Reston’s 50th anniversary is at hand. Lately, I’ve been at several meetings where the focus has been on Reston’s history. There are a series of exciting events planned for this year that will take a look back at our past. I’m excited about attending as many of them as my schedule will allow.
But you know me; I like to look forward. I like to think about the future, and where our community is headed. Fortunately, just around the corner, we have an event in Reston that’s all about the future, and about fostering the spirit of experimentation and innovation that makes Reston special. And it comes as no surprise that this event is being put together by one of my favorite organizations: Nova Labs.
I’ve written about this terrific Reston-based nonprofit before. In case you don’t know, Nova Labs is a makerspace. That means that it provides space for people to create and build things, a place to collaborate with like-minded people, and an opportunity to learn about new technologies, tools, and skills. Basically, it’s a dream come true for people who like to make things. I’m proud that Reston is home to a creative and exciting venture as this.
At last week’s RCA Board meeting, we received a presentation from Nova Labs. We learned all about the projects that they’ve been doing, such as using drones to do an aerial survey of the Wiehle Metro station and hosting programs designed to get kids interested in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math). We learned about their plans to move into a larger space within the near future. And most interesting of all, we learned about their plans to hold a Mini Maker Faire, right here in Reston next month.
What’s a Maker Faire? Basically, it’s the coolest show-and-tell you can imagine. It’s a gathering for engineers, crafters, tech types, and other makers to display and talk about their projects. The idea was hatched in the Bay Area by MAKE Magazine back in 2006. Since then, Maker Faires and Mini Maker Faires have been held across the country, and even internationally; combined, they’ve had over 1.5 million attendees.
What will you see at the Mini Maker Faire? It all depends on the exhibitors, and what they choose to display. That’s part of the excitement; you never know what you’re going to going to see. The focus is often on displaying new technologies, but you might also see innovative projects in science, engineering, or the arts as well. You might see some robotics projects, a 3D printing demonstration, exciting new apps, breathtaking Lego sculptures, artisanal crafts, performance art demonstrations, inventions, and more. And you won’t just be able to see what other people are making; you’ll have the chance to learn how to create things too!
Want to help serve Reston as it heads into its transformation into a transit-oriented community?
The Reston Citizens Association Board of Directors has decided to fill the three vacant seats on the Board at its next meeting on Feb. 24. One vacancy was created when Gary Lee Thomas resigned. The other two slots were left unfilled at the last election due to a shortage of candidates, says RCA president Colin Mills.
Applications will be accepted using the standard RCA Board application form through Feb. 17. Board members will review the applications, interview the applicants at the Feb. 24 meeting and select up to three to fill the vacant slots. Those selected to fill the vacancies will have to run in this spring’s regular RCA Board election to retain their spots for a two-year term.
The Board decided to fill the positions immediately in light of the numerous important issues confronting the Reston community now. RCA says that most important are:
- Phase 2 of the Reston Master Plan process which will look at redeveloping the village centers and other areas of Reston.
- Community participation in the Phase 1 (Dulles Corridor) Master Plan implementation group that will grapple with how the plan’s vision is achieved.
- The possibility of a new Reston recreation center and the numerous issues concerning its possible location, cost, financing, and facilities.
- Enhancement of educational opportunities in Reston from high-tech vocational training to bringing a major graduate university technology campus to Reston’s urban core, and tackling tough issues in protecting our environment as Reston continues to grow and re- develop.
To qualify for a position on the RCA Board of Directors, applicants must live in Reston as defined by the Reston special tax district (includes Reston Town Center and other non-RA areas); be at least 16 years old; and complete and submit an application by Feb. 17 to Colin Mills at [email protected].
Need more info? You can also email Colin Mills at the above address with any questions.
It’s time once again for one of my favorite duties as RCA President: announcing our Citizen of the Year.
With so many dedicated citizens doing good work in the Reston community, I am delighted that we can honor some of those well-deserving folks. I love reading the nominations we receive, and learning about the citizen volunteers that make Reston such a special place.
RCA is all about the power of Reston’s committed citizens to achieve great things. It may be fashionable to be cynical about what individuals and citizen groups can accomplish in a world of big bureaucracies and institutions. But RCA is built on the belief that with hard work and dedication, our citizens can move mountains.
This year’s winner is a shining example of that belief in action. It gives me great pleasure to announce Kathy Kaplan as our 2013 Citizen of the Year.Kathy joins a proud tradition of RCA Citizen of the Year award dating back to 1976; people like Embry Rucker, Janet Howell, Jim Allred, Claudia Thompson-Deahl, Dave Edwards, and last year’s winner, Cate Fulkerson. As you know if you’re familiar with this award, the criteria for selection are as follows:
Happy New Year, Reston! As I enjoy one of my favorite New Year’s traditions, the NHL’s annual outdoor game, I will continue a tradition of my own by sharing my resolutions for RCA in 2014.
