Fairfax County is considering new zoning rules that would make it easier for food trucks to do business here.
The proposal, authorized by the county Board of Supervisors at their meeting on Tuesday, makes it cheaper for vendors to obtain permits and allows the trucks to operate at construction sites and commercial and industrial properties, such as office buildings and shopping centers.
Under the previous rules, food trucks were zoned as free-standing fast food restaurants. This classification required them to obtain a special exception from the Board of Supervisors. To get the exceptions, truck operators have to pay a $16,375-fee and have two public hearings.
County Supervisor Sharon Bulova says she worked with people in the industry to try and come up with a solution.
“Food trucks are becoming a popular venue as an alternative to traditional sit-down and fast food restaurants,” she said. “I’ve enjoyed working with the food truck industry and Fairfax County’s hospitality industries to find ways to accommodate this use.”
Highlights of the measure:
- Proposed zoning rules allow food trucks to operate at construction sites, office buildings, shopping centers or other developed commercial and industrial properties.
- Trucks will need a $100 permit, permission from property owners, plus a $35 Solicitor’s License and $40 Food Establishment Permit.
- They can stay at any single location for four hours, but they may go to multiple locations. However, trucks still may not park on public roads to sell food. Virginia law prohibits vending on state-maintained roads.
- Trucks may not be the primary or principal use at a lot. Under the proposed regulations they are considered an accessory use. They may only sell during the regular business hours of the nearby commercial space.
- Trucks may only sell food at developed industrial or commercial properties that have a minimum of 25,000 to 30,000 square feet in gross floor area.
- Only three trucks may congregate in one area.
The county gave zoning approvals to 14 trucks last year to vend at primarily commercial locations. It also began allowing food trucks in county parks. The parks currently have 10 locations where trucks are licensed to do business, and separate permits are required.
Food trucks can be found weekdays at various office park locations in Reston. One popular spot is Business Center Drive off of Sunset Hills Road, where several vendors from a rotating lineup can be found.
If the new Fairfax rules pass, it will be cheaper to sell tacos and falafel and other truck fare here than in nearby jurisdictions. The District of Columbia’s fees range from $476 to $1,200 for two years, and Arlington requires an annual $500 vendor fee.
The Fairfax County Planning Commission is slated to hold a public hearing on food trucks on July 30, and the Board of Supervisors will hold a public hearing on Sept. 9.
Reston residents and community leaders came to United Christian Parish on Saturday to see what Fairfax County planners may have in store for Reston as the community undertakes Phase II of the Reston Master Plan Special Study.
What they found: mostly information about the process, which will rely heavily on input from the people who live or own businesses here.
As Reston embarks on its second 50 years, there needs to be a plan in place for redevelopment, whether that happens next year or in 30 years, says Hunter Mill Supervisor Cathy Hudgins.
“Whether we develop today or in the future, we need to determine what the county’s role will be in that plan and what the plan should be,” she said. “Phase I changed the rules. Here, we are not changing the rules.”
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 later this year, Reston is evolving as a community.
After four years of task force meetings, Phase I of the Reston Master Plan Special Study was approved by the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors earlier this year. Phase I maps out how development should proceed in the area surrounding Reston’s eventual three Silver Line Metro stations. Much of that area, particularly Wiehle-Reston East (scheduled to open this summer), previously had little residential development.
Phase II will mainly look at Reston’s village and convenience centers. It will also be done under Fairfax County’s new “Fairfax Forward” method of comprehensive plan review, which will rely on greater community engagement.
Reston founder Bob Simon, for one, says Reston could have fewer village centers. When Reston was planned in the early 1960s, supermarkets were about 15,000 square feet, he said. Today, they are more than 100,000 square feet.
“Since we were planning for 80,000 people, we planned for seven village centers and one town center,” said Simon. “We don’t need all of them. But I do think each village center should have a plaza.” Read More
What should the Reston of the future look like?
That’s the question as Fairfax County planners are beginning Phase II of the Reston Master Plan Special Study — about two years behind schedule.
Phase I, which looked at the how development should proceed in the areas surrounding Reston’s upcoming Metro stations, was completed late last year and approved by the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors in January.
County officials say the the current comprehensive plans, last updated in 1989, requires revision for three primary reasons: 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 later this year, Reston is evolving as a community.
