The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints will go before the Fairfax County Board of Zoning Appeals next week to get clearance to build a new church on Hunter Mill Road.
The church, which was supposed to appear before the BZA on June 15, asked for a postponement until July 13. The church has filed a special permit exception in order to build a 16,558-square-foot location at Crowell and Hunter Mill Roads.
The special permit exception would allow the church to build a place of worship on land designated residential on the Vienna-Reston line. 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.
Lori Greenlief, a planner with McGuire Woods, which is representing the church, previously said the parcel is 7.15 acres of land. It is across Crowell from where the Oakcrest School is building a new home and down the road from where Fairfax County is considering building a new septic tank dumping site.
Both of these developments have caused traffic concerns for Hunter Mill-area residents.
The church plans a one-story building with 292 seats and 233 parking spots.
Area LDS churches in North Reston (which is expanding its parking) and Oakton will not be closing if the project is approved, Greenlief said.
Greenlief said the church has completed a traffic study, which showed minimal to no impact during peak weekday morning and evening traffic. The main activities at the church will take place on Sundays, she said.
Editor’s note: The gondola rides have been postponed and will not occur in July, a Lake Anne spokeswoman says. Watch for a big event included the boats at Lake Anne later in 2016 or in 2017.
Original Story: It’s a go for a gondola at Lake Anne Plaza.
Surf Reston Stand Up Paddleboarding has received approval from Reston Association to have a two-week run at Lake Anne with a 36-foot gondola that was built in Venice.
The gondola will be here July 22-31. Surf Reston is now taking online reservations.
Says Surf Reston:
Lake Anne Village comes closest to reflecting founder Robert E. Simon’s original vision of creating a series of community focal points throughout Reston with densities and architecture that resembled Europe instead of the traditional sprawling American suburbs.
The Italian seaside city of Portofino was one of the inspirations for Lake Anne Village Center. James Rossant designed Lake Anne to emulate the Italian coastal town of Portofino with modern architectural themes.”
Rides on Lake Anne will be about 30 minutes and can accommodate up to four passengers for $49.
Longer rides or customized Gondola experiences are available.
The gondola, which will be steered by a gondolier, is coming from a New Jersey company, says Surf Reston owner Steve Gurney. If successful, it may become a permanent Lake Anne feature.
“This short-term demonstration project can provide the community with a better indicator of the demand and the community’s desire to support this service through a summer season,” he said.
Photo courtesy Las Olas Gondolas
Reston Hospital Center has received the American Heart Association’s Mission: Lifeline Silver Receiving Quality Achievement Award for implementing procedures that could help save lives following a heart attack.
Every year, more than 250,000 people experience an ST elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) the most deadly type of heart attack caused by a blockage of blood flow to the heart that requires timely treatment.
To prevent death, it’s critical to restore blood flow as quickly as possible, either by mechanically opening the blocked vessel or by providing clot-busting medication.
The American Heart Association’s Mission: Lifeline program’s goal is to reduce system barriers to prompt treatment for heart attacks, beginning with the 911 call and continuing through hospital treatment. Read More
Reston Association will put on hold two pricey renovation projects until the independent review into the Lake House is complete, said RA CEO Cate Fulkerson.
RA is in the process of forming an independent review committee to determine how the Lake House/Tetra renovations incurred a $430,000 overrun in the last several months.
The association will soon put out the call for members to be on a committee. The committee will then choose auditing professionals to conduct the investigation. RA hopes the review will be complete by September.
In the meantime, work has been halted on renovations of the Central Services Facility and the Pony Barn, says Fulkerson. Both of those projects are still in the design and planning stages.
“I asked the Board Governance Committee [in June] ‘would it be helpful if we just paused until the review is done?’ ” said Fulkerson. “The RA directors on the committee said ‘good idea.’ So I talked to contractors and asked for pencils down by June 30.”
The renovation of the Central Services Facility is expected to cost a little over $1 million. The facility, which houses Reston’s vehicle fleet and is the headquarters for grounds and maintenance crews, is more than 30 years old. It needs bathrooms, phone/Internet and HVAC systems brought up to date, as well as a meeting space for the more than 80 employees who are based there, Fulkerson said.
