This is a sponsored post by Anna Gibson, owner of AKG Design Studio and an award-winning, certified kitchen and bathroom designer. AKG Design Studio is a boutique design firm specializing in kitchen, bathroom designs and cabinetry sales. Earlier this week, AKG was honored with a first-place award for Best Kitchen Design Firm in Virginia Living’s Best of Virginia 2017 edition. Contact Anna at 571-989-2541 or [email protected], and follow her work on Houzz; Pinterest; Facebook and Twitter.

Like fine wine and cheese, pairing countertops and tile is an art of mix and match!

But which comes first? The chicken or the egg — I mean, the countertop or the backsplash?

While most homeowners are set on their cabinets style and colors, things get a little dicey when it comes to selecting countertops and backsplash. It seems the possibilities are endless and there are insane amount of combinations and materials.

First things first, let’s have a quick look at the counters and backsplash options (really fast!)

Countertop: If you think counter, the first thing that comes to mind is granite. Yes, granite is fantastic but there are some many other options out there — wood (butcher blocks), stainless steel, concrete, recycled glass, marble, quartz, manmade quartz, Formica, Corian, and did I say recycled-paper countertops? Yes, it’s a thing!

No matter what your life style, design taste or budget, there is a counter top for you.

Backsplash: The word “tile” became so broad in recent years that we no longer just talk about ceramic. Tiles for backsplash are made from porcelain, glass, recycled glass, stainless steel, salvage wood, wallpaper (yes, it’s making a big comeback!), mirror, concrete and much more. I think you get the point! If there is a material out there, it can be made into backsplash.

So how do you pair the two? Here are four ways to choose:

Pick the countertop first: Since you can’t function without a countertop (backsplash can always wait), focus on the counters first. Consider the durability of the stone compared to your lifestyle — how often do you cook, and what other activities are taking place on the counters? After deciding on function, figure out form. Do you like big veins or clean lines? Which pattern will work with your overall design style? No matter what, after collecting a lot (we know you did!) of small samples, make sure to visit the fabricators to see the full slab, so you can see all the variations of the piece.

Pick the tile first: After running around looking for cabinets and pinning ideas galore, you know that this tile is your must-have! This is the pop of color that you need in your life, or the statement piece for your kitchen. In the case of the customer in the photo below, they fell in love with this recycled skateboard backsplash, which made the selections for the countertops revolve around the fantastic colors of the skateboard. They narrowed it down to quartz, to have a muted countertop that let the backsplash shine.

Pick the same materials: Tile countertop is an option most people avoid it, preferring not to have grout lines on the counter. However, you can run your solid surface up to the cabinets. You will no longer need to match another material and it works for a large or a smaller space alike. You can run it all the way to the cabinets, or save some cost and just go with 4 inches high and paint the rest.

Phone a friend: Still not sure what will work best for you project? Here is your last option: Hire a pro! If you just can’t make a decision to save your life, are having hard time seeing the full picture, or are just lost between slabs of countertops, it is best to hire a designer to help you chop down the selections, offer pairings that work and give you your weekends back!

Tell us: Love your countertop and backsplash combination? Please post a photo in the comments section below and share the details.

The big event this weekend is the Northern Virginia Fine Arts Festival, which will bring tens of thousands to Reston Town Center  beginning tonight. The kickoff party is from 6-9 p.m. tonight; tickets are $50. The event itself is the next two days, with admission a $5 suggested donation for adults. It will run from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday.

