Christie To Headline NVTC Event — New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie will be the speaker at Leadership Series event hosted by the Northern Virginia Technology Council and the Consumer Electronics Association on May 1. [NVTC]

SLHS Track Takes Second — South Lakes High School’s track and field teams finished second at Lake Braddock Hall of Fame Invitational last weekend. Twelve Seahawks met state qualifying standards.

Senior Resource Fair Friday — Seniors, their caregivers and families, are invited to the Health and Safety Fair sponsored by Hunter Mill Supervisor Cathy Hudgins, Reston Community Center, and Reston Association Friday 1 to 4 p.m. at RCC Hunters Woods. There will be vendors and exhibitors on health, wellness, fitness, and lifestyle improvements, including chiropractic care, acupuncture, yoga, and nutrition.

Celebrated Author at Lake Anne — Newberry Award-winning author and Reston resident Kwame Alexander visited Lake Anne ES students last week. [Fairfax Times]

Rowing on Lake Thoreau/Credit: Ellen Moyer

Two people are hospitalized with serious injuries after they were injured in an apparent domestic-related shooting in Reston early Thursday, Fairfax County Police said.

Police were called to a report of a shooting at a home in the 2300 block of Branleigh Park Court, near Hunters Woods Village Center, at around 2:30 a.m. Thursday.

They found a man and a woman, both suffering from apparent gunshot wounds, in the home. Both were transported to an area hospital, where they are both in life-threatening condition.

Police believe one of the victims shot the other in a domestic dispute. Police said the shooting was contained within the home and that there is no public safety threat to the community.

The man and woman are in their 30s and lived in the home together. Police did not release their names.

Charges are pending further investigation.

Washington Wine Academy is bringing a special event for beer lovers to Reston Town Center this weekend.

The Beers of the World Festival will take place in the pavilion in two sessions on Saturday, from 2 to 5 p.m. and 6 to 9 p.m.

There will be 25 beers to sample in 3 oz. portions.  There will also be a Belgian tent that features Weizenbier, blond & amber ales, framboise and tripel abbey ales.

Tickets start at $25 and include:

• Regular Beer Festival admission with 10 sampling tickets for American and international breweries.
• Souvenir Beer Glass for 10 3-ounce beer samples.
• Live music in the Pavilion, including a concert by country singer Shane Gamble from 2 to 5 p.m.

Festival tickets with Belgian tent access are $40. These tickets include five additional testing tickets to use in the Belgian Beer area.

For more information and to purchase advance tickets (that will give you priority access) visit Washington Wine Academy’s website.

Washington Wine Academy will also partnering with Paul’s Ride (a charity bike event that takes place Saturday morning at town center). They will be setting up a special beer bar for riders to be able to come by and have an cold beer and relax after they finish their race, says WWA president Jim Barker.

Just 10 months after it began, Reston Master Plan Phase 2 — which will cement guidelines on future development — is sprinting towards approval.

The Fairfax County Planning Commission will hold a public hearing Wednesday (8:15 p.m. at the Fairfax County Government Center) on the document that will organize the rest of the vision for Reston’s future.

The Master Plan Phase 1 took nearly four years of committee meetings before being approved by the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors in early 2014.

Phase 1 guides development near Reston’s transit centers, some of which were without previous residential development in the immediate area. Phase 2, which will guide development and redevelopment in neighborhoods and near Reston’s village centers, launched last June. But under the county’s new Fairfax Forward plan, it is already prepared for the planning commission. After that it will go to the Board of Supervisors for final approval on June 2.

Fairfax County officials say the the current comprehensive plan, last updated in 1989, requires revision because Reston no longer has a master developer to update the plan for Reston; the plan for Reston has outdated elements; and with population expected to grow with the arrival of Metro, Reston is evolving as a community.

The Fairfax County Department of Planning and Zoning completed the draft of the Reston Comprehensive Plan Amendment in early April. Here are some of the highlights:

Village Centers — The amendment establishes general vision and guidelines for redevelopment for any future village center redevelopment proposals. The general vision for Reston’s village centers addresses elements necessary for village centers to achieve the desired goal of becoming a vibrant community gathering space.

The Guidelines for Redevelopment establish a process for developing detailed plans and considering redevelopment proposals.

