The flurry of construction you see in the median of the Dulles Toll Road near Reston Parkway isn’t all the Reston Town Center Metro Station.

Designers of the Silver Line’s Phase 2 are planning way ahead — perhaps decades from now — when a possible new road will take vehicle traffic under rather than over the toll road.

Crews have started construction of a so­-called “land bridge structure” in the median. The bridge will enable the future connecter — a four-lane highway linking Town Center Parkway to Sunrise Valley Drive — to be built without disrupting the toll road, said Dulles Corridor Metrorail Project spokeswoman Marcia McAllister.

The structure is being built in the median of the toll road near mile marker 4.8, approximately 500 feet west of the future Reston Town Center Station. That station is slated to open in early 2020.

The bridge was requested by Fairfax County as an element of the Board of Supervisors’ Six Year Transportation Priorities for FY2015 to FY2020. The county pledged $8.7 million for the $157 million underpass project in late 2014.

Building the bridge­-like structure in advance would minimize any impact to Silver Line Phase 2 service during future construction of the planned roadway, McAllister said.

Graphic: Rendering of land bridge on Dulles Toll Road/Credit: Dulles Corridor Metrorail Project

The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday unanimously approved General Dynamics’ plan to build a new headquarters in Reston.

The defense contractor, which currently leases space in Fairview Park, looked at many spots around the country but found that the Reston site  — 22 wooded acres on Sunset Hills Road — “fit that [description] to a T,” said land use attorney Mark Looney, representing General Dynamics.

“They were looking for a facility they could own and occupy,” Looney said at the supervisors public hearing. “They wanted room for 175-200 employees that was private and natural. They don’t want to be seen and don’t want to see other people. The CEO said they were looking for a ‘jewel box in the woods.’ “

General Dynamics plans to keep 84 percent of the space as natural and wooded, adding extra privacy for the site at 11011 Sunset Hills, between Wiehle Avenue and Hunter Mill Road.

The site has long been designated commercial, and General Dynamics’ plan is actually much smaller than the previous zoning approvals for three buildings and nearly 400,000 square feet, Hunter Mill Supervisor Cathy Hudgins said.

“This has been a good-news development,” said Hudgins. “The Sunset Hills Road planned development of the site was planned for much higher intensity. This really is an improvement over what zoning would have allowed.”

General Dynamics plans include three levels of below-ground parking and some surface parking for 347 cars, as well as a pocket park.

The company plans a 10-foot security fence and an access road through the property so traffic will not back up on Sunset Hills as employees and visitors go through a security check gate.

As part of the proffer conditions, General Dynamics will have to make some improvements to Sunset Hills, including widening it for turning lanes and providing money for additional traffic signals.

General Dynamics plans to move into the new facility in late 2018, said Looney.

Graphic: Rendering of plans for General Dynamics’ Reston headquarters/Credit: Fairfax County

Here comes another redevelopment plan for Sunrise Valley Drive south of the Dulles Toll Road.

Lincoln Property Co. has a Fairfax County Planning Commission public hearing Wednesday for its proposal to turn three acres of parking lot into 260 multifamily residences.

The site is bounded by Sunrise Valley, Commerce Park and Association drives, and is very close to where CESC Commerce Park (Vornado) plans a 1.5 million square foot, mixed-use development. That plan, which will feature towers of 22 and 24 stories and 500 residences, has a planning commission hearing on Sept. 28.

Lincoln Property’s project is a seven-story building with trails connecting bikers and walkers to the Wiehle-Reston East Metro station.

The plans call for a pool and a natural play area, among other amenities. About one-third of an acre will be devoted to pocket parks. There will be a dedicated cycle track fronting Sunrise Valley Drive.

The staff report recommends approval, but addresses concerns about the width of sidewalks and the streetscape on Association Drive and Commerce Park Drive.

Read More

Fairfax County Police report a long list of larcenies in the Reston District for the week ending Sept. 20.

