Supervisors approve Community Parking District for all of Mason
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| This boat, on the end of Valley Crest Drive in Annandale, hasn’t been near the water in decades. |
The Fairfax County
Board of Supervisors agreed June 23 to create a Community Parking District (CPD) covering all of Mason District.
Board of Supervisors agreed June 23 to create a Community Parking District (CPD) covering all of Mason District.
That means boats,
campers, trailers, RVs, and related vehicles can no longer be parked on
residential streets. They would have to be parked in driveways or at off-site
storage facilities. Vehicle owners found in violation can be fined $75 and
their vehicle can be towed. The Mason CPD takes
effect in 30 days.
campers, trailers, RVs, and related vehicles can no longer be parked on
residential streets. They would have to be parked in driveways or at off-site
storage facilities. Vehicle owners found in violation can be fined $75 and
their vehicle can be towed. The Mason CPD takes
effect in 30 days.
The creation of a
district-wide CPD also means individual community associations won’t have to go
through the petition process and cost involved in getting a CPD in their
neighborhood.
Mason Supervisor Penny
Gross said she proposed the CPD because the police have been getting more
frequent complaints about large vehicles on residential streets. When she asked
for community feedback on the idea, the majority of residents, about nine to
one, expressed support for the concept. The Mount Vernon, Lee, and Springfield districts already have district-wide CPDs.
Gross said she proposed the CPD because the police have been getting more
frequent complaints about large vehicles on residential streets. When she asked
for community feedback on the idea, the majority of residents, about nine to
one, expressed support for the concept. The Mount Vernon, Lee, and Springfield districts already have district-wide CPDs.
All but one of the
people who spoke at the BoS public hearing June 23 wholeheartedly supported the
CPD.
people who spoke at the BoS public hearing June 23 wholeheartedly supported the
CPD.
The lone dissenter
was a woman who owns a 28-foot motor home. She stores if off-site but is
concerned that the CPD rules only allow temporary parking of banned vehicles for 48 hours. She says it takes five to seven days to load and unload the RV
and urged the BoS to allow residents to apply for a permit allowing a waiver of
the 48-hour rule.
was a woman who owns a 28-foot motor home. She stores if off-site but is
concerned that the CPD rules only allow temporary parking of banned vehicles for 48 hours. She says it takes five to seven days to load and unload the RV
and urged the BoS to allow residents to apply for a permit allowing a waiver of
the 48-hour rule.
Gross asked the
county transportation staff to come back with a recommendation on addressing
that issue.
county transportation staff to come back with a recommendation on addressing
that issue.
Bob Noe, speaking on
behalf of the Broyhill Crest Community Association in Annandale, urged the BoS
to approve the CPD because large boats and trailers are eyesores, obstruct drivers’ vision, take up
space needed for cars, and reduce property values.
behalf of the Broyhill Crest Community Association in Annandale, urged the BoS
to approve the CPD because large boats and trailers are eyesores, obstruct drivers’ vision, take up
space needed for cars, and reduce property values.
Noe cited one boat
on Valley Crest Drive that hasn’t been moved in at least 20 years and a15-foot metal fishing boat that first appeared on Gallows Road but is moved to
another street whenever a complaint is filed. Under current rules, large
vehicles are prohibited on residential streets only if “unattended.”
on Valley Crest Drive that hasn’t been moved in at least 20 years and a15-foot metal fishing boat that first appeared on Gallows Road but is moved to
another street whenever a complaint is filed. Under current rules, large
vehicles are prohibited on residential streets only if “unattended.”
When he
sent a letter to the owner of another boat who parks it in front of a neighbor’s house
on Travis Parkway, “the owner showed up at my house drunk and cursed me out,”
Noe said.
sent a letter to the owner of another boat who parks it in front of a neighbor’s house
on Travis Parkway, “the owner showed up at my house drunk and cursed me out,”
Noe said.
Trailers are a
special problem, added Broyhill Crest resident Keith Taggart, because they are
wide and hard to see in the dark.
special problem, added Broyhill Crest resident Keith Taggart, because they are
wide and hard to see in the dark.
“Our public roadways
are not storage facilities,” said Deborah Marton, representing the Barcroft
Hills condominium, which has been unsuccessful in trying to get a CPD approved
for Rio Drive.
are not storage facilities,” said Deborah Marton, representing the Barcroft
Hills condominium, which has been unsuccessful in trying to get a CPD approved
for Rio Drive.
One owner of an RV moves it every so often to avoid a ticket, Marton said. That “cat
and mouse game” is time consuming and exhausting for residents and the police, and a district-wide CPD would reduce the need for constant
monitoring.
30 responses to “Supervisors approve Community Parking District for all of Mason”
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This is wonderful news. Thank you Penny Gross and the rest of the Board of Supervisors.
Great work Penny~!
Excellent! Now we need to get the shuttle bus and tour bus guy to find a commercial parking lot.