But there is plenty else going on in the area this weekend too. Here is just a sampling of what’s available to you, your family and friends in the coming days:

• Reston’s Relay for Life event will begin at 1 p.m. Saturday at South Lakes High School (11400 South Lakes Drive). The luminaria ceremony is set for 9 p.m. Saturday, with the event to continue through the night and wrap up at 7 a.m. Sunday.
• The Reston Farmers Market will take place from 8 a.m. to noon Saturday at Lake Anne Village Center. The Pink Armoire Fashion Truck will be in attendance this week.
• Lake Anne is also hosting Sunday Yoga on the Plaza each week, at 9:30 a.m.
• “Radcliffe Bailey: The Great Dismal Swamp” remains on display at Greater Reston Arts Center (12001 Market St.) through August.
• The Habitat Heroes program seeks volunteers to cut back the large invasive bush honeysuckle that has taken over the field edge at Sunrise Valley Rec Area (10805 Oldfield Drive), Saturday from 10 a.m. to noon.
• There will be a bird walk Sunday from 7:30-10:30 a.m. at Stratton Woods Park. Meet at the Polo Fields Recreation Area.
• Reston Association will host an open house at The Lake House on Sunday from 10 a.m. to noon.
• The 18th annual Teachers and Students Exhibit remains on display at the Jo Ann Rose Gallery at Reston Community Center-Lake Anne (1609 Washington Plaza N.) through June 5.
• Live music at Reston Town Center this weekend will include a performance from 6-10 p.m. tonight at Tavern64 (1800 Presidents St.) and both tonight and Saturday from 10 p.m. to 1:30 a.m. at Crafthouse (1888 Explorer St.).
• Lucky Dog Animal Rescue will have an adoption event at PetSmart (11860 Spectrum Center) from noon to 2 p.m. Saturday.
• This week at Reston Regional Library (11925 Bowman Towne Drive), Frying Pan Farm Park will visit Saturday from 11 a.m. to noon; and “First Ladies and Scandals in the City” will be presented Saturday from 1-3 p.m.
• The My Health Matters 5K/1-mile Walk and Free Health Fair is slated for Saturday from 8 a.m. to noon at the 505 Building at Herndon Square (505 Huntmar Park Drive).
• Kalypso’s (1617 Washington Plaza N.) will have live music tonight, 9:30 p.m. to 1:30 a.m., from Medicated Sunfish. DJ Kram will play Top 40 hits Saturday night.
• Vinafera Wine Bar and Bistro (11750 Sunrise Valley Drive) has live music from 7-10 p.m. every Friday and Saturday night.
• Matt Waller will play at The Tasting Room Wine Bar (1816 Library St.) from 8-11 p.m. Saturday.

This is an op/ed submitted by a group of area bicycling advocates. It does not reflect the opinions of Reston Now.

Today is Bike to Work Day in the Capital Region. Cyclists will be all over the trails and roads like cicadas emerging from their hibernation.

And as the weather turns warmer and summer approaches, it seems true that many of us and our neighbors begin to head outdoors to exercise, emerging from gyms into the spring sunshine. Roads and trails begin to fill up with walkers, runners and cyclists who are enjoying the benefits of warmth and longer days.

Our region has made incredible strides in providing infrastructure to support these activities. From the Washington and Old Dominion Trail to the Fairfax County Bicycle Master Plan (BMP) that was recently passed, we are all fortunate citizens to have a government with the foresight to build and plan infrastructure for the future.

While riding a bike is legally allowed on all non-limited-access roads in the Commonwealth, the increase in traffic of all kinds, motor and bicycle, has led the county to seek ways to increase safety for all road users. One way in which the Fairfax County Department of Transportation (FCDOT) upholds the BMP is through a partnership with VDOT.

When VDOT repaves a road, in many cases the road is studied for installation of a “road diet.” A road diet is a change in the allocation of space on an existing road to increase road safety for all users. A road diet can include a center turn lane for left-turning traffic as well as bike lanes. Since the passage of the Bicycle Master Plan, over 100 miles of bike lanes and road diets have been implemented.

Road diets and the addition of bike lanes and center turn lanes serve to slow traffic through many of our streets, some of which used to be quiet neighborhood roads, but which have now become fast cut-throughs for commuters. The benefit of slowing traffic on those roads, through the re-striping during repaving, accrues to the people who live on those roads as well. People who want to walk their dogs, chat with neighbors, cross the street to pick up their mail — all of them benefit from road design that slows the traffic passing through.

