This is a sponsored column by Eve Thompson of Reston Real Estate. She writes twice weekly on Reston Now.
Working with Reston Association’s Design Review Board can be intimidating to new home owners, but the process is really very easy — and everyone at RA willing to help you through it. I shared the basic process of working with the DRB in January. This month, I’ll take you through submitting your design review application. All of the forms can be found on the RA website.
You are responsible for having your project reviewed and approved. RA’s staff and the DRB are more than willing to work with you and your contractor. In fact, many contractors that work in Reston are fantastic resources for navigating the design review process — and for designing improvements that the DRB will approve. Ultimately, though, you are responsible for ensuring your property complies with the Design Covenants and Guidelines.
One of the biggest reason an application gets rejected is because the homeowner hasn’t provided all of the required information. It may take a while to pull this information together, but it will save time in the long run. If you are confused about any of it, your RA Covenants Advisor is a great resource. Call RA (703-435-6530) to connect with your advisor.
What the application must include
As a reminder, if you are a member of Reston Association, you need to submit an application to the DRB if you want to make a change to the exterior of your home. If you’re renovating your kitchens or bathroom, you don’t need to go through this process. However, if it’s happening on the outside of your home, here is what the DRB wants to see (taken from the RA website):
- A detailed written description of the proposed exterior modification or addition
- Scale drawings
- A site plan showing size and location of project
- Photographs of the existing condition
- A brochure, detail sheet, or catalog photo of materials
- Estimated project completion date(s) (projects must be started within six (6) months of the date of approval and completed within eighteen (18) months of the date of approval)
- The signatures of at least three different property owners adjacent to or within view of the applicant’s alteration or improvement.
- In addition, if your property is located within a Cluster Association at least one of the signatures must be that of a Cluster Officer. Please note, the neighbors’ acknowledgment is neither an approval nor disapproval of your application.
- At the discretion of the DRB, applications that the DRB determines to have a wider impact on the community may be required to provide additional notice beyond the signatory requirements of this provision.
When you’re done collecting all of this information, you can drop your application off in person, fax it to 703-673-2040, email it to your Covenants Advisor as an attachment, or mail it to: Reston Association, Covenants Administration, 12001 Sunrise Valley Dr., Reston, VA 20191-3404
After RA receives your application, staff and/or members of the DRB may visit your property, and possibly photograph it, for reference.
That’s it for the application. To learn more about the entire application process, visit the RA website.
Longtime Reston resident Diane Blust, who leads several local groups committed to the environment, has been named 2014 Volunteer of the Year by Reston Association.
Blust has served on RA’s Environmental Advisory Committee and was the chair of RA’s Sustainability Working Group.
Outside of RA, Blust serves as the president of Sustainable Reston and was instrumental in developing that group’s partnership with Cornerstones to organize community garden plots at Reston’s Cedar Ridge Apartments.
Blust also runs the Wednesday Smart Market farmers market, which is located in the parking lot near RA headquarters each Wednesday evening from May to October, and is the co-founder of of Reston’s Environmental Film Series.
Others earning annual awards at Reston Association’s Annual Meeting on Tuesday:
Volunteer Group of the Year – Richard Padgett, Molly O’Boyle and Karen Parnicky
Padgett, O’Boyle and Parnicky serve as garden plot coordinators for Reston Association’s four community garden plots. The trip responds to inquiries, inspecting plots and advising RA staff on plots that need assistance, among other duties.
Community Partner of the Year – Boofie O’Gorman Team
The Boofie O’Gorman Team from Long & Foster Real Estate’s Reston office donated more than $5,000 and more than 100 volunteer hours to the 2013 Reston Kids’ Triathlon. Among other community support: Boofie and daughter Margaret serve on the Board of Directors of the YMCA Fairfax County Reston.
The team also supports the Reston Triathlon by providing paid entry fees for first responders and supports the Reston Sprint Triathlon and the new Runners Marathon of Reston. The team also donates $1,000 annually to the Reston Association Camp Scholarship fund, which helps children in the community attend RA camps a reduced cost.
The Reston Association welcomed new members to the Board of Directors at Tuesday’s Annual Members’ Meeting.
Jeff Thomas was elected to the three-year At-Large seat, defeating incumbent RA Vice President Andy Sigle and three other candidates.