Redevelopment of Neighborhoods — There is only one active rezoning application, for the St. John’s Woods Apartments near North Point Village Center. While the rezoning application seeks additional density (up to almost 50 dwelling units per acre) and mid-rise residential buildings, the county planning staff’s approach “is consistent with the study’s larger approach, to maintain today’s existing built form, density and overall character. ”

In general, the report says “Reston’s clusters and neighborhoods should be protected from pressure to redevelop, which may be caused by growth and redevelopment elsewhere in Reston.” Read More

It was standing-room only at Brown’s Chapel on Tuesday night as Reston Association members attended a mostly civil town hall meeting to discuss RA’s plans to purchase the former visitors center property from Tetra Partners for up to $2.65 million.

Members are in the midst of a referendum that will either move the process forward — RA would like to close the deal by late July — or kill it.

The general consensus of those at the meeting seemed to support the idea that purchasing the 3.48-acre property to fend off development, preserve green space and add an RA amenity was a good one — but the price is too high.

The 2015 Fairfax County tax assessment values the property — which features a 3,128-square-foot contemporary building that needs both structural repair and interior renovation — at $1.2 million. RA’s 2015 appraisal says the building, when considered for its highest and best developed use — is worth $2.7 million.

“I am in favor of RA purchasing, but not necessarily in favor of the price,” said Stuart Patz, a member who is in the commercial real estate business. “It doesn’t make sense to me. My take is you are trying to find a use for the property, and you are coming up with a use that doesn’t make sense.

“I applaud you for working on this, but I hope you can negotiate the price.”

RA estimates it will generate $122,000 annually from event rentals, meeting space and after-school and after-camp child care programs. Several in the crowd said they were skeptical that RA would generate that income. Read More

State of the Schools — Check out Fairfax County Public Schools’ 92-percent graduation rate, growing population and rising SAT scores in FCPS’ “State of the Schools” report. [FCPS]

Crime Decline — Fairfax County Police say crime in the county is at its lowest point since 1970. Overall Reston crime is down too, reflecting the trend. [Washington Post]

Supervisors Keep Tax Rate Steady — At the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors’ budget mark-up session on Tuesday, the board agreed to keep the tax rate at $1.09, transfer an additional 3.2 percent to the schools and give 3.6 percent raises to general county employees. [Fairfax County]

Today is Earth Day — Nothing specific planned for Reston, but here is a list of activities in the general DC area. [About.com]

Police Pay To Settle Geer Civil Suit –– Fairfax County Police have settled the wrongful death suit filed by John Geer’s family. FCPD will pay nearly $3 million to the family of  Geer, who was shot and killed by a FCPD officer during a domestic situation in 2013. [Washington Post]

Parts of Reston Station Boulevard will be closed to traffic for several days beginning Saturday in order to remove the giant crane that has been in place to build the BLVD Apartments.

The closure starts Saturday, April 25 and run through Wednesday, April 29, Metro officials said.

Customers who use the Park-and-Ride, the Kiss-and-Ride, or Fairfax Connector bus service at Wiehle-Reston East may be affected.

Here is what you need to know:

Park-and-Ride and Kiss-and-Ride patrons should enter and depart the Metro station site from Sunset Hills Road and Metro Center Drive. Access to the main Park-and-Ride entrance and exit, and the Kiss-and-Ride will not be available from Wiehle Avenue.

Access to the auxiliary Park-and-Ride entrance and exit will be available from Wiehle Avenue; however, the work zone will be positioned from the auxiliary entrance to the Kiss-and-Ride and primary Park-and-Ride entrance, and no access will be available through the work zone.

Fairfax Connector routes that travel via the western portion of Reston Station Boulevard will operate on a detour during this project:

• RIBS 2 buses will bypass Metro Center Drive and Kaiser Permanente. Buses will serve stops along Sunset Hills Road and at the Wiehle Metro station for access to Kaiser Permanente.
• Route 505, 952, 981, 983, and RIBS 4 buses will detour via eastbound Reston Station Boulevard and Wiehle Avenue in the direction of westbound Sunset Hills Road and Reston Town Center.

Fairfax Connector riders should anticipate delays on all routes serving the Wiehle Metro station (north side).

Reston Station Boulevard/file photo

Bozzuto Development’s plans for redevelopment of St. Johns Wood Apartments are taking shape.

Last fall, the developer filed a proposal with the Fairfax County Planning Commission to redevelop the nine-building, 250-unit garden apartment neighborhood in North Reston into a new complex of 635 new apartments and 34 townhomes.

St. Johns Wood is located at Reston Parkway and Center Harbor Drive close to North Point Village Center. It is one of the few rental complexes in the nearby Buzz Aldrin Elementary School district.