Looking over last year’s resolutions, we hit on some and missed on others. We succeeded in revamping our website and relaunching our newsletter, and John Lovaas did officially turn the candidate forums over to RCA this year. In other areas, like the Master Plan Task Force, we didn’t have as much success as we would have liked. Despite that, 2013 was an extremely busy year for RCA, and we wound up dealing with a variety of issues that we never knew would come up when the year started. Who knew on New Year’s Day 2013 that we’d be fighting to protect our County libraries, or debating the fate of a parcel of trees at Lake Anne, or considering whether or not to build a new RCC rec center?
2014 looks to be another big year in Reston, as we prepare to celebrate Bob Simon’s 100th birthday and our community’s 50th anniversary. We’re no longer a New Town; we’re a mature community. And 2014 will inaugurate two things that will likely transform Reston’s future: the Silver Line and the redevelopment of Lake Anne. The former will spur the growth of new neighborhoods around the stations; the latter will spark the rebirth of Reston’s oldest areas. Both hold great promise and excitement, but also the possibility of disruptive changes for our community and our citizens.
Like all of Reston’s leading organizations, RCA will be looking toward the future in 2014. The actions we take now will set the stage for Reston’s next 50 years. With that in mind, these are my forward-looking resolutions for RCA in 2014:
* Advocate for a citizen-driven process for Phase 2 of the Master Plan Task Force. Phase 1 of the Task Force is in the books, and the plan recommendations for the station areas will soon be approved. In 2014, we will turn our attention to the rest of Reston, most notably the village centers. The planning we do in this phase will shape what our community looks like in the decades to come.
That’s why it’s essential for Phase 2 to be led by the citizens of Reston, and our vision for the future. We’ll need to solicit widespread citizen input, and integrate that input into the decisions we make. I’d like to see RCA work with RA, ARCH, and other citizen organizations to ensure that Phase 2 reflects the vision of the citizens, possibly using the Lake Anne redevelopment process as a model. Read More
Our New Town isn’t so new anymore. Next year, we’re going to celebrate Reston’s 50th. We’re a community with a real history now.
To our credit, we’ve been taking steps to recognize and preserve that history. The Reston Museum, with its series of talks about the early days of Reston, has done a great deal to capture the stories of our past. The forthcoming movie “The Reston Story” should also help in preserving our collective memory. And of course, Lake Anne Plaza is recognized by Fairfax County as a historic district.
However, there’s another aspect of our history that I believe deserves some thought: how best to remember our most dedicated and distinguished citizens. Of course, we have awards like Best of Reston and RCA’s Citizen of the Year, which recognize the people who are doing good work in our community currently.
But I’m thinking about memorializing those Restonians who are no longer with us, but who made lasting contributions that deserve to be remembered by future generations. We should publicly honor those people who helped make our community the great place it is today.
Now is the time to think about this. The pioneer generation of Restonians is getting older. I wish they could all be immortal (as Bob Simon appears to be), but unfortunately, they won’t be with us forever. Read More
Happy Thanksgiving, everybody! It’s time once again to gorge ourselves on turkey, mashed potatoes, and mediocre football games. It’s time to battle the traffic and cold weather to gather together with our families and friends. But most importantly, it’s time to give thanks for the blessings in our lives.
And as I’ve done every year since I started as RCA president, I’d like to take this moment to share with you what I’m thankful for here in Reston. This is one of the annual traditions that I enjoy the most.
It’s easy to read the headlines and become focused on the problems and threats we face. Whether it’s the government by crisis in Washington or divisive issues like the Comprehensive Plan and the Lake Anne land swap here in Reston, it’s easy to find things to be upset about.
But despite the often-depressing headlines, we’re also very fortunate. Reston is a great place to live, work, and play, and that’s just as true today as it was 50 years ago when Bob Simon was turning his dream of a New Town into reality. Whatever challenges we may face, they pale in comparison to the many benefits and blessings we enjoy.
Here’s what I’m thankful for this year:
1. As always, I’m thankful for my colleagues on the Reston Citizens Association. We’ve faced a lot of issues in Reston this year, major issues with implications for our community’s future. And RCA has stayed on top of those issues and remained a strong voice for our citizens. That’s a testament to the hard work and commitment of our Board and committee members. 2014 is shaping up to be another active year in our community, and I’m glad I can count on my colleagues to keep up their good and dedicated service next year. It’s an honor to work with you.