So far, only $15,863 for design work has been spent on the project in 2016, RA records show. The renovation is not slated to begin until November, said Fulkerson. Read More
Cash, computers and a car are among the items stolen in Reston in the last week.
Here is what the officers from the Fairfax County Police’s Reston District Station say was stolen in the last week of June:
LARCENIES
- 13300 block of Apgar Place, 2003 Nissan Sentra
- 1700 block of Fountain Drive, cash from business
- 11800 block of Coopers Court, bag from vehicle
- 12700 block of Sunrise Valley Drive, computers from residence
- 12300 block of Town Center Drive, property from business
- 1800 block of Clovermeadow Drive, checks from residence
- 2300 block of Colts Neck Road, bicycle from residence
- 2500 block of Polly Jefferson Way, property from residence
- 13300 block of Aiken Place, license plate from vehicle
- 11900 block of Killingsworth Avenue, purse from business
- 1600 block of Park Crest Circle, wallet from vehicle
- 1600 block of Reston Parkway, property from business
- 1800 block of Cameron Glen Drive, items from vehicle
- 11800 block of Coopers Court, items from vehicle
- 1800 block of Golf View Court, documents from vehicle
- 10600 block of Runaway Lane, property from residence
- 11800 block of Spectrum Center, merchandise from business
- 12800 block of Tournament Drive, passenger did not pay fare
- 12000 block of Town Square, wallet from business
- 2100 block of Centreville Road, cash from business
- 2400 block of Quick Street, property from residence
STOLEN VEHICLES:
1600 block of Valencia Way, 2010 Ford Escape
Reston’s Serco Incorporated is among three Northern Virginia businesses that have received recognition from Fairfax County Public Schools for giving back to the community.
Serco, along with Deloitte Consulting and OrthoVirginia, have been nominated to the Virginia School Boards Association (VSBA) Business Honor Roll for their support of K-12 education. They were recognized by the school board at a June 30 meeting.
For seven years, Serco has partnered with Reston’s South Lakes High School to “provide community work experiences in real world settings for students with disabilities to prepare them for the demands of the workplace,” says FCPS.
At Serco, the students attain real-world skills in relation to their ability. Some students work independently in the mail room, scanning and logging packages, assisting with mass mailings, or delivering mail to employees. Others work with adults to restock supplies and clean the kitchen.
Reston Association is seeking RA member volunteers to assist the Board Governance Committee in selecting a consulting firm to review how the Lake House/Tetra project incurred a nearly $500,000 cost overrun this year.
The independent review will look at the budgetary, administrative and governance aspects of RA’s purchase, planned use, and renovation of the Lake House property (formerly known as Tetra), including the recent capital cost overruns associated with renovation of the facility, RA says.
After a member referendum in spring 2015 approved the purchase, RA closed on the 33-year-old building last July. RA said the purchase of the building, which cost $2.65 million, would fend off commercial development and add to RA’s open and community space.
RA intends to use the renovated building on the shores of Lake Newport for event rentals and afterschool care.
However, it was discovered last spring that the project was already $430,000 over budget. While RA has moved money from its operating fund to cover the deficit, it has promised to fully review how the deficit grew so large so fast.
The RA Board, after a long discussion, voted last week to organize a citizen committee to help choose paid professionals to conduct the review. RA hopes the review will be complete by September.
RA members with professional experience in accounting, auditing, law, construction project management, governance, and internal controls are encouraged to apply.
Applicants should submit a résumé and brief letter of interest to [email protected] no later than 5 p.m. on Friday, July 15. Candidates will be interviewed on Monday evening, July 18. For more information, call 703-435-6570.
If selected, volunteers will meet with the RA Board Governance Committee in July and August to review responses to RA’s request for proposals and provide recommendations to the Board of Directors on firms in August.
The Jefferson Apartment Group is finally ready to move forward with its plans for redevelopment of Tall Oaks Village Center.
After more than a year of community meetings — and a few compromises — JAG’s plan has a public hearing date with the Fairfax County Planning Commission on July 14.
