A developer is set to present its latest revision of a design to redevelop homes at St. Johns Wood to a Reston Association panel tomorrow.
The Reston Association Design Board is scheduled to hear Bozzuto Development Company’s new plan for the site at 11500 Olde Tiverton Circle at 7 p.m. Tuesday. The meeting is at RA Headquarters (12001 Sunrise Valley Dr.)
The design proposal has changed several times since the redevelopment was first proposed in 2014, when it started as a plan for 625 apartments. Earlier this year, Bozzuto amended the plan to feature 511 apartments and 51 townhomes.
Still, the plan is looked upon unfavorably by some residents, particularly locals who live in the nearby North Point Village Center. Many of those locals turned out at an August town hall meeting to voice their displeasure over the proposal.
Some residents said the design was too sterile, comparing the look to that of a hospital or a college dorm. Others said it would be too many homes too far from the Metro, increasing traffic, particularly at Center Harbor and North Village Drive.
Bozzuto representatives have countered the negative feedback, noting the proposal fits in with the vision for Reston going back to the 1960s. That area of Reston always has been slated for high-density development, and is currently underdeveloped, they have said.
However, many locals pointed out that the Reston Master Plan was updated in 2014, lessening density allowances. Bozzuto then agreed to revise its design further.
The developer was originally scheduled to present their latest design to the Design Review Board last month. But the developers decided to take more time to tweak the design further after receiving more negative feedback from Reston residents, some of whom started a petition.
The most recent version of the proposal is to transform the property’s 250 residential units in nine garden-style buildings into 467 new apartments and 44 townhomes.
If the Design Review Board approves the proposal, the plan then will go before the Planning and Zoning Commission on Dec. 19 and the Fairfax County Planning Commission on Jan. 26.
Image via Bozzuto
(Updated at 11:15 a.m.)
Craft Your Own Thanksgiving Decor — Craft four napkin rings and a Thanksgiving centerpiece for your holiday table out of local materials at Walker Nature Center on Saturday, Nov. 19. Mulled cider and treats, as well as all craft supplies, are included for residents ($20) and non-residents ($25). Reservations are required. [Reston Association]
Reston Works to Keep Kids Fit — Learn more about Reston Association-supported programs that help keep children in shape, such as Fit Kids and various after-school programs. [YouTube/Reston Today]
Don’t Use Twitter? Get Fire Department Updates Anyway — The Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department has partnered with Fast Follow, allowing locals to get texts for the same updates the agency posts on Twitter. Users can unsubscribe at any time. [Fairfax Fire and Rescue]
Celebrities, floats and marching bands are scheduled to parade through Reston Town Center the day after Thanksgiving to kick off this year’s annual Hometown Holidays event series.
This year’s parade takes place in the town center on Nov. 25 at 11 a.m. The holiday event regularly attracts about 10,000 spectators from across the area.
NBC4 News anchors Angie Goff and Chuck Bell are slated to emcee this year’s parade. Members of the youth organization Amy’s Amigos Serving will serve as the event’s grand marshals, organizers said.
Parade attendees are encouraged to come out early, as thousands of special, commemorative jingle bells will be handed out for children to ring during the fun. Before the parade, bells can be picked up along Market Street and in Fountain Square, or you can find them by Mercury Fountain and in the Pavilion after the event kicks off.
Additionally, thousands of volunteers are needed to make the parade a success. People are needed for jobs like balloon wrangler, line marshal and character assistant. Get more information and register to volunteer on Reston Town Center’s website.
Here’s the weekend’s full schedule of events:
Friday, Nov. 25:
8 a.m.: Gingerbread Man Mile – A one-mile race aimed at kids 14 and under. Registration is only $10. First age group races at 8 a.m.
8 a.m. – 11 p.m.: Ice Skating – The skating pavilion will be open all day with extended hours.
11 a.m.: Annual Hometown Holidays Parade Kick-Off – The one-hour event features “Macy’s-style balloons, marching bands, dancers, antique cars, characters, community groups, dignitaries, Washington Nationals Racing Presidents and much more,” all building to an appearance from Mr. and Mrs. Claus themselves in a horse-drawn carriage. The parade will go on, rain or shine.
