This is an op-ed by Reston Resident Terry Maynard of Reston 2020. It does not reflect the opinion of Reston Now.
In the next few months, the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors plans to approve a “one size fits all” zoning ordinance amendment that would guide redevelopment throughout the urbanizing areas of the county for decades.
It wouldn’t be too bad if the one size were a “medium” or “large,” but the board — increasingly desperate for new tax revenues from more development — has chosen to go for XXL. Specifically, the County’s draft zoning ordinance amendment proposes that all the county’s 20 transit station areas (TSAs), community redevelopment districts (CRDs), and commercial business centers (CBCs) be allowed a floor-area ratio (FAR) of up to 5.0.
So what does FAR 5.0 really mean? Literally, it means that a developer can build structures with floor space that is five times greater than the area of the parcel on which they sit. In the real world, it means that developers can build up these Fairfax County areas to a density that is greater than any that exists anywhere in northern Virginia. Even the massively developed Rosslyn Metro core only has a density of FAR 3.6 according to Arlington County (including twin towers above the Rosslyn station at FAR 10.0), about two-thirds of what Fairfax County is proposing to make available in communities and neighborhoods areas across the county.
In general, the FAR 5.0 density zoning ordinance may be appropriate for some locations, such as a part of one of Reston’s transit station areas. Reston’s new master plan calls for allowing FAR 4.0 (plus a bonus of FAR 0.5) for the small area immediately north of Reston’s Town Center Metro station. But the draft amendment makes no distinction in allowable density at the station and at the half-mile perimeter of the station area where it should taper substantially. Read More
On the docket at tonight’s Reston Planning and Zoning Committee: The idea to allow Reston’s high-density areas — and some residential areas — to become more populous.
Fairfax County has proposed an ordinance to establish a maximum FAR of 5.0 for Transit Station Areas and a maximum FAR of 4.0 for Commercial Revitalization Districts, (CRD), Commercial Revitalization Areas (CRA), and Community Business Centers (CBC).
It also wants to see residential areas increase from 1.5 FAR to 2.5 FAR if provisions for open space and affordable housing are put in place.
FAR stands for Floor-Area Ratio, a mark of density.
Representatives from Fairfax County’s Department of Planning and Zoning will attend tonight’s meeting at 7:30 p.m., at the North County Governmental Center, 1801 Cameron Glen Drive, Reston.
The Reston P & Z Committee does not have any real power in the approval process — that ultimately falls to the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors, which will hold a public hearing on the issue on June 21. But the Reston meeting is a good chance for those with Reston interests to hear more and ask questions. Read More
It’s Cinco de Mayo!
May 5 is commonly observed to commemorate the Mexican army’s unlikely victory over French forces at the Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862.
And, it’s also a good excuse for nachos, margaritas and other Latin-inspired food and drink.
Here are some ideas for fun in Reston:
On The Border Mexican Grill & Cantina — is offering $4 margaritas and $3 bottles of Dos Equis Amber, Dos Equis Lager, Corona and Corona, among other specials.
bartaco — Try the fresh-squeezed juices in your margarita and a variety of snack-sized tacos.
Uncle Julio’s, Reston Town Center — This town center standby is always a good place for house-made tortillas and frozen margaritas.
Lake Anne Market — This mini-mart at Lake Anne Plaza has a kitchen that turns out quality pupusas, tacos, and other authentic Latin American specialities.
Meanwhile, the Washington Regional Alcohol Program’s SoberRide will be offering free rides on Cinco de Mayo. You can receive a free carb ride home from 4 p.m. Thursday until 4 a.m. Friday (up to a $30 fare). To receive a free cab ride home please call 800-200-8294 (TAXI).
Photo courtesy bartaco.com
There were no major crimes reported by the Fairfax County Police’s Reston District Station in the past week.
There were however many property crimes, with items stolen from homes, offices and vehicles. Here is a list of larceny incidents that were reported to police:
- 11900 block of Barrel Cooper Court, purse and wallet from vehicle
- 700 block of Bennett Street, phone from school
- 1800 block of Sycamore Valley Drive, door from vehicle
- 2500 block of Centreville Road, items from vehicle
- 1700 block of Clubhouse Road, property from business
- 9900 block of Georgetown Pike, beer from business
- 10500 block of Hunting Crest Lane, wallet from vehicle
- 600 block of River Bend Road, checkbook and wallet from vehicle
- 11500 block of Shadbush Court, wallet from vehicle
- 2500 block of Cornelia Road, license plate from vehicle
- 12000 block of Starboard Drive, bicycle from business
A new book, Calculated Risk: The Supersonic Life and Times of Gus Grissom, hits shelves next week. Its author is Reston resident George Leopold, a veteran technology writer who chronicles the early space explorer who lost his life in a launch pad fire in 1967.
