On the docket at tonight’s Reston Planning and Zoning Committee: The idea to allow Reston’s high-density areas — and some residential areas — to become more populous.
Fairfax County has proposed an ordinance to establish a maximum FAR of 5.0 for Transit Station Areas and a maximum FAR of 4.0 for Commercial Revitalization Districts, (CRD), Commercial Revitalization Areas (CRA), and Community Business Centers (CBC).
It also wants to see residential areas increase from 1.5 FAR to 2.5 FAR if provisions for open space and affordable housing are put in place.
FAR stands for Floor-Area Ratio, a mark of density.
Representatives from Fairfax County’s Department of Planning and Zoning will attend tonight’s meeting at 7:30 p.m., at the North County Governmental Center, 1801 Cameron Glen Drive, Reston.
The Reston P & Z Committee does not have any real power in the approval process — that ultimately falls to the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors, which will hold a public hearing on the issue on June 21. But the Reston meeting is a good chance for those with Reston interests to hear more and ask questions. Read More
Reston Town Center’s Ben & Jerry’s is now open in a new location.
The owners of the local franchise of the Vermont-based ice cream company are now at 11916 Market St. The store was formerly at 11928 Market, about five doors down, but closed last fall to make way for a Madewell store.
Reston Ben & Jerry’s owner Cliff Hallock said there will be a special grand re-opening event on Friday, May 13. There will be “Buy One, Get One Free” on all different sized ice cream cups and cones all day long.
“It will give our customers a great chance to try our new flavors: Brownie Batter and Bourbon Brown Butter,” said Hallock.
Ben & Jerry’s is open 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. weekdays; 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. weekends; and 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sundays.
Boston Properties executives said on a recent earnings conference call that the new parking app — which will manage Reston Town Center customers’ paid parking — will be “a significant enhancement for customers.
Boston Properties, which owns Reston Town Center, is set to introduce the paid parking system on Aug. 1. Visitors and employees to RTC will be charged $2 a hour for parking, which has previously been free for most of the center’s 25-year history.
Parking will be free on weekends and for special events. Customers are encouraged to download an RTC Park app for automatic payment. They can also visit a kiosk to pay. Some stores and restaurants will validate, but a complete list has not yet been made available.
The change to paid parking has not been well-received by most store owners and RTC visitors, though Boston Properties Executive Vice President Ray Ritchey said on the call that retailers at other properties “actually noted an increase in sales of up to 10 percent … because the people who do come to the malls now find it way more convenient and, as a result, spend more time there and spend more dollars.” Read More
Park & Ride Changes — The west car lane in the bus loop at the Herndon-Monroe Park & Ride is closed as work begins on the installation of waterlines for the future Herndon Silver Line station. Drivers who wish to access the Dulles Toll Road should exit the Park & Ride facility by turning left onto Sunrise Valley Drive and then left onto the Fairfax County Parkway and take the exit to either the eastbound or westbound Dulles Toll Road. [DullesMetro.com]
Lower Lakes — Reston Association’s annual lake inspections will start on Wednesday, May 10. RA’s four lakes will be lowered about a foot prior to the inspections. Divers and an inspection team on the shoreline will be looking at the structural condition of the spillway, including the concrete, spillway gates and outfall pipes. The lakes will be lowered for just a few days and will be refilled naturally.
Chast In The House — New Yorker cartoonist/graphic novelist Roz Chast, will sign her book Can’t We Talk About Something More Pleasant? at Reston Community Center Hunters Woods Wednesday from 3:30 to 5 p.m. Chast is here for a speaking event at RCC, which is sold out. [RCC]
Photo: Reston Pet Fiesta 2016/Credit: Don Renner
Good news for Fairfax County Public Schools high school students who drive to school: fees for parking passes will stay the same next year.
There had been a FCPS School Board proposal to increase the fees from $200 to $300 next year. Money from parking fees goes to the individual school and not FCPS.
However, at a board work session this week, the proposal “failed to get board support,” said At-Large member Ryan McElveen.
The Lake Anne Summer Film Festival will return for four dates this summer.
Organizers will set up the big screen on Lake Anne Plaza on the second and fourth Fridays in July and August. Bring the family, a picnic, blankets and chairs for the free fun. Shows begin at sundown.
On the schedule:
- July 8 — Ferris Bueller’s Day Off (Celebrating 30th Movie Anniversary)
- July 22 — Toy Story
- August 12 — Breakfast at Tiffany’s
- August 26 — Lady Sings the Blues (kicking off Lake Anne Jazz Week)
Another free summer series also starts at Lake Anne Plaza next week. There will be free Yoga on the Plaza on Sundays from 9:30 – 10:30 a.m. from May 15 to Aug. 28. Instructors will lead you through an all-levels yoga class on the plaza. Bring your own mat and water.
