Still unsure what the changes to Reston’s Master Plan mean? Fairfax County Planning staffer Faheem Darab breaks it down in this video produced by Fairfax County.

The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors gave final approval to changes to the comprehensive plan earlier this week. The changes will guide any redevelopment in Reston’s neighborhoods and at its village centers.

“With the Master Plan changes, we can expect Reston to continue to be a premier planned community in the county,” Darab said, noting that the changes will mostly leave neighborhoods and convenience centers as they are and at least 12 percent of new housing stock will be affordable housing so a diverse population can live in Reston.

The biggest changes may come to the village centers, where new rules state that a developer does not need a comprehensive plan amendment to make drastic changes at Tall Oaks, Hunters Woods, South Lakes or North Point.

Ironically, the county video was filmed at Lake Anne Plaza, Reston’s original village center. Lake Anne, which has historic designation and is in the midst of its own revitalization plan, does not fall under this week’s Master Plan changes for redevelopment.

Photo: Tall Oaks Village Center/file photo

Virginia State Senator Janet Howell (D-Reston) says she will run for a seventh term in 2015.

The signature filing deadline for the election was March 9. No Republican challenger has filed to oppose Howell in the Nov. 3 general election.

Howell has represented Virginia’s 32nd District in Richmond since 1992.

Howell said in an email to constitutes that over the last few months, she considered not running as the climate for Northern Virginia Democrats can be a struggle in the Republican-led General Assembly.

“Things are rough and often ugly in Richmond,” she wrote. “We progressives are in a constant struggle with the overwhelmingly far right House of Delegates. Developing friendships or even working relationships across party and regional lines seems to be getting harder and harder. “

“Yet, I can’t quit now!,” said Howell. “I really love fighting for our values. We can’t stop working for a Virginia that cares for all its people and treats everyone fairly. I want to be on the front lines of this struggle. It may not be for everyone, but there is no better place for me than the Senate of Virginia.”

Howell used the word “outrage” often in her message.

“I am often motivated by outrage,” she said. “I am outraged that a state as wealthy as Virginia is near the bottom in funding programs that help persons in need. I am outraged that we have not expanded Medicaid to provide healthcare for about 400,000 mostly working, adult neighbors. We’ve paid for it! I am outraged that Virginia seriously lags other states in what we are doing to protect our environment and forestall climate change. I am outraged that women’s reproductive rights are constantly being whittled away. And, I am outraged that despite loud breast beating about the importance of education, we do very little to fund it.”

Howell’s interested in the senate the last few years have been preventing domestic violence; mental health coverage; GLBT issues; education; the state retirement system; transportation, particularly Metro’s Silver Line; voting district; and the state budget.

“Working with Governor McAuliffe, encouraging job growth and economic development will be my top priority,” she said. “Equally important will be investing in our people. I will put education at all levels from birth through graduate school first. We will put programs to assist those in need high on our list. Virginia must not continue near the bottom of states on indicators of human services. We will do this in a fiscally responsible way, but we will do it!”

Janet Howell/file photo

A traffic stop for a suspected drunk driver ended with a second suspected drunk driver crashing into a Fairfax County Police car and sending two officers to the hospital with injuries.

The incident happened about 11:30 p.m. on Wednesday on the Fairfax County Parkway near Sugarland Drive.

Two officers were on a traffic stop conducting DWI sobriety tests on a driver, police said.

That’s when a 2003 Toyota sedan driven by Alfred Jorge Guillen Escobari struck the rear of the first cruiser, causing it to strike the rear of the second cruiser. The momentum from the initial impact caused the second cruiser to move forward striking both officers.

Both officers were transported to a local hospital with non life-threatening injuries, police said.

The subject driver of the initial traffic stop, John B. St. Pierre, 44, of Vienna, was charged with DWI. Escobari, 23, of Sterling, was also charged with DWI. Neither arrestee required medical attention.

Reston is about to undergo a major residential development spurt. That is why Reston Association is proposing a new model for adding properties to the association that could have some residents paying half as much as current members in annual assessments.

RA CEO Cate Fulkerson presented some of the details at RA’s regular board meeting last week. The changes come as RA is in the process of adding Comstock’s BLVD apartments at Reston Station, the first of what will likely be several new multifamily developments added to RA.

