Citizens For Great Falls
Newsletter
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Volume 1; Issue 5;
December 2025 | | | Holiday Message From CFGF
With the Holiday season now upon us, we are releasing an early December edition of the CFGF Newsletter. On behalf of everyone at the Citizens For Great Falls Board, we wish you a safe and joyful Holiday season and peace and prosperity throughout the coming year!
As this holiday season approaches, this CFGF Newsletter highlights major activities from late October and November. There will be no December Membership Meeting due to seasonal schedules, but any urgent updates will be shared as needed.
Cordially,
John Halacy, President
Manny Dacoba, Vice President | Comprehensive Plan Revisions
In December, the Board of Supervisors approved a rewrite of the Comprehensive Plan Policy Amendment. This rewrite included significant changes to policies related to Land Use, Transportation, Environment, Parks & Recreation, Human Services, Economic Development, and Housing. CFGF submitted extensive comments to the Board, expressing community concerns about the trend toward urbanization and threats to single-family and large-lot zoning. The next phase of the Comprehensive Plan Policy amendment involving community Outreach is set to be launched soon.
Click the link to read our CFGF Comments for BOS re Policy Plan Amendment to Comprehensive Plan |  | New County Proposal for Accessory Living Units
On December 2, staff members of the County Zoning Administration Division presented a set of proposed policy proposals to the Board of Supervisors' Land Use Policy Committee regarding Accessory Living Units (ALUs). This action stems from its placement into the FY 2026/2027 Zoning Ordinance Work Program as a Priority 1 item to consider changes and clarifications, and it is an item carried over from the previous year's program.
The county defines an ALU as a secondary dwelling unit established in conjunction with, and clearly subordinate to, a single-family detached home. The goals of the proposed policy changes, which would require future amendment to the Zoning Ordinance, are to increase the housing supply, offer options for older adults, young professionals, and caretakers, and support homeowners with rental income. The suggested changes also included, for additional consideration, approval of “interior ALUs” within single-family attached dwellings—in other words, townhouses.
A key provision would streamline the application process, remove "impediments," allow the use of an entire basement as an ALU, eliminate permit renewal requirements for Administrative and Special permits, and remove the need for approvals in land records. The staff proposals raise concerns over the effects on community character resulting from the intensification of use—more cars, loss of pervious surfaces and tree canopy, and parking problems especially in light of the recently reduced county parking standards ("Parking Reimagined") and resultant traffic congestion. Draft text is expected in Spring/Summer2026. |  | Public Hearing on Pickleball Court
The Board of Zoning Appeals will hold a Public Hearing on January 7 concerning a challenge to a Zoning “Use Determination” filed by neighbors contesting the Zoning Administrator’s approval of the pickleball court. The case involves an appeal by neighbors of the decision involving the controversial pickleball court that was improperly built in the front yard of “Grey Gables” at 9511 Georgetown Pike. Both Citizens For Great Falls and the Great Falls Citizens Association have commented on the case and offered testimony in earlier proceedings.
As pickleball has grown in popularity, legal disputes have arisen over the noise the game creates. Despite being one of the nation’s fastest-growing sports, pickleball has sparked controversy and litigation in some communities. For instance, in a 2016 lawsuit against Newport Beach, CA, a neighbor alleged that hearing pickleball games 100 yards away caused her significant mental distress and frustration. The city responded by restricting playing hours and adding sound-dampening materials to nearby courts.
Elsewhere, Denver officials introduced quieter pickleballs at public courts to help reduce noise levels. Fairfax County has had its share of controversy as well with County Park authority officials taking action to close one public court because of noise impact.
Studies indicate that the sound of a solid pickleball hit can be up to 20 decibels louder than the loudest tennis racket impact. This noise is impulsive—akin to a car backfiring rather than typical background sounds—which Nalini Lasiewicz, head of the nonprofit Pickleball Noise Relief, describes as an “acoustical assault.”
The controversies in these pickleball cases underscore the difficulty of balancing recreational activities with the right to enjoy one’s property undisturbed.
CFGF members are encouraged to submit comments to the BZA before the hearing. For more information, please contact CitizensforGreatFalls@gmail.com.
|  | Data Center Electrical Substation rules pass
The Board of Supervisors approved a zoning amendment related to electrical substations. This zoning change was designed to meet rising energy demands from new data centers in Fairfax County.
The county has published that the newly adopted ordinance brings substations under tighter regulation, and they note that new substation buffer requirements shield neighborhoods from the industrial look and scale of substation equipment (which can be 95 feet or more in height):
- 100-foot setbacks: All substation equipment must be set back a minimum of 100 feet from the property line of any adjacent residential area.
- Solid, 12-foot walls: Substations must have a minimum 12-foot-high, visually solid fence or wall along all boundaries facing a street or residential property to obscure the view of the facility.
- 50-foot landscaped buffer: A 50-foot-wide landscaped buffer using dense trees and evergreen shrubs must be installed next to any residential area to create a natural shield.
CFGF expressed concerns about risks posed by data center related electrical substations to nearby residential areas and recommended larger setbacks as did many other commenters. Although the Planning Commission proposed a revised amendment with increased setbacks, the Board rejected it and instead adopted smaller setbacks, which appeared to align with the preferences of data center stakeholders. | New Member of the Board of Supervisors
Rachna Sizemore-Heizer has been elected as the representative for the Braddock District. She assumed the vacant position on the Board of Supervisors following James Walkinshaw’s recent election to succeed Representative Gerry Connolly after his passing. Sizemore-Heizer's platform emphasizes increasing state funding, advancing a diversified tax base and economy in Fairfax County, protecting immigrant rights, and opposing casino development in Tysons.