Fairfax County is home to an incredibly diverse population. However, one thing that is universal is we all want our loved ones to come home safely. No one wants to get a call that their mother, husband, daughter, brother, wife, father, sister or son was killed for any reason. This universal human desire is sometimes forgotten when people take to the wheel of a multi-ton vehicle, ignoring the indisputable facts of physics. The human under the bike helmet in front of you us is 150 percent more likely to die when hit by a car at 40 mph than at 25 mph (Source: NHTSA). It’s in all of our interest to address this.

Cyclists are members of the community — we are your neighbors, your doctors, your waiters and your pharmacists. We ride bikes for transportation, exercise and recreation. Some of us do not have cars and commute solely by bike. But we are no different from you and your neighbors in our desire to get home safely. That’s all we ask.

Fairfax Alliance for Better Bicycling
Reston Bicycle Club
The Bike Lane
Green Lizard Cycling
Evolution Cycling Team

The Reston Citizens Association elections will be held June 7-22. Four district seats and two at-large seats on the group’s Board of Directors will be chosen.

“This upcoming year is going to be another exciting one for RCA, as we continue to focus on educating and engaging the community and reflecting their voice,” said Sridhar Ganesan, RCA president. “New development, re-development, transportation and other Reston infrastructure, open spaces and other issues like Reston Town Center pay parking have been at the forefront for Reston and RCA during the last two months and will continue to be important for the people that live here.”

The six seats up in the 2017 elections are for three-year terms as the Hunters Woods District, the Town Center/Lake Anne/Tall Oaks District, the South Lakes District, the North Point District and an At-Large seat, as well as a one-year term in an At-Large seat to replace a director who resigned in 2016.

Anyone wishing to run for a seat must:

• be a Reston resident
• live in Small Tax District 5
• be 18 years or older
• vote in designated precincts/polling places within Reston districts

Those interested in joining the Board must file a completed candidate form by May 30. For more information, email [email protected].

Reston Town Center has released the schedule for its 2017 Concerts on the Town series, featuring live shows on Saturday nights from June through August.

Performers in the series, which is in its 27th year, will include:

• June 3 — Landau Eugene Murphy Jr. (jazz crooner, former “America’s Got Talent” winner)
• June 10 — Hard Day’s Night (Beatles tribute)
• June 24 — Matuto (Brazilian, roots-rock, funk)
• July 1 — Deanna Bogart Band (boogie-woogie, jump blues)
• July 8 — Chuck Redd and the International Jazz All-Stars
• July 15 — The Adrian Duke Project (hits from the 1950s to today)
• July 22 — Scythian (Celtic, gypsy folk rock)
• July 29 — Love Canon (bluegrass covers of 1980s hits)
• Aug. 5 — Incendio (Spanish flamenco guitar, Latin fusion)
• Aug. 12 — Navy Band Commodores (big band jazz)
• Aug. 19 — Terrance Simien and the Zydeco Experience (Grammy winner)
• Aug. 26 — David Akers and the Soul Shakers (Motown and more)

(June 17 is the second day of the Taste of Reston, which will feature live entertainment throughout.)

A dance floor will also be available for each concert, with the exception of the Navy Band Commodores show.

Each concert is scheduled for 7:30-10 p.m., to be held rain or shine in the pavilion (11900 Market St.)

The series is free, because of a grant from the Reston Town Center Association with support from Boston Properties. Garage parking at Reston Town Center is also free on Saturdays.

File photo courtesy Reston Town Center

Organizers of the Northern Virginia Fine Arts Festival, slated for this weekend at Reston Town Center, are expecting a big crowd.

According to information provided by Greater Reston Arts Center (GRACE):

“The festival is the largest annual fundraiser for GRACE and attracts over 30,000 visitors from across the region. Participating artists uniformly view the event as one of the ‘top five’ outdoor art festivals in the country, extending high praise to the level of hospitality they receive from volunteers and involvement from a community that appreciates the high quality of the art presented.”

