What is GFCA?

The Great Falls Citizens Association is an volunteer 501(c)4 organization that advocates solutions and government actions that benefit Great Falls.  Our goal is to preserve the semi-rural character of our community while addressing practical concerns like traffic, zoning, retail, schools, parks and the environment where problems arise and solutions must be found. 

Since Great Falls is not legally a city, we lack a town government to represent our local interests.  The GFCA acts in an unofficial capacity to represent the voices of the citizens of Great Falls on these matters.  On Great Falls issues, no other organization has GFCA’s influence with elected leaders at the County and State level, or is as respected by them.

What has GFCA accomplished?

Since 1968, the GFCA has fought and won many important battles:

• Stopped continual attempts to rezone Great Falls for denser development
• Prevented a new highway and bridge through Great Falls and across the Potomac River
• Helped raise funds to buy the old Forestville school house from United Virginia Bank
• Prevented the County from building a heavy equipment maintenance facility at the intersection of Georgetown Pike and Route 7
• Closed Brockman Lane and Thomas Avenue to prevent cut-through commuter and commercial traffic from Loudoun County on our back roads
• Held a petition drive that stopped the downgrading of Riverbend Park and closure of Park buildings and activities, in cooperation with other groups
• Fought a 2 lane left turn off Route 7 onto Georgetown Pike at Seneca.
• Protected well water purity by obtaining a commitment for cleanup of MTBE contaminants at the old Exxon station.
• Established a registered inventory of our heritage trees to protect these community assets.
• Completed the work to become the 22^nd community in the USA to be certified by the National Wildlife Federation as a “Community Habitat”.

… and this is just a partial list.

What are GFCA’s current initiatives?

GFCA volunteers are currently working on a number of important projects:

• Advocating enhancements to the Route 7 widening currently underway from the county line to Tysons
• Watching closely the MTBE spill cleanup to ensure our drinking water is protected
• Working with the County on upgrades to the Grange for disabled access, among other improvements
• Exploring solutions to deer overpopulation and the impact on our forests as well as human disease
• Researching options for the creation of a multi-purpose trail system connecting Great Falls neighborhoods, the village, schools and parks

In all our efforts, we work with citizens and other community groups to create effective solutions that benefit residents of Great Falls.