12:30-4:30 p.m.: Photos With Santa and Mrs. Claus – Attendees who donate any amount can get a photo with Mr. and Mrs. Claus. All proceeds will benefit the South Lakes High School Chorus.
12:30-4:30 p.m.: Mini-Train Rides – The train rides depart next to Talbot’s (11900 Market St.) All proceeds benefit local organization Cornerstones.
5 p.m.: Conservatory Ballet Performance – A free holiday-themed dance performance in Fountain Square, with the large holiday tree serving as backdrop.
6 p.m.: Holiday Tree Lighting and Sing-Along – Santa and Mrs. Claus are slated to ride up to the tree in their carriage and help light the festive display. The event will be followed by a holiday-themed sing-along led by the Reston Chorale and accompanied by a brass quintet.
6:30-10 p.m.: Horse-Drawn Carriage Rides – Rides, which depart next to Talbot’s (11900 Market St.), are $5 per person, or free for children 5 and under when accompanied by a paying adult. All proceeds will benefit the local charitable organization Volunteer Fairfax.
Police Remind Locals Not to Feed Deer – Fairfax County police on Wednesday reminded Reston residents not to feed local deer. Police said it can contribute to the spread of wildlife diseases, damage deer habitats and make the animals less afraid of people. [Fairfax County Police]
Post-Election Yoga Planned – The staff at Reston’s BelovedYoga (12001 Sunrise Valley Road) invite all to join in the spirit of “commUNITY” and “relieve the issues that may be in your tissues” with a special day of activities entitled “Post Election Trauma Recovery” this Sunday, 1 to 4 p.m. Enjoy thoughtful dialogue, creative art projects and enjoy contemplative yoga practice. [BelovedYoga]
Just Two Chances Left to See ‘Gypsy’ – Reston Community Players’ latest production of the classic musical closes in just two days. The last two performances are this weekend on Friday and Saturday the 11th and 12th at 8 p.m. [Reston Players]
*Editor’s Note – RestonNow will not be publishing this Friday in observance of Veterans Day. We’ll be back as usual on Monday morning. We hope all our readers have a great weekend.
Reston Town Center has opened its Ice Skating Pavilion for the season.
Friday night marked the rink’s debut, and it will remain open through mid-March for skating, according to Reston Town Center staff.
The Ice Skating Pavilion opens at 11 a.m., seven days a week. The rink closes at 7 p.m. Sundays, Mondays and Tuesdays; and at 10 p.m. Wednesdays and Thursdays. Late-night skating until 11 p.m. is available on Fridays and Saturdays.
Admission is $10 for adults and $9 for children 12 and under, senior citizens 55 and older, and military personnel. Skate rentals are $6. On Thursdays, college students can earn a $2 discount from 6 to 9 p.m., with a valid college ID.
The rink will host a “Rock ‘N’ Skate” night weekly on Fridays from 8 to 10 p.m., and a “Cartoon Skate” with kids’ characters like Scooby Doo and The Cat in the Hat on Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
In addition, the pavilion is available for birthday parties, fundraisers and other gatherings and will host ice skating classes.
Three sessions of ice skating lessons are available this season. Sessions are $125 per skater and include four 30-minute lessons on Saturday mornings from 9:30 to 10 a.m. or 10:15 to 10:45 a.m. Sessions begin Nov. 19, Jan. 7 and Feb. 4. Registration is available online.
For more information, visit the Ice Skating Pavilion page on Reston Town Center’s website.
Though Republican Donald Trump defeated Democrat Hillary Clinton on Election Day, votes throughout Fairfax County and specifically in Reston did not necessarily mirror the rest of the country.
Members of the voting public in the 10th Congressional District re-elected Republican Barbara Comstock by 52 percent to Democrat Luann Bennett’s 46 percent. Nationwide, Republicans appear to have kept their majority in Congress and the Senate, as well.
Additionally, several amendments and tax measures were on the ballot.
Virginia’s proposed “right-to-work” constitutional amendment did not pass. The other amendment on the ballot, which would allow spouses of first responders killed in the line of duty to be exempt from property taxes if they remain in their home and have not remarried, passed.
The controversial Fairfax County Meals Tax, which would have raised taxes on restaurant and prepared meals by an additional 4 percent to help fund schools and other county services and capital improvement projects, did not pass.