BLVD, which will begin leasing later this year, will have 540 units. It will be the first residential development in the area along the Dulles Toll Road that was formerly zoned industrial. Since no residential development was there before, properties will be new to RA’s jurisdiction.

“Currently, new or existing properties along the corridor do not fall within RA’s jurisdiction (RA covenanted land) therefore assessments from those residences are not collected by RA,” says a statement by RA. “Those properties also do not fall under RA’s design guidelines and could potentially create an appearance of ‘two different Restons’ if the properties are not properly maintained.”

Under the new model, developers would have the opportunity to join RA. The association would receive an initiation fee and/or proffers from developers in exchange for RA providing certain services such as overseeing the future administration and design review process of the properties, RA says.

Because much of the new development, including BLVD, will have on-site amenities such as swimming pools, RA would reduce the assessment fee to half the amount paid by full members of the association. The 2015 assessment fee for full members is $642.

Fulkerson said new RA members in the former industrial corridor area would not have the same access to RA amenities that full members possess, but would benefit from various RA services.

“While all of the details have not been worked out yet … the key point under consideration has to do with services more than amenities,” said Fulkerson.

Fulkerson said all residents, regardless of whether they are members or not, have access to Reston Association’s pathways, open spaces, ball fields and other public amenities. The services RA would provide to new members are administrative in nature, such as design guideline oversight.

“Members who receive the half-price discount would not qualify for the reduced rates that full members get on things like tennis and pool passes,” she added. “We feel this is fair to both our existing members and any potential new members. “We also don’t anticipate providing reduced camp or other programing rates for members who are receiving the lesser assessment rate.”

By adding new properties to RA, the association would have greater control over the design guidelines of the properties. The new assessments and initiation fees would bring revenue to the association and allow the new area  to become part of “one Reston,” says RA.

Read More

Paul VI Will Move — Paul VI High School, the closest Catholic High School to Reston, will move from Fairfax to South Riding. [WTOP]

Food Network Contest Gives A Preview — Reston’s Emilia Cirker, who will compete on Food Network Star beginning next week, visited Newschannel 8. [WJLA]

Down On The Farm — There are a bunch of new baby animals at Herndon’s Frying Pan Park. [Fairfax County]

Food Truck Thursday — Today is the monthly “Food Truck Thursday” at Reston Town Center. Stop by for lunch on the street near Town Square Park from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Hundreds of cyclists will ride for a good cause in Reston Sunday at the American Diabetes Association’s 2015 Tour de Cure.

The Tour de Cure is the largest cycling event for diabetes in the
country, with 91 events in 44 states with more than 63,000 participants, says the ADA.

Registration is still open for individuals and teams who will ride distances of 14, 20, 36, 63 and 108 miles. All routes start at Reston Town Center. The shorter distances stay in Reston; the longer ones take riders past Leesburg. See the routes on the Tour de Cure website.

Registration Fee is $25.00. Fundraising Minimum is $250.

Check-in and breakfast begin Sunday at 6 a.m. (shorter routes start later). There will be a finish line celebration in the Reston Town Center pavilion after the ride.

For complete information and registration, visit the Northern Virginia Tour de Cure website.

Photo courtesy American Diabetes Association.

Clothing donation boxes have become standard features at Reston and Fairfax County shopping center parking lots. They make quick work for cleaning out your closets and dropping off items that a non-profit can distribute to others in need.

But often the boxes become a dumping ground for furniture, books, mattresses and other castoffs. The boxes — and overflowing items — can also block routes through a parking lot.

That is why Fairfax County wants to put new rules in place. County officials have consulted with Planet Aid, a nonprofit that uses donation boxes to collect used clothes, and the Secondary Materials and Recycled Textiles Association to come up with new guidelines to curb the parking lot clutter.

The boxes are currently not covered by any county zoning rules, officials say. Instead, Fairfax County has applied its rules for secondary structures like garden sheds or garages.

