Summary of RTF Wiehle Area Committee Meeting, June 8, 2010

Reston Master Plan Special Study Task Force
Wiehle Avenue Sub-Committee

Meeting Summary – June 8, 2010

The initial meeting of the Wiehle Avenue Sub-Committee was held on June 8th in the Reston Association conference room. Mr. Penniman opened the meeting, invited public comments and then discussed committee organization, including the following points:

o Schedule: The committee will meet each Wednesday at 8AM in the Reston Association conference room through July 14th.

o Sub-Committee Report: The report is to be submitted to the RMPSSTF Chairman on July 15th. The sub-committee co-chairs will draft the report but may ask members to contribute specific sections.

o Report topics: The draft work plan outlines topics to be addressed. Transportation is a major issue and there is a need to extract from the RMAG report the key issues affecting the Wiehle Station. Mr. Penniman suggested that a volunteer review the report in detail and identify the significant points.

o Information gathering: The sub-committee will invite presentations from landowners in the Wiehle station area; in addition, there will be a briefing by an RMAG representative and perhaps the Reston Association.

o Sub-committee scope: The consensus of the sub-committee was that it should address the area defined by the County’s “Wiehle Avenue Area” map, focusing on the area within a half mile of the station. The sub-committee will co-ordinate with the Town Center Sub-committee on the adjoining land units.

o E-Mail: The sub-committee must comply with the FOIA rules restricting substantive non-public discussions among more than two members. Regarding E-mail sent from a Co-Chairman to all members, replies should be sent only to a Co-Chairman.

Potential issues were discussed, including the need for a vision for the Wiehle station area. Education has been discussed as a possible theme for the area and the Mr. Penniman suggested that the group think about how this should be defined. Mr. Penniman is going to develop an issue list for discussion at the next meeting.

Ms. Maggie Parker, Director of Community Outreach and Communications for Comstock Partners, presented an overview of the Comstock development plans for the Wiehle station area. The concept for Block 1, the area immediately adjacent to the Metro station, is to have a below-grade garage beside the DAAR for Metro parking with two future office buildings above. On the west will be a hotel and a multi-family residential structure. The plaza between the office and hotel/residential structures will be pedestrian friendly with stringent vehicular traffic restrictions (for example, none between Memorial Day and Labor Day).

The garage will be constructed in time for the 2013 Metro opening, probably followed by the residential development. Comstock hopes that when Phase II of Metro is completed, the Metro parking needs at the Wiehle station will decrease and part of the garage can be re-allocated for office parking.

Comstock supports the concept of an internal grid of streets and believes it is feasible to extend Reston Station Boulevard westward to Plaza America.



Members Attending:

Bill Penniman – Co-chairman
Andy Van Horn – Co-chairman
Mike Corrigan
Van Foster
Dick Kennedy
Judy Pew
Anne Strange
Paul Thomas
Rob Walker