Here is what has been reported stolen:

LARCENIES

• 1300 block of Blair Stone Drive, sunglasses from vehicle
• 9800 block of Georgetown Pike, cell phone from vehicle
• 11900 block of Killingsworth Avenue, liquor from business
• 2200 block of Castle Rock Square, package from residence
• 11400 block of South Lakes Drive, cell phone from school
• 1900 block of Winterport Cluster, drills from vehicle
• 1900 block of Lakeport Way, bicycle from residence
• 1100 block of Millwood Pond Drive, cell phone and items from vehicle
• 11500 block of Olde Tiverton Circle, airbag from vehicle
• 2400 block of Silver Fox Lane, leaf blower from residence
• 1200 block of Vintage Place, airbags from vehicle
• 9800 block of Coral Bells Court, bicycle from residence
• 1500 block of Powells Tavern, property from school
• 11400 block of Sunset Hills Road, laptop computer from business
• 2100 block of Cabots Point Lane, cell phone from residence
• 2400 block of Silver Fox Lane, purse from vehicle
• 1600 block of Waters Edge Lane, musical equipment from residence

STOLEN VEHICLES

New Dominion Parkway/Library Street, 2007 Toyota Camry

Fairfax Filled the Boot — Fairfax County Fire and Rescue collected $521,509 during Labor Day weekend’s “Fill The Boot” campaign to benefit Muscular Dystrophy. That is more than any other fire department in the United States and Canada, fire rescue officials said. [Fairfax County Fire and Rescue]

Kwame Time — Northern Virginia magazine spends some time with Reston poet and author Kwame Alexander. Alexander will be featured at the National Book Festival in DC this weekend. [Northern Virginia Magazine]

Tall Oaks Dropped The Ball — This letter to the editor finds fault with some of the facts presented by Jefferson Apartment Group, the owners of the soon-to-be-redeveloped Tall Oaks Village Center. [Connection]

Transgender Forum In Reston — United Christian Parish will host the TransGender Education Association for a presentation, “Trans*Matters: Trans*Inclusivity is Up to All of Us.” The presentation is Sunday, Sept. 25, 1 to 3 p.m. at the church 1t 11508 North Shore Dr.

Fairfax County Police Will Hire Auditor — The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors approved the hiring of a police department auditor to monitor how the county investigates use-of-force complaints and fatal incidents. [Washington Post]

Photo: South Lakes High School Senior Morgan LaRow competes at the Oatlands Cross Country Invitational Sept. 17/Credit: SLHS

The Reston Association Board of Directors will vote on Thursday on hiring Mediaworld Ventures LLC to conduct the independent review of the Lake House overrun.

A committee of citizens and RA Board members voted 4-3 last week to choose Mediaworld, a Reston-based company that will use Reston Association members to conduct the review. The price is right: Mediaworld is charging RA just $1 for the investigation.

The Board decided at previous meetings that the review needed to be done by professionals, but also warned that the review may cost into the six figures if paying the going rate.

After renovations at Lake House (formerly the Tetra Building) were found to be nearly triple what RA initially estimated, RA moved $430,000 from its operating budget to cover the deficit.

The money has since been replaced, says RA CEO Cate Fulkerson.

However, RA organized a panel to choose a professional firm to “review of the processes and internal controls that were followed across the organization in handling all decision-making, governance, administrative and financial aspects of the Association’s purchase, including the referendum, planned use, and renovation of Tetra (now known as the Lake House property), that have led to cost overruns and revenue shortfalls.” Read More

Fairfax County Public Schools Superintendent Karen Garza announced on Monday she would leave the school system in December for a new job as President and Chief Executive Officer of Battelle for Kids (BFK), an education nonprofit in Columbus, Ohio.

While Garza will be new to Battelle for Kids, the organization is not new to FCPS. Battelle for Kids has been providing services to the school system since last year.

Battelle for Kids signed a five-year contract with FCPS in April 2015 to provide professional development and school improvement practices for FCPS’ Department of Instructional Services.