2. I’m thankful that the Silver Line is going to open soon. As long as I’ve been around, we’ve been talking about bringing the Metro to Reston. At last, it’s going to happen! Now when I head downtown to see my beloved Nationals (wait ‘til next year!) take thefield or visit the museums with my family, I won’t have to drive to West Falls Church or Vienna; I’ll be able to catch the train right here.
There’s still work to be done on this front; we must make sure that Toll Road users aren’t picking up too much of the tab for Phase 2, and we need transportation improvements to ensure that the Wiehle station doesn’t bring traffic gridlock. But these issues can be worked out. Getting rail to Reston is a huge and exciting step forward.
3. I’m thankful to the Reston Association and the Alliance of Reston Clusters and Homeowners for their continued work with RCA on community issues. Strengthening our alliance has been a major goal of mine, and I’m happy to say that we’re succeeded.
Our partnership reached a new level last month, as we submitted joint comments on the Comp Plan and held a community forum to let the citizens know what Reston’s future might hold.
This sort of collaboration is what community leadership is all about. I’m thankful for what we’ve done together so far. And I’m even more thankful that our collaboration is just beginning.
RCA is a locally-focused organization. Our primary goal, as our name suggests, is to improve the quality of life for the citizens of Reston. As a result, our projects are usually Reston-specific. Every once in a while, though, we have a chance to do something that benefits people beyond our community’s borders.
One such effort has recently come to fruition for RCA’s Reston Accessibility Committee and its hard-working chair, Ken Fredgren. For the last two years, Ken and others have been pushing for the adoption of changes to Virginia’s statewide building code to make it friendlier to people with disabilities. Those changes have now been adopted, and the people of Virginia, not just Reston, will benefit.
How did RAC get involved in changing statewide building codes? As you might know, RAC works with Reston’s commercial property owners and managers to make their properties more accessible for people with disabilities. In the course of doing this kind of work, they have naturally become familiar with the relevant laws and codes. RAC felt that Virginia’s building codes could be improved to incorporate more language on accessibility.
To address this issue, in 2011 Reston’s delegate (and proud RAC member) Ken Plum sponsored House Joint Resolution 648, which established a working group to recommend accessibility-related changes to Virginia’s building codes and laws. And Ken Fredgren was tapped to serve on that working group. This time, instead of helping property owners understand the accessibility regulations, Ken got to help write them.
One of the great things about the working group is the way developers, county and city permitting officials, and disability advocacy groups collaborated to develop their recommendations. It was a fine example of the good that can happen when the private and public sectors work together for a common goal.
After a year’s effort, the working group emerged in 2012 with a total of 7 proposed changes to the building code and one General Assembly bill that would provide tax credits for businesses that made accessibility-related improvements. Ken proudly presented the group’s products to RCA, and naturally we were in full support. In October of that year, RCA and several co-sponsors held a community forum to discuss the changes and urge Restonians to call and email in support of their adoption.
I’m not sure if Ken knew quite what he was in for. He had already been traveling back and forth to Richmond on a regular basis to meet with the working group, and over the following year, he made several more trips to present their proposals to the Board of Housing and Community Development (which makes changes to Virginia’s building code), then to discuss and make revisions to the proposals, and on and on. These trips weren’t always easy for Ken, but he kept at it because of his commitment to the cause of accessibility.
The proposals went through several rounds of revision; some were dropped, others were modified. It was a long and sometimes frustrating process. But Ken persevered; he wrote letters to the Board, exchanged emails with staffers, and kept attending meetings.
In the end, the Board approved four of the working group’s proposals. Together, these changes represent a huge step forward in the building code.
Two of the changes are related to home construction. One change will incorporate Universal Design standards, which makes buildings easier for older people and those with disabilities to use, for use in building new homes. Another mandates wider interior doors on the main floor of new dwellings, so that people in wheelchairs or mobility devices can move from room to room. That second change is important for people with and without disabilities. Imagine if you invited a friend who uses a wheelchair to your house, only to discover she couldn’t use the bathroom because the door was too narrow.
The other two adopted changes relate to the number of accessible spaces required in parking lots. Another increases the number of accessible parking spaces that must be constructed in large lots. And the last one calls for additional accessible parking spaces in lots connected to medical facilities such as outpatient clinics and dentist’s offices. A lot of RAC’s work involves adding or modifying accessible parking spaces, and I know that Ken is acutely aware of the challenge of finding accessible spaces in busy lots.
Thanks to the efforts of Ken and the HJR 648 working group, our building code is friendlier to people with disabilities than it has ever been. Almost 20 percent of Virginians have a disability, and I’m proud that my state’s building code is now working for them. Parking lots, medical buildings, and homes are basic facilities, and people with disabilities should have the same ability to access them as people without.