The festival is an honoree in the America’s Best Art Fair Awards competition, which recognized it as one of the top juried art fairs in the country.

Around 200 exhibiting artists will be filling the streets to show off their wares during the 26th annual event. All interior streets of the Town Center will be reserved for pedestrians only, leaving an 11-block art walk.

The event will begin with a kickoff party Friday from 6-9 p.m., featuring complimentary food and wine along with the opportunity to mingle with artists and other dignitaries. Tickets are $50. The festival itself will follow the next two days, with admission a $5 suggested donation for adults. It will run from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday.

Boston Properties’ parking fees will be waived during the event, including during the kickoff party Friday. The festival is one of three special events throughout the year during which this will happen. The others are the Taste of Reston (June 16-17) and the Reston Holiday Parade (Nov. 24).

The weather will be decidedly cooler this weekend than it has been in recent days, with forecast highs in the low 70s.

More than 96 square feet of love will be on display at Lake Anne Plaza for six days in June.

The Virginia Tourism Corporation will bring its “LOVE” display, 16 feet long and over six feet high, to the plaza June 9-14. The artwork is part of the Virginia Is For Lovers campaign, designed to promote vacation experiences throughout the state.

Visitors to any LOVE display throughout the state are encouraged to take their picture with it and share it on social media using the hashtag #LoveVA.

https://twitter.com/FunInFairfax/status/861342153296928768

While the display is up at the plaza, handmade artwork will be going down as well. The fourth annual Chalk on the Water festival will take place Saturday and Sunday, June 10 and 11.

Artists can participate in four categories: family/elementary, family/junior and senior high school, amateur artists, and professional artists. Cash prizes are available in each category.

Registration is $10 for families and students, and $15 for amateur and professional artists. Only 100 total spots are available.

The festival is sponsored by Friends of Lake Anne, Reston Art Gallery, and Lake Anne Coffee House and Wine Bar.

For more information about this event and other upcoming events at Lake Anne Plaza, visit its website.

Photo at top courtesy Virginia Tourism Corporation, photo at bottom courtesy Lake Anne Plaza

Fans of public art now have greater access to Reston’s collection, as it has been added to a national online database thanks to the efforts of Public Art Reston.

Three dozen pieces of public art in the community are now catalogued in the Public Art Archive. They can be accessed by searching for “Reston, VA” on the website, which is currently featuring on its front page Patrick Dougherty’s “A Bird in the Hand” temporary installation outside Greater Reston Arts Center.

“We are pleased to incorporate Reston’s public art collection into the Public Art Archive after months of extensive collection management work by Public Art Reston’s art administrators,” said Lori Goldstein, the archive’s manager. “Reston’s collection shows outstanding diversity in the variety of projects, artists and sites chosen for both permanent and temporary public art throughout the community, and it is evident that Public Art Reston has excelled in establishing collaborative and creative partnerships to bring projects to fruition.”

Among the works pictured, detailed and mapped in the archives are sculptures, fountains, architecture and more. Public Art Reston committed to contributing content to PAA’s digital repository in order to give broader access to the community’s public art collection, its executive director Anne Delaney said.

“Creating greater awareness of Reston’s cultural assets supports Public Art Reston’s mission to inspire an ongoing commitment to public art and create a new generation of artworks in Reston,” she said.

Screencap via PublicArtArchive.org

Another developer has plans for residential units near the Wiehle-Reston East Metro station.

The Washington Business Journal reports that a subsidiary of TF Cornerstone is looking to build several residential buildings on 11.6 acres at 1900 and 1902 Campus Commons Drive. That’s just east of the intersection of Wiehle Avenue and Sunrise Valley Drive, south of the Dulles Toll Road and about a quarter-mile from the station.