FCPS will pay Battelle for Kids $279,950 under the terms of the contract. The majority of that sum ($224,000) was set to be paid in Year 1 as Battelle for Kids worked with 12 underperforming schools. The contract does not identify which schools.

According to FCPS documents “BFK will implement school improvement practices of six schools identified as high needs during the 2015-2016 school year (Work Stream 1), and six additional schools during the 2016-2017 school year (Work Stream 2).”

“Additionally, BFK will strategically build the capacity of a core team of district personnel as Rounds Facilitators, and will provide turnaround leadership development for the administrators of these
schools. As an extra benefit, BFK will provide access to 15 online courses on Formative Instructional Practices (FIP) to the leaders and teachers at the six campuses during the 2015-2016 school year.”

BFK says through their process, schools learn what is going well, what is not working and how to improve it. and instill “a culture of learning and self-reflection.”

Under FCPS rules, BFK’s history does not appear to be a conflict of interest because Garza was not directly involved in awarding the contract.

She told The Washington Post on Monday she was made aware of the BFK job when contacted by a recruiter this summer.

Garza, who came from Texas to lead FCPS in 2013, signed a four-year contract extension in July. The extension increased her salary by 3 percent, to $300,000.

What does the Fairfax County Park Authority need as it upgrades its indoor recreation centers?

That’s what officials want to know as they conduct a community survey this fall and make recommendations in Spring 2017.

The Park Authority will hold a public information meeting on Wednesday to present information on its systemwide study that will guide future redevelopment and growth of the RECenter system throughout the county. The meeting is at 7 p.m. in Conference Room 106/107 of the Herrity Building, 12055 Government Center Parkway, Fairfax.

This meeting is an opportunity to learn more about the study, how to provide input into the study and how to stay informed of the study’s progress, says Park Authority Chair Bill Bouie.

Last year’s Needs Assessment Survey revealed that residents put a high priority on recreational facilities and see a general need for upgrades across the park system.

The Park Authority has hired Brailsford & Dunlavey, Inc. (B&D), CENTERS, and Hughes Group Architects (HGA) to develop a system-wide sustainability plan for the RECenters. The project team will look at potential future operational and facility improvements that effectively and efficiently help to meet the indoor recreation needs of Fairfax County residents, Bouie said.

A Community Interest Survey will be conducted later this month. The survey will be distributed to RECenter users and pass holders and other Fairfax County residents.

A second public meeting will be scheduled this winter.

Bouie said Reston is still on track to get an indoor recreation facility in the Reston Town Center North area during that area’s future redevelopment.

The giant development planned for Wiehle Avenue and Sunrise Valley Drive will have a cycle track, parks and some of Reston’s tallest buildings.

Reston Now first reported the basics of Vornado’s 1.5 million-square- foot plan for Commerce Executive Park on Friday, but here is a closer look at the application from the county planning staff report.

There will be a Fairfax County Planning Commission public hearing on the development — one of several planned near Wiehle-Reston East — on Sept. 28.

Here is what you need to know:

The parcel on the south side of the Dulles Toll Road from the Metro station is 11.58 acres zoned industrial, but seeking a rezoning to PDC (Planned Development Commercial) District. Three six-story office buildings on the site will stay. The existing surface parking lot will go.

In its place:

• 7-story, 100 foot tall residential building for up to 200 dwelling units and 210,000 square feet.
• 24-story, 255 foot tall residential building for up to 300 units and 344,000 square feet.
• 22-story, 275 foot tall office building for 385,000 square feet.
• 14-story, 165-foot tall hotel with 175 rooms consisting of 133,000 square feet.

Access to the property would be from Sunrise Valley Drive via Commerce Park Drive. Retail stores would be on ground floors and would aim to minimize car use.

It is not yet known whether the units would be rentals or condos. They would be Reston Association members.

Open Space — The property has an existing tree canopy of 105,276 square feet (20.7 percent) and the applicant will provide new landscaping of which 35,625 square feet will contribute to the overall tree canopy. A total of 64,551 square feet of tree canopy is provided through preservation or new plantings Read More

Retired Fairfax County teachers who serve as substitutes in the system are likely getting a pay raise.