As our population ages, these changes will also help Virginia remain an appealing place to live. If people with disabilities can’t find homes with Universal Design features or can’t find places to park where they shop, eat, or go to the doctor, they’re less likely to remain in Virginia and spend their money here. Accessibility improvements aren’t just good for people with disabilities — they’re good for business.
I’m very proud of what Ken’s accomplished with the working group. These building code modifications are lasting changes that will make life better for Virginians with disabilities, their families and friends, and all of us.
And don’t worry — just because Ken’s been working on this effort doesn’t mean that RAC has stopped making progress on projects here in Reston. They’ve remained active on several projects all over our community, and I look forward to sharing the news once they’re successfully completed.
Most of the work we do at RCA primarily benefits Restonians, and that’s great. But I’m really glad for this opportunity to do something that has a statewide impact. Ken Fredgren is a model of hard work and dedication to service, and this example demonstrates how serving your community can have a bigger impact than you ever thought possible.
Colin Mills is the president of Reston Citizens Association. He writes a weekly opinion piece on Reston Now.
Where has this year gone? I look at the calendar and see that it’s November, and yet it feels like 2013 just got started. The sands have been flowing through the hourglass faster than usual this year.
One reason for that, I know, is that we’ve been dealing with so many major issues in Reston this year. The coming of the Silver Line and the associated revision of our Comprehensive Plan has been the biggest one, but looking back, it’s amazing how much we’ve taken on this year: The battle over the Reston National golf course. The proposed new RCC rec center. The Beta Plan and the future of our County libraries. The Lake Anne redevelopment. And those are just the ones I can remember off the top of my head. No wonder 2013 hss seemed to pass in the blink of an eye.
One advantage to the way we’ve been flying through the calendar is that it’s now time for one of my favorite events: RCA’s Citizen of the Year award. We’re now accepting nominations for the 2013 award. Read More
Colin Mills is the president of the Reston Citizens Association. He will write a weekly opinion column on Reston Now.
Last night, four years of work on the Reston Master Plan Task Force came to a frustrating and disappointing conclusion. The Task Force voted to send the new Comprehensive Plan to the Planning Commission, starting it down the road to approval before the Board of Supervisors. RCA’s representative, Terry Maynard, voted “no” on the final product. I did not have a vote on the Task Force, but if I had, I would have voted the same way.
RCA was not satisfied with the latest draft of the Comp Plan, as evidenced by the report card that our Reston 20/20 Committee prepared this week, which gave it an overall grade of D. We felt that the plan was seriously lacking in many areas, most notably parks and recreation, transportation, and implementation. We joined with ARCH and RA to produce a joint comment describing the areas that we felt needed improvement.
Unfortunately, the few changes approved by the Task Force last night did little to improve the plan. Therefore, we felt that we had no choice but to oppose it.
The lack of changes to the draft plan was not for a lack of suggestions. By my count, there were 15 sets of comments submitted suggesting changes to the plan, including ours. Unfortunately, the discussion last night was limited to a handful of subjects selected by the Task Force chair, Patty Nicoson. The Task Force did not even consider all of the comments made by its members. Major topics such as transportation and implementation weren’t even discussed at all! Since those were two of the areas that needed the most work, I was extremely disappointed that they weren’t even raised. Read More
The Reston Master Plan Task Force is about to publish what could be its final draft for the future of development around Reston’s Metro stations, and the Reston 2020 Committee is giving those plans a ‘D’ grade.
Reston 2020, the community planning entity of the Reston Citizens Association, presented the findings to RCA at its regular meeting on Monday.
Reston 2020 co-chair Terry Maynard says the group examined each section of the draft Plan in terms of its impact on Reston’s quality of life and the community’s vision and values.
“The overall grade was based on the compilation of grades for each of the draft Plan’s sections,” Reston2020 said in a press release. “The highest grade given, a “B”, was awarded to the Overview, which covers Reston’s Vision and Planning Principles, and to the Environmental Stewardship section. Grades of “F” — which meant the section met virtually none of Reston’s expectations—were earned by the Urban Parks, Recreation, and Cultural Facilities section and the Implementation section.
“We’ve worked as hard on this as anyone over the last 4 years,” said RCA President Colin Mills. “I’d hoped that by now, we’d have something we could all be proud of. But we’ve got to call it like we see it, and there are major issues that haven’t been addressed yet. We need a plan that meets our community’s expectations for the future.”
Said Maynard: “Restonians deserve a draft Plan that is much more responsive to their needs now and in the future. This draft Plan generally focuses on the needs of developers and the County although we appreciate its relative strength in environmental stewardship, an important concern to Restonians.”
The RCA Board voted unanimously to direct Maynard, RCA’s representative to the Special Study Task Force, to vote “No” on the draft plan in its current form if a vote is taken as planned at the task force’s meeting Tuesday.