St. Johns Wood is more than a mile from the future Reston Town Center Metro station, so the density of the neighborhood is going to have to be specified as the plan moves forward.

The current Reston Master Plan specifies the neighborhood is high density, but the Phase 2 of the Reston Master Plan, which will be considered by the Fairfax County Planning Commission on Wednesday, recommends lower density. The plan update also calls for Reston neighborhoods, should they be redeveloped, to retain the same character and density.

Bozzuto did not submit a redevelopment proposal during the Reston Master Plan review process. The company did recently submit a letter requesting the right to develop at higher density as permitted under the current Reston Master Plan or a site-specific exception for the property.

The letter may be discussed at the planning commission meeting on Wednesday, where further details on the project will likely be discussed.

Bozzuto reps made a presentation to the Reston Planning and Zoning Committee on Monday and are scheduled to present to the Reston Association Design Review Board on Tuesday.

Bozzuto last met with those groups in December, and the preliminary plans were criticized as too urban for the location, Reston 2020 reports on its website. Reston 2020 also has the full development plan.

Bartaco, the new beach-shack inspired taco stand by the parent company that also brought Barcelona  to Reston Town Center, is now open.

The restaurant is open for dinner only right now, but is planning on lunch service soon.

Reston’s bartaco has seating, as well as a walk-up take out window. It will also delivery to offices and residences in the town center via old-style bicycles.

Among some of the menu highlights:

Tacos ($2.50 each) with fillings such as falafel, chorizo, duck, cauliflower and pork belly.

Rice bowls ($8) with some of the same fillings.

Sides ($2.50) such as spicy cucumber salad, chipotle slaw, plantains and grilled corn.

A long list of margaritas, beer and other drinks.

Barcelona, which opened Saturday, will also begin lunch service soon.

This is the Connecticut-based chain’s first bartaco in Virginia.

Rescue Reston, the open-space advocacy group formed in response to the zoning appeal on the zoning status of Reston National Golf Course, says at least one factor in the Board of Zoning Appeals’ decision last week was faulty.

On April 15, the Fairfax County Board of Zoning Appeals gave a partial ruling on course owners’ RN Golf Management’s 2012 appeal to see if the property was designated residential. The BZA said it overruled the zoning administrator to the extent she says a comprehensive plan amendment is a precondition to development.

That may open the door for future development, but the BZA said it wants to see what RN Golf has in mind first.

Rescue Reston says it expects to take the case though an appeal in Virginia Circuit Court. Here is a statement it issued Tuesday:

The BZA got it wrong on the Comprehensive Plan issue. The Planned Residential Community (PRC) ordinance is unique to only three geographic areas in Fairfax County, all of which have green open space as an integral factor in the planning. It is complicated to those who do not deal with it often or ever, and this includes members of the Board of Zoning Appeals (BZA).

The last time the BZA made a ruling in a PRC District (it was Reston) was in 1992 when they were later overruled by the Supreme court – see this post by Reston 2020.

On April 15, 2015 the BZA essentially turned the clock back to the fall of 2012 and ruled based only on the evidence in hand in 2012 – almost 3 years ago. They stated they were ignoring all of the evidence presented since the Zoning Administrator’s 2012 determination letter.

Rescue Reston expects to take this case to the Circuit Court where all of the evidence will be considered. Your support and donations are needed to challenge this threat to Reston’s most important defining characteristic — its open space.  More info at RescueReston.org.

The implications of this BZA decision reach far beyond these 166 acres of recreational open space. If Reston National Golf Course falls to development, the Hidden Creek Golf Course on the north side could be next. And what if the U.S. Government decides some day to sell the 105 acre U.S. Geological Survey property in Reston?

These are key pillars in the Reston Master Plan that the citizens of Reston and all of Fairfax County must not allow to fall.

RCA has written a one-page information sheet to explain these unique PRC Districts – please read and share:

What is a PRC (Planned Residential Community) District?

“PRC Zoning Districts are established to encourage innovative and creative design for land development; to provide ample and efficient use of open space; to promote a balance in the mix of land uses, housing types, and intensity of development; and to allow maximum flexibility in order to achieve excellence in physical, social and economic planning and development of a site.”

Fairfax County has only three of these unique PRC Districts and they all have green open space as an integral factor in their design.

Photo: Reston National/Credit: Glencourse Cluster

Want to learn more about what you may be buying?

