Frozen Dairy Bar every evening this summer makes you think that it must do great business. It does, and if every day in the year were above 80 degrees, it would be a highly profitable business. However, operations that serve just ice cream can lose up to 90% of their monthly income during the five coldest months of the year, which is no surprise given that their menu consists of only cold dairy products.
But no more! Later this fall, the Frozen Dairy Bar will move a few feet east and take over the site currently occupied by Perk's Café. The new store will be called Frozen Dairy Bar & Boardwalk Pizza. The new store will sell Beach Fries and pizza, but there will be much more.
They will offer cheese fries, sausage and peppers, clams on the ½ shell, calzones, cheeses steaks, fresh squeezed lemonade, draft root beer, and salt water taffy.
They also will have some entrees and salads available on the new menu, and they will offer wine and beer.
The owners feel that the boardwalk theme will really tie their pizza and frozen custard together like no other theme could achieve. After all, frozen custard originated in East Coast boardwalk resort towns like Coney Island, Atlantic City, Ocean City MD and Wildwood. And pizza has always been a staple grab-and-go food item on theses boardwalks.
In order to preserve the Frozen Dairy Bar legacy, there will be a separate counter set up just for the FDB, and we will still be able to come in and get service from a counter just for the FDB. We also can order food and custard products at the same time at the pizza counter. Eat-in or carry out, but no delivery.
So how does the company plan to make its pizza stand out from the crowd? Besides high quality ingredients and fresh pizza dough, the company will be installing a $15,000 pizza oven. This oven is a traditional "Stone Floor" oven used to bake real NY pizza, not the kind that is cooked in a conveyer oven or baked in a pan (sometimes called NY-style, which also tastes good, but is not the same).
With a larger restaurant and expanded menu, the dairy bar will be welcoming sport teams and birthday parties. Pizza and ice cream are two of my favorite food groups, and they are always popular with children's parties. There will be seating both inside and outside, which is a major change from the current location.
The décor will be in an art deco, bright and fun motif that will try and capture some of the design aspects of the "Old" dairy bar. One wall will be dedicated to FDB memorabilia.
The Frozen Dairy Bar has been a good neighbor to Westlawn since 1950, and this expansion looks like it will continue to serve our community for many years to come.
When you get a chance, stop by and say hi to Michael Natoli, the new General Manager of the FDB. He hails from northwest NJ and has worked as a chef and waiter in the foodservice industry for over 25 years. Michael owned and operated a pizzeria in Morris County NJ, then a full service Italian restaurant. Michael has brought his years of foodservice and culinary experience to the operation and has been instrumental in the creation of this new custard/pizza concept.
Weekly Agenda Online
By Fairfax County, September 2003
Fairfax County's Weekly Agenda is no longer available in printed form as a result of budget reductions. Instead, a free electronic e-mail newsletter will be disseminated in a more timely manner, using no paper, at less cost, in a more complete form. With the new electronic version, the information will be provided in its original, unedited format, providing more information to you about Fairfax County government actions.
Go to www.fairfaxcounty.gov/email/lists and sign up now for the new electronic Weekly Agenda by adding yourself to the e-mail subscription list!
May General Meeting Highlights
By Dave Conway, July 2003
Richmond Update: Delegate Bob Hull provided us with an update on new state legislation that was passed this year. He said that there was no significant new legislation because there was no money for new initiatives. Because of a decline in state revenues due to the sluggish economy, the budget was cut. Bob stated that some state services, such as the DMV, have suffered.
He reported that he has been trying for five years to give Virginia counties the same taxing authority as cities. Cities like Falls Church City can create, raise, lower, or repeal local taxes on hotel/motel rooms, meals, and cigarettes as they see fit. But, counties like ours must get the state legislature to approve every local tax initiative other than raising or lowering property taxes.
Bob said that the main source of tax revenue for counties is the real estate tax. He said that if the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors had the authority to charge some of these other taxes, then they could reduce our property taxes. Once again, the General Assembly moved Bob's bill to the land of limbo for further "study," ensuring that it would not be voted on this year. Undaunted, Bob intends to reintroduce the legislation next year.
On a sad note, Bob noted that state redistricting had moved state senator Leslie Byrne out of the district Westlawn is in and into the same district as another incumbent Democrat, so Leslie has decided not to run for reelection. Veteran Senator Dick Saslaw will now represent Westlawn. We appreciate the efforts Leslie has taken these past years to represent our community's interests in Richmond and to speak at our meetings. We wish her the best of luck!