Phase II will look at what kind of changes — if any — should happen to Reston’s neighborhoods, village centers and convenience centers, as well as some areas adjacent to Reston. Lake Anne Plaza, which underwent is own rezoning and revitalization process from 2006-09, will not be part of the study.
Planners will pay particular attention to the commercial area just north of Reston Town Center and Baron Cameron Avenue.
This area contains retailers such as Home Depot, Silver Diner, Trader Joes and others. The county says this area is part of the original 1987 460-acre Reston Town Center rezoning, but developed with a different character than the surrounding residential areas and the retail area south of Baron Cameron Avenue. The comprehensive plan will provide framework on how this commercial area should develop over the mid-to-distant future.
Also up for discussion — Tall Oaks Village Center, which has been losing tenants for years and remains mostly empty.
Phase II will also:
Create a New Reston Land Use Map
The current Master Plan for Reston is comprised of three black and white maps (last approved in 1989) that depict a land use plan, community facilities plan, and a transportation plan. While the transportation plans now contain the latest transportation information, the land use and community facilities plans need to be updated. Read More
Would you pay more for your dinner if it means more money for county services and schools?
Last week, Fairfax County Supervisor Sharon Bulova established a task force to examine whether a county meals tax could be a reliable source of revenue. A meals tax, at about 4 percent, could provide $88 million annually, Bulova said.
A meals tax would go through without a voter referendum. The county last tried that in 1992. The question failed to advance.
The task force will be led by former Board of Supervisors chairs Tom Davis and Kate Hanley, who will report back to Bulova by June 17. It will be made up of members of two dozen county organizations, including Republican and Democratic parties, the county Chamber of Commerce, the Restaurant Association of Metropolitan Washington, Visit Fairfax, the Fairfax County Taxpayers Alliance and the Fairfax Education Association.
The task force will be asked not only to recommend, or reject, a meals tax referendum, but also to suggest what year the question should be asked and how the resulting revenues should be used.
Photo: PassionFish at Reston Town Center/Credit: File photo
Several Reston Now readers have asked about construction at the intersection of Reston Parkway and Lawyers Road near Fox Mill.
A Fairfax County spokesman says the Fairfax County Department of Public Works is constructing bus stop safety and accessibility improvements at the Reston South Park and Ride.
The work includes pedestrian improvements, including sidewalk and ramps and a new bus stop concrete pad.
In addition to the pedestrian improvements, Fairfax Water is also constructing a 24-inch water main at this location. They are working under a separate VDOT Land Use Permit.
In the wake of several years of lean funding and a scrapped “beta plan” in 2013, the Fairfax County Library Board of Trustees plans to ask the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors for an additional $1 million for the next fiscal year.
The trustees voted last week to request an additional $1 million that would be used for youth service, staff training and technology upgrades, the Fairfax Times reports. The board had previously submitted a request for a $1 million increase in its budget for books and other material, aimed at restoring some of the reductions made in leaner budget years.
County Executive Ed Long has allocated $25.7 million for the library system, a slight increase over the fiscal 2014 adopted budget but also a slight decrease in total funding as compared to the amended budget for the current fiscal year.
This is due to one-time money the Board of Supervisors gave to the the library system at the close of fiscal 2013.
The current budget proposal includes $275,000 for library employee pay raises, $250,000 in additional funding for materials (to purchase about 13,000 items) and $61,500 for computer replacement. Long has proposed increasing the materials budget by $250,000 per year over the next four years to reach the $1 million total that the library system requested.
The library system had proposed a “beta plan” for Reston Regional — the busiest branch in the county — and other libraries in 2013. That plan included a new staffing model that suggested getting rid of trained children’s librarians and going to a one-desk staffing system in order to save money.
That was met with protest from library supporters. Ultimately, the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors scrapped the plan. The supervisors also were shocked to learn that thousands of books were being thrown away rather than recirculated.
The book dump was discovered by Reston resident Kathy Kaplan, who was honored last week as Reston Citizen’s Association Citizen of the Year for her efforts.
The library trustees are currently looking at new solutions that will cut costs but keep service levels intact.
The $1 million for materials and $1 million for other needs that the Board of Trustees is requesting this year would be in addition to the increased funds already included in Long’s budget, library director Sam Clay told the Fairfax Times.
The $250,000 included in the budget would allow for the purchase of about 13,000 additional items, according to the budget document.
To see the breakdown of the FY 2015 Advertised County Budget, visit the Fairfax County website.