The book is published by Purdue University Press.
Reston Now had a few questions for the first-time author.
Reston Now: Give us a little background on your career as a writer and as a Restonian. How long have you lived here? Is this your first book?
George Leopold: The American space program and the early pioneers that included Gus Grissom were to say the least inspiring. We did what we said we would do. The Apollo moon landings were among America’s greatest technological achievements. We had to go to the moon to fully appreciate all we have here on Earth.
I can remember as a kid watching TV coverage of the Apollo 11 mission. After the dramatic landing and before the historic first moonwalk, NBC ran a two-minute spot that Sunday afternoon sponsored by the Gulf Oil Company about “a place called Reston, Virginia.” (The company had by then wrested control from Bob Simon).
Growing up in Wisconsin, I could not have imagined that one day I would call Reston home. My family moved here in 1998, largely because my wife, Ellen Seefelt, works as a biologist at the U.S. Geological Survey. It was among the best moves we ever made. Needless to say, I was thrilled when my son attended Buzz Aldrin Elementary School.
I have worked as a technology journalist and science writer since the mid-1980s. Calculated Risk: The Supersonic Life and Time of Gus Grissom is my first book.
RN: What makes Gus Grissom an appealing book subject?
GL: Gus Grissom is buried at Arlington National Cemetery, 20 miles as the crow flies from Reston. His death, along with his crewmates Edward White and Roger Chaffee, in a launch pad fire nearly 50 years ago was the defining moment of the Space Race. Their sacrifice shook NASA to its core, forced a thorough reassessment of the Apollo program that reasserted the absolute necessity for crew safety.
Without the sacrifice of Grissom and his crew, it’s unlikely we would have made good on our declaration to reach the moon by the end of the 1960s.
Grissom’s death at the age of 40 also meant his pivotal role in the Space Race is underappreciated. Unlike the other early astronauts, he never got the opportunity to publish his memoirs. Grissom faded from memory while others walked on the moon and returned as heroes.
My aim is to explain Grissom’s essential role in the race to the moon, placing his life and career in the context of the history of human space exploration and the Cold War competition between the U.S. and the former Soviet Union.
Finally, I have sought to dispel the myth that Grissom was the “hard luck” or “lost” astronaut. He was neither. He knew always where he was going and how he would get there. As my biography illustrates, a series of calculated risks and faulty engineering decisions made in the early 1960s played a far larger role in the astronauts’ untimely death. Read More
Do you want to pay more taxes for transportation improvements? An informal Reston Association survey shows that most Restonians don’t.
Reston Association recently surveyed members (through a printed questionnaire at its annual meeting and a link sent electronically) asking how residents felt about Fairfax County’s proposal to create a service tax district to fund transportation improvements here.
The county says about $2.6 billion in improvements will be needed in Reston as it grows over the next several decades. Much of that will be paid for in developer proffers, but there still are hundreds of millions needed for roads, lights, ramps and bridges.
RA says nearly 700 individuals completed survey.
Residents were asked if they would be willing to pay an additional tax based on the value of their property that would only be used to fund transportation improvements in Reston. Eighty-six percent of respondents (597) answered “no.” Among the 94 (14 percent) that answered “yes,” most said they would be willing to pay extra taxes but only at the lowest rate (0.020 per $100 of value). Read More
April 22 is Earth Day. Looking for a few ways to mark the day or recommit you commitment to the environment? Here are a few ideas right here in Reston.
Earth Day Planting at Walker Nature Education Center, 1 to 4 p.m.
Celebrate Earth Day by volunteering at Reston’s Walker Nature Education Center. Plant a variety of native plants in the gardens including shrubs, ferns, and wildflowers. Learn about the value of the native plants and how you can use them around your home.
R4 Day – Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, Reston at Reston Town Center, 1 to 4 p.m.
Keep discarded items out of landfills by bringing them to this recycling event. R4 will take computers, electronics, cell phones, paper for shredding, compact fluorescent bulbs, eyeglasses, and hearing aids. Participating organizations include Secured Shred, Turtle Wings, and more.
Movie — Yert: Your Envrionmental Road Trip, Walker Nature Education Center, 7 p.m.
Free, suggested donation $5. For adults.
Called to action by a planet in peril, three friends hit the road, traveling across America with hope, humor and all of their garbage for one year. While exploring the good, the bad and the weird in all 50 states, they encounter extraordinary innovators and courageous citizens who are tackling humanity’s greatest environmental crises. As the team performs outlandish eco-challenges during their quest, an unexpected turn of events throws the project for a loop in this award-winning docu-comedy. (113 min.) Reservations requested. Contact [email protected] or call 703-476-9869.