The county’s Transportation Bond, however, did pass, giving the Board of Supervisors permission to sell bonds in the amount of $120 million to help fund improvements to roads, highways, facilities and transit.
Fairfax County residents also showed love for their parks by passing a bond measure allowing the county to borrow roughly $107 million to contribute to the Northern Virginia Regional Park Authority for developing and maintaining local green spaces and facilities.
Here’s a breakdown of how locals voted on those ballot measures:
South Lakes Varsity Football Finishes Fourth in Region 6A North Standings – South Lakes breezed past winless Fairfax High School Friday night, beating them 56-0 and finishing at No. 4 in Conference 6 as they approach the playoffs. [South Lakes High Athletics]
Dine Out to Support Friends of Reston – Friends of Reston will hold a dine-out fundraiser at Not Your Average Joe’s restaurant (1845 Fountain Dr.) todat. Fifteen percent of all sales will benefit the local nonprofit’s Helping Homes program, which assists elderly, disabled and financially challenged residents with home repairs. [Reston Association]
Sign the Kids Up Now for the Gingerbread Man Mile – For the 16th year in a row, the Gingerbread Man Mile for Kids will take place at the Reston Town Center. The $10 registration fee benefits Children’s National Medical Center, and gets every kid who runs the mile-long course around the Town Center a shirt and a gingerbread cookie. [Potomac River Running]
Election Day is here, and Restonians are headed out to the polls in big numbers so far today.
Polling place volunteers at both the North County Government Center and South Lakes High School said lines were long as voters came out in droves at 6 a.m., when the polls opened.
“I’d say we had between 200 and 400 voters just between 6 and 6:30 a.m., as people tried to get their vote in before heading to work,” a South Lakes High volunteer said. “People were in line for at least 30 minutes at that time.”
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The lines decreased significantly by 8 a.m., and most voters have made it in and out quickly since then, volunteers said.
By 11 a.m., all Fairfax County precincts had served between 30-40 percent of their registered voters, not including the large numbers of voters who already voted via absentee or early voting, election officials said in an email.
Paul Prados, a member of the Fairfax Republicans committee and chairman of the 11th Congressional District committee, which includes Reston, said the attitudes of volunteers and voters was overwhelmingly positive.
“Quite frankly, I think it’s all due to the volunteers’ good attitudes, on all sides and about all issues,” Prados said as he handed out sample ballots at South Lakes High this morning. “Because of that, all voters are responding favorably, even to messages they might not normally be receptive to.”
As one of the larger polling places in Reston, South Lakes High had locals outside advocating on both sides of Virginia’s right-to-work ballot measure, which would amend the commonwealth’s constitution to prohibit employers from forcing workers to join unions.
Prados said union advocates came out to urge voters to vote against the amendment, while members of the Fairfax Republicans committee urged people to pass it, even though he said the language used to explain the amendment was a confusing “monstrosity.”
“Virginia has always been a right-to-work state,” Prados said. “That right shouldn’t be chipped away.”
Another ballot measure that has drawn advocates out is the Fairfax County Meals Tax, which proposes raising taxes on prepared and restaurant meals by 4 percent to a total of 10 percent.
A handful of write-in Republican candidates looking to succeed Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-Va.) had signs and volunteers campaigning in their favor at local precincts, too. Connolly is running unopposed on the ballot.
Barbara Banks, a retired Army lieutenant colonel, who now works mostly as a private pilot, is one write-in candidate hoping to beat Connolly in the election.
Another write-in candidate is Chris Grose of Burke, who has been pounding the pavement since at least July, Prados said. Grose is an Army combat veteran who fought in Iraq and currently serves on the board of both the Fairfax Home School Athletic Association and the Northern Virginia Players.
Many voters said they felt relieved as they left the polls in Reston after voting.
One woman who voted at the North County Government Center, was especially excited and said the day was “momentous” for her in a number of ways.
“I was a member of the first high school graduating class that was allowed to vote at age 18,” she said of her hometown in Indiana.
She said today felt just as momentous as she cast her vote for the first female nominee of a major U.S. political party, Hillary Clinton.
