News and notes from Reston (tm).

Friday, February 26, 2010

Restonian: The Motion Picture

Just in time for the Oscars, here's what one of the insightful conversations in our comments section would look like, if it was held by vaguely humanoid animatronic robots in Level B9 of the someday-to-be-built Wiehle Metro station parking garage. You're welcome.

Herndon-Monroe Metro Redevelopment Has Birders -- Wait For It! -- Crying Fowl

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Aside from our musty, snow melt-inundated basements and the muck-filled lakes, who knew Reston had wetlands? Apparently, the birders do, and they're not happy about the proposed Wiehle Herndon-Monroe Metro station development (Ed note: we can't read). What's got their -- wait for it -- feathers ruffled?
Dear Birdwalkers,

I try not to clutter up your inboxes with non-birdwalk messages, but Sunrise Valley Wetland needs people to stand up and speak for its preservation. This park is a regular stop on our circuit of monthly Reston birdwalks. Most of you know that it is a federally mandated wetland mitigation project. In other words, it was created as a trade-off for the destruction of wetlands during the construction of Reston Town Center. According to the deed, the property is supposed to remain a wetland in perpetuity. I have just learned, to my surprise, that the Army Corp of Engineers and the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality can set aside that deed at their discretion if they receive what they deem to be adequate compensation or if they decide some other land use has a higher value to the community.

Sunrise Valley Wetland has the misfortune to be located right next to the planned Herndon-Monroe Metro Station. The county planners are calling for high density development within the 1/4 mile radius of the station and that puts the park at risk. Apparently there is already at least one developer who his sights on the property.

If this concerns or worries you at all, please plan to attend a meeting this Saturday, Feb. 27, at 9:00 AM at Langston Hughes Middle School, 11401 Ridge Heights Rd. in Reston. The Reston Master Plan Special Study Task Force will be accepting comments from the public on what we would like development around the station to look like and any other issues we want raised in connection with the coming of rail to Reston and Herndon. I doubt the members of the Task Force are birdwatchers, and I doubt if they even appreciate what a natural resource we have in Sunrise Valley Wetland. This is our chance to tell them. Sunrise Valley Wetland will need all the support we can give it in the upcoming discussions.
Now this is a new twist on the redevelopment issue! But we have this sneaking suspicion that the muddy construction tranches involved with this project will provide a natural habitat for your more sludge-loving birds for years to come.

This and That: A Random Sloth-Like Lumber Around Reston News

  • This year's Best of Reston honorees sound like the opening to a really, really bad joke: An imam, a rabbi, a chiropractor and a lumberjack? Seriously:
    Honorees include Imam Mohammed Magid of the All Dulles Area Muslims Society and Rabbi Robert Nosanchuk of the Northern Virginia Hebrew Congregation for building bridges between people of different faiths. Holly Norris was honored for providing compassionate service to the nation and community, and Emily Ward was recognized for her life-long commitment to education and childcare.
    Reston Historic Trust was honored for its role in preserving Reston's past and preparing for its future. Reston Heights hotels, Sheraton and Westin, were honored for incorporating care for those in need into corporate culture. The Virginia Spine Institute was honored for investing in the well being of the Reston community, and Wetland Studies and Solutions Inc., was honored for protecting Reston's natural resources.
    Also honored at the event were Fairfax County 2009 First Responder officers of the year, including police officer Eric Glueckert and firemen Ronald McNew and Craig Furneisen.
    Once again, Restonian must have narrowly missed making the cut. Good for them, and here's hoping they'll reach the $300,000 fundraising goal.

  • As expected, the Reston Master Plan Task Force has eschewed formal input from groups like Reston ARCH and the Reston's Citizens Association in favor of groups like the RA and the chamber of commerce. Teevee hosts are not happy about this! No need to feel left out, though, as the county has shared an extensive bibliography of land use materials. Happy reading!

  • Speaking of Reston 2020, the group is holding a meeting at 7 tonight at RA Headquarters. No word if there will be a quiz on the land use bibliography materials. And the Working Alliance of Town Center Homeowners (WATCH), the RCA of Reston's Fake Downtown, didn't want to be left out of all the strawman action of late, so they came up with some fancy development principles of their own.

  • Reston State Sen. Jan Howell introduced a bill to "ensure state and local police would not inquire into the immigration status of any person who reports that he is the victim, parent or guardian or cooperating witness in the investigation of a crime." Bet we know one locality that isn't happy about that! Meanwhile, Del. Ken Plum's bid to prohibit the use of phosphorus-based fertilizers on "lawns, golf courses, parks, and cemeteries" has been put on hold, presumably by the all-powerful lawn, golf course, park and cemetery lobby.

  • The Reston Zoo, our favorite place to see majestic African animals gambol amid the natural surroundings of particleboard McMansion backyards, has bought what's now known as the Gulf Breeze Zoo in Pensacola, Fla.

  • If you can figure out this story about Reston firm Box Design, you're smarter than us. All we know is it involves things called MACHOS and WIMPS.

  • Reston Interfaith is girding for cuts at a time when more people than ever are using its services. Nothing funny about this, though we do like using the word "girding." Meanwhile, Reston-based nonprofit Hopecam flew a bunch of radios to people in Haiti.

  • Another Reston company is poised to be the next Amazon.com, only for happy families. Are there any of those anymore?

  • Seeing as we're not afraid to smut things up a little, here's a touching story about young love in Reston.

