Changes in the Reston Planning & Zoning Committee Selection Process, Marion Stillson, President, Reston Citizens Association

Change in the selection process for the Reston Planning and Zoning (P & Z) Committee has been in the works for several months. The culmination came on September 29 when Supervisor Hudgins called together representatives of various groups for a meeting in her office. The goal was to make the selection process for the P & Z more inclusive, and thus more representative of the Reston community as a whole. In addition to the P and Z, there were representatives at the meeting from the Reston Association, the Reston Chamber of Commerce, the Reston Town Center Association, and RCA. 

The organizations present agreed to begin a new process, starting immediately. All will advertize vacancies on the P and Z within their networks.  Generally five 3-year terms expire each year, along with three one-year “Associate” terms. A Selection Committee of seven will select from the candidates nominated by the community. On the Selection Committee, in addition to three members of the P and Z Committee, there will a representative of each of the four organizations listed above. At the end of the year when selections for the next year have been made, the Selection Committee will be dissolved.

This system contrasts with the current system, which uses only current P and Z members for selecting nominees. It is hoped that not only will the new process bolster the P and Z’s legitimacy, but also that it will increase the pool of P and Z applicants.

RCA congratulates the Reston P & Z for developing this new process, and appreciates being part of it. Thank you to everyone who has participating in achieving this advance.

By Marion Stillson