Find Your Polling Place, Preview Your Ballot — By this point, it’s doubtful that you don’t know what today is. But if you need to find your polling place before you head out to vote, just enter your name, birth date and Social Security number on the Virginia Department of Elections website. You also can even preview your full ballot. [Virginia Department of Elections]
Don’t Feel Like Cooking on Thanksgiving? — Reservations are now available for the full Thanksgiving dinner buffet at Reston Town Center’s Tavern64. The meal costs $54 per person, $27 for children 12 years old and younger. [Tavern64]
Mark Your Calendar for the Reston Fun Run – Whether you’re a beginner or a competitive runner, the Reston Runners and the Potomac River Running Store is looking for you to come out for a low-key run, Dec. 1 at 6:30 p.m. The roughly 50-minute fun run will start and end at the store (11911 Democracy Dr.) and follow a portion of the W&OD Trail. [Potomac River Running Store]
Reston’s Cafesano Restaurant Expanding, Adding New Location – Due to the immense success of the restaurant’s South Lakes Village location in Reston, Cafestano owners say they’ve opened a second location at the Dulles Town Center. Management says the new location has a similar dining room, plus a covered patio, lounge and two fire pits. [Reston Patch]
Get Your DMV2Go at Reston Town Center – Reston residents can visit the DMV2Go wireless office on wheels this Thursday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the town center’s pavilion. The mobile offices lets locals apply or renew an ID card or driver’s license, get driving records, obtain vehicle titles, plates or decals and order disabled plates. [Reston Town Center]
Art Show Featured at GRACE – The Greater Reston Arts Center is hosting an exhibition by multimedia artist Shih Chieh Huang. The show features interactive elements created from a variety of materials including LED lights, motion sensors, computer parts, screens and everyday plastic bags and storage containers. “Synthetic Transformations” is on display through Nov. 19. [Greater Reston Arts Center]
The end of the Halloween season can only mean one thing — it’s time for holiday shopping.
Local artists and crafters are scheduled to set up tables at Reston’s United Christian Parish (11508 North Shore Drive) during its 2nd annual Art and Craft Fair this Saturday, Nov. 5, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Church organizers said this year’s festivities will be even bigger than last year, with more vendors and more space. Nearly 30 vendors are already slated to participate.
Also new this year will be an “alternative gift opportunities” table, which benefits a wide variety of charitable organizations from around the world.
Such organizations include:
- Opportunity International, which gives micro-loans to entrepreneurs in developing nations.
- Hope Made Real, featuring gift items made by children at an orphanage in Rwanda.
- Living Water International, which supports bringing clean drinking water to nations around the world.
- Doctors Without Borders, an exchange program that brings medical professionals to developing countries.
There will also be a nonjuried table at the fair for which several artists have agreed to donate their wares, with all of the proceeds benefiting UCP Mission programs.
See a list of all participating vendors, and photos of their work, on UCP’s website.
Admission to the fair is free, and free parking will be available at Lake Anne Elementary School, adjacent to the church.
Images via United Christian Parish
Monday marks the first of two public hearings by the Reston Association on the 2017 budget and assessment rate. The RA Board is proposing assessments of $698 per member household, which would be an increase of $41 above this year’s rate.
The second meeting will take place on Nov. 17, and the board is expected to set the 2017 budget and member assessment rate that night.
Capital improvements have been a major budget issue for the association recently.
A handful of residents spoke out at the Oct. 19 RA meeting about their dissatisfaction with how the board has managed funds in the Reserve, Repair and Replacement account, used for capital improvements. The board reported that night that the account has more than $6 million in it, yet many projects around the neighborhood have gone uncompleted.
For example, recent renovations of the Tetra building ran more than $430,000 over budget, bringing the final total to roughly three times what the RA had expected. Because of that overrun, several things — including the proposed rebuilding of the Pony Barn picnic pavilion, staff raises and additional hires — were put on hold.
One proposed solution to these problems is the creation of a new Capital Department within the RA. The board said it would hire a full-time director for the new office, as well as reassign two RA employees to work there. The Capital Department would help ensure projects get completed in a timely manner, on budget, according to the RA.
