Coalition for Smarter Growth Awards Mayor Hardi and City of Falls Church 2025 Livable Communities Leadership Award; Mayor's Speech

On behalf of the City of Falls Church, Mayor Letty Hardi graciously accepted the 2025 Livable Communities Leadership Award from the Coalition for Smarter Growth (CSG) – dedicated to "advocating for walkable, bikeable, inclusive, and transit-oriented communities as the most sustainable and equitable way for the Washington, D.C. region to grow and provide opportunities for all" – at a May 14 CSG evening gala awards ceremony on the rooftop of the restored Martin Luther King, Jr. Library in the District.

CSG honored Mayor Hardi by name for her smarter-growth leadership of the Little City, but the mayor went out of her way to thank the many city officials and leaders who helped move the City of Falls Church toward its progressive vision.

Here's the awards language from CSG: "Mayor Letty Hardi & the City of Falls Church: honoring the city’s remarkable success in creating thousands of homes — including dedicated affordable housing — and a diverse mix of new retail, restaurants, and offices."

Here's Mayor Hardi's acceptance speech for the award (published by CSG):

Mayor Hardi's Acceptance Speech:

Good evening everyone!

First – Thank you to the Coalition for Smarter Growth for this incredible honor. And to our federal workers and contractors – who have been impacted, who are worried, or who keep showing up – we stand with you. You are the quiet engines behind so much of what keeps our country running. We see you and we appreciate you.

Thank you so much to CSG. I am thrilled to be here to share the Little City story – and deeply humbled.

As mayor of Falls Church – aka The Little City, or the Little City with Big Ideas – this award isn’t just mine. It belongs to the entire community of people who show up to meetings in City Hall, who lead walking tours, paint rainbow crosswalks, who inspect new buildings for safety, march in our Memorial Day parade, repair sidewalks, plan Halloween bike parades, or plant trees on Arbor Day together. And some of you all are here tonight. So I want to make sure we recognize everyone.

Some of My City colleagues:

Vice Mayor Debbie Hiscott; Council member Justine Underhill; Former Mayor Dave Tarter; Former Council member and current Planning Commissioner Phil Duncan; Vice Chair of Planning Commission Tim Stevens; Former Chair of Planning Commission Rob Puentes; EDA Chair Ross Litkenhous; Phenomenal city staff led by long time City Manager Wyatt Shields; Akida Rouzi, Zoning Administrator; Amanda Stout Brain, Public Works Director; and Kerri Oddenino from Planning.

And some of my favorite planners and visionaries around, Jim Snyder and Paul Stoddard, who are great examples of how we often import and then export talent around the region.

All of us are here tonight because we passionately share the idea that where we live, how we get around, and who gets to be part of our communities matters. It shapes our health, our economy, our climate, and most importantly, our sense of belonging. And we share a collective responsibility on how we’re going to leave it better for the next generation.

Now, if you’re not familiar with Falls Church – first of all, come visit! We’re known as The Little City because we clock in at just 2.2 square miles. We’re small but mighty. But what we lack in size, we make up for in heart – and ambition. And grocery stores, I might add. I did the math and I think we might have the highest grocery store per capita around.

And I truly believe that’s why we’re being recognized tonight — the heart and ambition part (not the grocery stores part!)

In Falls Church, we’ve embraced smart growth – not as a trendy buzzword, but as a guiding principle.

● We’ve been working to be a 15-minute city – the idea where you really can get your daily needs met within a 15 minute walk, bike, or bus/transit ride – before it was cool – or before we knew it was cool.
● We’ve re-zoned to allow more mixed-use and housing. Over the next few years, we’re adding 25% more housing supply, doubling our affordable housing stock, and welcoming 20% more population – who will be our new neighbors, friends,
and customers.
● And we’re tackling middle housing pragmatically – 8 years ago we were the first on the east coast to allow for cottage housing. And because we wanted to allow for infill and smaller development and hadn’t built townhomes in the city in over 20 years, we modernized our transition zoning last year and have 2 townhome projects underway now.
● And just last month, we got our ADU ordinance over the finish line – with what Mercatus has told me was the most progressive in the Commonwealth, without the poison pills of parking requirements and owner occupancy.

