Agenda and comments for RTF Town Center Committee Meeting, Tuesday, September 14, 2010

The following is an e-mail from Robert Goudie, Co-Chair, Reston Town Center Committee, to the committee and others. He has authorized its posting:

I’ve been working on edits to the draft and have decided there is too much for me to guess at in the next edit. I think it better to use Tuesday to close on a few key issues that are now open, especially with the addition of Town Center proper to our mix. Below a proposed agenda for Tuesday that gets at what I think are the major issues outstanding. Once we close on these, I can finish the edits and circulate a new draft. And others of you may have additional items we need to consider. I’ve also attached (thanks to Rae) what remains a work in progress – a new straw man that attempts to draw in some boundaries on the key areas we are considering. I think this still needs some work but it gives us something to work with Tuesday.

Sandy Stallman (Note: FC Parks Authority), given the intent to come to grips with some kind of open space standard for this TOD area you may want to participate if able.


Administrative (5 minutes – meet again September 21 and 28; maybe October 5)

I. Open Forum (15 minutes)

II. Open Space

a. TC master planned; no standard for RCIG. Should we recommend relaxation of Urban Parks Standard?

b. Possible model:
......i. Minimum 20% per parcel (derived from PDM standard)
.....ii. Must be “functional” open space to qualify
...........1. Streets, sidewalks, and open parking not open space. Medians?
...........2. Includes urban plazas; outdoors active recreational areas; roof top functional open space; storm water ponds; park area.
....iii. Any landowner who contributes to creation of a central green space in TCN or Metro South given some relief from the 20% requirement?

c. Should TC in addition to RCIG be subject to whatever standard we adopt? If not, need to look at map and decide if additional open space needs to be designated
......i. Prime area – expanding the existing Town Square Park
.....ii. Other locations in TC?

d. New requirement: no development beyond existing by-right in TCN and Metro South “unless/until there is agreement on location, size, and maintenance responsibility for the central green space.”

III. Town Center District and Concept of Transitional Residential Collar or Horseshoe around Core

a. Should 1:1 be extended through the Extended Urban Core? Interplay with 50 dua? If so, limit trading of residential density to within the Extended Urban Core or allow with Metro South as well?

b. What about the horseshoe or transitional collar surrounding the urban core – higher than 1:1? Same issue of interplay with 50 dua?
......i. Set a minimum threshold (2:1? more?) or leave flexible with emphasis on it being “predominantly” residential?
.....ii. Nod to supporting retail

IV. Discussion of Looney parking/housing proposal

Reston TC Metro Development Map Straw Man--091210