Movies at Lake Anne/file photo
It may be cool and cloudy Saturday, but the calendar says spring.
So it is time to bring the family to the Walker Nature Education Center from 1 to 5 p.m. for Reston Association’s annual spring festival.
The event is free. The nature center is located at 11450 Glade Dr.
Here is what’s planned:
- Live animals from the Raptor Conservancy
- Fishing at Lake Audubon
- Crafts for Kids
- Displays and information from environmental groups
- Canoe and kayak rentals on Lake Audubon ($3)
- Native plant sale with Nature by Design
Live Entertainment
- 1:00-1:45 p.m. – Blue Sky Puppets: The Three No So Little Pigs
- 2:30-3:15 p.m. – Enviro Drums: Interactive Music and Recycling Show
- 4:00-4:45 p.m. – Under the Sea: Live Animal Show with Creatures from the Chesapeake Bay
Accoustic Music
- 1:00-2:10 p.m. – The Stewart Sisters
- 2:25-3:35 p.m. – Song Garden
- 3:50-5:00 p.m. – Hickory Grove
Photo of Spring Festival 2015/Courtesy Reston Association
Fairfax County Police said they issued 30 citations around the Wiehle-Reston East Metro Station Wednesday morning as part of their “Street Smart” pedestrian and bike safety campaign.
Fairfax County Police Department have teamed with “Street Smart,” an annual public education campaign, to promote traffic safety for pedestrians, bicyclists and motorists through education, enforcement and awareness.
In weeks prior to the special enforcement event, the Street Smart team was on foot around the Wiehle-Reston Metro station. Officers wore bright yellow shirts and handed out educational materials while wearing billboards.
On Wednesday, a large traffic sign was placed near the metro station to alert that special enforcement efforts were taking place. Officers then conducted special, high-visibility enforcement in the areas surrounding multiple pedestrian control devices (e.g. crosswalks and electronic signs).
Fairfax County Police Officers observed and cited 30 traffic safety violations for illegal actions that included failing to yield right-of-way to pedestrians legally crossing; pedestrians crossing against signal; turning right on red where posted prohibited; and illegally stopping on roadways and in travel lanes to discharge passengers. and more
Police said citations were issued to both pedestrians and motorists.
Developer Sekas Homes is seeking a zoning change in order to build townhomes and condos across from Reston National Golf Course.
But the proposed development would be the end of the former headquarters of the American Press Institute, a 42-year-old Brutalist-style office building that has been empty for several years.
If approved by the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors, the plan means tearing down the 48,200-square-foot building designed by noted modernist architect Marcel Breuer.
Sekas’ plan was in front of the Fairfax County Planning Commission on Thursday. The commission will make a decision May 26 on whether to recommend the project for approval to the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors.
Seakas wants to rezone 4.6 acres from industrial use to residential in order to build 34 townhouses and 10 condos at Sunrise Valley Drive and Roland Clarke Place.
The residential development would be just east of Reston Heights, JBG’s mixed use development that features hotels, condos and offices.
Unlike many current Reston redevelopment proposals — which are high-rise multifamiliy buildings — this plan is a relatively small one as it is located more than one-half mile from Wiehle-Reston East and the future Reston Town Center Metro station.
According to a county staff report, the townhomes would be four stories tall with agarages on the lower level. Interior units would be about 1,170 square feet, while end units would be about 1,600 square feet.
Major Metro Work Announcement Today — Metro is likely to announce a plan to work on tracks on all lines except Silver, which could close some stations for months. Silver Line riders will be affected though, as the line shares stations with others in the system. [WAMU]
Does Twin Branches Area Have Snake Issue? — Restonian says several dog owners say “yes.” [Restonian]
Kudos, Reston Student Scientists — Rita Mazumder and Megan Le of Hunters Woods Elementary and Anna Goldman and Hannah McLauchlin of Hughes Middle were named among 50 national finalists in the inaugural Bright Schools Competition, a collaborative effort of the National Sleep Foundation and the National Science Teachers Association that encourages students to explore the correlation between light and sleep’s influence on student health and performance. Their project “The Effect of Backlit Devices Before Sleep on Alertness in the Morning,” aims to find out if pre-teens and teens have similar adverse effects when they use backlit devices before sleep compared to adults.
Behind The Scenes at Lake Anne ES — Take a spin through the school with this video. [You Tube]
The owners of a new barbershop at North Point Village Center say they will be opening their doors on Friday.
North Point Barber will provide men’s hair care and grooming at 1436 North Point Village Center. The space was formerly occupied by Fotoimage 1HR, which closed in January.
There has been a run of men’s grooming locations popping up around Reston in the last year. High-end salon Joe Grooming (now PR Barbers) opened at Reston Town Center, and an outpost of Roosters Men’s Grooming will also open on Market Street next week.