Can we finally say that housing and density aren’t bad words?

But none of this happened overnight. For 10+ years, we’ve been relentless at getting things done and adding supply – the idea of abundance is not new to us in Falls Church.

I’ve been reflecting a lot on how we got here. This success is made possible by 5 different things:

1) It’s been years of ambitious plans and progressive direction – thank you Jim,
Paul, and others for being visionary and reminding us that cities need to evolve,
parking codes need to be modernized, and we can’t pull up the ladder after the
last zoning change is done.

2) Elections have consequences – we clearly know that now. In Falls Church, we’ve
had consequential voices like Phil Duncan and Ross Litkenhous, urging us to
add and diversify to our tax base – that we should build our way to excellent
services and infrastructure vs. tax our way there. I’ve been fortunate to serve with
and learn from them and others.

3) Persistence and work by professional staff – thank you for the diligent, steady
leadership starting from the top. Wyatt, especially for your patience with me.
Especially when I don’t take no for an answer – and you smile and nod and hope I
don’t ask again. 😄

4) Public engagement and accessibility – projects are made better when we listen.
But we also are learning how to go to the people, so we’re not just listening to the
loudest voices in the room and what it means to give people a voice but not a
veto.

5) Thoughtful, fact-based decision making. As a data nerd, I make decisions
anchored in facts and write about it in my blog, hopefully informing a few more
people each week. But if nothing else, even if you disagree with me, maybe you
can appreciate that I engaged with you and see how I came to my vote. While
not every decision can be based on numbers only – it certainly helps that I can
rely on good fiscal modeling from staff and actual data that combats all the FAQs
about traffic, stormwater, parking, school capacity. And then we go back,
measure how we’re doing, and learn from that to move forward.

Facts and yes, voices in the room help us on the dais take the brave votes.

And the results show it.

● Besides new buildings, restaurants, a growing tax base and population, we’ve
also managed to build generational investments in new high school, city hall,
library, sidewalks, parks, trails while lowering the tax rate 14 cents over the past 5
years (and it will be another penny lower when the next fiscal year starts in 2
months).
● We’re consistently ranked as one of the best places to live, we have a terrific and
intimate school system, decreasing traffic volumes according to VDOT data –
because as Rob Puentes reminds us – more people doesn’t always mean more
cars when you also invest in multimodal transportation.
● And we’re ranked by US News and World Report as the "healthiest community in the U.S.," because I truly believe smart urban planning leads to better physical and mental health.

My favorite gauge of our progress is the “Letty coffeeshop metric,” which some of you may have heard before. When I first ran for City Council in 2016, we just opened our first independent coffee shop. One of the special things about the Little City is all of our small businesses, with coffeeshops among them. Since 2016, we now have 6 – with 3 more on the way and all of them are packed daily. I share this with you, not because I run on coffee, but because coffeeshops are those third places that create opportunities for social connection.

It’s because welcoming more people, giving them an opportunity to live where there are jobs, transportation, and amenities, and building great places – means those people also become the customers to help sustain the small businesses we cherish. This is a virtuous cycle that not only supports business, reduces sprawl, and is more equitable and greener. Growth is not mutually exclusive from being green.

At its core, creating a livable community means creating places where people can thrive and, truly, Falls Church is special. We have come a long way, and I try not to take it for granted. Because when I try really hard to listen to who’s not at the table, they remind me – in the nicest possible way – that there’s still work to do. We need to keep leaning into a future that’s inclusive, sustainable, and community-focused. I challenge all of us to hold up our progressive values in the mirror and decide if we’re doing enough to take real steps to welcome more neighbors of different incomes and backgrounds. Or are we just resting on our laurels of being affluent, educated, and centrally located? And are we doing enough on climate change – and making our city resilient to this existential issue and doing enough in the region to transition our buildings and transportation modes away from high carbon emissions? And I can’t ignore what’s happening at the federal level. Is our region resilient enough over the next few years? Will we be able to protect the most vulnerable and weather the storm?

