www.fairfaxcounty.gov April 15, 2003

Fairfax County citizens are invited to comment on a report outlining recommended changes to policies, practices and regulations that guide the county’s current stormwater management program. A series of public meetings will be held at four locations throughout the county to hear public comment:

The report was prepared by a committee established to study the role of regional ponds and other types of stormwater controls as potential watershed management tools. The committee, comprised of 15 members including the Fairfax County Environmental Coordinator and representatives from the Department of Public Works and Environmental Services, the Department of Planning and Zoning, the Fairfax County Park Authority, the Northern Virginia Soil and Water Conservation District and the Environmental Quality Advisory Council, prepared the report and invited public comment on the preliminary findings during a meeting held in November 2002. The committee took these comments into consideration in developing its recommendations into the final report, and the committee now is seeking input from all citizens and stakeholders before taking the next step of developing implementation plans.

In the report, the committee has recommended that regional ponds should not be deemed the preferred alternative for stormwater management, but just one of the many tools considered. The report contains 61 recommendations that support this position and outlines ways to improve Fairfax County’s stormwater management program. The public meetings will provide an opportunity for citizens to learn about the proposed changes and to contribute ideas to shape the program of the future.

 There is no fee to attend the public meetings; however, advanced registration is encouraged so that sufficient materials will be available. To register, please send an e-mail message to swpdmail@fairfaxcounty.gov and include the following information: name, address, e-mail address, phone number and organization represented, if any. Also, please include the date and location of the meeting you plan to attend and indicate if any special accommodations are needed. Interested citizens may also register by calling the Stormwater Planning Division at 703-324-5500, TTY 711 (Virginia Relay Center) and providing the information listed above, including any requests for special accommodations.

Those planning to attend one of the public meetings are encouraged to read the report of the Regional Pond Subcommittee: The Role of Regional Ponds in Fairfax County’s Watershed Management, March 3, 2003. The report is posted on the county’s Web site at www.fairfaxcounty.gov/gov/DPWES/Watersheds/ponds.htm. For a printed copy of the report or to request alternative formats, call 703-324-5500, TTY 711.  

Comments on the report also may be submitted in writing by Monday, June 2 to swpdmail@fairfaxcounty.gov or to Director, Stormwater Planning Division, 12000 Government Center Parkway, Suite 449, Fairfax, VA 22035. 

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