Op-Ed: Some Reston Association Campaign Watchers Have Gone Off the Rails

This is a commentary from Lynne Mulston, director on the Reston Citizens Association Board, the Coalition for a Planned Reston, and chair of Rescue Reston’s North Course Committee. It does not reflect the opinion of Reston Now.

Please, citizens of Reston and members of Reston Association. The real issues are those that we hold dear to our hearts.

These attacks within our own ranks weaken our strength as a community. I refer to the recent activities within the Reston Association that attack staff and our elected board, resulting resignations of competent leaders, and negative campaigning tactics. The Reston Association staff and elected officials who should be looking out for our community, and protecting the ideals that Reston was built upon. I view this turmoil as a distraction of our attention away from the real risks our community is facing: developers purchasing our open space, Fairfax County’s Department of Planning and Zoning attempts to amend our PRC zoning, the County’s ongoing deference to developers when it comes to amending the comprehensive plan, etc. We need to be fighting the REAL issues at hand that threaten our community, our way of life, the Reston that Bob Simon envisioned and we have come to love and cherish.

Don’t think that the County’s deferral of the PRC Zoning Amendment constitutes a “win,” it is not. The County will continue with their standard M.O. – add community meetings to the agenda, allow citizens to believe they have input, that their voices are heard. With a placated citizenry, the County then steamrolls their desired outcomes (or the desired outcomes of the developers) despite the inputs of the community.

We’ve got a fight on our hands and it is not inward facing, but outward facing. Please let’s put all this infighting aside and focus on the real issues. We need RA leaders who are willing to stand up for the citizens of Reston and advocate for the issues that the community needs in terms of representation, motivation and advocacy. This is not us!

Get involved!

Reston Citizens Association (RCA) needs your help! We are an integral part of the Coalition for a Planned Reston (CPR) as we defend Reston’s current 13-persons per acre density zoning limitations for PRC zoned areas, and the need for infrastructure build-outs to support the building that has already occurred. RCA needs your talent and time to help affect positive change. RCA’s President, Dennis Hays observed: “RCA is the incubator for just about everyone involved in leadership positions in other organizations in and around Reston.  We provide the opportunity to get involved in serious issues and teach people how to interact with our state and local governments.” RCA includes all of Reston, including those who live in Reston Town Center, Deepwood and other parts of Reston that are not part of RA. Learn more about RCA Committees and how to get involved here.

Rescue Reston needs your help to protect and defend the Open Space that we call Reston’s “lungs,” the North and South Golf Courses, and the removal of the Road from Nowhere from the County’s “Conceptual” grid of streets that threatens Reston’s North Course.   You can join by sending an email to [email protected] and/or donate to Rescue Reston by visiting www.rescuereston.org/donate  and check out easy ways to help with our current fundraisers.