An update on Fairfax County’s Reston Comprehensive Plan Task Force is planned for tonight’s Reston Association Board of Directors meeting.
Established by the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors on Jan. 14, the Reston Comprehensive Plan task force has been tasked with reviewing the county’s Reston Master Plan, which guides land use, development, infrastructure, and the general vision and environment for the Reston community.
As a homeowners’ association that represents 21,346 residential units in the Reston community, Reston Association is represented on the task force by Secretary and North Point District director John Mooney with Chief Operating Officer Larry Butler serving as an alternate.
“There have been no decision points yet with the Reston Comprehensive Plan Task Force so the RA Board has not weighed in,” Mike Leone, Reston Association’s spokesperson said. “RA’s primary interest in participating on the task force is to ensure our members’ interests are heard during the task force process.”
Fairfax County originally amended Fairfax County Comprehensive Plan with a section specific to Reston in February 2014 to establish a vision for transit station areas created in anticipation of the arrival of Metro’s Silver Line.
The Board of Supervisors adopted a second phase of the Reston plan amendment in June 2015 to address the area’s village centers and residential areas, aligning the Comprehensive Plan’s recommendations with existing development.
While the Reston Comprehensive Plan was amended in 2018, the need to reexamine the plan more extensively emerged last year after county officials and residents clashed over a proposed zoning ordinance amendment that would have increased the density limits for Reston’s planned residential community district.
The proposed zoning amendment was intended to ensure Reston will be able to accommodate anticipated future growth, but many residential groups, including Reston Association, Reston 20/20, and the Reston Citizens Association, argued that it would be more effective to modify the comprehensive plan before considering changes to the PRC district density limits.
The Fairfax County Planning Commission ultimately agreed with opponents of the proposal, voting unanimously in February 2019 to recommend that the county supervisors do not amend the zoning ordinance until an amendment to the Reston Comprehensive Plan is in place.
The Board of Supervisors voted that March to indefinitely defer the proposed zoning ordinance change.
After taking office in January, Hunter Mill District Supervisor Walter Alcorn moved to establish the Reston Comprehensive Plan task force, which consists of 24 members with seven alternates and held its first meeting on May 11.
At its last meeting on Sept. 14, the task force tentatively approved topic areas, reviewed the comprehensive plan’s planning principles, and got an overview of transportation issues in Reston from Fairfax County staff, according to meeting materials.
Alcorn, who is facilitating the task force, says the group has also discussed Reston’s projected population and planned transportation improvements.
“After five meetings and 10 hours of engaged discussion, I am very excited about the work being done by the task force,” Alcorn said. “The task force is really just getting started and participation from interested members of the community is encouraged. The output of this work will guide Reston’s built and natural environment for decades to come.”
With the comprehensive plan review and community engagement process expected to take between 12 and 18 months, the task force has scheduled meetings through December, with the next one set for Sept. 30.
Other notable items on tonight’s agenda for the RA Board of Directors include:
- Approval of the proposed work plan for the multimodal transportation committee, which gives advice and policy recommendations on transportation infrastructure related to Reston
- A third-quarter information technology update, including information about the association’s new website
- A status update on completed, ongoing, and upcoming RA capital projects, including an overview of funding for its Lake Thoreau project
- A progress update on the recreation facilities working group, which is evaluating the condition, usage, and costs of the association’s recreational facilities
According to a summary in tonight’s agenda, the cancelation of camps, programs, and events, along with a shortened pool season, have had the most significant financial impact on Reston Association, lowering operating expenses by $2 million to offset a $1.5 million drop in revenue as of August.
Staff Photo by Jay Westcott
Reston Association is surveying its members to determine preferences on receiving electronic ballots, which would require members to provide email addresses to RA and candidates running for the Board of Directors.
The two-question survey, which was released yesterday, asks members if they wish to receive electronic elections ballots and if they want to receive campaign emails directly from candidates without opting in.
