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Fairfax City Park trail

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Placementvs.Calibur

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Iwas walking my dog today ina different neighborhood (in Fairfax City)when I came across a trail. The sign on the trail specifically said that the pocession of firearms was prohibited. I was shocked! I've OC'ed inalmost everyCounty Park in Arlington/City, Alexandria/City, and Fairfax and have never encountered any rules governing the pocession of firearms. I checked the Fairfax City Parks website and only found a rule stating that all signs were to be followed, nothing about pocessing firearms. Is the VCDL aware of this?
 
C

Citizen

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VCDL is a working, all volunteer organization. Things like this get changed by the membership, not the executives.

Thanks for volunteering to look into it. :)

Maybe check first to see that it is a city or state park, not a federal trail or something.
 
ed

ed

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Placementvs.Calibur wrote:
I was walking my dog today in a different neighborhood (in Fairfax City) when I came across a trail.  The sign on the trail specifically said that the pocession of firearms was prohibited.  I was shocked!  I've OC'ed in almost every County Park in Arlington/City, Alexandria/City, and Fairfax and have never encountered any rules governing the pocession of firearms.  I checked the Fairfax City Parks website and only found a rule stating that all signs were to be followed, nothing about pocessing firearms.  Is the VCDL aware of this?
Click to expand...
Could be private property.
 
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Placementvs.Calibur

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It was a Fairfax City Park sign which stated that the trail was monitored by City Police. It was in the neighborhood behind the WSC at 50 and 29. Again, the website says nothing about firearms just that signs are to be obeyed.
 
skidmark

skidmark

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Citizen wrote:
VCDL is a working, all volunteer organization. Things like this get changed by the membership, not the executives.

Thanks for volunteering to look into it. :)

Maybe check first to see that it is a city or state park, not a federal trail or something.
Click to expand...

What he said ^^.

Call the City Attorney or the head of the Parks Dept. amd discuss the situation with them. Remind them that they need to comply with state law - but be polite and helpful rather than demanding.

Post your success story here afterwards. Thank you for your service to 2A and the citizens of Fairfax City.

stay safe.

skidmark
 
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nova

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I spend a lot of time during the week in and around the city of Fairfax, I'll see if I can snap some pics if no one else does beforehand. Always good to have proof. :)

ETA: the school just NE of Fairfax Villa Park (on google maps) is where I did some community service work with some eagle scouts I'm friends with...including cleaning up some trails in the woods nearby.
 
V

VCDL President

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With something like this, we do encourage members to get involved and work the issue. It's fun, educational, and something to take pride in when you succeed.

But do understand that if you run into a road block, let me know and VCDL will step in at that point. We have been compared to Drano for getting rid of bureaucratic plugs.

I don't think you will have any problem, as this is pretty cut-and-dry, and most of the parks people have worked with us before to remove other such signs. This was probably just an oversight.
 
SouthernBoy

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VCDL President wrote:
With something like this, we do encourage members to get involved and work the issue. It's fun, educational, and something to take pride in when you succeed.

But do understand that if you run into a road block, let me know and VCDL will step in at that point. We have been compared to Drano for getting rid of bureaucratic plugs.

I don't think you will have any problem, as this is pretty cut-and-dry, and most of the parks people have worked with us before to remove other such signs. This was probably just an oversight.
Click to expand...
This is good.
 
IanB

IanB

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Can you identify (on google maps) exacly where this sign is? I live in the area and can help you get rid of the sign, assuming you don't mind writing a few emails or making some phone calls to gov officials.
 
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Placementvs.Calibur

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The path runs along a creek which runs parallel to Main St.The pathstarts at Hillman St., and continues up to Lamarre Dr. which is along the side of Fairfax Presbyterian Church. If someone in the area can double check the signs I'd appreciate it. With everything going on with current administration and in the worldI'm no stranger to calling the powers that be.
 
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Placementvs.Calibur

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I spoke with Mr. Mccarty(Director of FCP) who assured me that the signs where old and that he'd notify the Chief of Police.Then he'dsend someone out to either edit or replace the signs. He stated that they'd recently updated their rules to coincide with State and Federal regulations. When I told him I was calling as a concerned CWP holder he made an unofficialcomment of not wanting people wielding guns in the parks. I agreed that thebrandishing offirearms was illegal, but reminded him that the Open Carry of them wasn't in VA. He asked to give him a couple of days or time toreplace them,or because of budget restraints blackout the part concerning firearms.
 
skidmark

skidmark

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Give him the time to get some work done.

In the meantime you may want to go back and take some pictures with a time/date stamp (include the local daily paper in the picture if necessary) and then check back in a week or so for another set of pictures verifying the changes or lack thereof.

Congratulations on what seems to be your first experience of taking on City Hall. You da man! HIt a home run on your first at-bat.:celebrate

stay safe.

skidmark
 
N

nova

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I had some extra time today when I was in the area, got some pics.

The previous thread was closed already or I would have posted there. If a mod feels the need to merge the threads, etc. I have no objections...

Sign 1: Near the Fairfax Presbyterian Church

DSCN0878.jpg



Sign 2: Just across a small wooden bridge down the trail west of sign 1:

DSCN0880.jpg



Sign 3: On the east side of Woodland Dr.

DSCN0885.jpg
 
C

Citizen

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Well, the sign says to call 911 to report illegal activity. So, we should call 911 to report the illegally posted sign, no? :)
 
N

nova

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Lastly, here's a pic I took yesterday at another nearby Fairfax City park. IMO it does NOT violate preemption as it appears to ban discharge of firearms, not possession of firearms:

DSCN0867.jpg
 
MSC 45ACP

MSC 45ACP

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Tomahawk wrote:
Citizen wrote:
Well, the sign says to call 911 to report illegal activity. So, we should call 911 to report the illegally posted sign, no? :)
Click to expand...

I like that idea.

I'm not saying it's a good idea, but I like it.
Click to expand...

How about taking it one step further... Find the number for Crime Line and call THAT one. You could also find the NON-emergency number for the PD and call that one.

Calling 911 could land you in trouble, expecially if the dispatchers are busy and your non-emergency trivial call is deemed a nuisance (sp)call.
 
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