The RELAC air-conditioning system will stay in place for 343 Lake Anne-area homes after a resident referendum to remove the deed ordering it failed to pass.
The referendum needed a two-thirds majority of voters to remove the Reston deed item mandating the lake water-cooled system in the homes.
The final tally was 156 votes for no revocation and 118 votes to remove the deed item, Reston Association Board President Ken Knueven said at a special board meeting on Monday. Nearly 80 percent of eligible voters cast a ballot, he added.
A similar referendum also failed in 2008.
The homeowners in Coleson, Waterview, Wainwright, Washington Plaza, Hickory and Governour’s Square clusters are bound by the Reston deed to use the system. RELAC was touted as revolutionary in the mid-1960s, but has been met with frustration at its inefficiency by many users in recent years.
Some users have complained it is expensive, mold producing and cannot cool the top floors of some of the townhomes. Several homeowners have used a medical exemption to allowed to install, at their own expense, an additional air conditioning system.
Last summer, more than 100 homeowners signed a petition asking RA for the referendum.
John Hunter, who lives in Washington Plaza Cluster, was one of the leaders in the quest to get the referendum.
“We are not giving up,” he told the board on Monday. He also asked for information on how each cluster voted.
“This could be helpful to RELAC,” he said of the company that operates the system, adding the company is sometimes unaware of the issues.
Robert Gerstein of Wainwright Cluster resident said he does not like the concept of revisiting the RELAC issue.
“The folks were very, very diligent about getting the referendum done,” he said. “What [Hunter] seemed to imply was they were going to again canvas each of the clusters an try to have another referendum. I hope you folks consider this is an intrusion on all of us. Let’s get this over with.”
The board heard repeatedly from both sides at meetings over the last several months. Some in favor of RELAC called it an “aesthetic catastrophe” to change the system. They also praised RELAC for being very quiet and were also concerned that rates would rise among remaining customers.
Rising rates were also a concern of RELAC opponents, who said their rates had skyrocketed in recent years. Opponents also said they wanted a choice, and also pointed out that new HVAC units were much quieter than they were in the mid-1960s, when RELAC was first developed.
Homeowners who have been granted the medical exemption have said they have spent $4,000-6,000 on new HVAC systems — which must be disconnected when they sell the home.
Valentine Treats Thursday — Instead of celebrating Valentine’s Day on the traditional Feb. 14, California Tortilla restaurants will celebrate on Thursday, Feb. 12 by giving every customer a FREE order of Love Chips and Nutella with their purchase. Reston’s Cal Tort is located at North Point Village Center. [California Tortilla]
Preparing Your Loved Ones — Know what makes a great Valentine’s Day gift? Some emergency preparedness supplies, says the Fairfax County Department of Emergency Management. [Fairfax County]
Will Inova Expansion Boost Regional Economy? — Inova announced plans to lease the former Exxon Mobil Campus in Fairfax for a cancer center and medical hub. Will it be a major boost to Fairfax County economy? [Washington Post]
Reston’s Radio Shack location at 1404 North Point Village Center is on the list of the nearly 2,000 locations that will likely close by the end of next month.
The retailer announced last week it will close about 1,700 of its 4,000 stores nationwide as part of its Chapter 11 bankruptcy.
Radio Shack has been around since the 1920s as a place to purchase radio and electronics parts. But in the technology boom of the last 20 years, it failed to keep pace with big box stores such as Target and Best Buy, as well as online retailers.
The closings will come in three waves, according to media reports. Some of the stores will be sold to hedge fund Standard General, writes the Wall Street Journal.
The Reston store was open as of Monday, but an employee there had no comment on when the store would be closing.
Also closing nearby will be branches in Arlington, Sterling, Tysons Corner, and Fairfax, according to this list on Radio Shack’s website.
Reston Association will hold a special Board of Directors meeting on Monday, Feb. 9 to discuss the future of the Lake Anne-area cooling systems and the former Reston Visitors Center.
The meeting is at 6 p.m. at RA Headquarters, 12001 Sunrise Valley Dr., and will include a public comment period.
On the agenda:
1. RELAC – The results of the recent RELAC referendum. The 343 Lake Anne households bound by the RA deed to use RELAC, a lake water-cooled air conditioning system, held a referendum by mail in January. The referendum came to be after 110 RELAC customers signed a petition asking for it last summer.
