Eight Months and Counting: Soil Erosion Tarp Remains on Silverbrook Road

Eight months after across the Commonwealth, a large white tarp—what most would consider a temporary solution—to combat soil erosion remains on a hill along Silverbrook Road in Lorton. Fairfax County says that the soil is no longer moving, but the sheets remain, and are periodically replaced by the property owner, Richmond American Homes. 

"It looks like the plastic tarp worked," said Ben Boxer, a spokesman for the Fairfax County Department of Public Works and Environmental Services. "The Department of Public Works is conducting ongoing inspections of the area and we no longer see any signs of additional movement in the soil."  

The hill is located between Laurel Crest Drive and White Spruce Way. 

Kyung Whelan and her family live next to the hill. "Every time it rains someone comes and adds more plastic to the tarp," she said. "I'm very tired of it. It's very ugly. It looks bad and I'm worried about my kids playing after school out there. It's not safe."

One neighbor, who withheld his name, lives directly behind the hill. "I'm tired of it, and not only me, but so is everyone who lives in this area," he said. "For us, the best way to deal with it is through the county, but the builder is responsible. The county has tried to contact Richmond American, but we haven't gotten any answers."

Richmond American did not respond to email or telephone messages left by Patch.