October Meeting Highlights
By Dave Conway, October 2002
Our first guest speaker at the October 2002 General Meeting was State Senator Leslie Byrne. Her remarks focused on three priorities of hers for the next legislative session in Richmond.
Nursing Homes. In Virginia, the law requires that nursing homes only need "adequate staffing" with no indication of what "adequate" means. Other states require a minimum average number of staff per resident, and she would like Virginia law to do the same. For all the money that Virginian taxpayers and nursing care recipients pay for nursing home care, people deserve to be treated well.
Telemarketing Ban. Leslie would like Virginia to adopt legislation creating a do-not-call list, something that 22 other states already have.
Protection of Personal Privacy. She would like to have a committee formed to look at how personal information currently found in court records, such as social security, credit card, and bank account numbers, can be kept off the Internet. For example, with a credit card number and a person's name, criminals can use genealogy Websites to find a person's mother's maiden name-the most common password for credit cards-and pilfer the account.
State Delegate Bob Hull spoke about the history of transportation funding in northern Virginia and why he felt the proposed 1/2-cent increase in sales tax was needed. To protect transportation funds from the yearly budget battles in Richmond, the state created a transportation fund in the 1980s. A major component of this fund is the 17 1/2 cent per gallon fuel tax.
The first priority for these funds each year is for maintenance, with building new roads and mass transit a second priority. In Northern Virginia, major road projects were being funded mostly by Federal dollars, with the state contributing only about 20 percent. Federal funding has dropped over the last 20 years to 50 percent at best, putting a greater burden on the state.
Within the Beltway, funds from the sales tax increase would have gone primarily to intersection improvements. One project close to home would be an overpass at the intersection of Lee Highway and Gallows Road similar to that at Route 50 and Gallows Road. (Voters did not approve the referendum.)
Bob also discussed his efforts to create a new license plate design called Fight Terrorism. These plates are available at a cost of $10 per year extra. The extra cost of special license plates in Virginia is intended to help the state raise revenue, as the one-time cost to manufacture these plates is rather small.
The police spoke about how they monitor all streets for speeding with Radar trailers, which tend to enforce voluntary compliance, and stealth pads, both of which record speeds for later analysis. They explained that a perceived increase in the number of cars on the streets is due to more cars overall, clogged major roads creating a need to use secondary roads, and secondary roads used by residents familiar with the area.
Fairfax County Police also spoke about their efforts to monitor juveniles who congregate at parks such as the one adjacent to Westlawn Elementary School. They monitor for gangs in order to prevent juveniles from drinking, hanging out, and trespassing. If the police are summoned to the park to investigate suspicious activity, they are able to arrest offenders on drunk in public charges. Before the police remove the offenders, they frequently have the offenders clean up the park.
The police officers encouraged residents to help by noting vehicle descriptions or license plates when observing suspicious activity at the park. They suggested that the houses surrounding the park leave on their backlights at night. A resident suggested placing a sign that noted that the park closes at dark and that the trees surrounding the park be trimmed.
The issue of junk cars was discussed. Police officers mentioned how they constantly monitor the neighborhood for abandoned and illegally parked vehicles, which can be ticketed and towed.
Vote on More Stop Signs
By Dave Conway, June 2002
The main topic at our 8 October General Meeting will be a discussion and vote on proposals to add four-way stops at the Westlawn Drive intersections with Barrett Road and Greenway Blvd. If you cannot attend the meeting, you can contact me by mail (Box 2003, Falls Church, VA 22042), e-mail (kdconway@cox.net), or phone (703-237-8572). If possible, come to the meeting and join in on the discussion.
In February 1998, the Westlawn Civic Association met and strongly endorsed the addition of multi-way stops at three Barrett Road intersections: Route 50 service road, Westmoreland Road, and Westlawn Drive. After forwarding our request to Supervisor Gross, VDOT inspected the area and rejected the intersection with Westlawn Drive. Recently Burl Seimers, our Traffic Committee Chairman, asked a VDOT traffic engineer to revisit our request. She inspected the intersection and indicated that she would approve the installation of a four-way stop if she received a request from Supervisor Gross.
