The recent sale of Reston National Golf Course to a pair of Baltimore developers has piqued concerns about the possible redevelopment of the 164-acre property. Weller Development Cos. and War Horse Cities told Reston Now the companies have no information to share about possible redevelopment.

If the 18-hole golf course’s redevelopment goes before the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors, the plan could be a tough sell for the future Hunter Mill District Supervisor.

All five candidates running for the seat vacated by Cathy Hudgins said they do not support an amendment to Reston’s comprehensive plan to allow redevelopment of the site. In statements to Reston Now, each candidate took strikingly similar stances on the potential redevelopment of the golf course.

The comprehensive plan states that Reston National and Hidden Creek Country Club — the community’s two golf courses — are “planned for private recreational use, more specifically to remain as golf courses.”

Laurie Dodd — who said she was the only candidate who testified to protect the golf course in 2015 — said she will be a “strong advocate for the residents of the district, who have already made it clear that nothing should be built on either Reston golf course.” The Reston-based lawyer noted that lost open space can never be recovered.

Calling himself a “progressive candidate with a proven record of giving a voice to citizens and whose livelihood is independent of the development industry,” Walter Alcorn, a former Fairfax County planning commissioner, said he is committed to ensuring Reston’s comprehensive plan is respected.

“It does not matter who owns the golf course because the comprehensive plan calls for that property to be a golf course, and that prevents its development,” Alcorn said.

Maggie Parker, an executive with Comstock Companies, said she will advocate for green and open spaces in the community as well.

“While I personally view the sales as unfortunate, I must practically view them as sales of private property with development restrictions that should not change. I will continue to work with the community to protect what makes Reston the place we call home,” Parker said.

Parker Messick, a recent Roanoke College graduate, said he will “do everything in his power to utilize the power of the comprehensive plan and the zoning powers that supervisors have to make sure Reston National is never developed upon.”

“If development is allowed on Reston National, we will lose one of our previous green spaces that cannot so easily be replaced,” he said.

Shyamali Hauth, a U.S. Air Fore veteran and community advocate, also stated that she will stand with Rescue Reston — a community advocacy organization that formed in response to the threat of Reston National’s redevelopment several years ago — to oppose redevelopment.

“I stand firmly with Rescue Reston, where I have been an active member since 2015, and am committed to preventing any comprehensive plan amendment to allow development that does not keep them in their current open space capacity. Open green spaces are essential in terms of environmental sustainability as well as quality of life,” Hauth said.

She said she is deeply concerned the golf course was purchased by developer.

“There has been no outreach to the surrounding community or Rescue Reston prior to this sale. I hope that the new owners will come out and state clearly that they plan to keep Reston National a public golf course,” she said.

File photo

Five Democrats are running for the seat of Hunter Mill District Supervisor after Cathy Hudgins, the current supervisor, announced plans to retire earlier this year. This week, Reston Now will publish candidate statements for each of the candidates.

Statements, which are in question-and-answer format, are published in the order in which they are received. With the exception of minor formatting edits, profiles are published in unedited form. Each candidate had the opportunity to answer the same questions in their own words. Stay tuned for a stand-alone article on the candidates’ positions on the recent sale of Reston National Golf Course.

What inspired you to run for this seat?

The Reston land use battles inspired me to run. As Reston grows around our new transit stations we must make sure infrastructure keeps pace, our green spaces are protected, and that we build on our tradition as the first open community in Virginia. New development must be managed to protect our residential neighborhoods, facilitate mobility, and provide housing and economic opportunities for all. Growth should not clog our roads nor price-out residents.

I am also running to improve the process for citizen engagement to ensure that communities are fully empowered in the planning and development review processes.

What are the three biggest concerns you have for Reston? What do you plan to do to address them?

My three biggest concerns for Reston are 1) plans for village center redevelopment, 2) balancing Reston’s population growth and infrastructure, and 3) preserving and increasing affordable housing. All three of these are guided in the adopted comprehensive plan.

And we need to update the comprehensive plan in 2020:

1. Reston Village Center Redevelopment. Instead of the high-rises currently allowed in the adopted comprehensive plan, village centers such as South Lakes, Hunters Woods and North Point should undergo a rigorous community engagement process that reflects the needs and desires of the community before any density is assumed or development plans approved.