The recommended new ordinance says that the boxes:

• May not be larger than seven feet tall, six feet wide or six feet long.
• Are limited to two boxes per property in an area not to exceed a total of 120 square feet.
• Must be made of weather-proof, noncombustible materials.
• Must get regular collection with no items left outside the boxes.
• Must list the following information on the outside of the box: name and telephone number of the owner/operator, the items for collection, and a statement prohibiting liquids and dumping.
• May only be placed on certain commercial properties, like shopping centers, that are 40,000 square feet or larger; in any commercial area of a planned district when shown on an approved development plan; and in any residential district on lots with a non-residential principal use, like a church, or in conjunction with approval for another use by a special permit, special exception or proffered rezoning and only when shown on an approved development plan.

Photo: Clothing collection boxes at South Lakes Village Center.

The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors approved changes to the Reston Master Plan on Tuesday. The changes will help guide growth at Reston’s village centers and neighborhoods going forward.

One of the new rules: Reston’s village centers will not have to get a comprehensive plan amendment should they want to drastically change.

When founder Bob Simon envisioned Reston in the 1960s, all the village centers were going to be like Lake Anne Village Center — high density (townhouses, apartments) housing, a plaza, central gathering place, walking access and parking on the perimeter.

But as Reston developed (Simon was no longer part of the project by the time the rest of the village centers were built), what was put in place was essentially strip mall shopping. Those plans deviated from the vision, but also provided convenience for residents who just wanted to park the car and easily grocery shop or pick up dry cleaning.

Other than a proposal for the ailing Tall Oaks Village Center and the plan for the area near, but not in, Lake Anne Plaza, there are no current plans to redevelop Reston’s village centers. So it is status quo for now — but what do you think should happen in the future? Stay the same or get back to the original plan? Take our poll and tell us in the comments.

Photo Courtesy North Point Village Center

The Fairfax County Government Center grounds are the place to be for live music, rides, carnival games and other family fun this weekend as the 34th annual Celebrate Fairfax! Festival gets underway.

Here is what you need to know:

Festival Hours are Friday from 6:00 p.m. until 12:00 a.m.; Saturday, 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 a.m.; Sunday, 11:00 a.m. until 7:00 p.m.

The Government Center is located at 12000 Government Center Parkway, Fairfax.

There will be more than 30 food vendors on site. Fireworks will take place Friday and Saturday nights about 9:30 p.m.

Ticket prices vary ($12 for adult one-day admission; $8 for Sunday admission; $5, ahes 3 to 13; weekend packages available). This includes festival admission but not carnival rides. Ticket info and purchase is available online. Tickets are also available through Thursday at Northern Virginia Wegman’s stores.

There will be more than 130 entertainment acts, including children’s programming. The Bud Light Main Stage will feature headliners each day:

Friday, June 5 at 8 p.m.: KONGOS

Saturday, June 6 at p.m. 3 DOORS DOWN

Sunday, June 7 at 4:30 p.m. THE AMISH OUTLAWS

General admission includes all performances.

For complete information, visit www.celebratefairfax.com.

The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday unanimously approved changes to the Reston Master Plan that will provide guidelines for any changes to village centers and neighborhoods as Reston moves into its second 50 years.

The changes, commonly called Reston Master Plan Phase 2, ensure that future residential and commercial growth will be concentrated in the Town Center, the Transit Station Areas and the Village Centers; and the Vision and Planning Principles created in Phase 1 should apply to the whole of Reston.

Phase 1, which set standards for development close to transit centers at Wiehle-Reston East and Reston’s future Reston Parkway Metro Station, was approved by the county in early 2014.

Some of the vision and planning principles for both: that Reston place an emphasis on diversity of housing, affordability, walkability and the role plazas play as community gathering spaces.

Reston Association CEO Cate Fulkerson, one of a handful of speakers at the public hearing portion of  Tuesday’s meeting, requested that a sentence be added “Reston has always been a place where nature is valued and protected.”

“This summarizes the most important characteristic of Reston and needs to be incorporated,” she said.

Hunter Mill Supervisor Cathy Hudgins agreed, and suggested that it be added to a prominent place at the start of the final document.

