Happy Thursday, Northern Virginia!
In today’s update:
⚖️ Starting July 1, new Virginia laws will change rules for workers, renters, students, drivers and law enforcement.
🏗️ City Council just approved the first phase of a major Old Town North redevelopment that could bring new homes, retail, public space and a cleaner, more active Potomac River site.
🚶 Centreville’s future could look a lot more walkable. Fairfax County just approved a new long-term plan that could bring more housing, better transit, safer streets, and even a possible Metro station to the area.
Scroll down and enjoy!
—Chris Colgan
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Best Things To Do This Weekend
in the NoVA/DC Area
Star-Spangled Sterling
A free, family-packed evening celebrating America's 250th, with a live DJ, food trucks, games, and fireworks after dark.
📍 Location: Sterling Middle School, Sterling
📅 Date: Jun 26 | 6 PM (fireworks at ~9:30 PM)
🎟️ Tickets: Free
MORE INFO→
Lake Fairfax 250th Independence Day Celebration
Fairfax County debuts its first-ever drone light show, plus live music, food trucks, and family fun all day.
📍 Location: Lake Fairfax Park, Reston
📅 Date: Jun 27 | 12 PM – 10 PM (drone show after dark; rain date Jun 28)
🎟️ Tickets: Free admission; parking $20 online / $25 at the gate (pedestrians & cyclists free)
MORE INFO→
Hometown Celebration (Fairfax City)
Fairfax City kicks off its 60th annual Independence Day festivities with kids' crafts, food vendors, and the City of Fairfax Band.
📍 Location: Stacy C. Sherwood Center, Fairfax
📅 Date: Jun 28 | 2 PM – 4 PM
🎟️ Tickets: Free
MORE INFO→
⚖️ New Virginia Laws Start July 1: What Changes for Jobs, Rent, Roads and Schools
Driving the news
A new wave of Virginia laws takes effect July 1, 2026, touching employers, renters, students, drivers and law enforcement agencies across the state.
Details
The changes include:
A ban on certain new sales and manufacturing of semi-automatic firearms and large-capacity magazines, with exceptions for antique or inoperable firearms.
New job protections, including salary history limits, pay transparency rules, higher minimum wage steps and tighter rules on noncompete agreements.
SOL testing changes for the 2026–2027 school year, including a 100-point scale, testing in the last two weeks of school and scores counting for at least 10% of some students’ final grades.
New cyberstalking rules covering online harassment through tools like email and messaging apps.
Court-ordered speed assistance devices for some reckless driving cases.
New rules allowing local police and campus police to use facial recognition technology, with limits on how it can be used.
The long-delayed Clean Slate Law, which expands record sealing for some offenses.
Tenant protections requiring more rent payment options and a longer 14-day eviction notice period.
Why it matters
For Virginia communities, the laws bring clearer rules at work, more time for renters facing eviction, a path forward for people with eligible records and new safety tools for roads and online spaces.
That can make daily life a little fairer for workers, families and local neighborhoods.
Between the lines
Some changes give people more protection, while others give agencies and courts new tools.
The facial recognition law, for example, allows use by local and campus police but blocks certain practices, including some real-time tracking and database uses.
The bottom line
Virginia’s new laws will affect everyday decisions: how people apply for jobs, pay rent, take tests, drive and move forward after eligible criminal records.
🎥 5 Harsh Truths Your Northern Virginia Realtor Won't Tell You
🏗️ Old Town North Waterfront Project Wins City Council Approval
Driving the news
Alexandria City Council unanimously approved the first phase and financing plan for redevelopment of the former Potomac River Generating Station.
Details
The approved phase covers Blocks B and C of the 19-acre site, with mixed-use buildings, public space and a plan to turn an old pump house into a community amenity.
HRP Group plans apartments, condos, retail and commercial space.
The city also approved a 30-year, $135 million tax increment financing deal.
The project could help bring more than $2 billion in private investment to the site.
Deconstruction of the old power plant could begin in 2027 and take up to 20 months.
The big picture
The power plant closed in 2012, and HRP Group bought the property in 2020.
The city has been working for years to move the site from former industrial use to a mixed-use neighborhood.
By the numbers
The first phase includes major housing, retail and open-space commitments.
Block B: 321 homes, including 8 on-site affordable units.
Block C: 494 homes, including 11 on-site affordable units.
Commercial space: about 85,000 square feet across Blocks B and C.
Parking: more than 900 underground spaces, plus 136 tandem spaces.
Public open space: more than 10 acres across the broader project.
City revenue: projected at more than $770 million over 30 years.
Between the lines
City leaders are betting the financing plan will help turn future tax revenue into upfront infrastructure support.
City Manager Jim Parajon said the city’s net return could land between $250 million and $300 million over the 30-year bonding period.
What’s next
HRP Group expects to break ground in 2027.
Before that, the former power plant must be taken down and the site must go through cleanup tied to past contamination.
🚶 Fairfax County Approves Long-Term Vision for a More Walkable Centreville
Driving the news
The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved an update to Centreville’s long-range plan on June 23, setting a new vision for growth around Route 28, Route 29, and I-66.
Details
The plan covers about 2,700 acres and marks Centreville’s first major planning update in 25 years.
It supports more mixed-use development and a stronger town center.
It identifies the Centreville Regional Library and Stone Road Park & Ride as possible affordable housing sites.
It includes a possible future Metrorail station along I-66, west of Trinity Parkway.
It calls for better sidewalks, bike routes, transit access, and street connections.
Why it matters
This gives the community a clearer path to add homes, improve daily travel, and create more places where people can walk, shop, live, and gather without relying on a car for every trip.
The big picture
Fairfax County is planning for Centreville to become less of a car-centered crossroads and more of a suburban center with housing, services, and transportation options closer together.
Between the lines
The plan does not build projects on its own.
It sets the framework that future public and private proposals will use, including possible library redevelopment, affordable housing, and transportation upgrades.
What’s next
County staff, developers, and community members will likely shape the next steps through specific proposals, funding choices, and future public review.
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In Other News…
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