In times of uncertainty, I go back to what’s in my sphere of control and that’s at local government. Local government is where we can get things done. And at the end of the day, I believe that most people want to see progress – so I try to be a builder.

There is so much good we can do, individually and collectively as a region. We have the opportunity to create believers in democracy again if we focus on delivering results and making government work for people, solving problems that matter vs. kicking the can down the road, and reversing the fear of scarcity politics.

The work is incremental and pragmatic – I’ve learned there is no silver bullet, otherwise we would have done it long ago – but the little things do add up. Change doesn’t happen all at once – it happens one policy, one sidewalk, one brave vote at a time.

Let me end with this: if Falls Church can lead on these issues – if our Little City can take bold steps toward big goals – then we all can. We’re proof that political courage and community vision are not measured in square miles. They’re measured in values – and in action.

Thank you again for this incredible recognition.

Let’s keep going!

Thank you.

~ Mayor Letty Hardi 2025 Livable Communities Leadership Awardee

Greater Falls Church Food Trek Launches June 1, Runs Through Aug. 31

A new Instagram group @fcfoodietrek just popped up a few days ago to announce:

Save the Date. The 𝐅𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐬 𝐂𝐡𝐮𝐫𝐜𝐡 𝐅𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐓𝐫𝐞𝐤 kicks off June 1 and runs through August 31 — and you’re invited to taste your way through town!

Let us guide you to your next favorite spot for food, drinks, and fun — one delicious stop at a time. Pick up your passport at any of the 12 participating restaurants next week and start collecting stamps:

📍 Borek G
📍 Cafe Kindred
📍 Ellie Bird
📍 The Falls
📍 Harvey’s
📍 Ireland’s Four Provinces
📍 Panjshir
📍 Preservation Biscuit Co.
📍 Solace Outpost
📍 Stray Cat Bar & Grill
📍 TeaDM
📍 Westover Taco

✅ Turn in your completed passport between August 18–31 for a chance to win a basket of gift cards and goodies from your favorite Falls Church restaurants.

Three lucky winners. Endless flavor. #fcfoodietrek.

One of the Greater Falls Church Foodie Trek's lead organizers, Tricia Barba – owner of Preservation Biscuit Co. at 102 E. Fairfax St., and organizer for the last two Falls Church Restaurant Weeks – described the concept for this summertime foodie trek.

"If it’s of interest to The Falls Church Independent, a few of us are organizing a Greater Falls Church Foodie Trek, happening June 1 through August 31. It’s a culinary adventure inviting locals and visitors to explore the vibrant food scene of Falls Church — one delicious stop at a time."

"The Food Trek features 12 diverse and celebrated local restaurants, including Borek G, Cafe Kindred, Ellie Bird, Harvey’s, Panjshir, TeaDM, and more. Participants can pick up a Food Trek passport at any participating location starting June 1, collect stamps at each spot, and turn in completed passports for a chance to win one of three prize baskets filled with gift cards and goodies from some of Falls Church’s favorite spots."

"This event is designed to spotlight Falls Church’s culinary gems and encourage community engagement through food, drinks, and fun."

So be sure to support your local restaurants this summer and keep an eye on #fcfoodietrek!

HAWK Signals Launching May 29 for Pedestrian Safety

Following is from the City of Falls Church:

On May 29, the City of Falls Church will activate new High Intensity Activated Crosswalk (HAWK) traffic signals to improve pedestrian safety on Broad Street at key locations. These signals stay dark until activated by pedestrians, then guide motorists to stop, allowing for safer crossings.