The RELAC system was touted as state-of-the-art and exceptionally quiet when it was installed in the new Reston homes in the mid-1960s. In recent years, though, many customers complain it is inefficient and mold producing, as well as growing more expensive to use. However, som customers have spoken up that they are pleased with the system and do not want change.
If the referendum passes, users would be permitted to change to other air conditioning systems if they desire.
A similar referendum failed in 2008.
2. Tetra Purchase — The board will discuss the draft of the Tetra Property Purchase Referendum question/fact sheet and related draft letter of intent to purchase the property.
RA announced two weeks ago it would attempt the purchase the Tetra building, which is the former Reston Visitors Center set on Lake Newport. The 3,200-square-foot building is surrounded by other RA property and amenities, and board members said it could be used for a variety of purposes.
The building is currently being assessed so RA does not yet have a purchase price offer. The association could only buy the building if a member referendum approved it. RA has a quick referendum schedule planned, with public hearings beginning the end of February and the referendum taking place in April and May.
3. Master Plan — There will also be an update from RA Land Use Counsel on Reston Master Plan Phase 2 Comprehensive Plan Amendments.
RCC Community Meeting Tonight — Do you have ideas and opinions about RCC programs, services and facilities? Patrons and partners are invited to attend the Community Relations and Program/Policy Joint Committee Meeting to share your thoughts. Meeting is Monday at 6:30 p.m. at RCC Hunters Woods. [Reston Community Center]
Presidents Day Schedule — Here is what is open and closed next Monday, Feb. 16, in Fairfax County. [Fairfax County]
Big Building, Big Plans — Bisnow has more info on the $35 million sale of the Reston International Center. [Bisnow]
Geer’s Family Wants Internal Police Files — The family of John Geer, who was shot by Fairfax County Police in 2013, say they want to see more than the 10,000+ pages of county documents that were recently released. [Fairfax Times]
Photo: Reston Sunset, Saturday, Feb. 6/Credit: Joy Every
House hunting? The spring market starts now. Check out these open houses this weekend. To see more open houses and complete real estate information, visit Reston Now’s Real Estate section.
2227 Cartwright Place
3 BR, 1.5 BA TH
$310,000
Open Sunday, 2 to 4 p.m.
2408 Ivywood Road
4 BR, 2.5 BA SFH
$550,000
Open Sunday, 1 to 4 p.m.
2205 Wheelwright Court
3 BR, 2.5 BA TH
$383,450
Open Sunday, 1 to 3 p.m.
11963 Barrel Cooper Court
4 BR, 2.5 BA TH
$342,000
Open Sunday, 1 to 4 p.m.
1700 Lake Shore Crest Drive
2 BR, 1.5 BA TH
$284,000
Open Sunday, 1 to 4 p.m.
12136 Chancery Station Circle
3 BR, 2.5 BA TH
$725,000
Open Sunday, 1 to 4 p.m.
1332 Murray Downs Way
5 BR, 3.5 BA SFH
$799,900
Open Sunday, 1 to 4 p.m.
2255 Cedar Cove Court
3 BR, 2.5 BA TH
$595,000
Open Sunday, 2 to 4 p.m.
Emmy-winning TV host and radio personality Steve Harvey is launching a new “Act Like a Success Conference,” March 6-8 at the Hyatt Regency Reston.
The three-day event is based on Harvey’s latest book Act Like a Success, Think Like a Success: Discovering Your Gift and the Way to Life’s Riches. It will offer attendees the opportunity to “obtain the tools, strategies, motivation and insights to accelerate success and make big dreams a reality,” according to a press release.
There will also be sessions from other nationally known speakers and business leaders such as Lisa Nichols, Dr. Laura Berman, Doreen Rainey, Patrice Washington, Heather Thomson and Paul C. Brunson.
“I firmly believe that each and every one of us is born with a gift — a gift that allows one to live a life of joy, peace and prosperity. The challenge that we all face is to identify that gift, learn how to cultivate that gift, and then use that gift to create personal success,” Harvey said in a release.
“The ‘Act Like a Success Conference’ was created to help people do that. I’m on a mission of empowering, educating, inspiring and motivating everyone to create success in every area of their lives.”
There will also be breakout sessions on personal success, relationships, finances, and entrepreneurship.
