RA DESIGN REVIEW BOARD TO VOTE ON JBG FAIRWAY APARTMENTS REDEVELOPMENT PROPOSAL ON TUESDAY, JUNE 21, 7 PM, RA HQ

Note:  The following is the text of an e-mail I sent to the RCA Board of Directors, the RCA Reston 2020 Committee, the Reston Task Force, and others concerning the surprise scheduling of JBG's proposed re-development of Fairway Apartments at this Tuesday's DRB meeting.

In a last minute decision, RA has added JBG's redevelopment proposal for the Fairway Apartments complex to the TUESDAY, JUNE 21, DRB MEETING AGENDA, 7 PM, RA HEADQUARTERS.  The DRB is being asked to give the JBG proposal "conceptual approval" before it goes to the County Planning Commission.  According to people within the DRB, the proposal remains essentially the same as presented to the DRB and Reston P&Z committees earlier this year.

Anyone may attend and, subject to the discretion of the DRB Chair, non-affected parties may speak.    Given the non-transparent preparation for this meeting, its late scheduling, and even later pubic notification of this agenda item, I would expect the DRB Chair to be open to public comments.  (Note:  Fairway Apartments is not listed on the currently published agenda on the RA website.  We understand it to be the new Item #4 on the agenda.)
 
If you wish to register as an affected party (which will carry greater weight with the DRB), Barbara Ramey (RA Covenants) offers the following instructions:

To register as an affected party, you must submit a statement of your concerns along with your Reston address.  Once I receive the statement I will provide a copy to the Design Review Board.  Below is Affected Party information for your reference:

An Affected Party is any owner of Property subject to the Reston Deed, including but not limited to the Reston Association Board of Directors, or Cluster, or Condominium, or their agents who register with the DRB and who is materially impacted by the use or design of another Property owner. To register as an  Affected Party, you must submit a written statement of concerns to the DRB secretary within five (5) days of signing this application. Any Affected Party may be heard by a DRB Panel; will receive notice of decisions and any subsequent actions taken by the DRB; will be sent notice of the Applicant’s appeal, if made; and may file his/her own appeal, all with respect to this application.

You may submit a statement even if you were not asked to sign the application as long as your property is materially impacted.

You are welcome to attend the meeting, whether or not you are registered.  If you wish to make a statement, you can sign in to speak and the DRB chair may allow comments from non-registered members in the audience.

This application was placed on the agenda on Tuesday of this week.  The DRB members were notified yesterday (Thursday). (Emphasis added.)

Some of you may not know--or may have forgotten--that the RCA Board of Directors unanimously passed a resolution last month opposing approval of JBG's current proposal for Fairway Apartments.   I have attached a copy of that resolution for your information. 

I would encourage anyone who is interested in the issues surrounding the re-development of Reston's residential areas to attend this meeting as it may set a precedent.  And please speak up if you have a suggestion, concern, or other thought you believe the DRB should consider.

Regards,
Terry Maynard
RCA Reston 2020 Committee
Reston Citizens Assn. Board of Directors

cc:
RA Board of Directors
RA Design Review Board (known members)

bcc:
RCA BOD
Reston 2020
Reston Task Force
Local News Media