In the past, RA has required members to opt-in for electronic ballots. Paper ballots are mailed to members who do not opt-in.
“An increasing number of members have found online voting to be more convenient than mailing their ballots. Voting electronically helps increase participation in the annual board election, which is held throughout the month of March,” RA wrote in a statement.
The survey is intended to be an informal gauge to determine members’ preferences.
Reston Association is hosting a series of listening sessions for its members beginning next month.
All five sessions will take place virtually on Zoom. The first four sessions will be targeted to subjects related to each of Reston’s districts, according to RA. The last session, which takes place in October, will touch on general topics.
Each meeting begins at 7 p.m.
A breakdown of the schedule, along with links on how to join, is available below:
- Sept. 9 – North Point District
- Sept. 17 – South Lakes District
- Sept. 21 – Hunters Woods/Dogwood District
- Sept. 29 – Lake Anne/Tall Oaks District
- Oct. 15 – At-Large Meeting
Representatives of RA and its Board of Directors will be available to answer and field questions.
Lab results indicate that a major algae bloom at Lake Thoreau is not toxic. But Reston Association is still encouraging residents to still avoid contact with the water, which has been consumed by the bloom and a dying clumps of the Hydrilla plant.
In a statement, RA said the results “do not at this time detect potentially toxic levels of microcystins in the sample provided.” The algal species does have the ability to produce the toxins if concentrations are high enough. Residents should stay clear of the water until conditions return to normal. Some algae can cause skin rashes and gastrointestinal illnesses.
RA tried to control the growth of the Hydrilla plant through chemical treatment in late July, which may have created conditions for the algae bloom to thrive. The association noted that the treatment, which some criticized was done so too late into the summer season, did not cause the algae bloom. Other contributing factors include rain, runoff, water temperature, and the amount of nitrogen in the lake.
Local residents have launched an online petition calling on RA to clean up the lake and create a long-term plan to support its health. The petition has 86 signatures thus far.
Algae blooms, Hydrilla infestations, and other issues have bogged down the lake for several years. Some members say RA has failed to create a long-term plan to preserve the lake’s health.
The petition urges RA’s Board of Directors to fund the cleanup of the decaying Hydrilla, set up a community meeting to address concerns, establish a working group regarding the lake, and “hold people accountable for the mismanagement of this important community resource.”
RA has no immediate plans to clean up the dying Hydrilla, which it says will sink to the bottom of the lake over the next several weeks. The association also noted that treating the bloom as the Hydrilla plant dies could compromise oxygen levels at the lake and endanger aquatic life at the lake.
Photo by Jeannine Santoro
The Reston Association Board of Directors approved a committee’s updated report on the status of pedestrian and bicyclist facilities in the Reston.
The report, titled “Reston On Foot and Bicycle,” was formulated by the Multimodal Transportation Committee and is intended to serve as a resource for residents, developers, the county and state officials.
This is the fifth update of the report since it was first published in the early 1990s, according to Reston Association.
Most of the report’s recommendations continue to stress the need for an integrated network of bicycle facilities using existing streets.
“Reston has been supported by VDOT and FCDOT in making this a reality, yet many gaps remain,” according to the 33-page report.
MTC is also encouraging a number of curb cut improvements in Reston. The overall effort requires more cooperation between the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors, VDOT, the Northern Virginia Transportation Authority and the Northern Virginia Transportation Commission, the report states.
File photo
Reston Association’s Board of Directors is improving gaps around financial decision-making due to its acceptance of a $1.3 million Paycheck Protection Program loan that it did not qualify for several months ago.
Some RA members criticized CEO Hank Lynch for pursuing the PPP loan in late March without consulting the Board of Directors in a formal meeting. RA President Julie Bitzer, board members, general counsel, and RA’s Principal Financial Officer were consulted prior to making the decision. The funds were returned on May 14 with no legal penalties or financial costs.
In a July 23 statement, Bitzer said the process indicated there is a “substantial gap in our governing instruments.”
