Notes from RTF Vision Committee Meeting, July 28, 2010, Tammi Petrine

Present:
John Carter, Chair
Sandy Smith, Fred Costello, Joe Stowers, Kohann Williams, Bob Simon, Patti Nicoson, Terri Phillips, Guy Rando, John Lovaas, John Bowman, Art Murphy, Judith Pew, Susan Mockenhaupt, Dave Edwards, Dick Stillson, Tammi Petrine

John Carter: opening remarks:
• Thought TC sub-committee’s presentation was extremely impressive.

• Introduced revised planning principles and opened discussion. Because there were several areas of concern, John asked for panel to review principles and send him re-writes so that principles can be approved by the next meeting and presented to the sub-committees for inclusion in their reports to the Task Force.

• Interesting discussion on “meaningful community participation” being involved with the review of development and the staging of redevelopment ensued. John Lovaas tried to suggest an independent P & Z but was contested by Simon, Williams and Nicoson that the principles should be general and not that specific.

• Lots of discussion on the need for a frequent, free, continuous, community-wide circulator bus service if traffic is to be manageable; Terri Phillips discussed the TC sub-committee’s insistence on a circulator system within TC also.

• Bob Simon discussed what a Village Center should be:
1. No one-story buildings; all mixed use
2. All buildings organized around a hard surface plaza/ gathering place
3. Community or civic building present in some form.


Tonight’s Subject: Environmental Concerns in the Dulles Corridor and Town Center
• John Carter had prepared a slide show with maps to illustrate the location of streams, wetlands, ponds, forests, pathways/trails and open spaces incorporated into the current Reston landscape.
• Bob Simon stated that Reston was going to be all urban and all of the “natural areas” except the nature center needed to be bulldozed and reformed to create a less nuisance-filled environment (no twigs, leaves, etc.) Settings should look good and “natural” without being natural. His hero is the landscape architect, Capability Brown who espoused and practiced this M.O.

MWAA: Judith Pew brought up a discussion from the TC sub-committee that indicated that MWAA was unaware of plans for any of the trans-tollway crossings planned in the revised master plan and stated that Fairfax Co. needed to notify them immediately where they are needed as pilings need to be set for them ASAP and can NOT be done later. Airport fees will pay for the pilings. Crossings identified were: Reston Parkway widening; Reston Heights/Plaza America; Soapstone extension; South Lakes Overpass and one pedestrian/bike bridge.

John Carter referred to Reston 2020’s Binder articles and recommended them as a reference for use by the Vision Sub-Committee. Dick Stillson reinforced by mentioning the content of the binders and referred panel members not having a binder to the 2020 web-site.

In closing panel comments, Art Murphy expressed concern that when the larger Reston community learns of the extent of the changes proposed for Reston, massive protests will result.

Note: John Carter is an exceptional group leader; warm, welcoming, inclusive and effective. He is to be commended.