For ticket information and registration, visit the Act Like A Success Website.
Photo: Steve Harvey/Credit: Act Like a Success
The Fairfax County School Board on Thursday adopted the FY 2016 Advertised Budget of $2.6 billion.
That amount is a net increase of 2.6 percent, or $64 million, from the FY 2015 Approved Budget.
Additional money is needed to cover such expenses such as the new full-day Mondays in the elementary schools; the implementation of later high school start times (beginning in 2015-16); and a step increase for eligible employees and a 1 percent market scale adjustment for all employees, the school board says.
“The Board is committed to increasing employee compensation this year, as we realize that Fairfax County is losing ground to neighboring jurisdictions in providing competitive teacher salaries,” School Board Chairman Tammy Derenak Kaufax said in a statement.
“This budget does not address all of our needs. Since 2008, we have cut more than 2,100 positions and made reductions of $435 million. Again this year we are proposing reductions of $55.4 million. This manner of budgeting is not sustainable and, eventually, will affect the quality of education for our students.”
FCPS Superintendent Karen Garza previously said total school system reductions since 2008 are now approaching $500 million.
The school board will ask the Board of Supervisors for an additional $70.6 million, or 3.99 percent, over the amount from FY 2015. The transfer request amount from the county is $14 million, or 0.79 percent, above the guidance provided by the Board of Supervisors, which included a 3 percent transfer increase plus the cost associated with full-day Mondays.
The school district said it anticipates receiving state aid of approximately $400 million, state sales tax of $182.3 million, federal aid of $42.2 million, and tuition payments from the City of Fairfax and other revenue of $62.9 million. The FY 2016 budget was prepared with a projected beginning balance of $27.8 million, FCPS said.
Nearly 72 percent of FCPS’ projected revenue is provided by the county, which supports programs such as Head Start, school health professionals, school resource officers, school crossing guards and after-school programming. The state provides nearly 23 percent in additional revenue, which is significantly less than the 45 percent received on average by other Virginia school divisions.
Part of the reason for rhe mounting costs of running the school district is the growing enrollment. Since 2011, FCPS enrollment has grown by 13,171 students and is projected to be 188,104 for FY 2016, FCPS says.
Garza said this enrollment growth, along with associated changing demographics such as English as a Second Language Classes associated with it, will require an additional $18.6 million in school-based resources in FY 2016.
Now comes the time for budget cutting and public input to get to the actual FY 2016 budget this spring.
The school board will hold a budget work session on Monday, March 16, and a joint meeting with the Board of Supervisors on Tuesday, March 17. The School Board will present its budget to the Board of Supervisors on Tuesday, April 7.
Additional information about participating in the FY 2016 budget process and the complete FY 2016 budget calendar is available on the FCPS website.
For eight years, Restonians have jumped into Lake Anne in early February for a good cause.
The annual Virginia Polar Dip — where participants pledge a minimum of $100 to jump — raises money for Camp Sunshine, a Maine summer overnight experience for children with life-threatening illnesses and their families.
Some years, it is a balmy 40-50 degrees. Other years, organizers have had to chain saw through the ice to get to the water.
This year, it looks like it will be the former. The forecast calls for partly cloudy a high of 50 degrees. The water, however, will be around freezing.
The festivities on Lake Anne Plaza begin at noon, with the jumps beginning at 2 p.m.
Last year’s Virginia Polar Dip raised more than $85,000. This year’s goal is to top $100,000, which will allow 50 families from the Mid-Atlantic area to attend Camp Sunshine. As of Thursday, there was nearly $70,000 in pledges.
For more information about the event or to register to participate, visit the event’s home page. Spectators are welcome free of charge.
Photo: Jumpers at an icy Lake Anne at the 2012 Virginia Polar Dip/file photo
Metro Transit police report that serious crime on the Metro has fallen to a five-year low and that the addition of the Silver Line has not had much of an impact on incidents on and near Metro, its bus lines and parking lots.
Stats also show no crimes were reported to Metro authorities at Reston-Wiehle East in the first five months of operation.
Metro Transit Police released it 2014 annual security report earlier this week. The report said that in 2014, Part I (serious incidents such as robbery, aggravated assault, larceny homicide and forcible rape) crime was down 27 percent — or about 5.2 crimes per million riders compared to the same 12-month period in 2013.