“Specifically, formal controls on the manner in which RA may obtain unsecured loans do not exist,” she wrote in the board-authorized statement.
She also noted that staff and board officers made “assumptions and errors” in the rush to protect RA’s financial stability in response to COVID-19, adding that the majority of the board does not believe Lynch acted with ill intent or exceeded his authority.
In May, Reston Association declined to release information about the amount of the loan to Reston Now. The issue was first publicly raised during a May board meeting when Lynch briefed the board on why the loan was returned.
Nonetheless, RA passed several motions to close gaps in decision-making and improve overall coordination this month:
Move to direct the CEO to present to the FiscalCommittee all current unsecured loans previously entered into for their review and to direct the FiscalCommitteeto provide its review and recommendations on those loans to the Board at the September 2020 regular full Board meeting.
Move to direct that the BOD and CEO establish a periodic review of our business processes and controls to continue to refine our operations.
Move to instruct the Fiscal Committee and Board Governance Committee toreview and provide draft amendments to Staff’s draft revisions of Assessmentand Finance Resolution 10:Budget Amendments to clarify what constitutes amaterial change to the biennial budget that will require action by the Board ofDirectors. The BOD asks that it be presented Resolution 10 draft amendments on or before its November2020full BOD meeting for their consideration and action
In late June, the board also directed the CEO and staff to take no action on obtaining more loans — whether secured or unsecured — without board approval.
Bitzer also noted that Lynch’s decision to cancel summer programs qualified as a public health decision, not a budgetary decision. The decision was critiqued by some members who asserted that the change was a budget amendment, which only the board is authorized to complete.
“Few, if any, organizations were fully prepared for the COVID-19 pandemic, and RestonAssociation was no exception. Organizations had to respond to the crisis, initially at least, with the resources they had on hand and then quickly assemble additional resources to deal with both obvious and also not-so-obvious potential challenges to the organization’s functioning and, for some, their very existence,” Bitzer wrote.
Photo via YouTube
Northam Considers Rolling Back Reopening — “Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam has a warning for Virginians. He tweeted Saturday that he will be watching public health data as COVID-19 cases increase in the Commonwealth.” [FOX 5]
Quiet Opening for Apple Store in Reston Town Center — “The new, larger store has quietly opened for business, welcoming customers earlier this month. Usually, new Apple stores are accompanied by much hoopla and celebration. But not this time. In order to keep crowds down, the store just opened. Temperature taking, hand sanitizing, limited customers inside, and lines out front are all part of the new Apple store experience.” [The Burn]
Design Review Board Candidates Sought — Reston Association is seeking volunteers to serve on the board for two volunteer positions. The application is available online. [Reston Association]
Photo via vantagehill/Flickr
Weather-related Road Closures — Although no roads are closed in Reston, a number of areas throughout the county remain impacted by yesterday’s storm. [Fairfax County Police Department]
Reston Association Board Meets Tonight — The Board of Directors will meet virtually today at 6:30 p.m. The meeting will take place via Zoom. [Reston Association]
Founding Farmers, Comstock to Deliver Food to Shelter — “Comstock Companies and Founding Farmers are partnering to provide breakfast and boxed lunches to the the Embry Rucker Shelter over the next month. Embry Rucker, which is located at 11975 Bowman Towne Drive, is a 70-bed residential shelter that provides housing for individuals and families in Reston.” [Reston Patch]
Photo via Marjorie Copson
Plans to reactivate the Hunters Woods Ballfield — which is behind Reston Community Center — are moving forward after Reston Association’s Board of Directors approved a conceptual plan at a meeting last night (Thursday).
RA is working with community stakeholders, including the Hunters Woods Neighborhood Coalition, to reactive the site, which is no longer used by Reston-Herndon Little League due to its long distance from the nearest parking lot.