Part of a long-term safety initiative, these signals ensure The Little City is pedestrian, cyclist, and motorist friendly. Stay informed, stay safe, and get ready for a new way to cross the street!

The City of Falls Church, Va., will flip the switch on a new pedestrian safety program on Thursday, May 29.  

The installation of three High Intensity Activated Crosswalk (HAWK) beacon traffic signals on Broad Street near the intersections of Oak St., Fairfax St., and Buxton St. have been completed, and an advanced public safety campaign kicks off today.  

While HAWK signals are new to the City of Falls Church, they are part of a long-term plan and roadway safety outcomes for The Little City to be safe for pedestrians, cyclists, and motorists. The new signals have been installed strategically at sections of Broad Street that are further from existing crossings at intersections.  

HAWK signals remain dark until pedestrians activate them. The button – activated by pressing or waving in front of the sensor on the button - “wakes” the HAWK signal. Once illuminated, the HAWK signal displays a series of illuminated notifications to motorists, instructing specific vehicle actions and making it safe for pedestrians to cross. While motorists will follow the overhead lights, pedestrians are advised to watch the walk signal across the street and monitor the traffic to ensure it is safe to cross.  

Sequence of Illuminated Overhead Lights for Motorist:

• When a motorist sees that a HAWK signal is not lit up, they may proceed through the crosswalk without slowing or stopping.
• Vehicle drivers will be notified of a pedestrian’s intent to cross at a HAWK Signal after the pedestrian has pressed the button.
• The HAWK signal will show vehicle drivers three sets of lights which instruct the drivers on how to proceed.
  • First: Motorists will see the lights change from no color to a flashing yellow after the pedestrian has pressed the HAWK signal. It indicates to drivers that a pedestrian intends to cross.
  • Second: The HAWK signal lights change from a flashing yellow to a solid yellow. As with all stop lights, this indicates to vehicle drivers that they need to slow to a stop.
  • Third: The solid yellow changes to a solid red. This indicates that drivers must come to a complete stop. 
    • While stopped, drivers will wait until after the pedestrians have fully reached the sidewalk on the other side of the crosswalk before they move forward. 
  • Fourth: The HAWK signal will show a flashing red signal. This indicates to vehicle drivers that they must still come to a complete stop. Drivers can proceed with caution through the flashing red HAWK signal crossing once all pedestrians have finished crossing the street. 
• Once the crosswalk is clear and the HAWK signal turns off, vehicle drivers can proceed safely.
  • When a pedestrian sees the signal has a “no walk” hand up, they know it is not safe to cross. 
  • To cross the road, a pedestrian must push the button to activate the HAWK signal crossing. 
  • After pressing the button, the pedestrian waits for two indicators that it is safe to cross: 
    • One: The motorists in the road have seen the HAWK signal and come to a complete stop.  
    • Two: The HAWK signal on the opposite side of the street changes from “don’t walk” to “walk,” signaling that it is safe to cross to the other side of the street. The narration at the signal button will also verbally inform the pedestrian that the signal has switched to “walk.” 
  • A countdown will show the remaining time to cross. The countdown will show on the signal across the road and can be heard from the signal box as well.  
  • When the countdown gets close to the end, the solid red light for motorists will change to a flashing red.  
  • During the flashing red, pedestrians who have already begun crossing may continue to cross.  
  • It is not safe for pedestrians to begin crossing once the motorists see a flashing red signal.

Action Activated Sequence of Illuminated and Narrated Crossing for Pedestrians: 

Here's an explanatory video about the new HAWK Signals from the City:

Meridian H.S. Celebrates Remarkable Class of 2025 with Record-Breaking Academics

Following is based on a May 27 FCCPS press release:

222 Graduates Receive Diplomas in Ceremony Highlighting International Baccalaureate Excellence and Community Impact

Falls Church City Public Schools (FCCPS) celebrated the graduation of 222 exceptional seniors from Meridian High School today in a ceremony that showcased the district's commitment to academic excellence and global citizenship. The Class of 2025 achieved unprecedented milestones in the International Baccalaureate (IB) program while demonstrating remarkable leadership and community service.