Planting at Walker Nature Education Center/file photo
It will be EZPass only entering the Dulles Toll Road Eastbound at Wiehle Avenue this weekend.
The Washington Metropolitan Airports Authority is making concrete repairs at the exit, so the full service/cash lane of the entrance ramp from Wiehle Avenue to the eastbound Dulles Toll Road is temporarily closed.
The cash lane closure began Thursday morning and will remain closed until 5:30 a.m. on Monday, April 25.
Cash customers may enter eastbound from Reston Parkway or Hunter Mill Road, MWAA says.
Yes, Tax Day is traditionally April 15. But since that fell on a Friday this year, today is the deadline for filing 2015 taxes.
A bunch of places are helping you celebrate (or prepare to pay up) your 1040 with discounts and freebies.
Among them:
Pei Wei Asian Diner (Woodland Crossing, Herndon) is offering $5 off $20.
Noodles & Company (Plaza America) will give your “little deductibles” (kids!) a free meal when you purchase a regular entree. For those filing digitally this year, Noodles & Company is also offering an online promotion of $4 off any $10 purchase placed through order.noodles.com using the code TAXDAY at checkout.
Boston Market (North Point Village Center) is offering a Tax Day Special of a Half Chicken Individual Meal with two sides and cornbread, plus a regular fountain drink and a cookie, for $10.40.
World of Beer (Reston Town Center) will give you $5 off your check.
Check out this list on WTOP.com for more Tax Day specials.
Fairfax County Police said overall crime decreased in the county in 2015, but rose in a couple areas within the Reston District Station.
FCPD this week released the 2015 Incident-Based Reporting (IBR) crime statistical data for Group A offenses. This report summarizes the Fairfax County Police Department’s CY2015 crime data as reported to theVirginia State Police Incident-Based Reporting System.
The IBR system was adopted in 1989 and is used to uniformly categorize reported crimes committed throughout the nation. Under Group A offenses, there are 22 categories of crimes, involving 46 different offenses.
“The police department’s multifaceted community engagement contributes to the mission of preventing and fighting crime through building stronger bonds of trust between police officers and community members,” says Edwin C. Roessler, Chief of Police.
“We are truly blessed to have an engaged community which partners with us to accomplish our vision and mission, which continues to allow all of us to make our county motto a reality: Fairfax County–a great place to live, work, play and grow old.”
According to the report, crime across all categories had an overall decrease of .66 percent in 2015 compared to 2014.
The 2015 IBR categories that cover all types of reported crimes are:
- Crimes Against Persons (increased .92% from 2014)
- Crimes Against Property (decreased 2.17% from CY2014)
- Crimes Against Society (increased 4.52% from CY2014)
(Note: Crime Against Persons are calculated based on the number of victims. Crime Against Property and Crimes Against Society are calculated based on the number of events)
Breaking it down by district, here is how the Reston District fared in 2015 as compared to 2014.
- Robberies nearly doubled. There were 24 reported robberies in 2014; 42 in 2015.
- Assaults: rose from 657 in 2014 to 715 in 2015
- Homicides: There was one in the Reston District in 2015; none in 2014.
- Abduction: 11 in both years
- Sex offenses: 21 in 2015 (down from 24 in 2014)
See the entire report, including mapping of reported incidents by district, below. See a greater breakdown of stats on the FCPD website.
Instagram is a wonderful place to see some of the world’s best yogis doing what they do amid a backdrop of fabulous places: a beach in Bali; a yoga retreat in Mexico; a dock at Lake Anne.
Wait, Lake Anne? Yes. Check out the Insta feed of Colure Caulfield, who teaches at Herndon’s Down Dog yoga, but likes to hit some of Reston’s most scenic spots to strike a pose.
It will remind you of Reston’s beauty — and inspire you if you are working towards a side crow pose.
A girl & her horse. 🐴❤️ — #reston #publicart #yogaeverywhere
A photo posted by colure (@colure) on
Doubling-down on #babyfirsts today: Baby’s first #snowday + baby’s first #stopdropandyoga ❄️⛄️🙏 — #blizzard2016 #babywearing #yogamom #snowga #snowyoga A photo posted by colure (@colure) on
A photo posted by colure (@colure) on
Reston citizens, elected officials and old friends gathered at the Hyatt Regency Reston on Sunday to honor Reston founder Robert E. Simon.