JAG bought the ailing village center in December of 2014. It is planning to build 156 residences (44 townhomes; 42 two-over-two townhomes and 70 multi-family units in two buildings); 5,809 square feet of office; and 8,584 square feet of retail.
JAG’s plan has changed several times since it first began envisioning the transformation of the property in early 2015. The first plan had about 3,000-square-feet of retail. It then expanded to 7,000 square feet, and finally, more than 8,000.
What the plan won’t include — an anchor grocery store. JAG says it has done several studies that show no grocery stores want to lease in that location. The 25,000-square-foot Giant left a decade ago, and two international grocers have since failed. The demise of the anchor space (since 2011) is part of the reason the village center is now mostly empty, JAG officials say.
However, some community members say poor center management pushed grocers out and a store would thrive if located there.
Help Find Missing Kids — The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children says there are seven young people reported as missing in the last several months from Herndon. [Patch]
New Laws In Virginia — New laws that went into effect in Virginia July 1, including a gun compromise and rules against smoking in cars when children are present. [WTOP]
Get Ready For Surge No. 3 — Back to work today? Read how Metro Safety Surge No. 3 will affect Fairfax County residents in this online chat transcript. [Fairfax County]
No Olympics For Melius — Local swimmer Emily Melius finished 94th in preliminaries for the 200M Backstroke at Friday’s U.S. Olympic Swimming Trials in Omaha Friday, so she did not earn a spot on the 2016 Summer Olympic Team. Earlier last week, she also swam the 100M Back, but finished deep in the pack. Meilus swims for Herndon High, RSTA’s Lake Anne Stingrays and the Machine Swim Club.
Photo: Lake Thoreau/Credit: Carole Burnett
Lake Anne Plaza will be filled with the sweet sounds of ukuleles once again when the 7th annual Ukulele Festival takes place on Saturday, July 9.
The free festival features performances by several acclaimed ukulele musicians, music demonstrations, a public morning jam session, festival vendors, and other family friendly activities.
The event will feature a wide variety of music genres ranging from blues, traditional Hawaiian, swing, and folk. Each group will lead festival goers in a strum-a-long session that will be fun for all ages.
Individuals are welcome to bring their ukuleles or pick up one at the festival and enjoy learning the tiny instrument.
2016 Schedule:
Open Mic Session
10:30 a.m. – 12:15 p.m. Community Stage Morning Jam Session at Café Montmartre
Main Stage
- 12:30 p.m. – 1:30 p.m. Hula Monsters
- 1:45 p.m. – 2:45 p.m. Aloha Boys
- 3:00 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. Isa Pacifika Dancers (Traditional Hawaiian Dance Performance)
- 3:45 p.m. – 4:45 p.m. Rachel Manke
- 5:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. The Sweater Set
The free festival is hosted by the Lake Anne Merchants with support from theReston Community Center, Friends of Lake Anne (FOLA), and theNorthern Virginia Ukulele Ensemble.
The festival will take place rain or shine.
Start July 4 off with a run for the troops.
The 7th annual Firecracker 5K takes place at 8 a.m. Monday at Reston Town Center. The race, sponsored by Reston-based Leidos, is a great way to support the armed services.
When you register to run, let organizers know which branch of the military you support for the “Battle of the Branches.” Potomac River Running will make a donation to the USO on behalf of the branch with the most registered runners.
Online registration ($35) closes tonight. In-person registration ($40) available at packet pickup or at the race. Registration discounts for active military members and runners under age 14 are available.
The course is a mostly flat loop around Reston Town Center.
Bring the kids: there will be a free tot dash down Market Street at 8:50 a.m. following the 5K finish. Sign up will be morning of at the finish line area.
Photo: Firecracker 5K 2015/Credit: Potomac River Running
Traffic backups on Hunter Mill Road near the Dulles Toll Road may find future fixes in a series of roundabouts.
The Fairfax County Department of Transportation (FCDOT) has been studying what to do about backups on the two-lane Hunter Mill Road for years. After several community meetings in 2014 and 2015, it put the study on hold about a year ago when new software and measuring methods became available that could better gauge the impact of roundabouts.
