Letter: Great Falls Group Calls On County To Postpone Public Hearing

On Tuesday, John T. Halacy, president of Citizens for Great Falls, sent the following letter to Fairfax County Planning Commission Chair Phillip Niedzielski-Eichner and members of the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors, including Chair Jeff McKay.

Dear Chairman Niedzielski-Eichner:

Citizens For Great Falls respectfully asks that the Planning Commission postpone the October
15 public hearing on this matter. This postponement would provide Fairfax County residents
with adequate time to review the proposed amendment and engage in substantive public
participation throughout all community segments. We submit this request for the following
reasons:

The draft Policy Plan Amendment was released on September 10, 2025. When a
significant policy change is published, such as this formal draft, our organization,
together with peer community groups, is committed to ensuring that both our members
and the communities we serve are informed about the essential elements of the proposed
public policy changes and their direct implications for residents of Fairfax County.

This County-wide Policy Plan, upon adoption, will have lasting effects on the community
and guide future decisions related to land use, infrastructure, transportation,
environmental issues, and more. The comprehensive nature of this 370-page draft
publication poses a unique challenge for community organizations—particularly
volunteer-based groups like ours that do not employ paid staff or retain consultants (such
as Clarion, which has assisted the county)—in thoroughly reviewing and understanding
every substantive change, including those that may appear subtle.

Now that the draft is available, we intend to engage with our members, provide
information, and ask for feedback from the broader community. Insights gathered will be
communicated to the Planning Commission and the Board of Supervisors to ensure
meaningful input from community stakeholders.

Our preliminary review indicates notable changes in land use policy, transportation, and
points raised within the environmental policies.

Scheduling the Public Hearing on the Policy Plan concurrently with multiple other draft
amendments in October does not allow adequate time for community organizations to
comprehensively review, discuss, and collaborate on aspects that may need clarification
or further attention.

Given the scope of the county-wide Policy Plan revision, it is important that all interested parties,
including homeowners who may be affected by proposed policy interpretation, have the
opportunity to participate fully.

Please consider our request that the October 15, 2025, Public Hearing be postponed to first calendar quarter 2026 to allow for a comprehensive review and evaluation of the proposed amendment's implications.

John T. Halacy, President
Citizens For Great Falls