Then attend tonight’s community meeting, where Reston Association members can get a look around the controversial Tetra Building the association wants to purchase.

Reston Association staff will also answer questions. Members will take a tour of the grounds, but will not be able to enter the building, says RA spokesman Kirsten Carr.

The meeting begins at 6 p.m. at Brown’s Chapel, 1575 Brown’s Chapel Rd., and will include a tour of the Tetra building, which served as Reston’s Visitor Center from 1983 to 2003.

Reston Association has put in a conditional contract to purchase the 3,129-square-foot structure that overlooks Lake Newport. Acquiring the building at 11450 Baron Cameron Ave. (as well as its its 3.48 acres of land) would also give RA 98 contiguous acres of community space as the plot abuts other RA properties such as Brown’s Chapel Park and Lake Newport. RA says purchasing the building — for up to $2.65 million — will fend off development and add a recreational and community amenity to RA’s holdings.

The building is currently designated as commercial space and was formerly approved for nearly 7,000 more feet of space to be added. Meanwhile, Tetra has said several large restaurant companies have looked at the space, but no deal was currently in place.

Opponents of the purchase have pointed out that the asking price is more than double the latest Fairfax County tax assessment and commercial development is unlikely to ever happen at the spot because it is in a flood zone and there are many easements crossing the property. RA says it will answer questions on Tetra at Tuesday’s meetings.

At a series of district meetings in March, RA staff and board members made presentations but did not answer questions on the purchase. A look at building — which will undergo major renovations that RA estimates will cost at least $250,000 — will also give the community the chance to envision it as something other than its current office space use. RA says it would like to use it for meeting and event rentals, after school programs and classes, among others.

The purchase cannot happen without a member referendum, which began April 13 and will run through May 8. There will be a chance to vote in the referendum at Tuesday’s meeting. Voting is also available by mail or online.

See additional details on the purchase, including a fact sheet, building inspection report and appraisal on RA’s website.

Del. Ken Plum (D-Reston), the longest-serving member of the Virginia House of Delegates, will kick off his bid for re-election Tuesday in Reston.

The campaign kickoff is from 6 to 8 p.m. at Reston Station Plaza.

Plum has represented Reston in Richmond continuously since 1982 (and also served a term from 1978 to 1980).

Plum ran unopposed in the 2013 election. In 2011 and 2009, he beat Republican challenger Hugh “Mac” Cannon. Plum won with more than 60 percent of the votes.

So far, Plum is again running unopposed in 2015.

To RSVP (tickets start at $50) or make a donation, visit Plum’s fundraising site.

Barcelona Wine Bar, the long-awaited addition to Reston Town Center’s restaurant offerings, is now open for business.

The restaurant, located at 12023 Town Square Park in the first floor of The Avant apartments, had a soft opening over the weekend and will start serving dinner Monday night.

The restaurant is the 11th from the Connecticut-based chain, which also has a location on 14th Street in D.C. It is known for its selection of more than 400 wines, as well as Spanish-style tapas.

Bartaco, located next door, will open sometime this week, store employees said. Bartaco is a beach-inspired taco shack, with inexpensive tacos featuring traditional as well as unusual fillings such as sesame ribeye, duck or curry shrimp.

The Reston location features a walk-up takeout window.

This is an op-ed by Reston resident Terry Maynard. It does not necessarily reflect the opinion of Reston Now.

Contrary to RA President Ellen Graves’ op-ed on Friday, the planned RA purchase of the Tetra property is neither a good value now nor a good investment in the long term. Only Reston voters now can stop this ill-conceived, secretly planned purchase by voting “NO” in the ongoing RA referendum.

The price RA has committed to paying, subject to the referendum vote, is $2.65 million. The $2.65 million price is two and one-half its current market value of the Tetra property as measured by both Fairfax County in its annual real estate assessment and the RA-funded appraisal and property condition report.

The County puts the value of the Tetra property at $1.20 million as of Jan. 1, 2015. That is down about $44,000 from last year. And, as you probably know, the County is obligated under state law to assess real estate at its fair market value.

The property appraisal prepared for RA by The Robert Paul Jones Company, LLC, (RPJ) walks through the property’s “as is” valuation in two ways: comparable sales and income approach. After putting the comparable sales valuation at $1.45 million and the income approach valuation at $1.1 million, it arrives at an “as is” fair market value of $1.3 million. (See p. 22 of the RPJ appraisal.) Read More