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.

Contents

• 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
• Useful Phone Numbers

Fairfax County at a Glance

• County founded: June 19, 1972
• Total area: 399 sqare 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. The current chairman is Kate Hanley (D), who is the former Supervisor for our own Providence District. Pine Spring is located in the Providence District, and is currently representated by Supervisor Gerald (Gerry) E. Connolly (D). Mr. Connelly's office is located at 8739 Lee Highway, Fairfax, VA 22031 (phone: 703-425-9300; fax: 703-207-3541; TTY: 703-207-9407; email: provdist@fairfaxcounty.gov.

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, or call 703-222-8234. 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, or call 703-761-4655.

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 202-637-7000 (TTY: 202-638-3780) or on 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. When in doubt, call 703-222-0801. 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. For information on zoning regulations, call 703-222-1082.

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 at 7415 Arlington Boulevard (703-573-1060). 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, or call 703-324-8700.

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 Supervisor Connelly's office or 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, 703-324-1300, 8 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. weekdays, or to the Police Department, 703-691-2131, 24 hours a day.

Recreation Center

The Providence District RECenter is located at 7525 Marc Drive, 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. The phone number for the Center is 703-698-1351; TTY 703-641-8672.

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 703-324-5068 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! For easy instructions on how to compost or "grasscycle", call 703-802-3322.

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 by calling 703-802-3322. Special pickups are collected on the same day as trash.

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. For absentee voting and other information call 703-222-0776.

Useful Phone Numbers