The Board of Supervisors will adopt the budget April 29.
Did you get sticker shock when you opened your 2014 Fairfax County Real Estate Tax Assessment?
Many county residents did. Fairfax County said some 88 percent of residential properties saw an increase from 2013 to 2103. The average increase, was about 6.5 percent, according to county data. About 9 percent of county homeowners saw no change.
In Reston, some homeowners saw a much bigger jump, leading some Realtors to say, anecdotally, that the increase in value expected with the opening of Metro’s Silver Line later this year is already happening.
That is good news if one is trying to sell, but bad news for one’s wallet if staying.
Want to appeal your assessment. Visit the Fairfax County Department of Taxation website.
More from Fairfax County:
During 2013 the residential market continued to improve in Fairfax County. This market improvement has meant fewer foreclosures, faster sales and price appreciation in most neighborhoods.
The number of days a property was listed for sale decreased from an average of 50 days in 2012, to an average of 36 days in 2013, or an improvement of 28 percent (44 percent of these properties actually sold in 10 days or less).
Sale prices also were closer to their list price than last year, selling on average at about 98% of their list price, providing another indication of the strong residential market.
Residential sales volume in the county increased over 10 percent from 2012 sales, providing staff with more than 14,000 fair market sales to analyze in determining 2014 assessments.
While foreclosures generally have a dampening effect on competitive sale prices, their influence has had much less impact on 2014 assessments due to the decline in foreclosure activity.
Interested in what is happening in Fairfax County’s Hunter Mill District.
Then plan to attend the Hunter Mill District Community Summit Saturday at Herndon’s Frying Pan Park, 2709 West Ox Road.
Here are the highlights:
* Summit runs from 8 a.m. to noon and will feature presentations by Hunter Mill Supervisor Cathy Hudgins and others.
* 9 a.m. — Hunter Mill virtual field trip.
* 10 a.m. — Budget presentation by County executive Ed Long; County priorities talk by Board of Supervisors chair Sharon Bulova; Schools report from Hunter Mill School Board rep Pat Hynes.
* 10:45 a.m. — “Hunter Mill Huddle,” a scrum of ideas from leading policy makers in the Hunter Mill District on such topics as human services, parks, planning, police, schools and transportation.
* 12 p.m. — Q & A and wrap up.
Representatives from the Fairfax County Department of Taxation will also be on hand to help citizens in tax consultations or to answer questions about real estate tax.
RSVP by email to [email protected] or call the Hunter Mill District Office at 703-478-0283.
Fairfax County Executive Edward L. Long said he is optimistic but cautious as he presented a $3.7 billion Fiscal Year 2015 budget to the county Board of Supervisors on Tuesday.
“We are still not back to the value of real property in the county that we were when we peaked in FY 2008 (for residential) and FY 2009 (for commercial), nor is all of the uncertainty concerning the federal budget resolved,” Long said. “So we must persist in our cautious and deliberative approach to budgeting, only funding items that are sustainable.”
The budget keeps the FY 2014 real estate tax rate of $1.085 per $100 of assessed value. However, the average county homeowner has seen an increase in his residential assessed value this year of about 6.54 percent. This means that FY 2015 real estate taxes for an average household will increase $331.67, the county says.
Long also proposed giving a $1.93 billion transfer to Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) for school operations and debt service for FY2015. That is a a 2.07 percent and $39,113,302 increase over FY 2014. It will also account for 52.1 percent of the proposed county budget expenditures.
The school system had asked for 5.7 percent increase (an additional $98 million). over FY 2014. FCPS Superintendent Karen Garza said she could not rule out layoffs as more than 700 positions will need to be eliminated as the system needs more than $59 million more.
Although not included in the transfer, the proposed county budget also includes $72.6 million in additional support for school services including Head Start, school health, resource officers and crossing guards, after-school programming, field maintenance and recreational programs, among others. The county will also give FCPS’ Capital Construction and Debt Service $29.93 million.
“As the county continues to face fiscal challenges, we must persist in our cautious and deliberative approach to budgeting, only funding items that are sustainable,” said Long. “We also must be ready to make the necessary decisions to maintain investment in our services, infrastructure and development of the community. Almost all of the budget increase I am proposing is for capital investment and for employee compensation — these are two critical elements of our continued success.”