Simon died in September at age 101, and there was no formal funeral or memorial service at that time. Sunday’s program, “In Celebration of the Life of Robert E. Simon Jr.,” served as a way for people to memorialize Simon, who would have turned 102 yesterday.
The gathering — which featured Simon’s favorite drink, a Danish Mary (Bloody Mary with Aquavit) — capped Founders Week activities in Reston.
The formal part of the service featured some of Simon’s favorite showtunes, including selections from Jerome Kern played by a string quartet and a piece commissioned with the Reston Chorale for Simon’s 100th birthday in 2014.
There was also a short film by Rebekah Wingert-Jabi, the director of Another Way of Living: The Story of Reston, VA. The film, made from some the footage from the longer-form Another Way of Living, captured some of Simon’s signature vigor and wit.
“From the waist up, I feel about 65,” he said on his 99th birthday. “From the waist down, I am about 125.” Read More
Due to station improvement work at the Reston Town Center Transit Station, bus stops will be temporarily relocated to Bluemont Way.
During Phase 1 (Monday, April 4 – Wednesday, April 27), Route 605, 950, RIBS 1, and RIBS 4 will be relocated.
During Phase 2 (Thursday, April 28 – Friday, May 20), Route 505, RIBS 2, RIBS 3, and RIBS 5 will be relocated.
The Connector Store will remain open during construction.
Visit Fairfax County Connector online to see more information about the Reston Transit Center and bus routes.
A Reston man is a suspect in a home invasion and arson at a Reston townhouse where he rented a room, according to Fairfax County Police search warrant.
Police believe Antwan Green, 35, committed those crimes on Dec. 3 and 4, NBC4 Washington reports.
The search warrant says two people, one believed to be Green, knocked on the door of a townhome on Edgemere Circle in Reston Dec. 3 and forced their way inside.
The suspects bound the hands and feet of the 67-year-old woman inside with electrical cords. They took her car, but later abandoned it. When police found the car, they also found mail addressed to Green inside of it, NBC4 said.
Just hours after the home invasion, a fire broke out at a townhome on St. Trinain’s Court, where Green rented a lower-level room. A woman suffered critical injuries when she jumped from a second-floor window of the burning house.
According to the court documents, Green was caught on video at a nearby convenience store buying a lighter, charcoal and lighter fluid just before the fire.
Neighbors told News4 Green rented the basement of the town home but recently had a falling out with the owner. A juvenile informant also told police Green was at the home invasion and the fire.
Green hasn’t yet been charged with arson or the home invasion, but is already in custody without bond on several other charges ranging from bail violations to strangulation to malicious wounding and drug charges.
Green was arrested in Arlington on Dec. 10, on multiple charges stemming from crashing a stolen vehicle and carrying a concealed weapon without a permit. A few days later, he was also charged with felony destruction of property while in jail, where he allegedly “destroyed a fire protection system,” court records show.
Green will be in Arlington General District Court on those charges on Thursday.
Photo: Antwan Green/Arlington County Police via News4
Fairfax County has finalized the locations of the bikeshare stations that will be coming to Reston this fall.
There will be 15 stations in Reston and 14 sites in Tysons to comprise Fairfax County’s first Capital Bikeshare network.
In January, the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors approved a $1.7 million plan to bring the bikeshare network to Fairfax.
Last October, the supervisors OKed the county’s application for the Virginia Department of Transportation’s FY 2017 Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP) Grant Application. The grant will give the bike program $400,000 as seed money for bike share program. The money will go to pay for needed equipment such as bicycles and station hardware.
Sharon Bulova, chair of the Board of Supervisors said at the time county’s investment will help get cars off the road, boost local economy and contribute to a healthier community.
“With the transformation of Reston and Tysons into more urban centers, Fairfax County is investing in infrastructure needed to make it easy to get around.” Bulova said.
“More people are living and working in these areas than ever before,” said Bulova. ” ‘Downtown’ areas by definition are not designed to accommodate high volumes of car traffic and parking. Creating the right atmosphere that encourages walking and biking is important for these areas to continue to be attractive and highly sought after by residents and businesses alike.”
Here is where the Reston Stations will be located:
- Wiehle-Reston East Metro Plaza (two locations)
- Old Reston Avenue / W&OD
- North Shore Drive and Temporary Road
- Sunset Hills Road
- Reston Town Center Transit Station
- Reston Executive Center
- Market Street and Town Center Parkway
- Reston Town Center Ice Rink
- Reston Town Center Town Square
- Reston Hospital
- Reston Regional Library
- New Dominion Parkway
- Spectrum Center
- Lake Anne Elementary
- Lake Anne Village Center
To see the Tysons stations, see this post from Fairfax County.