2. Reston’s population growth. Should Reston’s population in 30 years be 90,000 — or in 40 years be 120,000, as suggested previously by the Coalition for a Planned Reston? This number should come from a community-wide discussion and a plan for balancing development and infrastructure. The result should be reflected in the comprehensive plan.

3. Inclusivity and affordable housing. New county plan language on retaining existing affordable housing is sorely needed. The best approach may not always be redevelopment at three-to-four times current densities. Our kids growing up here should be able to afford to live here in the future.

How can the county improve how it manages growth and development in this growing community, especially as it relates to infrastructure needs, transportation, and affordable housing?

First, modify the comprehensive plan for Reston as suggested above.

Second, empower communities to chart their own future. For example, concerning efforts to redevelop Reston’s golf courses into other uses, the adopted comprehensive plan specifies their use as golf courses. As Hunter Mill Supervisor I would strengthen the role of affected residents by not initiating any possible change to the comprehensive plan until communities surrounding the courses so requested (i.e., residents in affected clusters — not developer-owned properties). Even then there must be support from the broader community (e.g., golfers, users of the trails through the course). Absent such support the golf courses should remain golf courses.

Third, we should accelerate critical infrastructure improvements to failing intersections, make or improve inadequate bicycle and pedestrian connections to transit and to workplaces.

These changes should be done through the One Fairfax lens which recognizes diversity as a core strength of Fairfax County. We should be inspired by and seek to carry forward the vision of Reston founder Robert E. Simon Jr. who created the first open community in Virginia — a place where people of all races could live together. Today we face new challenges to ensure inclusion and equity on many levels, including race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, income, ability, or where someone lives or has lived.

What do you hope to accomplish in this position?

1. Clean up the Reston Phase 2 Comprehensive Plan (see above).

2. Implement the affordable housing land use reforms developed by a work group I chaired in 2017 to get thousands of new affordable units across Fairfax County. This includes policies to allow old office parks and commercial centers to convert to mixed income communities but only with significantly higher affordable housing commitments — closer to 30 percent than the current 10 percent.

3. Develop a Fairfax County Energy and Climate Action Plan for both county operations — 3 percent of the local problem — and its residents and businesses which generate 97 percent of Fairfax County greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The plan should incorporate the following:

1. Affordable Living/Housing Strategy. Focus benefits of this plan (e.g., lower energy bills) on communities that would benefit the most as an extension of the county’s affordable housing initiatives.

2. Sustainable Mobility. Prioritize low-carbon transportation options and related strategies around transit, walking, biking, telecommuting, electric vehicles, and emerging mobility options that reduce GHG emissions.

3. Incorporate Renewable Energy Strategies into Facility Renovations and New Construction Projects. Plan and budget for the implementation of solar, wind and other renewable energy generation into the County’s Capital Improvement Program.

4. End monopolistic ownership of the core of Reston Town Center by including updated language in the Reston Comprehensive Plan. When a single landowner controls the accessible parking garages, storefronts and streets with no public ownership nor public spaces the broader community suffers from unnecessary parking fees and other arbitrary decisions.

Photo via Walter Alcorn

Five Democrats are running for the seat of Hunter Mill District Supervisor after Cathy Hudgins, the current supervisor, announced plans to retire earlier this year. This week, Reston Now will publish candidate statements for each of the candidates.

Statements, which are in question-and-answer format, are published in the order in which they are received. With the exception of minor formatting edits, profiles are published in unedited form. Each candidate had the opportunity to answer the same questions in their own words. Stay tuned for a stand-alone article on the candidates’ positions on the recent sale of Reston National Golf Course.

What inspired you to run for this seat? 

I decided to run for the Hunter Mill Supervisor’s position because I feel that the wishes of the community have too often been ignored, and that the developers have been allowed to gain too much power. I believe it is imperative that our local supervisor reflect the wishes of the people of Hunter Mill, and stand up to those who go against the people’s wishes. The developers have been the largest aggressors against what the people of Hunter Mill have wanted in my opinion.