Also earning a three-year term was Lucinda Shannon, who ran unopposed for the Hunters Woods/Dogwood seat.
Rachel Muir was elected to fill the remaining one year on an At-Large seat vacated by Donna Rostant in 2013.
Ellen Graves, who had been filling the remaining time left on the vacated Hunters Woods/Dogwood seat, ran unopposed for the Apartment Owners’ seat. However, there was a late write-in candidate, Kimberly Miller, also on the ballot.
Reston Association has a full tabulation of voting results on its website.
RA Election Committee Chair Ed Robichaud said about 14 percent of member households voted this year. He says his persona goal is to get a 20 percent return. About 1,600 voters opted in to online only for future campaign materials and voting, which will save RA about 2,000. There will be a further effort to encourage the online option, he said.
A new board president, vice president, treasurer and secretary will be appointed by the board on Wednesday.
The members of Reston Association’s Board of Directors are now: Eve Thompson, Lake Anne/ Tall Oaks District Director; Tim Cohn, North Point District Director; Lucinda Shannon, Hunters Woods/Dogwood District Director; Richard Chew, South Lakes District Director; Ellen Graves, Apartment Owners’ Representative; Ken Knueven, At-Large Director; Jeff Thomas, At-Large Director; Michael Sanio, At-Large Director; Rachel Muir, At-Large Director (1 year-term)
Photos: (from top) Jeff Thomas, Rachel Muir, Ellen Graves, Lucinda Shannnon
Reston Association’s Science Camp will return to the United States Geological Survey headquarters after sequestration cuts shut out the kids last year.
Prior to 2013, RA partnered with USGS for 17 years, where real scientists helped instruct campers ages 8 to 12, who attended camp on the grounds of the agency. Camp was held at a Reston elementary school in 2013 as all USGS outreach activities were put on hiatus and some scientists were furloughed.
But the budget is back for 2014. Registration for Science Camp begins April 14. RA says it will transfer those on the Science Camp waiting list or those enrolled in other camps to Science Camp if requested. Visit RA’s website for more information.
All Reston Association members are invited to hear about the state of the association and find out Board of Directors’ election results at the RA Annual Members Meeting Tuesday at 7 p.m. at RA Headquarters, 12001 Sunrise Valley Dr.
The event caps a busy election season in which eight candidates (as well as a write-in candidate) were on the ballot for four open seats.
Read more about the board candidates here:
At the meeting, RA will also say goodbye to departing board member Amanda Andere, who is finishing her three-year term as the Apartment Owners representative, and thank John Higgins and Ellen Graves for filling in for partial terms on the board. The association will also honor some special members and talk about the year’s highlights.
Reston Association has chosen Tricia Holman-Pierce’s video Life as a Reston Canine as the Grand Prize winner of it My Community Video Contest.
Holman-Pierce tells the story of all there is to do in Reston — the lakes, ice skating at Reston Town Center, and dining at Lake Anne among them — through the eyes of her French Bulldog.
RA kicked off the contest last summer, when it asked for three-minute videos showing why you liked to Live, Work, Play and Get Involved in Reston.
Holman-Pierce will win a $1,000 prize
Reston Association will recognize and congratulate the winners of the My Community video contest at the Annual Members’ Meeting on Tuesday, April 8.
Other winners:
- Juliette Rossant: Moon Viewing Platform – 2nd Place
- Emily Marquet: Leave that Little Old Farm Market Alone – Honorable Mention
- Elizabeth Scheurer: Reston Mural Movie – Honorable Mention
- Taylor Mauceri: Reston: A Place to Live – Honorable Mention
- Steve Jones: Why Our Family Loves Reston – Honorable Mention
When a Reston Little League Class AAA game gets underway at Brown’s Chapel Field on Friday, it will usher in a new era at the Reston Association park.
After years of discussion, lights have finally been installed at Brown’s Chapel Field No. 1.
The Reston Association Design Review Board approved the installation of lights last June.
Like many changes in Reston, it was not a quick and easy process to get night baseball at Brown’s Chapel.
While the field improvements were initially approved and money ($282,000) allocated in the 2012-13 RA budget, there was concern by nearby residents that the lights and after-dark noise would interfere with the peaceful surroundings.
Still, the plan was OKed and six, 60-foot light poles were installed. Each with three 1500W fixtures.
