Letter to Supervisor Hudgins re "moving forward" with PRC density increase

Coalition for a Planned Reston

A voluntary group of residents from the Reston Citizens Association,

Reclaim Reston, and Reston 20/20

April 12, 2018

Dear Madam Supervisor:

This letter is written on behalf of the Coalition for a Planned Reston (CPR) regarding the status of your commitment to facilitate working sessions with CPR and County staff. We are aware that you informed Leadership Fairfax that the County would be "moving forward" with zoning density amendment, and request your clarification whether this means that you are withdrawing your willingness to proceed with the process discussed in our meeting of February 13. 

CPR was established to help educate the residents of the greater Reston community about issues that directly affect our lives - and the lives of our children and grandchildren.   As you are aware, the County is proposing significant changes to Reston.  In fact, everything that Reston is - a planned community where people from all walks of life and all income levels can live, work and play in a robust natural environment - is at risk.  

If approved, the County's proposals will make Reston less welcoming, less diverse, and less connected to nature while at the same time open space is bulldozed, playing fields become over crowded, and our sense of community destroyed.  In the past, you have supported the unique, nurturing aspects of Reston and we are thus surprised and concerned that you seem to approve of the County's ill-conceived plans to take away everything that makes Reston, Reston.  

At our February 13th meeting, we presented proposals that would allow continued organic growth while preserving the unique attributes of Reston.  We are disappointed that the County's response to our proposals, which finally came on March 28, did not address our proposals in a serious manner.   

Nevertheless, we continue to believe we need to work together to jointly plot the path forward for Reston.  At the February 13th meeting, all parties - County officials and CPR representatives alike - agreed that large group discussions were not useful and that it would be better to break out into smaller, issue specific groups.  It is now eight weeks since the February 13th meeting and we are still waiting for the County to offer meeting times.  Perhaps you could ask them to place a higher priority on our future than they have shown so far?  

In the meantime, we will continue to hold informational meetings with the community.  The next meeting will be April 23rd.  We believe such meetings, like the ones held by CPR in September and December 2017, are the best way to understand the true concerns of your constituents.  

Madam Supervisor - all of us came to Reston because it offered something special - a planned community that balanced work and play, development with supporting infrastructure, residences in natural settings and a community where all are welcomed.  You have contributed greatly to Reston during your 19 years of service.  We urge you not to permit your legacy to be overshadowed by the County's attempts to strip Reston of everything that makes us what we are.  We ask that you stand with Reston and work to allow the will of our community be heard by the County.     

Sincerely, 

Coalition for a Planned Reston