The conceptual plan, developed with the help of architecture firm Kimley-Horn, would repurpose the area into common open space with a pathway, entrance to the field, additional trees and landscaping. More features would be installed during later phases, including:
- A library book share
- Sledding hill
- Meadow
- Imprinted concrete
- Perennial garden
- Raingarden
- Mile marker sign
“We want to build that excitement,” said Larry Butler, RA’s Chief Operating Officer. Butler said local stakeholders are excited about the project.
The board authorized funds last year to repurpose the ballfield. Plan to install additional pathway lighting in the area — which were originally presented alongside the repurposing proposal — is expected to come before an RA committee next month.
With the board’s approval secured, the plan will be presented to Fairfax County planners and RA’s Design Review Board.
A cost estimate for the project was not immediately available, but surveying, engineering and permitting could cost around $25,00, Butler said. Grading will require a minor site plan.
RA Board President Julie Bitzer described the proposal as a “passive park.”
Reston Association’s Board of Directors will meet today (Thursday) to discuss a concept plan for the Hunters Woods Ballfield and plans to reopen pools for this year’s season.
The meeting will take place at 6:30 p.m. via Zoom.
Design consultant Kimley-Horn created several concept images to repurpose the Hunters Woods ballfield, which is located behind Reston Community Center Hunters Woods. Design sketches show the space would largely be maintained as open space, with the addition of trees and pedestrian-friendly infrastructure.
The Hunters Woods Neighborhood Coalition is encouraging RA to repurpose the ball field, which is no longer used by the Reston-Herndon Little League. So far, a pathway lighting project north of the Hunters Woods Village Center is under consideration, with roughly 16 light poles at a cost of $100,000.
The board could approve a concept plan, which would then be considered by RA’s Design Review Board and county planners. More details are expected at the meeting.
RA will also discuss plans to open more pools. So far, only four pools will reopen on June 29, with several restrictions in place. The full agenda is available online.
File photo
Reston Association is planning to open some tennis and pickleball courts if Northern Virginia begins phase one of its reopening plan on May 29.
At a board meeting last night (Thursday), RA CEO Hank Lynch said that the responsibility of enforcing rules will fall on the tennis community.
“We are looking at how to open up our tennis facilities in a way that would keep social distancing in mind,” Lynch said. Only 14 tennis courts and two pickleball courts — the names of which have not been released yet — will reopen during phase one. Courts will remain open from dawn to 9 p.m.
The following procedures, among others, will be followed:
- Social distancing and maximum gathering requirements (groups of less than 10)
- Minimizing high-touch areas in high traffic areas like entry gates, benches, and equipment
- Some nets will be lowered on courts to ensure there are large spaces between courts.
Staff said they will continue to consult local jurisdictions on how they plan to handle opening tennis courts, as well as guidelines issued by the United States Tennis Association and the American Pickleball Association.
Photo via Reston Association
Reston Association is taking another look at its finances and budget projections due to the fallout of the COVID-19 pandemic.
At a meeting on Thursday, May 21, RA’s Board of Directors will discuss the impact of the pandemic on the budget, revenues, camps, pools, and other items. CEO Hank Lynch is also expected to offer an update on the status of strategic goals recently outlined by the association.
RA expected to see a decline in revenues from The Lake House. The amended 2020 budget also shows expected decreases in allocations for the Walker Nature Center, environmental education, and camp, according to a draft agenda of Thursday’s meeting.
So far, RA has canceled its 2020 summer camps program entirely.
“Based on all uncertainties associated with COVID-19 and feedback we have been receiving from parents of campers, as well as steps taken by other summer camp providers in the Northern Virginia area — Reston Association is canceling its 2020 summer camps program.”
RA pools could see a dramatic decline of 70 percent or more, according to projections in the draft agenda.
“Total pool use will be down significantly… based o near of infection even when use of pools is authorized,” the agenda states.
A $150,000 shortfall is also projected from sponsorship revenues this year.