According to the WBJ report, the developer looks to add:

• two high-rise residential buildings between 20 and 28 stories
• a seven-story multifamily building
• either 26 townhouses or a six-story residential building with 8,000 square feet of retail

In total, this could add nearly 1,100 residential units to the property.

The property is already the home of two six-story office buildings, which would remain. A rezoning application to convert the property to mixed use has been submitted to Fairfax County.

This is just another in an ever-growing list of residential projects proposed in the portion of the Transit Station Area east of Wiehle Avenue. Others include:

• The JBG/1831 Wiehle project, which would bring 1,300 to 1,500 new residences on six parcels between Wiehle Avenue and Michael Faraday Drive
• 175 multifamily units and 13 townhouses at 11111 Sunset Hills Road, just east of Michael Faraday Drive and adjacent to the JBG/1831 Wiehle project
• a seven-story, 261-apartment building at 1808 Michael Faraday Court
• The Lofts at Reston Station, 44 residences at 1825 Michael Faraday Drive (approved by Fairfax County in October)

Numerous additional projects are also in the works on the west side of Wiehle Avenue and down the Sunrise Valley Drive corridor. In 2014, Fairfax County reworked Reston’s land-use plan to encourage such development in the area of the Wiehle-Reston East Metro station, as well as the future Reston Town Center and Herndon stations.

“In the future, the three station areas could become home to a total of 30 million square feet in offices and 28,000 housing units,” the county said in its announcement of the plan’s revision.

Gov. Terry McAuliffe’s office today issued a statement celebrating the announcement that Windward Consulting is expanding its headquarters in Herndon.

The business, which helps large organizations manage their data centers and networks, will invest $825,000 to expand its headquarters at 2291 Wood Oak Drive, creating 97 new jobs in the process. McAuliffe called this a success for Fairfax County and Virginia as a whole.

“Northern Virginia has long served as a catalyst for the booming IT sector, and Windward Consulting’s entrepreneurial success in Fairfax County is evidence that the industry continues to gain momentum,” the governor said. “We thank Windward for the addition of nearly 100 new, 21st century jobs and for being part of our ongoing efforts to diversify and build the new Virginia economy.”

The global consultancy has been in business, based in Herndon, since 1997. Sean McDermott, Windward’s founder and CEO, said the continued growth of the Dulles Technology Corridor has been instrumental in the company’s successes.

The job creation will be supported by the Virginia Economic Development Partnership’s Virginia Jobs Investment Program.

According to its website, Windward was selected in 2001 by a member of the intelligence community to bring commercial best practices to the federal government. Since, they say, Windward has “grown a significant presence within the federal government and continues to provide innovative solutions to the Department of Defense, intelligence community and other civilian agencies.”

City of Fairfax Police say a Herndon man made “repeated harassing telephone calls” to a restaurant in the city.

The manager of New York Pizza Factory (11143 Lee Highway) contacted police just before 3 a.m. Sunday to report a man had been repeatedly calling the business. Police say the 27-year-old suspect was contacted by their Field Operations Division and he “spoke profanely to an officer.”

The man was charged with harassing phone calls and vulgar language over the telephone. He was released on his own recognizance.

In other recent crime news, a Herndon man was charged with indecent exposure in the town. Police say 54-year-old Thomas Richard Hogan was seen May 3 in the vestibule of a building in the 600 block of Center Street, “naked from the waist down.” Hogan was released to the custody of a family member.

Also in Herndon, a 48-year-old woman was charged last week by Fairfax County Police with shoplifting from the Kohl’s store on Centreville Road. Police say Dhana Ramaswami briefly struggled with an officer at about 3:30 p.m. May 9 before she was arrested on charges of grand larceny and resisting arrest.