Plans for lighting at two additional Brown’s Chapel fields have been postponed, as have lights for the parking lot lights and concession stand.
Kimberly Miller, a portfolio manager for developer JBG Companies, says she hopes to being a voice of the apartment industry on the Reston Association Board.
Miller was technically not on the ballot as an Apartment Owners rep for the 2014 elections, which closed at 5 p.m. on Monday. She says she intended to file by the Feb. 14 deadline, but was delayed by snow that week and missed the deadline by about 30 minutes. She has been campaigning as a write-in candidate.
The Apartment Owners seat represents the businesses — JBG among them — that own multifamily units in Reston. It is somewhat different than the other board seats in that the rep, who does not have to live in Reston, only is elected by a voting pool of 20. The director also does not have to actually own apartments in Reston.
The seat is open because current Apartment Owners Director Amanda Andere did not run again. Ellen Graves, who has served in a number of leadership positions in Reston, is also running for the Apartment Owners Director spot.
Miller, a former Reston resident who now lives in Aldie, has managed Reston properties for several companies during her career.
“I feel like the apartment industry is such a fundamental part of Reston,” she said. “I think it would be great to have a voice that understands our industry. It is a great opportunity for the apartment industry to become more involved with Cornerstones, Taste of Reston, and other Reston organizations.”
In Reston, JBG currently owns Fairway Apartments (which has been slated for massive redevelopment) as well as Charter Oaks Apartments. It also owns the Reston Heights development where the Mercer Condos, the Sheraton Reston and the Westin Reston Heights are located. That area is also slated for additional expansion and development.
Miller said Metro’s arrival in Reston is “the biggest challenge” facing Reston Association.
“JBG’s properties are on North Shore, so I am interested in how we are going to be moving in Reston without creating backups,” she said.
RA election results will be announced April 8.
Several members of the Reston Association Board of Directors are concerned that a write-in candidate may be leading the in the votes for the Apartment Owners seat.
Ellen Graves is the official candidate for the spot, but Kimberly Miller, a portfolio manager with developer The JBG Companies has received many votes, RA sources said.
The spot is open because current apartment owner rep Amanda Andere is not running for re-election. Graves is currently on the board representing Hunters Woods/Dogwood. She was appointed last summer to fill out the remaining months of the term after Cheryl Beamer resigned.
Graves would not comment and Miller did not return messages. Miller is not a Reston Association member, but RA bylaws allow a non-resident to be in that spot.
While there is nothing in the RA bylaws that prevents a write-in candidate from seeking election, it brings up a question of why Miller did not seek election the standard way — by filing with RA months ago and campaigning for the position. Reston officials said Miller did file, but her application came in late, sources said.
And while there is no rule against having an employee of a major developer on the board, it also brings up the question of potential conflicts of interest as JBG owns several developments in Reston and has filed plans for several more.
The Apartment Owners seat is a bit different than other RA board seats. In most RA board seats, candidates are elected to a three-year term by earning votes from the households in the neighborhood they represent. A winning candidate earns between several hundred to several thousand votes, depending on opponents that year.
For the apartment seats, though, candidates only need a majority of votes from a pool of 20 representatives of owners of Reston’s major apartment complexes. Among the voters are Fellowship Square Foundation, Cornerstones, Quantum Real Estate Management, Lerner Corporation, and The JBG Companies.
Meanwhile, RA Elections Chair Ed Robichaud says turnout has been pretty light in the 2014 board election. Ballots must be in by Monday at 5 p.m.
RA has fixed a glitch in which RA’s online voting was down for 48 hours last weekend. Robichaud told the board on Wednesday that they should look into a recovery procedure in case the same thing happens in the future.
“We have nothing place for an act of God or a weather emergency,” he said.
He also suggested incentives such as a pool pass discount for households that vote. Only a small portion of Reston’s 25,000 households take part in the annual election, he said.
“I take it as an embarrassment that we can only convince 3,000 people to vote,” he said.
Reston Association’s Board of Directors unanimously approved the proposal to allow Surf Reston Stand Up Paddleboarding to offer lessons on Lake Anne and Lake Audubon this spring and summer.
The schedule will have two days/evenings of paddleboard instruction on Lake Anne per week, and no more than three intermediate level classes per month at Lake Audubon. There will be no “rental fleet” of paddleboards at any Reston lake, says Larry Butler, RA’s Director of Parks and Recreation.