At North Point, there is also a wide selection of places to get groomed, including KLS Salon, Hair Cuttery, Massage Envy and Sahel’s Medical Spa & Beauty Studio.
The Fairfax County Police have released a map that outlines all 1,874 reported crashes involving youth drivers in 2015.
Said police: “Each dot has its own sad story; from parking lot fender benders to crashes with property damage, vehicle damage, personal injury and death.”
The purpose of showing the stats in a graphic (see below) is part of a police campaign to encourage safe teen driving as summer approaches.
Consider these topics, police say:
Driving sober (free from alcohol and/or drugs): Police say prevention is key and impairment begins with the first drink. Besides that, it is unlawful for anyone under 21 to operate any motor vehicle after illegally consuming alcohol. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), car crashes are the leading cause of death for teens, and about a quarter of those crashes involve an underage drinking driver. NHTSA also reports that kids who start drinking young are seven times more likely to be in an alcohol-related crash.
Driving in inclement conditions (e.g. rain, fog, snow): Talk about safe speeds for weather conditions, driving on ice and other weather conditions.
Vehicle equipment safety: Operable windshield wipers, horn, brakes, lighting are just examples of a few considerations when keeping a vehicle functioning, safe, and legal while increasing safety for everyone on our roadways, police said.
Distracted driving: Texting and driving is illegal in Virginia and most other states now, and that mobile phones or other devices may be illegal to use period depending on your age. Distracted driving is not only texting, it is talking to passengers, operating a radio or GPS, doing makeup or hair…it is any behavior that detracts from the primary function of driving.
Seatbelt use: Use them every time.
See more from Fairfax County Police, including laws for teen drivers, on Fairfax County Police’s news blog.
Three men armed with a gun robbed the 7-Eleven at 2303 Soapstone Dr. early Tuesday, Fairfax County Police said.
The suspects entered the convenience store about 2:34 a.m., displayed a gun to an employee and took cash and property, police said.
Police said the employee was not injured. The victim described the suspects as a Hispanic man, approximately 5 feet 6 inches tall, wearing a light blue jacket and dark pants; a black man, approximately 6 feet tall, wearing a gray jacket and light-colored pants; and a man of unknown race who was wearing a dark jacket, dark pants, and had his face covered.
SLHS Softball Improvement — South Lakes High School’s girls softball team is 12-6 and vastly improved from past seasons. [Washington Post]
Drug Use Town Hall — “We’re here because we’re seeing young people die. We have to stop it,” a DEA agent said at a heroin and opioid use town hall organized by Fairfax County earlier this week. Drug use is vastly on the rise in Fairfax County, officials said. [WTOP]
Spring Farm Day – Frying Pan Park is holding Spring Farm Day on May 14, where kids can watch sheep shearing and antique farm equipment demonstrations; milk a cow; see baby animals up close; and enjoy crafts, games, puppet shows. Admission $7 in advance/$8 at door. [Fairfax County]
New Church Leader — Rev. Dr. Debra W. Haffner has been hired as the new minister of the Unitarian Universalist Church in Reston (UUCR). She is currently a minister at the Unitarian Universalist Church in Westport, Conn., who entered the ministry after a career in public health.
Photo: Crowded bike racks at Sunrise Valley ES for Bike to School Day on May 4/Credit: Sunrise Valley PTA via Facebook
Balducci’s Food Lover’s Market has signed a lease to open at The Signature, Boston Properties’ new building at Reston Town Center.
The gourmet market is expected to open when The Signature opens its 508 residential units and nine levels of underground parking in 2018. It is currently under construction at Reston Parkway, Freedom Drive and New Dominion Parkway, on the site of the former surface lot.
“We are thrilled about joining the Reston community and look forward to bringing our exemplary food selections and impeccable service to new area customers,” John Coleman, a Balducci’s spokesperson, said in a release.
The Reston site will be the eighth full-service store for Balducci’s, with locations operating in New York, Connecticut, Maryland and Virginia, the company said.
Balducci’s formerly had a store down the street at The Spectrum, where PetSmart is currently located. The location, formerly a Sutton Place Gourmet, opened in 1996 and closed in 2005. The Balducci’s CEO at the time called it an “underperformer.”
But with hundreds of new apartment and condo units built or planned in the Town Center area, the 2018 timing — and population density — may be better for a new store.
Boston Properties Vice President of Development Rich Ellis said the market will be a “tremendous amenity” for the area.
“Balducci’s is a best in class gourmet market that will serve as a tremendous amenity not only for residents of The Signature, but for the Reston community as a whole,” he said. “Our team is very excited to be partnering with Balducci’s on this exciting new destination.”
Balducci’s will have gourmet groceries, as well as a large prepared food and retail wine selection.
Photos: Top, rendering of Signature/Boston Properties; Bottom, Balducci’s of McLean/Credit: Yelp