The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors will hold a public hearing on the action today at its regular meeting.

In July, County Executive Ed Long recommended that the school board approve staff recommendations from the County and Schools’ FY 2016 Carryover Review.

The school board, in the FY 2016 Carryover Review, increased the public school operating fund by $309,514 to increase the rate paid to substitute teachers who are Fairfax County Public School retired teachers.

The pay will go from $14.23 to $15.33 per hour for short-term assignments and from $20.14 to $21.91 per hour for long-term assignments.

State law allows the Board of Supervisors to act on proposed amendments to the budget on the same day as the public hearing.

Meals Tax Poll Results — Advocacy Group Fairfax Families Against the Food Tax, recently conducted a poll of nearly 500 likely Fairfax County voters. Here is what it found. [FFAFT]

New Leader At Reston Church — Reston’s St. Anne’s Episcopal Church has a new rector. The Reverend Doctor John Christian Naulty Hall, 58, assumed the role of pastor on Sept. 11. Hall has been a pastor for 27 years. He succeeds the Reverend James Allen Papile, the St. Anne’s rector for almost 17 years who recently retired.

Giving Circle of HOPE Milestone — Reston’s Giving Circle of HOPE is about to reach a milestone in its 12-year history — it has hit the $1 million mark in grants given to local nonprofits. Come and celebrate at a picnic Thursday, Sept. 22, 6:30 p.m. – 9 p.m. at Walker Nature Education Center, 11450 Glade Drive, Reston. [Giving Circle]

The Fairfax County Board of Zoning Appeals will continue to hear testimony on Wednesday regarding the the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints’ request to build a 16,558-square-foot church on the Reston/Vienna border.

The church has filed a special permit exception to build the structure at Crowell and Hunter Mill Roads. The special permit exception would allow the church to build a place of worship on land designated residential.

Because it is a special permit, the church would not have to go through the Fairfax County Planning Commission or the Board of Supervisors for final approval.

After several postponements over the summer, the BZA heard a first round of testimony last Wednesday, with several speakers falling on both sides of the issue.

Several said the church — which plans 292 seats, a 30-foot roofline and a 70-foot steeple — has a relatively small footprint, and would mostly be in use on Sundays, when traffic backups on Hunter Mill are less likely. Read More

Update, 5 p.m.: The road has been reopened.

A car crash with injuries has closed Reston’s Wiehle Aenue in both directions as of about 3:30 p.m., Fairfax County Fire and Rescue says.

The accident occurred at Wiehle and Inlet Court, officials said.

The road will be shut down “for an unknown amount of time,” fire and rescue said.

According to scanner reports, one person was transported to Reston Hospital Center with non-life threatening injuries.

Reston Now will have more details when they are available.

Photo courtesy FCPD

With its pools and paths and other amenities, you may think Reston is a great place to live. Money magazine, not so much.

After two top-10 finishes in the last four years (No. 10 in 2014 and No. 7 in 2012), Money came out with its annual rankings on Monday and Reston is not to be found in the top 50.

But that’s not that new – Reston was off the list last year as well. It was, however, lumped in with “Hunter Mill District” (say what?) at No. 28 this year.

Money says it analyzes 60 key factors: taxes, education, health care, housing affordability and more when making its list.

If you plus Reston’s stats into Money’s “How Does Your Town Stack Up” calculator, Reston fares well: 65 percent of residents have at least a Bachelor’s Degree (the national average is 28 percent); the average commute time is 25 minutes (exactly average); median family income is $126,000, double the national average; and unemployment is an anemic 3.2 percent.

On the downside, the average home price is $415,000 and property taxes are about $5,000 annually (twice the national average). Job Growth is expected to only be about 2 percent in the next year.

“This is not to say Reston is not a great place to live, it is,” says Money’s Editor-at-Large Marc Peyser. “It has made our list several times. But we are obviously very sensitive to financial factors, the median home price in Reston is not cheap.”

Read More