The plan for summer 2014 looks much different than it did in late summer of 2013, when the RA Board passed a a motion to allow to allow the company to do business at Lake Audubon.
That plan was met with complaints from many Lake Audubon residents, who said offering a commercial enterprise at the all-residential lake would lead to an influx of noise, garbage and non-resident use of the lakes.
Still, one Lake Audubon resident spoke up at Wednesday’s meeting against business at Lake Audubon.
“With commercialization, the lake becomes more crowded and noisy,” she told the board. “Blatant and crass commercialism defies everything that brought us to Reston. This plan is scaled down, but it is just the tip of the iceberg.”
While it is hard to police whether users of Reston’s lakes are Reston residents, some board members said it is important to remember that Reston lakes are for all residents, not just lakefront property owners.
“I am certainly sensitive to neighbors who are concerned about too much use,” said Lake Anne/Tall Oaks director Eve Thompson. “But I am also sensitive to lake residents vs. non residents. We cannot create an allusion that the lakes are not for all of Reston. The lake is large enough, people. We will figure it out.”
As part of the agreement between RA and Surf Reston, the paddleboard company will pay to RA 10 percent of its gross revenues per class season. RA says that will be between $500 and $1,000.
Meanwhile, a local yoga studio is working on purchasing space at Lake Anne Plaza. In addition to offering studio yoga, there would be about four classes per week of SUP-Asana — yoga on paddleboards — at Lake Anne. The board also voted in favor of that on Thursday, pending SUP-Asana’s purchase of studio space.
Reston Associations Board of Directors is slated to vote whether to allow stand-up paddleboard lessons paddleboard yoga on Reston’s lakes.
The plan for summer 2014 looks much different than it did in late summer of 2013, when the RA Board passed a a motion to allow to allow Surf Reston Standup Paddleboard Adventures to do business at Lake Audubon.
That plan was met with complaints from many Lake Audubon residents, who said offering a commercial enterprise at the all-residential lake would lead to an influx of noise, garbage and non-resident use of the lakes.
The board voted in favor of the plan anyway, but the lessons on Lake Audubon never materialized. Chris Higgins, owner of Surf Reston, was transferred out of town. The business, now called Surf Reston Stand Up Paddleboarding, will now be run by Steve Gurney, a certified paddleboard instructor who also heads Reston for a Lifetime.
The new plan takes most of the paddleboarding to Lake Anne, which already has boat rentals and is surrounded businesses at Lake Anne Plaza.
Gurney has met with the Lake Anne Merchants Association, which expressed great interest in having this type of recreational program centered at Lake Anne, he said.
The expected schedule will have two days/evenings of paddleboard instruction on Lake Anne per week, and no more than three intermediate level classes per month at Lake Audubon. There will be no “rental fleet” of paddleboards at any Reston lake, says Larry Butler, RA’s Director of Parks and Recreation.
RA says it notified the members living around both lakes of the proposed paddle board activities and to make them aware of Wednesday”s board vote.
As part of the agreement between RA and Surf Reston, the paddleboard company will pay to RA 10 percent of its gross revenues per class season. RA says that will be between $500 and $1,000.
Meanwhile, a local yoga studio is working on purchasing space at Lake Anne Plaza. In addition to offering studio yoga, there would be about four classes per week of SUP-Asana — yoga on paddleboards — at Lake Anne.
Have something to say about paddleboards on Reston lakes? Speak up at the RA Board meeting, Wednesday at 6 p.m. at Reston Association, 12001 Sunrise Valley Dr.
Reston’s future was very much on the mind of the candidates for the 2014 Reston Association Board of Directors at a candidates forum at RA Headquarters on Saturday.
With Metro’s Silver Line expected to open in Reston this year — bringing with it associated development expected to vastly increase jobs, residents, workers and traffic — the theme seemed to be this: how can Reston Association best serve the residents while also sticking to the founding principles that have made Reston a desirable place for the last 50 years?
“The challenges we face will certainly be different than those in the past,” said Andy Sigle, the RA At-large director and vice president who is running against four opponents for a second term.
Voting is currently open and will run through the end of March. The election results will be announced April 8.