The Fairfax County Office of Elections is offering voters a chance to check out new voting machines to replace aging models.
The new machines will offer ease of use as well as accessibility for people with disabilities and for voters for whom English is not their primary language, said electoral board secretary Brian Schoeneman.
Want to go for a test drive? Here are two nearby opportunities on Friday Feb. 21:
- Tysons Corner Center Mall, 2 to 4 p.m., Third floor food court
- Reston Community Center Hunters Woods, 6:45 to 8:30 p.m., lobby.
No advance notice or reservations are necessary.
“We have some critical decisions to make this year on purchasing new voting machines for our citizens,” Schoeneman says. “This is a rare opportunity to provide voters with a chance to test drive different voting machines and give input on what voting equipment will provide them with the best and most secure voting experience.”
After long waits in the 2012 Presidential Election, the county assembled a bipartisan Election Process Improvement Commission. The commission issued its report last March, finding fault with aging Direct Electronic Recording Devices (DRE) machines.
The commission recommended that the county go to one system throughout the county, preferably one with electronically scanned ballots with an integrated system fully accessible to voters with disabilities.
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Weather experts are not sure exactly how the epic storm rumor for Feb. 9 got started. They only know they are trying to stop it.
A little over a week ago, weather buzz began to build calling for an epic storm this weekend — as much as 20 to 30 inches on the East Coast.
The may have begin, as many do, on Facebook.
The Capital Weather Gang’s Jason Samenow says he first saw the forecast on Facebook on Jan. 29, when the page run by Weatherboy Weather said the European Model showed the blizzard formation.
Samenow says Weatherboy Weather admitted he did not trust the model — but it was too late. The radar picture he posted was shared countless times and the the rumor spread, well, like a blizzard.
“The same forecast independently ended up on The Delmarva Firefighter Forums Facebook page and was shared over 41,000 times,’ Samenow points out.
Upon further review, it turned out the image was an alternative version of the European model called a control run, not the real thing – and represented 10 days worth of snow, Samenow writes.
Many meteorologists have reposted the picture to Facebook, some drawing a big black “x” over it, to spread the world it is false. They are also reminding readers that forecasts cannot be made 10 days out — and to get your weather information from trusted sources like the National Weather Service.
The NWS said that the forecast was “nonsense then and it is nonsense now.” In fact, the hundreds of inquiries the NWS had to field prevented staffers from doing its job during Wednesday’s very real East Coast snowstorm.
To review: No big storm this weekend in Reston or the rest of the Mid-Atlantic/East Coast. The forecast here is for snow flurries to a dusting on Saturday and Sunday.
Stuck in traffic? Some major transportation improvements are on the way for Fairfax County in general and Reston in particular.
The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday approved a long priority list of more than 225 road, transit, trail and sidewalk projects that will receive funding from 2015-2020. The $4 billion in in the next six years, thanks to an unprecedented infusion of tax revenue dedicated to transportation.
The total estimated cost of the priority list is roughly $4 billion. The county expects to receive $1.4 billion through 2020 to get the work going.
The county said there are many additional sources of revenue to help fund the remaining projects. Among them: HB 2313 funds including Northern Virginia Transportation Authority local and regional funds ($902 million), and additional state aid ($376 million) for roadway construction and transit. Also included in this total are general obligation bonds and commercial and industrial property taxes for transportation that have not been previously allocated by the Board, the Board of Supervisors says. There is no impact to Fairfax County’s General Fund.
Good news for critics of changes to the Reston Master Plan, which will determine how density and development will happen close to Reston’s three upcoming Silver Line stations. Some studies have shown waits of up to five minutes at many traffic lights, giving the traffic a failing grade.
Several of the proposed projects will be aimed at helping alleviate that congestion.
