Contingency Plans in FCCPS for Mt. Daniel?

[Anonymous]

The county gets nothing for letting FCC operate a school in the county. If the county isn't prepared to end this arrangement, the least it can do is keep FCC from expanding and moving an additional grade to Mt. Daniel.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Fairfax already agreed to give FCC more land as part of the water deal, so why can't a new school be built on that site? FCC wants to tout the advantages of a small city, but impose the externalities of a big suburban-style school entirely on county residents.

Would you want your 5-year-old going to school on Leesburg Pike?

They aren't going to school in the road. Plenty of FCPS are on busy roads as well.

[Anonymous]

Maybe if FCCPS wants so much help from the county they should consider an agreement akin to what Fairfax City has.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Maybe if FCCPS wants so much help from the county they should consider an agreement akin to what Fairfax City has.

The arrogance of FCCPS is amazing. They are announcing the contractors for this expansion before there has even been a public hearing or a formal vote to approve this application, all to create the impression it's a done deal. They are also awarding one of the contracts to a design firm in Fairfax, presumably so they can argue the county gets something out the giant clusterf*** they want to create in the neighborhood.

http://fcnp.com/2015/06/11/grunley-samaha-chosen-for-mt-daniel-elementary-project/

[Anonymous]

Completely unclear why FCC has their own school system but runs it in another county.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Completely unclear why FCC has their own school system but runs it in another county.

In the case of Mt. Daniel, FCC bought the land in the early 1950s, and the original plan was to incorporate that whole area into FCC. I don't know why that ultimately didn't happen, but the result is that the school remains near to, but just outside, the FCC limits. And to be clear, FCC owns that land, it's not an "arrangement" with Fairfax county. There have always been plans to accommodate the expansion of the school if needed, so I don't really understand why the current plan has caused so much consternation - it's not like it was a surprise. Expansion is an approved use under Virginia code, so the county is probably limited in what it can do - probably recommend modifications to the plans, but not outright disapproval. And while I understand that neighbors have concerns, the school (plus the known and acknowledged plans to expand if necessary) were there first. Did people who bought near the school not understand this? The school was built in 1951, and most of the houses in the neighborhoods around it were built 1957-1972, to include houses that are literally right on the school's property line (no idea why the county planning commission ever approved that). It's disingenuous to complain now that the school is negatively impacting the neighborhood when the neighborhood grew up around the school.

[Anonymous]

Ok, but is FCCPS expanding on that land they own, or onto Fairfax land? If they're just expanding on their land I don't see the issue, but I'm having a hard .time believing that is the case?

They had this drama back in 2004 as well, so I am surprised they waited until the last minute here.

[Anonymous]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A30026-2004Aug24.html

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Ok, but is FCCPS expanding on that land they own, or onto Fairfax land? If they're just expanding on their land I don't see the issue, but I'm having a hard .time believing that is the case?

They had this drama back in 2004 as well, so I am surprised they waited until the last minute here.

They are expanding on the land they already own (but buying more).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ok, but is FCCPS expanding on that land they own, or onto Fairfax land? If they're just expanding on their land I don't see the issue, but I'm having a hard .time believing that is the case?

They had this drama back in 2004 as well, so I am surprised they waited until the last minute here.

They are expanding on the land they already own (but buying more).

Sorry, NOT buying more.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Completely unclear why FCC has their own school system but runs it in another county.

In the case of Mt. Daniel, FCC bought the land in the early 1950s, and the original plan was to incorporate that whole area into FCC. I don't know why that ultimately didn't happen, but the result is that the school remains near to, but just outside, the FCC limits. And to be clear, FCC owns that land, it's not an "arrangement" with Fairfax county. There have always been plans to accommodate the expansion of the school if needed, so I don't really understand why the current plan has caused so much consternation - it's not like it was a surprise. Expansion is an approved use under Virginia code, so the county is probably limited in what it can do - probably recommend modifications to the plans, but not outright disapproval. And while I understand that neighbors have concerns, the school (plus the known and acknowledged plans to expand if necessary) were there first. Did people who bought near the school not understand this? The school was built in 1951, and most of the houses in the neighborhoods around it were built 1957-1972, to include houses that are literally right on the school's property line (no idea why the county planning commission ever approved that). It's disingenuous to complain now that the school is negatively impacting the neighborhood when the neighborhood grew up around the school.

