McKeever Clarifies Gun Policy

"It is not about putting a barrier between persons and their statutory rights," Falls Church City Manager Dan McKeever explained to the City Council Monday about his new policy toward individuals bearing guns in public places.

McKeever's policy, reported in last week's News-Press, triggered an e-mail firestorm of protest when it was posted on gun lobby web sites, such as "Packing.Org." Many correspondences came to City Hall and the News-Press, as well.

McKeever devised the policy in reaction to a new state law prohibiting local jurisdictions from prohibiting the right of individuals to carry guns into public buildings. He said it was designed simply to clarify the intent of an individual who carries out that statutory right.

It calls on City employees to notify the police whenever a person is encountered who is carrying a firearm, and that police should interview the person to assess his or her intentions. "It's a common sense way to ask police to evaluate the reasons for a person to be there with a firearm," he said, noting that an individual would not be required to cooperate.

The fact that City Hall, the Community Center and public library in Falls Church are located within a 1,000-foot perimeter of a school further empowers City officials in this matter, he said, due to federal laws about carrying weapons in proximity to school sites.

The gun lobbyists "know their rights, and that my policy does not prevent them from exercising them," McKeever told the News-Press Monday.

In other Council action Monday:

• A new tree ordinance was approved drawing from provisions of the Chesapeake Bay Preservation Act and new state laws as "the best and most appropriate tools" to require 20% tree canopy coverage of improvements on residential properties covering 2,500 square feet or more. The ordinance also requires a one-year bond for tree replacement and that the 20% canopy coverage be achieved within 10 years. City Planning chief Elizabeth Friel said the 10 year requirement was included "despite the fact the state code is not clear on the timetable." She said the argument for 10 years, instead of 20, "should be persuasive," although citizen Dennis Tolliver noted the City is "taking a risk" with its interpretation, leaving it to a judge to decide down the road. He questioned whether the ordinance didn't tacitly assume that trees on private property "become the property of the City of Falls Church." Vice Mayor Marty Meserve responded, saying "Trees are a community resource and it is reasonable to include protection of them in accordance with state law." The measure was passed unanimously, 6-0 (David Snyder was absent).

• The Council appointed a new Task Force on Open Space to advise it on policies and opportunities for enhancing the City's open space resources. It named Council members Lindy Hockenberry, Marty Meserve and David Snyder to join Kathleen Dixon, Rob Meeks, Rob Puentes, Barry Buschow and Christina Goodwin on the task force, commissioned through next March. It also appointed Joanne Padgett to the Housing Commission and Melanie A. Griffiths to the Human Services Advisory Council.