Falls Church city and school leaders head into planning for the fiscal year 2027 budget with many unknowns to contend with.
David So, the city government’s new budget director, sketched out a number of budget scenarios at a Monday (Dec. 1) work session between members of the City Council and School Board. Depending on the scenario, his projections leave a budget gap of between $2.7 million and $5.4 million that will have to be addressed before a final budget is adopted next May.
Signage for a new discount grocery store has appeared all over a vacant storefront in Falls Church, breathing new life into the site after more than two years.
Many details about the Grocery Outlet Bargain Market at 500 S. Washington Street remain unclear, including its opening date. As the new location attracts questions and even some early reviews, here’s a look at what is publicly known.
A new option for Mexican cuisine plans to open soon at Falls Church’s Founders Row.
Fish Taco will begin serving diners Baja-style dishes, with a particular emphasis on seafood, “within the next two weeks” at 930 W. Broad Street, a spokesperson told ARLnow.
The Falls Church city government continues to chip away at its staff vacancies, but faces ongoing challenges with public safety recruitment.
The 8% vacancy rate recorded across all city departments in early November “is, I think, the lowest we’ve been since the pandemic,” City Manager Wyatt Shields told members of the City Council’s government-operations committee on Nov. 26.
A French-inspired bakery is hosting its grand opening in Falls Church this weekend.
Paris Baguette has announced plans to begin serving customers at 169 Hillwood Avenue starting at 6 a.m. on Saturday, offering free giveaways to go with its wide menu of baked goods and other breakfast and lunch items.
A family-friendly pizza restaurant in Falls Church is shooting to open in a few months, following some delays.
After announcing plans in December 2024 to open at 119 E. Broad Street, Little Beast Cafe & Bistro — known for its storybook-style decor and Detroit-style pizza — has reset its timeline to open in February or March, owner Aaron Gordon told ARLnow.
Next year could be make-or-break time for Falls Church officials’ desire to do something big on the affordable-housing front.
The city, through its Economic Development Authority, already owns nine small apartment properties in the Virginia Village community near Annandale Road. At a Nov. 19 meeting between elected officials and staff, discussion turned to moving forward on a consolidated plan for housing the neighborhood.
Falls Church leaders have begun talks on a possible tax surcharge on commercial property to fund transportation improvements.
If it’s enacted, owners of non-residential parcels in the city could pay an additional rate of up to 12.5 cents per $100 assessed value each year, similar to surcharges in neighboring Arlington and Fairfax counties.
A bakery serving pastries, burgers and all-day breakfast plans to open in Falls Church next year.
Best Buns Bakery & Burgers is expected to open in a park outside the West Falls development at 265 West Falls Station Blvd, serving bites ranging from cinnamon rolls and sticky buns to fried chicken sandwiches.
Some Falls Church leaders are expressing concern over a possible General Assembly measure that would take away local power to regulate parking in development projects.
Such a measure could be introduced by Sen. Saddam Azlan Salim (D-37), who represents the city in the upper house of the legislature. The topic was among the key points discussed at the Nov. 7 meeting of the City Council’s legislative committee.
Fewer than 50 votes separate a winning and losing candidate for Falls Church School Board, meaning a recount could be in the works.
Electoral Board members certified the results Wednesday (Nov. 12). After tabulating provisional ballots and those received by mail by the Nov. 7 deadline, the margin between Kathleen Tysse (3,532) and Sharon Mergler (3,485) tightened from the 56-vote margin reported on Election Night to 47 votes upon certification.
Three incumbents and one newcomer on the Falls Church City Council ballot were elected yesterday (Tuesday), while the winner of the final seat on the School Board hangs in the balance.
Challenger Arthur Agin prevailed in the City Council race, as did incumbents Laura Downs, Marybeth Connelly and David Snyder. Agin will take the seat of Debora Schantz-Hiscott, who did not seek re-election, in January.