Just because you own property doesn't mean you can do anything you want with it. FCCPS is proposing a massive addition and to add at least one more grade and more students. That's why a zoning application is filed, to be followed by a public hearing in June and a decision in October. Stop pretending this is all a formality just because you want to ride roughshod over county residents. You can't build a deck on the back of your house without the county's approval, so you can't build a 65,000 square feet addition to a school without approval, either. I would not kick Mt. Daniel out, and let them renovate if they want to pour more money into a property on county soil, but I would not let them expand one inch.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Completely unclear why FCC has their own school system but runs it in another county.

In the case of Mt. Daniel, FCC bought the land in the early 1950s, and the original plan was to incorporate that whole area into FCC. I don't know why that ultimately didn't happen, but the result is that the school remains near to, but just outside, the FCC limits. And to be clear, FCC owns that land, it's not an "arrangement" with Fairfax county. There have always been plans to accommodate the expansion of the school if needed, so I don't really understand why the current plan has caused so much consternation - it's not like it was a surprise. Expansion is an approved use under Virginia code, so the county is probably limited in what it can do - probably recommend modifications to the plans, but not outright disapproval. And while I understand that neighbors have concerns, the school (plus the known and acknowledged plans to expand if necessary) were there first. Did people who bought near the school not understand this? The school was built in 1951, and most of the houses in the neighborhoods around it were built 1957-1972, to include houses that are literally right on the school's property line (no idea why the county planning commission ever approved that). It's disingenuous to complain now that the school is negatively impacting the neighborhood when the neighborhood grew up around the school.

It doesn't matter if the community grew around the school or that FCC owns the land. In Fairfax County FCC is just like any other land owner and if what it wants to do is not in the best interest of the neighborhood, FCC should not be given special treatment. A developer owns land in my neighborhood and wants to develop it. Due to objects from the neighbors, the developer had to significantly downsize its plan, and the process to start building took over eight years. Did FCC not understand it isn't the governing body in Fairfax County and so might face opposition to its expansion plans?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Completely unclear why FCC has their own school system but runs it in another county.

In the case of Mt. Daniel, FCC bought the land in the early 1950s, and the original plan was to incorporate that whole area into FCC. I don't know why that ultimately didn't happen, but the result is that the school remains near to, but just outside, the FCC limits. And to be clear, FCC owns that land, it's not an "arrangement" with Fairfax county. There have always been plans to accommodate the expansion of the school if needed, so I don't really understand why the current plan has caused so much consternation - it's not like it was a surprise. Expansion is an approved use under Virginia code, so the county is probably limited in what it can do - probably recommend modifications to the plans, but not outright disapproval. And while I understand that neighbors have concerns, the school (plus the known and acknowledged plans to expand if necessary) were there first. Did people who bought near the school not understand this? The school was built in 1951, and most of the houses in the neighborhoods around it were built 1957-1972, to include houses that are literally right on the school's property line (no idea why the county planning commission ever approved that). It's disingenuous to complain now that the school is negatively impacting the neighborhood when the neighborhood grew up around the school.

It doesn't matter if the community grew around the school or that FCC owns the land. In Fairfax County FCC is just like any other land owner and if what it wants to do is not in the best interest of the neighborhood, FCC should not be given special treatment. A developer owns land in my neighborhood and wants to develop it. Due to objects from the neighbors, the developer had to significantly downsize its plan, and the process to start building took over eight years. Did FCC not understand it isn't the governing body in Fairfax County and so might face opposition to its expansion plans?

Yep, that's why Paul VI is moving from Fairfax City to Loudoun and Oakcrest is moving from McLean to Vienna. The schools wanted to expand but the sites weren't appropriate for expansion. The difference here is that FCCPS has been far more arrogant than the private schools in acting as if it can do whatever it wants and the county residents should just roll over. No one wants to leave the kids without a place to go to school but FCCPS has brought this upon itself by engaging in brinksmanship and just daring the county to say no.

[Anonymous]

OMG you people are acting like they are building a prison. It's an elementary school. Get over yourselves.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OMG you people are acting like they are building a prison. It's an elementary school. Get over yourselves.

At least the traffic would be staggered with a prison. Why can't FCC find space in FCC for its own students?