Hudgins had some questions for county planning staff at the meeting. One of the questions centered on whether St. Johns Wood, the garden apartment complex owned by Bozzuto, can redevelop without a comprehensive plan amendment. Read More

Dock Dogs — Miss the Chesapeake Dock Dogs exhibition at PetMAC at Lake Anne Plaza Saturday? Here’s an excellent action gallery. [Modern Reston]

South Lakes HS For Savvy Investors? — South Lakes High School was one of four Fairfax County High Schools named to the Working in Support of Education’s list of Top 100 best high schools in the nation for personal finance instruction. [FCPS]

Reston Company Helps Catch Hong Kong Offenders — Reston-based Parabon Nanolabs has created DNA tracking ability that Hong Kong officials are using to catch repeat litterbugs. [Fast Company]

‘Move Over’ Update — Fairfax County Police put in place a new “Move Over” initiative last week. The Virginia State Police project educates motorists about Virginia’s “Move Over” law (changing lanes if a police or emergency vehicle needs to get through). [FCPD]

Officers from Fairfax County’s Reston District Station say a robbery and the burglary of an occupied dwelling took place last week.

The incidents were in unincorporated Herndon and Great Falls, both of which are policed by the Reston District Station

The robbery occurred at the Clocktower Shopping Center in the 2400 block of Centreville Road in Herndon on May 26. Police said a man entered a restaurant shortly before 10:30 p.m., displayed a handgun to an employee and demanded money.

The suspect took cash and fled. The victim did not require medical attention.

The suspect was described as average build, about 5 feet 10 inches tall, and wearing all dark clothing, a beanie on his head, and a mask over his face.

The burglary took place in the 11300 block of Fox Creek Farm Way about 3 a.m. on May 28, police said. A resident reported someone entered the residence overnight and took property.

In other crime news:

LARCENIES

• 11800 block of Sunrise Valley Drive, property from business
• 12200 block of Leesburg Pike, merchandise from business
• 9800 block of Georgetown Pike, merchandise from business
• 2300 block of Hunters Woods Plaza, merchandise from business
• 11600 block of Quail Ridge Court, jewelry from residence
• 12900 block of Centre Park Circle, bicycle from property
• 2300 block of Colts Neck Road, wallet from residence
• 10300 block of Georgetown Pike, license plate from vehicle
• 1800 block of Town Center Parkway, property from hospital
• 1800 block of Wiehle Avenue, bicycle from Metro station
• 2400 block of Masons Ferry Drive, bicycle from school
• 9700 block of Middleton Ridge Road, electronic device from vehicle
• 11400 block of Northwind Court, property and jewelry from vehicle
• 12100 block of Sunset Hills Road, merchandise from business.
• 1800 block of Wiehle Avenue, merchandise from business.

STOLEN VEHICLE

11900 block of Bowman Towne Drive, 2006 Ford E250.

Lake Anne Plaza has a new addition: a historical marker that recaps Reston’s significance as a planned “new town.”

The state historical marker, issued by the Virginia Department of Historic Resources, was installed in between the parking lot and the entrance to the plaza on Friday.

Speakers at the ceremony included State Sen. Janet Howell, Del. Ken Plum, Fairfax County Board of Supervisors Chair Sharon Bulova, Hunter Mill Supervisor Cathy Hudgins and Shelley Mastran, chair of the Reston Historic Trust.

The Reston Historic Trust and the Lake Anne Condominium Association covered the cost of creating the sign. The marker was approved by the Department of Historic Resources in March 2014.

What bits of Reston history didn’t make it into the movie Another Way of Living: The Story of Reston, VA?

That some of what filmmaker Rebekah Wingert-Jabi will discuss Tuesday in a special program at Reston Community Center Hunters Woods.

Wingert-Jabi has been working on the documentary about Reston for several years. A first cut premiered in April of 2014, but Wingert-Jabi is still working on the final product, which she hopes will be considered for film festivals and public television stations.

Wingert-Jabi will update the progress of Another Way of Living and share some of the excerpts that landed on the cutting room floor during the editing process.

In the movie, Peabody Award Winner Wingert-Jabi — who grew up in Reston and now is raising her family here — takes a look at founder Bob Simon’s life and what inspired him to purchase more than 6,000 acres of Virginia farmland in 1961 and plan an urban-style “New Town” in an era of neat lawns and tract homes.

Through historical photos and footage, as well as interviews with longtime Restonains, the story looks at Reston’s impact as a groundbreaking inclusive community and its evolution into the place it is today.

The free program begins at 7:30 p.m.