Other crimes reported by FCPD’s Reston District Station in the past week include:

LARCENIES:

1800 block of Cameron Glen Drive, property from vehicle

1800 block of Cameron Glen Drive, gun from vehicle

2200 block of Castle Rock Square, phone from park

1200 block of Cobble Pond Way, packages from residence

900 block of Locust Street, cellphone from school

2300 block of Soapstone Drive, bicycle from residence

11100 block of South Lakes Drive, gift cards from business

1000 block of Utterback Store Road, property from vehicle

400 block of Walker Road, jewelry from residence

11900 block of Winterthur Lane, license plate from vehicle

STOLEN VEHICLES:

None reported

Anyone with information about any of the incidents reported by FCPD should call 703-691-2131 or 1-866-411-TIPS(8477), or text “TIP187” plus the message to CRIMES(274637).

Thousands of area commuters will ride to work Friday during Bike to Work Day, and those in Reston are invited to a “pit stop” to get refreshments, gear and more.

The event is open to all area commuters, who are encouraged to meet up with neighbors and co-workers at one of 85 pit stops across the region, including 13 in Fairfax County. Free registration is required for the pit stops, which enters attendees into local and regional raffles and guarantees a Bike to Work Day T-shirt.

Reston’s pit stop will be located on the plaza level at the Wiehle-Reston East Metro station. More than 500 local bike commuters are expected to participate at the local stop, according to the Fairfax County Department of Transportation.

The regional event is organized by Commuter Connections, a program of the National Capital Region Transportation Planning Board at the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments that promotes bicycling to work, ridesharing and other alternatives to driving. More than 17,500 bicyclists are expected to register across the D.C. area.

“Each year, Bike to Work Day attracts commuters who choose to bike to work for the very first time, and after the event, 10 percent of them continue to bike to work an average of 1.4 days per week,” said Nicholas Ramfos, director of Commuter Connections, in a statement. “That’s an impressive conversion rate and it’s why we are committed to making every Bike to Work Day bigger and better than the one before it.”

File photo courtesy Fairfax County

It’s another busy weekend in Reston, with plenty of fun activities on the agenda.

The weather hasn’t been pretty for several days now, though, and it looks like rain will be prevalent again Saturday. We recommend you check the status of any scheduled outdoor activity before heading out.

Here is just a sampling of things to do in the area this weekend:

• Reston Association’s Community Yard Sale, originally scheduled for Saturday, has been rescheduled for Sunday from 8:30 a.m. to noon at 1900 Campus Commons Drive. Eighty-five families will be selling a variety of items. In case of rain, call 703-435-6577 that morning to check the event’s status.
• It’s pool season in Reston. The North Shore and Ridge Heights pools are scheduled to open for the season this weekend, from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. each day.
• The Reston Community Players will continue their staging of “Private Lives” this weekend. Performances will be tonight and Saturday at 8 p.m., along with a 2 p.m. performance on Sunday. Tickets are $21, or $18 for students with ID and senior citizens. Shows take place at CenterStage at the Reston Community Center (2310 Colts Neck Road).
• The Reston Farmers Market is scheduled for 8 a.m. to noon Saturday at Lake Anne Village Center.
• The South Lakes High School “Spirit of Reston” Marching Band will hold a rummage sale Saturday from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the school (11400 South Lakes Drive). The event is slated to be held on the east side of the school, along Seahawks Drive; however, it will be moved inside if the weather does not cooperate.
• The seventh annual “Be Amyazing!” Reston Youth Triathlon is scheduled for Sunday morning. It consists of a swim at Ridge Heights pool, a bike ride on roads near South Lakes High School and a run on Reston Association paths. Lengths are different for each age group.
• Langston Hughes Middle School (11401 Ridge Heights Road) is presenting “Willy Wonka Jr.” this weekend. The show will be performed tonight at 7 p.m., and at 3 and 7 p.m. Saturday.
• The NOVA Tour de Cure fundraising event of the American Diabetes Association is scheduled for Saturday, rain or shine, beginning at Reston Town Center.
• Reston Chorale will present its “A Season to Remember” show, celebrating 50 years of the group, Saturday at 7:30 p.m. at South Lakes High School (11400 South Lakes Drive). Tickets at the door will be $30. Those 62 and over will be admitted for $25; youth 17 and under will be admitted free, as will active military.
• Events at Reston Town Center this weekend include live music tonight from 6-10 p.m. at Tavern64 (1800 Presidents St.) and from 10 p.m. to 1:30 a.m. tonight and Saturday at Crafthouse (1888 Explorer St., formerly World of Beer); wine tasting at Il Fornaio (11990 Market St.) Saturday from 3-5 p.m.; a Mother’s Day brunch at Mon Ami Gabi (11950 Democracy Drive) Sunday from 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., and more.
• Lake Anne Brew House (11424 Washington Plaza W.) will host a special Mother’s Day “She’s Crafty” women’s beer event from 6:30-8:30 p.m. Sunday.
• Frying Pan Farm Park (2739 West Ox Road, Herndon) has a free Spring Farm Day planned for 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday. The event will included hand-churned ice cream samples, a dairy exhibit, children’s activities and crafts, blacksmithing, and antique equipment demos.
• “Radcliffe Bailey: The Great Dismal Swamp” remains on display at Greater Reston Arts Center (12001 Market St.) through August.
• Lake Anne is hosting Sunday Yoga on the Plaza each week, at 9:30 a.m.
• Saturday from 2-3:30 p.m. at Reston Regional Library (11925 Bowman Towne Drive), local historian Jim Lewis will share the story of Japan’s secret plans to attack the U.S. mainland during World War II.
• Kalypso’s (1617 Washington Plaza N.) will have live music tonight, 9:30 p.m. to 1:30 a.m., from Bushmaster with Gary Brown. DJ Kram will play Top 40 hits Saturday night.
• Vinafera Wine Bar and Bistro (11750 Sunrise Valley Drive) has live music from 7-10 p.m. every Friday and Saturday night. This week they have Hilary Veltri tonight and Jason Masi tomorrow night.