In Reston we have seen a massive proliferation of high rises that much of the community has been against. This is on top of the fact that many more have already been approved, and have not broken ground. There will be little the new supervisor can do to stop those that have already been approved meaning the situation is already worse than it may currently appear. I want to make sure that going forwarded that any new development passes two litmus tests.

Does it have the approval of the community, and will it be truly beneficial? If not the developers should not have their way, and I would stand up to them to protect our great community. The issue of the paid parking in the Reston Town Center is another example of the developers excessive power with Boston Properties having created a significant problem at the center of community. I am running because I want this to end and the will of the people be implemented.

What are the three biggest concerns you have for Reston? What do you plan to do address them? 

My three biggest concerns for Reston are the issue of development that does not reflect the communities wishes, the situation of paid parking at the Reston Town Center, and making sure that all of our schools receive the proper resources to succeed. In Reston Town Center, the fact that Boston Properties was able to obtain complete ownership has caused significant problems for our community. The introduction of the paid parking program has been devastating.

Since its introduction, the amount of people who go to Town Center has declined drastically with many still refusing to outright go anymore. As a result of this many businesses have been forced to leave with those who remain having significant cuts to their profits. I want to bargain with Boston Properties to get contractual obligation with the county that ends the Paid Parking situation. Boston Properties wants numerous things from the county ranging from zoning changes, regulations, taxes and more. This leaves a wide range of room to get a deal that will see this awful policy end.

When it comes to education I want to see that our schools are fully funded, our class sizes are reduced, and that our teachers are paid better. Fairfax County already has a very good education system, but it can be much better. If we make sure our schools are not overcrowded and receive the necessary resources we will see major improvement in our education system going forward.

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Candidates running for Hunter Mill District Supervisor will discuss their ideas about business issues at a candidate forum next week.

The Greater Reston Chamber of Commerce is hosting a forum on Friday, May 17 from 8-10 a.m. at Cooley Law Offices (11951 Freedom Drive). Candidates vying for the seat vacated by Hunter Mill District Supervisor Cathy Hudgins will touch on issues including budget and taxation, growth and development, transportation, and affordable housing.

Tracy Baynard of McGuireWoods Consulting will moderate the event. After candidates make opening statements, Baynard will ask follow-up questions. No time is allotted to rebut other candidates’ responses.

Questions, which will not be shared in advance with candidates, will be pre-selected by GRCC’s planning committee and can be submitted to [email protected]. 

Four Democrats are running for Hudgins’ seat: Walter Alcorn, Laurie Dodd, Shyamali Hauth, Parker Messick, and Maggie Parker. 

Photo by Greater Reston Chamber of Commerce

Fairfax County needs election offices for the June 11 Democratic primary election.

The Fairfax County Office of Elections is looking for officers to serve in Reston and Herndon for the primary, during which voters will select a candidate for the Hunter Mill District Supervisor seat.

Election officers must complete a three-hour training before they can work at polls. Training classes will be offered through late May. Officers are paid $175 for a full day, although officers can also volunteer their time.

Bilingual election officers who can speak Korean and English or Vietnamese and English fluently are also needed.

For more information on becoming an election officer, visit the Fairfax County Office of Elections, or call at 703-324-4735, TTY 711.

File photo

Candidates vying for the seat of Hunter Mill District Supervisor Cathy Hudgins will participate in a candidate forum on the environment on Thursday (May 2).

The forum, which includes candidates for supervisor in the Dranesville, Providence and Sully Districts, takes place at the Northern Virginia Hebrew Congregation (1441 Wiehle Avenue ) from 7-9 p.m.

Candidates will share their environmental and energy platform with Fairfax County constituents. Star Muir, an associate professor of communication at George Mason University, will moderate the event.

So far, Hunter Mill District Supervisor candidates Walter Alcorn, Laurie Dodd, and Shyamali Hauth have confirmed their attendance, according to event organizers. The election is set for June 11.

The event is hosted by 350 Fairfax, faith Alliance for Climate Solutions, Food & Water Action, Friends of Accotink Creek, Our Revolution Northern Virginia and other community partners.

