Pine Spring Civic Association

County information presented here has been collected from the Fairfax County Citizens Handbook or the Fairfax County website, where the most up-to-date information can be found.

Fairfax County at a Glance
Fairfax County Government
Motor Vehicles
Bus and Metro Service
Home Improvements
Schools
Libraries
Parks
Pets
Quiet Hours (noise restrictions)
Recreation Center
Trash and Recycling
Voting

Fairfax County at a Glance

County founded: June 19, 1972
Total area: 399 square miles
Population (2000 census): 969,749
Number of public schools: 234
School enrollment: 165,016
Median household income (1997): $72,000

Fairfax County Government

The County is governed under the Urban County Executive form of government. There is an elected Board of Supervisors consisting of representatives from each of the nine districts, plus a chairman-at-large. Pine Spring is located in the Providence District.

Motor Vehicles

Owners of motor vehicles that are newly acquired or have been moved into the County must file for personal property taxation and obtain a vehicle decal within 60 days. Details are available on the County website. State safety inspections of all automobiles are required every year and emission inspections are required every two years. State license plates, registrations, titles, and drivers licenses are available from the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles. Details are available on the DMV website.

Bus and Metro Service

The three closest Metrorail stops are Dunn Loring - Merrifield (on Gallows Road), West Falls Church, and East Falls Church. Metrobuses run on Arlington Boulevard (Rt. 50) and Lee Highway (Rt. 29) and provide service to Metrorail stations. Information about Metro services are available at the Metro website. FASTRAN is a county transportation service available to qualified residents.

Home Improvements

Permits are generally required for home improvement projects involving construction, enlargement, alteration, and repairs. Some ordinary home repairs are exempt. The zoning in Pine Spring is R-4 (four homes per acre). Zoning Ordinances regulate the location and size of home improvements, even when permits are not required.

Schools

Pine Spring Elementary School is located in the community, and Falls Church High School is only a short walk away, directly across Route 50. There is bus transportation to Luther Jackson Middle School.

Libraries

The Fairfax County Public Library offers numerous resources and services. The nearest branch is the Thomas Jefferson Branch. Detailed information about hours, programs, and services are available on the branch's website.

Parks

Pine Spring Park is situated immediately to the north of Pine Spring Elementary School and parallel to the backyards of homes along the 2900 block of Pine Spring Road. Access is Willow Lane near the school. In 2001 volunteers from Pine Spring Civic Association, assisted by a grant from the Fairfax County Park Authority, started a project to plant a shade garden along the trail through the park (see Events & Activities). The park's facilities include two tennis courts and wooded trails. Also nearby is Jefferson District Park, which is a short distance northwest of Pine Spring across Lee Highway. Facilities there include a nine-hole golf course and miniature golf. For additional park information visit the Fairfax County Park Authority's web page.

Pets

Dogs must be penned or on a leash. All dogs four months and older must be licensed each year. Dog licenses may be purchased by mail or in person at the Department of Tax Administration in the Fairfax County Government Center, and also at the county Animal Shelter. Applications are available at www.co.fairfax.va.us/dta. The cost is $10 for a fertile dog and $5 for an infertile dog. A current rabies vaccination certificate must be shown at time of purchase. Cats four months and older are also required to have rabies shots. Rabies innoculations are also encouraged for ferrets.

Quiet Hours (noise restrictions)

The County's Noise Ordinance forbids excessive noise from musical instruments, radios, televisions or other sound systems, as well as disturbances by barking dogs or other domestic animals between the hours of 11:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. To violate the ordinance, noise must be clearly audible across property lines or through partitions. The operation of power equipment such as lawn mowers and chain saws is permitted between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. Questions and complaints should be directed to Zoning Enforcement 24 hours a day.

Recreation Center

The Providence District RECenter is located one quarter mile southwest of Pine Spring across Arlington Boulevard. It has a heated indoor 25 meter pool with a poolside spa, saunas, showers and locker rooms, raquetball and volleyball courts, a newly renovated fitness center with Cybex weight equipment, dance room, arts and crafts rooms, and multi-purpose rooms. Providence RECenter also has a large room available to rent for meetings and parties.

Trash and Recycling

Pine Spring is located within the Fairfax County Refuse Collection area. Residents receive weekly collection services paid for by user fees charged on our real estate tax assessments. These services include refuse collection and recycling services, as well as curbside vacuum leaf collection service three times each fall.

All refuse and recyclable must be placed at the curb by 6:00 a.m. each Thursday. Wheeled trash containers are offered at no additional charge. Recyclables, including newspapers, glass bottles and jars, metal food and beverage cans, and #1 and #2 plastic bottles and jugs should be placed in blue bins provided by the County. Newspapers and other recyclable paper should be placed in a second blue bin. Other containers or plastic bags not exceeding 50 pounds gross weight when filled may be used. Do not place household hazardous waste in your regular trash; call the household hazardous waste InfoLine at for more information.

Use transparent plastic bags or reusable plastic or metal containers for grass clipplings and/or leaves. If collection crews cannot see the contents of a bag they will put it on the trash truck. Of course, composting and mulching yard debris is the "greenest" alternative!

The following materials are not collected at curbside: dirt, stones, stumps, rocks, bricks, animal waste, shingles, drywall, asbestos, floor tiles, concrete, glass windows, sliding glass doors, and sheets of glass. These items can severely damage equipment. If your setout contains even a small amount of these materials, collection will not occur.

Special collection of large household items (furniture, appliances, metal, lumber, etc.) and brush (tree limbs and logs not over six feet in length) can be arranged. Special pickups are collected on the same day as trash.

NEW: Schedule collection of brush and bulk items via the county's website.

Voting

Virginia voting requirements are as follows: a person must be a U.S. citizen, must have an official residence in Virginia, and must be age 18 by the time of the next general election. Registration books close 30 days before a primary or general election, and on either the 7th or 14th day before a special election.

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