This is an op/ed submitted by Terry Maynard, co-chair of the Reston 20/20 committee. It does not reflect the opinions of Reston Now.

Last Wednesday evening may have seen a watershed moment in Reston’s development, as about 150 residents confronted the County’s planning staff and Supervisor Cathy Hudgins at a community meeting on the Board of Supervisors plan that, in addition to other changes, would eliminate any limit on the density of residential redevelopment in Reston Town Center under the Reston Planned Residential Community (PRC) zoning ordinance’s “high” density area category, as long as those plans were consistent with the Reston Master Plan.

Power unchecked is power abused.  That is what Reston is looking at with the Board’s Reston PRC zoning proposal.

Moreover, increasing the zoned density of any property in Virginia creates a “by right” authority for developers to build at that density. It cannot be revoked by the Board, even if experience shows the density is excessive.

High density is a gift to developers that often costs residents increased taxes (such as the new station area Transportation Service District tax), traffic congestion, school crowding, environmental deterioration; reduced livability from overtaxed open space, park facilities and libraries; and greater demands on police, fire and emergency services.

A more specific look at the implications for Reston Planned Residential Community (PRC) areas of Reston Town Center as shown in the enclosed map highlights where those changes would occur. The PRC zoning area subject to this zoning amendment proposal includes virtually all of Reston Town Center north of the toll road, and the Reston Heights — Westin Hotel — area of the Town Center station area south of the toll road.

The Reston Town Center area of the zoning code does not explicitly use the high/medium/low residential designation used in the suburban areas. Instead, the PRC land use map calls for them to be related to transit station area mixed-use. Nonetheless, the “high” density limit of 50 DU/A has been used as the upper limit in RTC. Moreover, the Reston plan that theoretically limits development generally identifies “target” residential goals for each of the districts and subdistricts within the Town Center.

Only one of these districts with an explicit “target” number of DUs proposes an overall density greater than the existing “high” density limit the Reston PRC. That’s the area immediately next to the Metro station on the north side, where the plan’s “target” residential density would lead to 88 DU/A, with 2,600 units as laid out as a target in the plan.

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