Metro Transit Police attributed the reduction to several factors, including increased customer awareness and outreach, officer deployment tactics, improvements in technology and intelligence sharing with law enforcement partners, said Metro spokesman Dan Stessel.
“I am pleased that our efforts last year resulted in a significant reduction in crime,” Metro Transit Police Chief Ronald Pavlik said in a statement. “While we must still remain vigilant and never forget that one crime is one too many, it is important to thank our officers for their hard work, as well as Metro’s employees and customers for being part of the solution.”
There were three significant areas in which Metro saw the biggest decrease:
- Snatch theft of mobile devices – down 52 percent
- Bicycle theft – down 22 percent
- Robberies – down 35 percent
Additionally, sexual harassment complaints were down 13 percent in 2014, Metro said.
On the Silver Line, which opened July 26, 2014, there were seven reported crimes reported at the five new Silver Line stations between opening day ay Dec. 31, 2014, said Stessel.
None of the incidents were at Wiehle-Reston East in that time frame, though a simple assault was recently reported on Jan. 6, Stessel said.
At other Silver Line Stations:
McLean
Sept. 4: Theft
Spring Hill
Aug. 12: Robbery
Dec. 27: Disorderly Conduct/Drunk in Public
Greensboro
None
Tysons Corner
July 31: Simple Assault
Sept. 5: Possession of Marijuana
Dec. 10: Armed Robbery
Dec. 18: Carrying an Open or Concealed Weapon
“We are very pleased with the low crime rates we are seeing at the five new stations,” Stessel said. “Metro Transit Police, working together with our partners at Fairfax County Police, will continue our efforts to keep crime low.”
Photo: Law enforcement officers at Wiehle-Reston East Silver Line Station
TOP Soccer Coming to Reston — TOP Soccer (The Outreach Program for Soccer), a training and team placement program for young athletes with mental or physical disabilities, is starting a Reston chapter. The Reston startup is the International Baccalaureate Middle Years project of two SLHS students. [InSports]
Divas Return — The Reston Divas — singers Beverly Cosham, Menda Ahart, and Felicia Kessel-Crawley — perform their third annual Diva Night performance at the Reston Museum on Feb. 21 at 6 p.m. RSVPs recommended. [Reston Museum]
Park Authority Goes Mobile — The Fairfax County Park Authority has a new Smartphone feature. Similar to an app, the search tool that lets you find parks, learn which facilities and programs each park has, where the closest one is to you, Google Maps directions and more. [WTOP]
Virginia Leads in LEED — Virginia is among the top 5 states when it comes to LEED Green Building Per Capita in commercial and institutional green projects that were certified in 2014. [Washington Business Journal]
Remember last summer’s television spots that showed people gleefully dancing around Reston in anticipation of the Silver Line’s opening?
It turns out that those three TV spots did not come cheap. Washington City Paper reports that the three 15-second spots cost nearly a half-million dollars to produce and air.
The TV commercials were part of a package of products to promote the Silver Line, including bags, tiny flashlights, pennants, lanyards and cloths (featuring a map of the Metro system) for cleaning eyeglasses.
Metro’s also spent $22,548.61 for focus groups to study how to pitch the Silver Line, and $53,196.96 for Silver Line street teams to hand out items, says City Paper.
But the commercials — which promised some sad sacks better things ahead such as a richer social life and a great new job once the Metro opened — were by far the costliest.
Says City Paper:
But Metro’s biggest–and priciest–push came in the form of dozens of dancers boogieing to the Wiehle-Reston East location. Backed up by a song from Australian power poppers Architecture in Helsinki, a conga line of joyful commuters make their way to the station.The message: Metro’s so great, people in Reston will start spontaneously dancing. That ad ran the cash-strapped system a hefty $483,320.42, according to Metro records.
Whatever you think of the ads, they worked–or something. Three months after the Silver Line launch, the new stations were approaching their end-of-year ridership goals. No word yet on how much of that can be attributed to the dancers.
How’s your Silver Line experience been so far? Do YOU feel like dancing? Or mainly just getting from Point A to Point B without incident?
The Fairfax County Planning Commission deferred action on Wednesday regarding a new retail and restaurant destination at Sunset Hills Road and Town Center Parkway.
The planning commission will revisit the plan for RTC West on Feb. 18, mostly to give time for transportation improvements to be formalized. A staff report recommends approval, provided transportation improvements are met.
