Letter: Open Letter to Restonians, Reston Connection, November 8, 2011

Below is the text of the letter I sent to the Reston Connection earlier this week inviting Restonians to attend next week's community meeting on Phase 2 of the Reston Task Force effort.  As noted, Phase 2 will be a study of the residential areas of Reston, including the village centers.

I noted in the letter that I would provide updates as new information became available.  Contrary to the process described in my letter of a "brain storming" meeting, I have learned from County staff that the meeting will be an informational one, not necessarily one for resident inputs.  Reston Association (RA) today sent an e-mail to its mailing list noting the following about the meeting:

Fairfax County Supervisor, Catherine M. Hudgins, and the Department of Planning and Zoning will host an informational meeting on Nov. 16 about Phase 2 of the Reston Master Plan Special Study. The meeting will be held from 7-8:30 p.m. at South Lakes High School, 11400 South Lakes Drive, Reston, Va.

 

The meeting will include:

·      A 15-minute open house to review maps and other materials.

·      An outline of the process for reviewing and updating the existing Fairfax County Comprehensive Plan guidance for preserving residential neighborhoods throughout Reston and for four of Reston’s five village centers.

·      Information about the Reston Master Plan Special Study Task Force, the Vision and Planning Principles adopted by the Task Force, and how they will be used in Phase 2.

As a member of the Task Force, I have received no information about the substance of the meeting from the County staff as I write this, other than that it will be an informational meeting.  I encourage you all to attend, learn, and contribute to next week's community meeting.  

Here is the text of my letter as published by the Reston Connection:

To the Editor:

Next week Restonians will have the opportunity to weigh in on their needs, wishes, ideas, concerns, and fears about the future redevelopment of their own neighborhoods. Yes, that’s your cluster, your apartment complex, your sub-division, and even your nearby village center. I am talking about the Reston-wide community meeting to launch Phase II of the Fairfax Board of Supervisors-created Reston Master Plan Special Study Task Force, more simply known as the Reston Task Force (RTF). The meeting is at South Lakes High School cafeteria on Wednesday, Nov. 16, at 7 p.m. and, as your Reston Citizens Association (RCA) representative to the RTF, I strongly encourage you to participate. It is your community after all.

Although the RTF has work left to do on Phase I—developing a new Reston Master Plan for transit-oriented development (TOD) along the Reston corridor—it is now time to start work on Phase II. The new Reston Master Plan—covering both phases of the RTF’s work—will guide the development of a new county zoning ordinance for Reston which, in turn, will guide project approvals for development and redevelopment, such as Spectrum Center and Fairway Apartments. Now the Task Force focus begins to turn from the Reston corridor to re-writing plan language for our neighborhoods and the small shopping centers (or village centers) that are the focal point for our day-to-day shopping.

I have heard a wide range of views about what these neighborhoods and village centers should become in the 21st Century. Some believe neighborhoods are old after being around for 40 years and should be re-developed. Others, including our founder and RTF member Bob Simon, believe the village centers should become community focal points as he initially visualized them, with large pedestrian-friendly park-like plazas and denser mixed-used development (mid- to high-rise apartments/condos above ground floor shopping). There has been talk about expanding the boundaries of the village centers as well. Some think all Reston should be at high densities while others have suggested further limiting the re-development of neighborhood properties—although not as stringently as historical preservation restrictions might require. Others have suggested we need to look more at Reston infrastructure issues, including local transportation (streets, buses, biking, walking), schools, recreation, parks and open spaces, natural areas, cemeteries, and so on.

The point is there are a lot of ideas out there—some of which you may find attractive, others that you may find literally unlivable. Whatever you may think, you will have the opportunity to make your thoughts known at the Phase II Community Meeting, Nov. 16 at 7 p.m., in the South Lakes HS cafeteria. If the County follows the process used in the RTF Phase 1 community meeting, it will open with a welcome from our Supervisor, Cathy Hudgins, and some background and orientation by the County staff. Then we will likely break up into small groups of 8-10 people and do some brainstorming with everyone having a chance to contribute. These results will likely be posted around the room, and—if this meeting proceeds like the last one—each of us will have ten sticky gold stars to put beside the ideas we think are most important. This will give the ideas some ranking in general. Then we’re done, and the county staff will compile and publish the results on the county’s RTF webpage.

As more details become public, I will post them on RCA’s Reston 2020 blog. In the meantime, I urge you to explore the blog to see the variety of work Reston 2020 has performed for the RTF and on other topics concerning Reston’s future, including Silver Line cost and financing, Fairway Apartments re-development, and more. And while I’m plugging Reston 2020, let me suggest you volunteer to help on Reston 2020’s endeavors in Phase II by contacting Tammi Petrine, co-chair of the committee, at para1010@verizon.net, letting her know your interests and wishes to help the Reston 2020 Committee. All Restonians are welcome to participate in RCA’s Reston 2020!

I hope that you will all set aside a couple hours of your time at 7PM, Wednesday, Nov. 16 (yes, a work and school night), to participate in the Community Meeting on Phase II of the RTF at South Lakes HS. It’s your community and this is your opportunity to share directly your thoughts for RTF consideration. Help us preserve and enhance the virtues of this unique planned community.

I look forward to seeing you there.

Terry Maynard
Member, RCA Board of Directors
RCA Representative to the RTF