Record-Breaking IB Achievement

The Class of 2025 produced the largest cohort of International Baccalaureate diploma candidates in the history of Meridian High School, with 72 students completing the rigorous IB diploma program requirements and awaiting results from the International Baccalaureate organization this summer. Additionally, 17 graduates earned recognition as the district's first-ever International Baccalaureate Career-Related Program candidates, having completed specialized career pathway studies alongside IB coursework.

"Today we celebrate not just graduation, but the embodiment of what it means to be globally-minded, deeply human, and profoundly hopeful," said Dr. Peter Noonan, Superintendent of FCCPS, in his farewell commencement address. Dr. Noonan, who is retiring after eight years leading the district, noted that every graduate participated in the IB program throughout their FCCPS journey.

Academic Excellence Across the Board

The graduating class demonstrated exceptional academic achievement:

• 99 Valedictory Scholars completed high school with cumulative GPAs of 4.0 or higher.
• 112 Meridian Scholars earned the district's highest academic recognition, requiring a minimum 3.85 GPA and completion of an advanced academic program including four years each of social studies and college preparatory mathematics, three years of laboratory science, and IB courses in two disciplines.
• 4 National Merit Scholarship finalists received national recognition for academic excellence.

A Legacy of Innovation and Service

The Class of 2025 leaves behind a lasting legacy of community impact and innovation. Notable achievements include:

• Hands to Hunger: Student-founded organization that grew into a national nonprofit with over 130 chapters, packing tens of thousands of meals for communities in need.
• $30,000 Senior Class Gift: Combined with the Classes of 2023 and 2024 to fund a new stadium scoreboard for the athletic community.
• Sustainability Scholars: The district's first cohort of graduates who completed 25 hours of annual service and connected IB capstone experiences to UN sustainability goals.

Distinguished Speakers and Recognition

The ceremony featured addresses from Valedictorian Scholars Adam Belouad and Molly Mostow, who emphasized themes of community, creativity, and kindness that defined their class experience. Senior Class Vice President Joseph Kritenbrink welcomed attendees, while Senior Class Secretary Teodor Abedejos introduced Dr. Noonan.

Dr. Tate Gould, School Board Chair, congratulated the graduates and their families, noting the strong support network of approximately 1,100 attendees celebrating the 222 graduates.

FCCPS: A Model for IB Education

Falls Church City Public Schools stands as one of only nine school divisions in the United States offering the International Baccalaureate program from Pre-K through 12th grade. This comprehensive approach ensures all graduates develop the IB Learner Profile traits of being principled, open-minded, caring, courageous, balanced, and reflective global citizens.

"You've taught us to be kind, to be better listeners, and to care more deeply," Dr. Noonan told the graduates. "Walking with all of you for the last eight-plus years has been an honor of a lifetime."

Looking Forward

As the Class of 2025 embarks on their next journeys — including gap years, college enrollment, military service, and career opportunities — they carry with them the values and skills developed through their FCCPS experience. Notable post-graduation plans include students attending the Air Force Academy and West Point, as well as pursuing Division I athletic scholarships.

The ceremony concluded with the presentation of diplomas by Principal Peter Laub and the counseling team, marking the end of an extraordinary chapter for both the graduates and Dr. Noonan, whose retirement caps a distinguished career in education.

About Falls Church City Public Schools

Falls Church City Public Schools serves approximately 2,800 students in five schools, distinguished as one of the few school systems in the nation to offer the International Baccalaureate program at all grade levels. The district is committed to developing globally-minded students who demonstrate academic excellence, cultural understanding, and civic responsibility.

By The Falls Church Independent