Developer JBG Companies is planning the development that will bring Reston Town Center-type amenities closer to where the future Reston Town Center Metro Station will be located. Though the Silver Line station will be in the center of the Dulles Toll Road at Reston Parkway, it is actually about a quarter mile from the town center.
The developer is seeking a special exception in order to add retail, restaurant and food stores to the 13-acre site that currently houses three office buildings. Much of the development will convert the first two floors of the office buildings into restaurant and retail space.
JBG’s application says it plans to convert 15,100 square feet of office space to retail/restaurant space and add 25,000 square feet of new retail/restaurant space (on the southwest corner of the site) within an existing office campus on three parcels.
There were two speakers at Wednesday’s public hearing. One was Patty Nicoson, the former chair of the Reston Master Plan Special Study Task Force and president of the Dulles Corridor Rail Association.
“Hopefully, a good design plan will emerge to support pedestrian and bike planning,” she said.
The other speaker was a resident of nearby Lincoln Park, who said she is concerned about construction noise.
Some of the transportation logistics that need to be worked out:
Connecting an existing walkway to the adjacent trails along the public roadways and adding two new crosswalks across Town Center Parkway.
Connecting the development to the W & OD trail, which runs on the northern part of the property. One development condition for JBG is working with the Northern Virginia Regional Park Authority (NVRPA) and Dominion Virginia Power to establish an easement for a pedestrian connection between the site and the W&OD trail.
Closing the existing exit-only driveway on Town Center Parkway and to construct new signalized access point about 440 feet north of the intersection at Sunset Hills Road. Constructing an entrance in this location will require the relocation or closure of an existing entrance for the property across Town Center Parkway to avoid an unsafe intersection, JBG says. JBG will have to work out an agreement with Boston Properties, which owns that parcel, as a condition of development.
Two new crosswalks across Town Center Parkway at a new access point.
A new turning lane on Reston Parkway.
See the entire staff report on the Fairfax County Planning website.
The Reston Citizens Association has opened nominations for the 2014 Reston Citizen of the Year Award.
Each year, the Reston Citizens Association Board selects one person from the pool of nominations submitted by Reston citizens. Nominations are due by Friday, Feb. 20.
Nominations may be submitted online or by downloading the nomination form and submitting via postal mail or email as indicated on the nomination form.
The tradition of honoring the Reston Citizen of the Year was reintroduced in 2008 as a way to spotlight the work of dedicated citizen volunteers and civic activists who work tirelessly behind the scenes, providing them the recognition and appreciation they have earned through their hard work and dedication to the Reston community.
Here’s what it takes to be a candidate for RCA’s Citizen of the Year:
- The nominee has been a Reston resident for at least five years.
- The nominee’s actions are consistent with the goals of Reston, and of RCA.
- The nominee’s actions have contributed to the quality of life in Reston.
- People in need of help have benefited from the nominee’s actions.
- The nominee’s deeds were done without thought of personal benefit or recognition.
- The nominee is not currently serving as an elected public official or a member of the Board of a major community organization (RA, RCA, or RCC).
The Reston Citizen of the Year will be honored at a special reception in the spring of 2015.
Past RCA Citizen of the Year honorees include Sen. Janet Howell, Rev. Embry Rucker, Reston Association CEO Cate Fulkerson and library activist Kathy Kaplan.
Last call for changes to Reston Master Plan’s Phase 2.
The Fairfax County Department of Planning and Zoning asks that any citizens/citizen groups with suggestions for Phase 2 email them to the county at RestonMasterPlanSpecialStudy@
DPZ reps say changes to the second version of the working draft that will look at the future of Reston’s neighborhoods and village centers will be incorporated into the Final Draft of the Reston Plan text. This Final Draft will be part of the Staff Report which is submitted to the Planning Commission in April.
DPZ hopes the staff report will be published in order to go before the county planning commission April 22, with a tentative date for the Board of Supervisors hearing in June.
The process for Phase 2, using the new Fairfax Forward method, is moving at a much faster pace than Phase 1, which planned for future development around Reston’s transit centers. That process took four years before it was adopted by the supervisors in early 2014.
The Phase 2 process began last June. The reason for Phase 2 of changes to the master plan: the current comprehensive plan was last updated in 1989; 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.