At a community meeting Wednesday in Reston, Hunter Mill Road Study Project Manager Kristin Calkins said the new analysis shows a 10-12 percent increase in roundabout capacity.
“The new model prioritizes movements with higher volumes, resulting in an improved level of service,” during heavier traffic, she said.
Right now, what the county is looking at are estimates and models. The project would be years into the future. It needs citizen feedback, design, approval from the county planning commission and board of supervisors. It also needs money, and county transportation projects are planned through 2020.
In any case, FCDOT is looking at what roundabouts would do at Sunrise Valley Drive and Hunter Mill Road, on Dulles Toll Road eastbound and westbound exit ramps at Hunter Mill, and at Sunset Hills Road and Crowell Drive, which would also be realigned to connect and further smooth traffic on Hunter Mill. Read More
The Fairfax County Public Schools Board (FCPS) has voted to extend the contract of FCPS Superintendent Karen Garza, effective today, for an additional four years. The new contract will run through June 30, 2020.
Garza came to FCPS in July of 2013, and has made a number of changes to the nation’s 10th-largest school system.
Garza’s based salary will increase 3 percent, to $300,000, FCPS said.
“Dr. Garza has been an agent of positive change for Fairfax County Public Schools,” School Board Chair Pat Hynes said in a statement. “She has positively engaged the community in a number of critical issues and has been a passionate advocate for our students and teachers.”
“We are pleased to be able to recognize Dr. Garza’s contributions by extending her contract, ensuring administrative stability and continuity in the district,” said Hynes.
Some of the school system highlights under Garza since 2013:
- Creation of the “Portrait of a Graduate” model.
- A new five-year strategic plan for the system
- Later start times for high schoolers
- Elimination of early release Mondays for elementary students
- Lobbying for staff salary increases to keep FCPS competitive with neighboring systems.
- Lowering class sizing and finding funding to keep special programs and extracurricular activities.
Photo: Karen Garza/file photo
When D.C. United plays Real Salt Lake Friday night, one local group of fans will be watching closely: youth players at Reston’s Southgate Community Center.
D.C. United will donate $500 of soccer equipment to Southgate for every save the team’s goalie, Bill Hamid, makes in the match.
Southgate Director Richard Cabellos said the players at Southgate’s intramural program could really use new gear, including balls, nets, goals and shin guards.
“There is a huge disparity in our community with kids who cannot afford to play in expensive soccer leagues,” he said. “This will definitely help out with new materials and some cool stuff.”
The donation is part of “Every Save Makes A Difference,” a program established by MLS WORKS, Allstate and Univision Deportes to benefit Hispanic community groups in Major League Soccer markets.
D.C. United’s Community Relations Coordinator Amanda Ortega says Southgate was chosen because of its commitment to the community and its large Latino population.
“Soccer is huge here at Southgate,” said Cabellos. “Not only is it a game that many of the kids and teens in the Reston area enjoy; but it’s also a means of bringing our diverse youth population together to develop the physical, mental and social skills that will help them achieve their potential.”
Cabellos said the youths are also looking forward to a visit from D.C. United players, who will drop by Southgate to deliver the equipment next week.
July 4 Pool Party — Reston Association is hosting a pool party July 4, noon to 4 p.m. at Lake Newport Pool. There will be a DJ, contests and prizes. Pizza, popcorn and cotton candy will be available for purchase. This program is cancelled in the event of rain.
Donating To Flood Victims — Members of the Fairfax County Police Motorcycle Squad are collecting supplies for victims of the recent floods in West Virginia. Items they need: diapers, pet food, toiletries, canned food, and cleaning supplies. [FCPD]
SoberRide On July 4 — Celebrating too much? SoberRide is offering free cab rides home on July 4. [SoberRide]
Reston Woman Taking Tennis Challenge — Reston’s Bonnie Vona will try to play 44 consecutive matches this weekend. It’s for a good cause. [Connection]
Photo: RTC at dusk/Credit: Esther via Instagram