Her appointment has created a vacancy on the Fairfax County School Board, where she served since 2019—initially as an at-large member until 2023, then as the Braddock District representative. | Board of Zoning Appeals Grants
Special Permit to Lift Me Up!
Following negotiations and a Board of Zoning Appeals (BZA) hearing, Lift Me Up! Great Falls' established equine therapeutic center, was granted a Special Permit authorizing its boarding stable and wellness program. For over fifty years, the organization has provided adaptive riding and horsemanship programs to individuals with diverse abilities. The facility encompasses two adjoining parcels with a combined total of just over six acres, located at 9700 and 9704 Georgetown Pike.
During the December 3 hearing, the BZA received input from both the Citizens For Great Falls (CFGF) and the Great Falls Citizens Association (GFCA). Representing CFGF, Board member and Secretary Jennifer Falcone expressed support for the Special Permit application while also articulating several concerns regarding draft Development Conditions to accompany the Special Permit.
She advocated for reinstating a 30-minute interval between equine wellness sessions and riding lessons—previously implemented at Lift Me Up!’s secondary location (1151 Kelso Road, SP 2023-DR-00041)—in place of the proposed 15-minute gap, to ensure consistency across programs.
Falcone further addressed the staff’s recommendation to restrict all non-residential and client traffic to the facility's western Georgetown Pike entrance, noting that this access point is an outlet road. She highlighted that Lift Me Up! possesses a deeded ingress/egress easement to that outlet and maintained that enforcing such a restriction could infringe upon these rights. Nevertheless, legal counsel for Lift Me Up! who was present at the hearing told the Board that the organization neither used nor required the disputed access and ultimately agreed with the proposed limitation. Additionally, Falcone recommended that a freestanding sign on Georgetown Pike should align in size and appearance with the historic and scenic character of the roadway, and that it should not be placed in the right-of-way of the highway where it had been installed.
Finally, she suggested incorporating a chart that was submitted by the applicant detailing daily session counts and participant numbers into the Development Conditions to facilitate enforceability. She noted that without a clear expression of limits on session length or participants, enforceability of the conditions would be impossible. The BZA members accepted these recommendations, and the resolution approving the Special Permit and related Development Conditions were adopted.
Although GFCA Land Use and Zoning Committee Chairman Kevyan Moussavi testified in opposition to the application, the Board expressed appreciation for the constructive involvement of both community organizations, acknowledging that their participation enhanced the Board’s understanding of varied community perspectives. |  | 2026 County Legislative Agenda Opposes Casino Development
The Board of Supervisors approved 2026 Legislative Agenda on December 9 at its regular meeting. The agenda now includes a definitive position against any unsolicited casino-related legislation. As preparations for the 2026 General Assembly session commence, the Board remains focused on key areas, including housing, transportation, funding, revenue generation, and the preservation of local authority. This stance has elicited responses from state legislators. Notably, Senate Majority Leader Scott Surovell, a Democrat representing Fairfax County whose proposed casino legislation was unsuccessful in the prior session, voiced his support for a public referendum on casino matters, considering it a democratic approach. He also underscored the considerable potential revenue that both Fairfax County and the Commonwealth of Virginia might realize, which could reduce the County’s reliance on real estate tax revenues an argument that pro-casino supporters have raised during the two previously failed legislative attempts in Richmond.
Following the Board’s adoption of the amendment, introduced by Hunter Mill District Supervisor Walter Alcorn, formally opposing casino development within Fairfax County, which also received full-throated support from Dranesville District Supervisor James Bierman, State Senate President Pro Tempore Louise Lucas—commonly referred to as the "Casino Queen"—utilized the social media platform “X” to articulate her frustration with Northern Virginia localities, particularly Fairfax, for allegedly disseminating "misinformation" regarding their state funding. Senator Lucas called for greater accuracy and transparency in these discussions. Her remarks reflect ongoing the political tensions over casino legislation, with opposition from local governments presenting significant challenges for state lawmakers seeking to advance related bills.
As of this writing, no casino legislation has been introduced, although news sources report Surovell has said he will bring back a bill in the General Assembly session beginning January 14, arguing that a Tysons casino could help shore up local finances. “Fairfax County is currently facing a $130 million budget deficit, and they're facing a deficit as far as the eye can see,” he said. “They constantly ask us for additional authority to raise revenue, and this would present a huge opportunity.”
In a related development, Senator Surovell has expressed his opposition to the proposed legislation that would create a statewide Gaming Commission responsible for overseeing gaming activities under a unified authority. He stated that he may withhold support for the establishment of such a commission if the process enables other casinos to acquire licenses before Fairfax County is afforded the opportunity to pursue one. As reported by YOGONET Gaming News, December 12, Senator Surovell stated, "I will not endorse a Gaming Commission if it gives other casinos precedence in securing licenses over my constituents, who should have the opportunity to negotiate their own licensing arrangements."
| Volunteers are welcome
CFGF is an all-volunteer organization. We welcome the participation of our members and especially those who are interested in serving the organization in a leadership capacity.
There is one remaining vacancy on the Board is for the office of Treasurer. Until such time as that office is filled, the duties of the Treasurer will be performed collaboratively by the President, Vice President and Secretary. Monthly reports will be available to the members.
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