Without this change, Westlawn Drive will remain the only long street in our neighborhood heading east from Wayne Road with no stops anywhere until the end of the road. For the minority of drivers who like to speed through our neighborhood, Westlawn Drive is an inviting road because of no stopping at the intersection with Barrett Road like we have with Westmoreland Road and the Route 50 service road. Residents on Westlawn Drive have asked for this change in the hope of slowing down some speeders and reducing the attractiveness of this road to speeders.
The proposal of adding a four-way stop at the intersection of Westlawn Drive and Greenway Blvd is more controversial. There are no multi-way stops at any of the Greenway Blvd intersections in our neighborhood. Changing one without changing the others could impact traffic patterns and shift more traffic to the streets with fewer stops-exactly what we fear has happened with Westlawn Drive over the last four years. However, without multi-way stops on Greenway Blvd, speeders have long stretches of straight roads to choose from in Westlawn.
Unfortunately, VDOT has not conducted any studies to determine the extent of speeding on Westlawn Drive to give us a sense of the magnitude of the problem. Also, while new stop signs can alter traffic patterns a bit, their effectiveness in reducing speeding is limited. Speeders know which intersections have little traffic from the side roads, and experience shows that they are likely to run stop signs that were installed simply to reduce speed. It is a complex issue, and we will discuss it further on 8 October. Be there if you can!
Volunteers Needed
By Dave Conway, April 2002
We need your help! As happens from time to time, some of our newsletter deliverers move out of the area, and we need new people to take their place. The job requires walking a route of about 35 homes in your area and dropping off newsletters four times a year (September, January, April, and June).
No door-to-door soliciting. No phone calls from me. You can expect a bag full of newsletters to show up on your doorstep with the addresses to deliver to and usually two weeks to deliver them at your convenience (the two weeks is why some people get their copies before others).
Please give me a call on 703-237-8572 or send me an e-mail at kdconway@cox.net. We especially need volunteers who live on or near Blundell Road. It would be great to have so many volunteers that we could have a waiting list to call on the next time we need someone!
Firetrucks Get Through
By Dave Conway, January 2002
The Fire Department is familiar with the Westlawn neighborhood and its narrow streets with parked vehicles along both sides. There are a few segments, such as the top of the hill on Kenfig Drive and the east end of Beechview Drive, where the streets curve. While negotiating these curves in a fire truck with parked vehicles on both sides can be challenging, the Fire Department has reassured us that they can get through.
Membership Changes
By Dave Conway, January 2002
At our General Meeting on Tuesday, 6 February, we unanimously decided to change our membership year to run the same as the calendar year-1 January to 31 December. It used to run from 1 June to the end of May. We also decided by majority vote to extend memberships of current dues-paying members through the end of the year. If you paid your dues in 2000 or earlier this year, please do not renew your membership until early next year!
As of early April 2001, we had 153 members. That leaves us almost 800 households that have yet to show their support for the good work that we do in Westlawn. We are more than just a spot on the map. With our Neighborhood Watch, our informative newsletter, our meetings that bring us face-to-face with key public officials (police, zoning, VDOT, local politicians, etc.), our special events (National Night Out and the Halloween parade), and an elected board that gives you a place to go to with issues that concern you, we are a community. Please show your support if you are not already a member by sending in the form near the back of this newsletter.
Persistence Pays
By Dave Conway, September 2002
Ever wonder how the state and local government agencies keep track of what needs replacing or repairing in the Westlawn community? Simply put, they rely on us. For example:
A concerned resident persisted last year in getting VDOT to send someone out last year to look at the bad condition of Blue Heron Drive and neighboring roads. VDOT put us on their list of repaving projects for this year, and now that area has newly paved roads.
On behalf of our Civic Association, I persisted for two years in getting VDOT to inspect the faded school crosswalks in our neighborhood and agree to repaint them. When the repainting did not occur as planned, I recontacted VDOT, who in turn discovered that the work order had been lost. The order was resubmitted, and the painting was done in time for this school year.
Two years ago, I proposed simple changes to the Route 50 intersections with northbound Jaguar Trail and Graham Road that would help reduce the back-ups at these intersections and improve their safety. After repeated follow-ups, VDOT inspected the Jaguar Trail intersection and made the change, and they recently made an initial inspection of the Graham Road intersection.
Good things don't often happen by themselves. An active community with a strong civic association and Neighborhood Watch program is what keeps Westlawn as nice a place as it is. Please show your support-make sure your dues are paid, and volunteer when you can.