In addition to the hiring of a Capital Department director –a position which Board members said would carry an annual salary of $84,000 — the RA said other staffing needs for 2017 include a land use assistant (with a $98,000 salary); a general ledger accountant (with a $82,000 salary); the promotion of someone to capital projects administration coordinator (a $36,000 pay increase); and the hiring of many seasonal employees ($181,000 in salaries).
The board also hopes to give current employees a total of $233,000 in merit raises.
Monday’s meeting begins at 6:30 p.m. at RA headquarters (12001 Sunrise Valley Drive).
Fall Back This Weekend — Hooray, an extra hour of sleep! Don’t forget to turn the clocks back one hour this weekend. Daylight Saving Time officially ends at 2 a.m. this Sunday.
Spend a Night by the Campfire — Walker Nature Center (11450 Glade Drive) will host an evening by the campfire tonight from 6-7:30 p.m. Take part in campfire songs and have a dinner of fire-cooked hot dogs and campfire popcorn, topped off with s’mores. [Reston Association]
Get Free Help With That Confusing Technology — Reston Community Center will hold its annual Technology Fair on Nov. 19, 1-4 p.m., at the Hunters Woods center. Get help with devices from smartphones to tablets, and programs from Photoshop to Skype, from tech-savvy local teens. [Reston Community Center]
Hear from Experts on Services for Seniors — Get free advice and education on all matters having to do with aging at the free Caregiver and Legal Services Education Forum, hosted by Fairfax County and AARP, this Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Heritage Fellowship Church (2501 Fox Mill Road). [Reston Links AARP]
This Saturday, one child’s outgrown winter jacket can be another child’s perfect fit in Hunters Woods.
Reston Community Center’s annual Children’s Fall Flea Market is set to come to 2310 Colts Neck Road from 9 a.m. to noon, when parents can browse tables full of gently-used kids’ clothing, toys, books, games, movies and other items.
In addition to shopping, families can also do some selling. A table to sell gently used children’s items is $15 for residents and $23 for non-residents. Edible items and live animals are not permitted for sale.
At the flea market, children are the ones who are encouraged to hawk their items. Organizers welcome “junior merchants” between the ages 6 and 13 to help work their families’ tables.
Vendors who have left-over items that didn’t sell can donate them to charity after the event.
Admission for shoppers is a nonperishable food item for Reston Community Center’s annual Thanksgiving Food Drive.
For more information, including details on signing up for a table to sell items, visit the Reston Community Center website and a Facebook page for the event.
Photo via Reston Community Center
Fairfax County could start seeing more high-rise schools in the school district in the near future thanks to a vote by local officials this week.
The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday approved a comprehensive plan amendment that will allow the Planning Commission’s Schools Committee, the School Board and the school district to work together and consider more creative options for designing schools in busy “activity centers.”
The county identifies activity centers as high-commercial, high-development areas such as Reston, Herndon, Bailey’s Crossroads, Tysons Corner, Seven Corners and Richmond Highway.
Those areas generally do not have locations suitable to accommodate schools large enough to keep up with their rate of growth, according to a county report. And even if they do, the areas are often too costly for construction, officials said in the report.
With traffic congestion often high in such areas, locating schools in high-rise buildings closer to public transit could also help solve many headaches, officials said.
“Future schools and education facilities in activity centers will need to be compatible with the higher densities, mix of uses, and pedestrian and transit accessibility found in such areas,” the report says.
So, county planners are literally looking up.
Officials said a move toward more high-rise schools could also allow schools to go inside mixed-use buildings with recreation centers, public libraries and other facilities that are useful for children.
High-rise schools could also mean that elementary, middle and high schools could operate in the same buildings. This arrangment could help the county save money by sharing common facilities, like cafeteria and gyms, officials said.
The idea of a high-rise school is not new to Fairfax County. The county already tested the waters in 2013, when it purchased an existing high-rise office building in Bailey’s Crossroads and retrofitted it into the current Bailey’s Upper Elementary School for the Arts and Sciences, which has served students in grades three through five since September 2014.
Officials will likely see more such proposals in the future as the population continues to grow, with the number of school-aged children growing right along with it.
“There will be greater need for alternative education facilities and transitional schools in the future,” the report says. “In response to changing demographics and instructional needs, buildings designed for commercial uses may be particularly suitable for these types of facilities, as well as have the potential for community use.”
Photo courtesy of Fairfax County
