Our Community in Fairfax County, Virginia
Fairfax County is taking steps to counter the proliferation of large storage and trash containers parked on its streets. Following a request from Braddock District Supervisor Sharon Bulova, Fairfax County police have established a 24-hour hotline for residents to report any portable on-demand storage units or dumpster-like bins parked on neighborhood streets. The police will investigate such complaints and give the containers' owners four working days to remove the containers or have the police remove them at the owner's expense.
Most Westlawn residents have used common sense and placed these containers on their property. At least one resident, however, parked a portable storage unit on the street for many weeks. It was a nuisance having to swing wide to avoid the container, especially with oncoming traffic, and the neighbors must have had a difficult time pulling out of their driveways with this large container blocking their view. And when unusually heavy rains hit, the runoff along the curb hit the container and rose above the curb, creating a pool of water on the street and apparently flooding the bottom of the storage unit.
Supervisor Bulova said her office was receiving several complaints a month about large storage units obstructing the view of drivers on narrow streets or hindering drivers backing out of driveways. Her staff investigated and found that in some cases, people were using these storage units for additional storage, instead of putting up a storage shed, or for a business being run out of the home. State law prohibits placing large containers on state streets without proper permission, but Virginia transportation authorities don't have the resources to pursue container violators.
Local police, however, also have the authority to investigate and remove these traffic hazards. Supervisor Bulova met with Fairfax police commanders, and they agreed to set up the anti-container hotline. Once the police receive a report of a container on a street, an officer will investigate.
Remember, large refuse bins and storage containers such as PODS are legal if placed on private property, including driveways and front yards. Just don't make them a permanent fixture on your property—if you want a shed, build a shed; if you want an extra room, get a permit and add an extra room to your home. And if you have a major home improvement project and you need to park a large dumpster on the street for a few days, just make sure it is not creating a traffic hazard, such as being parked so close to an intersection that it obstructs the view of drivers trying to make turns.
With the ever-growing number of vehicles in the Mason District, here are some guidelines when trying to park your car:
Where to park:
Parking Backward. Beginning in June, police began issuing citations instead of warnings to people who park on the road facing the wrong direction. It is dangerous to park on the left side of the road, then pull into oncoming traffic and cross over to the right side of the road when leaving. Crowded streets, like those in Westlawn, greatly increase the chance of an accident. Please obey the law.
Blocked Sidewalks. It is illegal to park on a sidewalk, including the part of the sidewalk at the end of your driveway. The Virginia Department of Transportation owns the sidewalks and the area between the sidewalks and the curb. The driveway ramp that extends from the street to the far side of the sidewalk is VDOT property, and cannot be parked on. The sidewalks are for everyone to use, including the segments that connect driveways to the street.
Blocked Driveways. When police respond to a call about a vehicle that is parked too close to (less than 10 feet) or blocking a driveway, they first check to see if the vehicle is registered to the address where the driveway is blocked. It is not a violation to block your own driveway. If the vehicle does not belong there, they can issue a parking ticket, or possibly have the vehicle towed.
Car Break-Ins. The most common thefts are thefts of opportunity. Whenever possible, leave nothing plainly visible in your car that could tempt a criminal passing by to smash a car window and make off with your property. This is also true at home. Remember to roll up car windows and lock doors when parked at home, even in a driveway.
As residents of Weston and Westley Roads are acutely aware, parking at Westlawn Elementary has become a big problem this year. Almost two dozen parking spaces were lost with the addition of new trailers, and smaller class sizes mean more teachers and staff, with a corresponding increase in cars.
Dr. Hall, the school principal, is working with the School Board to find a way to increase the number of parking spaces on the school property. For the short term, the school has alerted parents and school staff that residents can call the police non-emergency number at 691-2131 and have the police ticket any cars that block driveway entrances or are parked closer than 15 feet to a stop sign.
Street parking is going to be a problem on these roads anytime a major event is held at the school or on the adjacent park property. Residents have already had to deal with Back to School Night, a Halloween party, and a weekend soccer tournament.
Residents raised this issue at the October 1999 General Meeting, emphasizing the need for warning before these events take place. The civic association will try to alert residents on these streets to upcoming major events on the school property a few days in advance.
At our May 1999 meeting, someone asked a question about handicapped parking in front of his home. According to VDOT, you can have "handicapped parking only" signs put up in front of your house if you send VDOT a doctor's note that describes your injury, explaining why you need a handicapped parking space. Send the signed note, including your street address, to:
According to Supervisor Penny Gross, the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors is seeking information on what other U.S. cities do about the eyesore of paved front yards that are being used as parking lots for homes with many adult residents. A Westlawn resident firmly pointed out that any restrictions on parking cars on front yards would lead to more cars parking on the street, making Westlawn's parking problems even worse!
This predicament obviously is related to the problem of many adults living in a single-family home with a driveway meant for only one or two cars. We will follow this study closely, working with our local officials to ensure that we don't fix one problem by making another problem even worse.