Here are some of the planned Reston-area projects:
HIGH PRIORITY
- Dulles Toll Road /South Lakes Drive Overpass — $82 million. Construct a four-lane overpass over Toll Road from Sunrise Valley to Sunset Hills. Identified ed in Reston Comprehensive Plan Draft as significant way to alleviate traffic. Contingent on development
- Dulles Toll Road/Town Center Parkway Underpass — $157 million. $6.1 million already in place as part of Silver Line Phase 2 funding. Construct four-lane divided roadway under Town Center Parkway from Sunrise Valley to Sunset Hills. Identified in Comprehensive Plan amendment as significant way to alleviate traffic. Contingent on development
- Dulles Toll Road/Soapstone Overpass — $91.75 million. Construct a four-lane roadway over toll road from Sunrise Valley to Sunset Hills. Includes pedestrian and bike access. Identified in Comprehensive Master Plan Draft as major way to alleviate traffic
- Hunter Mill/Lawyers Road — $51 million. Replace intersection with roundabout and provide shared-use pedestrian access
- Fairfax County Parkway — $396 million. Countywide corridor improvement study
LOWER PRIORITY
- Lake Fairfax Drive/Baron Cameron Avenue — $250,000. Signalized crosswalk of Lake Fairfax
- Fox Mill Road Walkway — $2.4 million. Construct walkway on north side of Fox Mill Road from Fairfax County Parkway to Reston Parkway
- Glade Drive Walkway — $200,000. Construct walkway on north side of Glade from Middle Creek Drive to Glade Bank Way
- Glade Drive Walkway — $400,000. Construct walkway on north side of Glade from Colts Neck to Reston Parkway
- North Shore Drive Walkway — $1.4 million. Construct walkway on north side of North Shore from North Shore Court to Sycamore Valley Court
- South Lakes Drive Walkways — $3.65 million. Complete missing links on South Lakes from Greenskeepers Court to Sunrise Valley Drive
- Sunset Hills Road Walkway — $350,000. Construct walkway on south side of Sunset Hills from Old Reston Avenue to Reston Parkway
- Reston Metrorail Access Group (RMAG) — $25 million. Improvements in sidewalks, pedestrian access, bike access trails and bike facilities near future Reston Parkway Metro station
Reston Town Center — $40,000. Road diet to add bike lanes
PROJECTS ALREADY FUNDED
- Improvements around Wiehle- Reston East Metro, including bus bays, signage, bicycle and pedestrian improvements
- Walkways on Sunrise Valley and Soapstone Drive
- Intersection improvements along Sunrise Valley
To see the entire list of planned improvements, visit the Fairfax County website. The list begins on page 424 of the Board of Supervisors packet.
Is it time for Fairfax County Public Schools to split into subzones?
On Tuesday, schools were closed as the first snowstorm of 2014 dumped snow onto Fairfax County streets. On Wednesday, they were closed again as plows and shovels still had work to do. On Thursday, still closed, leading many parents scrambling for child care and wondering if the 2013-14 school year will indeed go into late June.
Fairfax County has now used six snow days this school year. There will be make-up days on Feb. 17 and April 7, but tacked-on days to the school year may be a real possibility now.
In years with lots of snow, the snow days issue becomes a perennial source of frustration. With more than 180,000 students and a footprint of 406 square miles, size is part of the issue. The county is so large, even the climate can be different. The same storm can pile six inches of snow in Reston but only two in Lorton — yet the communities (and the 1 million-plus people who live in them) are in the same school system.
School Board at-large member Ryan McElveen said Wednesday night the decision to close schools for a third straight day was made because of road conditions and extremely cold temperatures in the forecast.
“Back roads are dangerous, particularly with the freezing overnight,” he told Reston Now. “After a week of not being used, our buses are going to have major issues starting up.”
While FCPS will probably never break into school systems run by each town/jurisdiction (the way it is done in places such as New Jersey, Massachusetts and Ohio), what can be done to make weather impact more “local” and manageable?
FCPS already operates in eight clusters, with each area under the supervision of a cluster superintendent. Would going to a cluster system for weather impact be a viable system for Fairfax County?
“Breaking decisions up by cluster would be just too difficult to manage,” says McElveen. “Loudoun is in a very similar situation as we are, where the eastern part of the county is so different geographically from the western part.”
FCPS outlines the decision making process on its website.
“Fairfax County Public Schools is aware of the implications of opening school during less than perfect conditions and of delaying or closing schools when poor weather conditions exist or are predicted,” says the school system. “The school system understands that its students are better served–both academically and socially — by being in school.”
“On the other hand, the school system knows that it operates within an area whose transportation system has difficulty operating efficiently even when the weather is perfect. Fairfax County’s transportation system includes high speed, high volume roadways such as Route 66, Route 495, Route 95, the Fairfax County Parkway, and others. The county’s transportation system also includes narrow, winding roads in still relatively rural parts of the county such as Clifton and Great Falls.”
Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) has hired Michelangelo (Mike) Infurnari to serve as executive director of the Foundation for Fairfax County Public Schools, a nonprofit founded in 2010 as a partnership between the Fairfax County Chamber of Commerce and FCPS.
Infurnari has more than 30 years of experience in fundraising and nonprofit organization management, most recently as director of development at the WateReuse Research Foundation, where he raised $4.8 million during a 15-month period while working closely with board members and key volunteer peer leaders, FCPS says. He served as senior vice president for development and operations at InHealth, the research foundation of the Advanced Medical Technology Association, where he developed the framework to establish the foundation and raised $24 million in philanthropic funding in two campaigns.
More from FCPS:
“We are excited to welcome Mike Infurnari to Fairfax County Public Schools,” said Superintendent Karen K. Garza. “He brings many years of experience in professional fundraising to our Foundation, and we look forward to having him employ his skills to benefit FCPS students. We will be working with the Foundation board to develop a plan for engaging the business community in new and strategic ways. I believe that there is tremendous untapped opportunity with our business, corporate, and philanthropic communities for support of our school system.”
Previously, Infurnari directed the Washington, D.C., office of CCS Fundraising, a consulting firm that works with non-profit organizations on capital campaign readiness and fundraising program implementation—including several K-12 and university clients—to raise funds for renovations and new facilities, scholarships and financial aid, and faculty support. He is the former director of development for Catholic schools at the Catholic Diocese of Buffalo.
“Mike is just the right person with just the right background to lead the Foundation,” said Gerald L. Gordon, Ph.D., president and CEO of the Fairfax County Economic Development Authority and chairman of the Foundation. “The board is focused on increasing the visibility of the school system’s various needs and generating support in the community to help address them, and Mike’s leadership will be critical in doing that.”
Previously, Infurnari directed the Washington, D.C., office of CCS Fundraising, a consulting firm that works with non-profit organizations on capital campaign readiness and fundraising program implementation—including several K-12 and university clients—to raise funds for renovations and new facilities, scholarships and financial aid, and faculty support. He is the former director of development for Catholic schools at the Catholic Diocese of Buffalo.
Infurnari, a graduate of Canisius College, has presented at national conferences on association fundraising and written about fundraising. He is a 20-year resident of Fairfax County.
When the Derecho blew through Reston in late June of 2012, its 75-mph winds cut a swath of destruction, including knocking down dozens of trees.
Among the victims: a 106-foot Virginia Pine near the Reston South Park and Ride Lot at Lawyers Road and Reston Parkway.
Fairfax Tree Commission officials and Reston Association staffers gathered at the site of the fallen tree last week to give the old guy a proper sendoff.
See, the tree was a former national and reigning state champion when it met its demise.
The big tree first got the attention of Robert Vickers, chairman of the Fairfax tree commission, in 2009 when he was waiting at a traffic light at the corner of Reston Parkway and Lawyers Road.
Vickers measured it and found it was 82 inches around and had a crown that spanned 39 feet. That’s when he called Jeff Kirwan from Virginia Tech. Kirwan is the keeper of the Virginia Big Tree database .
The men found that the giant pine was the tallest tree of its kind in the country. It was then included in the National Register of Big Trees, a publication produced by American Forests, a nonprofit conservation organization.
Alas, the Reston tree lost the national title when a larger Virginia Pine found in West Virginia in 2010.
But Reston’s tree still was the state champ. That is, until the Derecho blew through.
The fallen giant lay undisturbed until last week, when tree commissioners decided to cut a few cross sections– called “cookies” by tree folks — to be made into plaques and displayed at county and Reston Association offices. RA Environmental Resource Manager Claudia Thompson-Deahl says Reston’s will be displayed at Nature House at Walker Nature Center.
“It’s kind of cool that Reston Association had a national champion tree,” she said.
Indeed, the tree had stood a long time. The tree experts — who cut five cookies from the trunk — counted 125 rings, which makes the tree more than 200 years old.
The rest of the tree will be left where it fell, said Thompson-Deahl.
“It will decompose naturally,” she says. “It is in a heavily wooded area and there is no threat to being on the ground.”
Fairfax County says that the county was home to three national champion trees for many years. With the demise of Reston’s pine and of a dethroned champion chestnut in McLean in 2010, just one champ remains — a giant paw paw growing by Potomac River in Great Falls.
For more information and to see additional tree photos, visit the Fairfax County Park Authority blog.