The association will determine how many pools will open depending on the number of staff that can complete a water rescue test, which cannot be completed online. RA hopes to have enough qualified and certified staff by July 1 to ensure that a minimum of four pools are fully staffed and operational.
It’s also unclear when tennis courts will be open. Depending on when social distancing requirements are relaxed in Northern Virginia, some tennis courts would be open in June. Projected tennis revenue is expected to decrease by 57 percent.
The meeting begins online at 6:30 p.m.
Local Police Investigate Attempting Robbery — A man attempted to take cash from a truck driver while he was sitting in his vehicle on May 13 at around 3:50 p.m. The incident happened on the 1500 block of Cameron Crescent Drive. The suspect ran away and no injuries were reported. [Fairfax County Police Department]
Reston Woman Creates “Dating While Gray” Podcast — “On Thursday, Laura Stassi of Reston posted the latest episode of “Dating While Gray,” a biweekly podcast focusing on love and relationships in the 50-and-over crowd. The new episode marks the end of the podcast’s first 10-episode season. The 59-year-old writer and editor, who has authored several nonfiction children’s books, never imagined she would get the chance to host her own podcast. It’s not what she had planned.” [Reston Patch]
Reston Association Board Elects Officers — At a meeting earlier this week, the Board of Directors elected four of its officers for the coming year. Julie Bitzer is president, Caren Anton is vice president, John Mooney is secretary and Robert Petrine is treasurer. [Reston Association]
Face Coverings Required on Fairfax Connector — Passengers on Fairfax Connector buses must wear face coverings starting on Monday, May 18. But passengers have a weeklong grace period through Monday, May 24. The county’s transportation department previously only encouraged wearing face coverings. [Fairfax County Government]
Cause of Great Falls House Fire Under Investigation — Authorities are investigating why a house on the 800 block of Walker Road caught fire on Tuesday, May 12. One resident was displaced as a result of the incident. [Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department]
Photo via vantagehill/Flickr
Reston Association’s Board of Directors will select new its new officers at an online meeting tomorrow (Wednesday) at 6:30 p.m.
Newly elected members Robert Petrine, Sarah Selvaraj-Dsouza and Mike Collins recently won seats on the board, as well as incumbent Caren Anton.
The board will select a president, vice president, secretary and treasurer for the coming year.
Here’s more from Reston Association on the process:
The selection process involves board members submitting nominations and then nominees making brief statements about their qualifications to serve as an officer. Then the board will vote. A simple majority of the nine-member board is required for a director to be chosen for an officer’s position.
The board will also select committee assignments for entities like the fiscal committee and the environmental advisory committee.
A virtual meeting is also planned on May 21 at 6:30. p.m. RA’s Design Review Board will hold a virtual meeting on May 27 at 6 p.m.
Details on how to log-in are available online.
Photo via RA/Facebook
At an annual meeting held online yesterday (Thursday), Reston Association announced the results of its board election.
Robert Petrine won the at-large seat for a three-year term while Sarah Selvaraj-Dsouza won the at-large seat for a one-year term. Current board member Caren Anton retained her three-year position for the Hunters Woods/Dogwood District seat and Mike Collins won the seat for apartment owners, which also has a three-year term.
Ed Abbott, chair of the elections committee, said that a 10 percent quorum to make the results official was met in the election this year. Overall, turnout was around 16 percent for all races.
Despite technical challenges on the first few days of voting, Abbott said he was confident about the integrity of the election results. Some RA members received ballots with names of other members.
A breakdown of voter turnout for each position is below:
- At-large (one-year): 18 percent
- At large (three-year): 18 percent
- Hunters Woods/Dogwood: 14.5 percent
- Apartment Owners Representative: 33 percent
The new board will select officers this month. The elections committee will evaluate the election and provide recommendations on how to improve the voting process to the board in the coming months.
The meeting was held virtually via Zoom and included live comments from RA members. Hunter Mill District Supervisor Walter Alcorn, who spoke at the meeting, said he was impressed by the set up of the event.
Photo via YouTube