File photo

Cornerstones, a nonprofit organization that helps individuals overcome tough economic times, is hosting a forum on affordable housing next month for candidates running for the Hunter Mill District Supervisor seat

The event, which takes place on Monday, May 13 from 7-9 p.m. at Heritage Fellowship Church (2501 Fox Mill Road), was organized in response to the “housing affordability crisis” in Fairfax County, according to Cornerstones. More than 44 percent of renters and 22 percent of homeowners spend more than 30 percent of their income on housing, according to the county’s strategic plan.

Candidates for the Hunter Mill District Supervisor seat will answer questions about affordable housing and economic development in Fairfax County from a panel of businesses and community leaders. A meet and greet reception will follow the question-and-answer period at 8:30 p.m.

Rev. Debra Haffner of the Unitarian Universalist Church in Reston will moderate the event. The forum is free and open to all, but attendees should register online. Hunter Mill District residents can submit questions about affordable housing to [email protected]. Questions will be selected prior to the event.

The Hunter Mill District Supervisor election is set for June 11.

Photo by Reston Association

As the race for the Hunter Mill District Supervisor seat heads to the wire on June 11, former Fairfax County Planning Commissioner Walter Alcorn is well ahead of the four other Democrats vying for the seat.

Alcorn has a sizeable war chest of $44,492 after raising $70,975, dwarfing fundraising efforts by other candidates, according to the latest campaign finance report. Alcorn pulled in 144 donations that were more than $100, including $10,000 from the Consumer Technology Association, an Arlington-based standards and trade organization.

Democratic candidates are seeking to fill the seat of Hunter Mill District Supervisor Cathy Hudgins, who was first elected to the board in 1999 and is nearing the end of her fifth term. Hudgins announced her intention to retire in January.

Laurie Dodd, a Reston-based lawyer, and Shyamali Hauth, a U.S. Air Force veteran and community advocate, competed for the second place spot. Hauth raised $16,372 and spent nearly $11,000 while Dodd raised $15,634 and spent $9,203. A significant chunk of that number — $6,000 — was from a loan she gave herself.

Parker Messick, a recent Roanoke College graduate, raked in $6,916, out-raising Maggie Parker, an executive with Comstock Companies, who had $3,949. Parker was a late comer to the race, as she announced her candidacy days before the campaign finance report period ended. Parker spent all of her cash, all of which came from herself.

Messick announced his candidacy before Hudgins said she would retire while Parker joined the race just a few weeks ago. He also spent most of his funds, leaving him with $1,732 as of March 31.

The Reston Citizens Association plans to hold a Hunter Mill District Supervisor forum today at the Jo Ann Rose Gallery (1609-A Washington Plaza N.) from 7-9 p.m.

Hunter Mill Supervisor Candidates’ Forum To Take Place Today — Reston Citizens Association is hosting a forum after Reston Community Center at Lake Anne today from 7-9 p.m. Moderators will lead the discussion, but questions will be accepted from the audience. [Reston Citizens Association]

Brookfield Platform Gives Access Across 13 Buildings — Brookfield Properties is rolling out a new platform that gives office tenants across a 13-building portfolio, including several buildings in Reston like Halley Rise and Summit II. [Bisnow]

Silver Line Phase Two Construction Prompts Lane and Ramp Closures –– Several lanes will be closed through Saturday this week, including parts of Herndon Parkway, Sunrise Valley Drive, Sunset Hills Road and Dulles Toll Road. A complete list of closures is available online. [Dulles Corridor Metrorail Project]

Flickr pool photo by vantagehill

Some of the Area’s Largest Veteran-owned Companies are in Reston — With 82 employees and $502.8 million in total revenue last year, ThunderCat Technology (1925 Isaac Newton Square) is the second largest veteran-owned company in the District area. Other Reston companies also topped the list. [Washington Business Journal]

Hunter Mill District Supervisor Candidates’ Forum Set for Tuesday — Reston Citizens Association is hosting a candidate forum from 7-9 p.m. at Lake Anne Community Center (1609-A Washington Plaza N). Dennis Hays, RCA’s president, said the organization is “very excited to resume our long tradition” of hosting a candidate forum. [Reston Citizens Association]

Fox and Kits Get Some Attention — A red fox and her kittens have built a tiny home in Autumnwood area. A video of the mom calling to her babies has generated some attention online. [Walker Nature Center]

Flickr pool photo by vantagehill