At-large candidate Michael Mackert called development “an 800-lb. gorilla in the room.”
“Development is threatening our way of life,” he said. “The Reston motto is ‘Live, work, play.’ We need to be vigilant as citizens. Not at the kids table, but at the adults table, when decisions are made.” Read More
Voting in the 2014 Reston Association Board of Directors election is now open. There are nine candidates running for five seats. A candidates forum will be held Saturday, March 15 at Reston Association headquarters at 10 a.m.
Reston Association members should have received an election guide and ballot in the mail last week.
In the spirit of fairness, each candidate was given the same questions.
Today’s Q & A is with Ellen Graves, who currently serves as the Hunters Woods/Dogwood director. She is running unopposed for the Apartment Owners seat.
Q: How long have you lived in Reston?
A: I have lived in Reston for almost 31 years.
Q: What inspired you to run for the board?
A: I want to always be a contributor, not just a consumer of this wonderful, vibrant community called Reston.
Q: What are three of the biggest concerns you have for Reston?
A: Controlled/planned growth; low income and middle class unable to continue to live, work, and play in Reston; lack of affordable housing.
Q: What do you hope to accomplish by being on the board?
A: Serve as a liaison between Reston Association and apartment owners; serve as a voice for the voice-less.
Voting in the 2014 Reston Association Board of Directors election is now open. There are nine candidates running for five seats. A candidates forum will be held Saturday, March 15 at Reston Association headquarters at 10 a.m.
Reston Association members should have received an election guide and ballot in the mail last week.
Reston Now will have Q & As with each candidate running daily this week and next. In the spirit of fairness, each candidate was given the same questions.
Today’s Q & A is with Jeff Thomas, one of five candidates running for the three-year At-large term.
Q: How long have you lived in Reston?
A: I have lived in Reston for 43 years.
Q: What inspired you to run for the board?
A: I have always been committed to volunteerism and supporting my community — and encouraging others to do so through my many years of service supporting Reston’s youth sports programs, experience on the RA Parks and Recreation Advisory Committee, and working with the Fairfax County Park Authority on improvements to local parks.
I have been very fortunate to work with a range of outstanding and committed Restonians. It was really through the encouragement of my fellow volunteers that I decided to run for the RA Board. As Reston prepares to celebrate its 50th anniversary, our community faces a time of dramatic change and uncertainty, I believe that my perspective as a 43-year Reston resident, combined with my work with Reston volunteer organizations, and 25 years of professional experience, that I have a thoughtful and reasonable voice to lend to the RA Board. Read More
It is Reston Association Board of Directors election season — do you know who your candidates are and where they stand on Reston’s issues?
While several open seats are uncontested, there are five candidates — incumbent Andy Sigle, Jeff Thomas, Colin Mills, Mason Miller and Michael Mackert — running for a three-year At-large spot, upping the campaign stakes. For the first time in recent memory, candidates have purchased ad space — and one candidate even hired a robocall company to call on his behalf.
Board members are volunteers who generally have fulltime jobs. They represent the members of Reston Association and work together to set policy, craft a budget and serve as a neighborhood liaison, among other things. They must be willing to sit through hundreds of hours of meetings, pay attention to small details of the community and sometimes receive derisive feedback from members.
Past RA election results show that turnout to elect those people is slim. Whether these public awareness methods will work remains to be seen.
Last year’s board elections were all uncontested seats, so that is not a worthy barometer of turnout.
In 2012, five candidates ran for two open At-large terms. Of about 25,000 eligible households, there were 3,798 ballots returned.
When Sigle was elected in 2011, there were five candidates in the race for the At-large seat. He won with 2,527 votes on 3,709 ballots returned, a 14 percent turnout.
Turnout for the neighborhood board seats such as Lake Anne/Tall Oaks or North Point is generally smaller since only the people in that territory are permitted to vote. For instance, the last time there was a contested neighborhood seat was 2011, where Cheryl Beamer (Hunters Woods/Dogwood) was elected with 845 votes.
Reston Now has been running candidate profiles last week and this week, and there will be a candidates forum Saturday at 10 a.m. at Reston Association Headquarters. Voters were also mailed an RA Voters Guide last week.
Voting is by mail-in ballot or online through the end of March. Winners will be announced on April 8.
Will you vote in the RA election? Do you learn about the candidates beforehand?