That's the real issue, isn't it? Boats and RV's are a minor annoyance compared to the guys in the group home down the block who park their fleet of ladder vans up and down the street. Those sorts of semi-permanent parking lots have a bigger effect on running down the resale value of surrounding homes than the occasional boat.
I think that those ladder vans should be classified as commercial vehicles, which are NOT allowed to park in residential neighborhoods.
Mason District doesn't just need a CPD; it needs REAL parking enforcement. I can't go to Alexandria, DC, or Arlington without seeing parking enforcement officials – we need that, too.
It is patently unfair to urbanize parts of the county without more urban types of law enforcement, such as parking enforcement.
And CODE enforcement.
Did anyone propose adding commercial vehicles like ladder vans to the CPD rules?? All the ones parked down Sleepy Hollow Rd — not to mention the ghetto "limo" that shares time between there and Annandale Rd — are such an eyesore…
Why don't you ask the supervisor about this? Let us know her response, if you get one.
She has helped me with the same parking issues, and has always been prompt to reply to a situation. I have also helped by providing information regarding businesses with car repair, commercial truck repair in residential areas. She is the best, I am hoping the one taking over her old job will be as sharp and approachable.
This is AWESOME! Thank you Penny Gross!!
Hopefully owners of these vehicles won't resort to park in shopping centers. Willston Centre II in Seven Corners is already becoming a de facto truck stop with several tractor trailers parked overnight most days, all in full view near the service road. The owner of the shopping center, Regency Centers, has been unresponsive.
Safeway on little River has turned into truck parking. Total eyesore.
Don't thank Penny Gross for the approval! She has been opposed to CPD and I am sure she still is. This was driven by the residents of Mason District who finally pressured Penny Gross enough that she had to cave on this issue.
That's pretty much the case with everything Penny's been doing lately. It's an election year, so she's finally been forced to consider constituent demands she's typically ignored in the past. Expect that to end if she's reelected.
@ 1:53 PM
I love how when Penny does something the "Anybody But Penny" folks agrees with she is "caving" and everything else is here "refusing to listen".
You show your own ignorance. Onward Penny, keep leading and making great choices!
Yeah, Penny and you blue-hairs … keep leading Mason District into decline! yeah!!!!
Come on, lets give our supervisor some credit here…..thank you Penny. We need more of this, the tax paying electorate needs to be heard, we are anxious for our district to improve. Great first step, long in coming but very much appreciated.
@ Anonymous 6/24/15, 5:03 PM
Are you serious saying that Penny has been leading and making great choices. I would like you to tell me what great choices she has made over the last 20 years that has seriously improved Mason District?
@ Anonymous 1:53 – Are you high? Did you not read the article? Penny does not and did not oppose this. The article states: "Mason Supervisor Penny Gross said she proposed the CPD because the police have been getting more frequent complaints about large vehicles on residential streets."
Moving to Fairfax on Friday. No more brown trout boat in Annandale. Finally parking at my place?
Ellie is there a version of what you do for Fairfax? I haven't found someone with the local down low.
Why don't you start one?
The "lone dissenter" needs to step up her loading and unloading. It shouldn't be our problem, it's hers…no exceptions necessary.
I honestly agree with the new rules but I do think that a five day expection with a parking permit you can receive from the local District Police Department seems very fair. I think that would help out our neighbors and I can understand how getting a RV can take several days to prep. I wish I had a Large vehicle so this would be a problem for me.
The lone dissenter owns an RV, but apparently doesn't have a driveway to park it in? Park thecar on the street, and the RV in the driveway!!
Shows to go you! No exceptions for morons who own and operate these monstrous vehicles but can't even think of this solution to their own problem. Next they'll want free help to load and unload them…
Excellent Penny thank you so much getting this done for us. True, it would have been more useful if you had gotten it done ten years ago but better way too late than never eh? And in an election year no less. You are so clever.
Amen!
Does anyone know if the other districts which already have CPDs and which have communities without HOAs have experienced new problems with people moving these trailers, boats, etc. to their yards? If they have, hopefully we can learn what has and has not worked for them. Hopefully our neighbors will do this, but if they do, I hope that there is a plan in place to keep us from having a different problem in our communities.
Another case of solving a problem that doesn't really exist. I OWN the property that a col-de-sac is on, and my deed grants an easement for the cul-de-sac, which I am fine with. Today I received a warning ticket that the non-commercial, carry-on trailer I use for moving Boy Scout equipment with and I park in this cul-de-sac (ON MY OWN PROPERTY, which I pay taxes on) is not allowed to be parked because of this Community Parking District. This is a perfect example of the insanity of having a person like Penny Gross being elected to ANY public office. To set aside the ENTIRE district as area where a small privately owned trailer can't be parked instead of making a case-by-case decision on what areas parking such trailers would be a safety issue is asinine.
How to deal with someone who with the loopholes parks their RV for two days and then comes back again after three days to park their RV on the street again? It’s getting annoying having to go back and forth on this.