  • Assuming you're not tired of the RA board elections, here's a link to all of the RA Board candidates' statements in some fancy "news paper."

  • Yay, the Lake Anne Nursey Kindergarten turned 45! Hopefully they've managed to graduate all of LANK's first class of five students by now, the end.

Thursday, February 25, 2010

Spring Fashion Season Starts Early at Lake Anne

Forget those fancy elitist clothing stores like Anthropologie and... um, the Gap, at Reston's fake downtown. Folks in the know come to Lake Anne for their fashion needs!

Check out these fancy runway shots from some high-end fashion event called the Reston Polar Plunge, which raised more than $48,000 to support Camp Sunshine. Coincidentally, that's about $47,999 more than the actual retail price of the clothes these folks wore:

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Frumpy matching nightgowns are sooo 2009.

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Nice and springlike. Makes us think of an Irish tape dispenser.

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We'll bet she had an udderly good time! Get it? Quick, someone take away our "web logging" license before we actually injure someone with our rapier wit.

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It's a shame synchronized uncontrolled flailing isn't a Winter Olympic sport.

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You heard it here first: Soon everyone will be walking around with garlands in their hair and upraised toilet plungers in hand.

Even more awesome photos, complete with wry commentary, are available on the Flickrs, but we couldn't figure out how to embed them. Stupid Internets.

Buspocalypse Now: Proposed Budget Cuts Would Eliminate 7 Reston Routes, Reduce RIBS Service

151776-Broken-Down-Bus--The-PUSH-0.jpg.jpegIf you think the current 10-cent fare surcharge imposed on Fairfax Connector riders is bad, just wait! Under the just-unveiled proposed Fairfax County budget for the upcoming fiscal year, Fairfax Connector would eliminate seven Reston routes and scale back service on all RIBS routes.

On the chopping block are routes 552, 553, 554, 557, 929, 951 and 952. As secret Restonian operative "Adam" points out, the only routes slated for elimination in the entire county all serve Reston. Nice! RIBS routes 1-5 would also have reduced service hours, but they don't exactly have the most sterling reputation in that area in the first place.

But there's a consolation prize: a "new" route, Route 580, which would partially make up for the lost routes by plying the Toll Road from Reston East Park and Ride to West Falls Church Metro Station every 15 minutes.

Who's to blame for this mess? According to Fairfax County, the airports.

Fairfax Connector service cuts and fare increases are required due to the discontinuance by the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority (MWAA) of $6.645 million in annual operating support (from Dulles Toll Road revenues) for the Dulles Express Bus Service.
The Dulles Express Bus Service has been partially funded through an annual state set-aside of Dulles Toll Road revenue through a grant with the commonwealth and the Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation (DRPT). The grant (initially for 50% state funding and 50% county funding of the service) was established in FY 2000 and was to remain in place until Metrorail service to Wiehle Avenue was implemented. Since that time, the state’s contribution has remained unchanged and the county’s contribution has grown as operating costs have increased. In November 2008, the Dulles Toll Road and the control of this grant were transferred to MWAA; MWAA subsequently determined that the grant to the county would not be continued.
Also, the base fare would increase from $1.25 to $1.50 under the proposal. But that doesn't really matter if there's no bus to catch, does it?

Wednesday, February 24, 2010

Reston Real Estate: We're #1, Just Not In Real Estate Tax Bill Reductions, As County Budget Craters

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Amidst a cheerful story about Fairfax County's ongoing budget meltdown in today's "news paper," we saw this nifty graphic showing the changes in average real estate tax bills by district. And Reston has the smallest decline in the county, presumably because our real estate values have held up better than those in other parts of Fairfax, like fancy "Great" Falls, where the average decline was more than double that of our beloved beige community. Suck it, McMansion owners!

So that's good news for the Reston real estate market, yay, it's always a great time to buy, etc. The bad news, of course, is that our tax bills, on average, won't fall as much as in other parts of the county.

With a proposed 5-cent tax increase, the average homeowner's bill will be just $48.50 less next fiscal year, though, so don't go running out to buy one of those fancy flat screen TVs just yet.

Meanwhile, Fairfax's proposed budget is a big pile of sad, actually reducing money for schools, which could spell the end of language immersion and other programs at Lake Anne and elsewhere, plus the elimination of funding for the Adolescent Day Treatment Program, an in-house school facility for troubled youth in Reston we've never heard of but we're sure delights its NIMBY neighbors. It also calls for the elimination of the county's fancy bicycle program, which builds bike lanes throughout the county. Which is OK, since Fairfax County Supervisor John Cook told us all that bikes aren't for transportation, but rather for fancy people holding parasols while they perambulate along the boardwalk. Okay then!
"I don't believe a bicycle is a transportation device," Supervisor John Cook, R-Braddock District, said during a transportation committee meeting. "I think it's a recreation device. The big problem is people don't want to ride their bike in the rain or get sweaty before work."

Transportation officials have identified $12.7 million in pedestrian and bicycle projects for the Reston area -- intended to improve accessibility to the planned Wiehle Avenue and Reston Parkway Metro stations, part of the transit extension to Washington Dulles International Airport.
So what little open space will be involved with the Wiehle Metro project won't have any pesky bike paths to mar the crappy ornamental bushes "hiding" the massive, partially exposed parking garage. Nice!

Tuesday, February 23, 2010

RA Board Elections: This Time, A Real Endorsement From a Group That Just Won't Let a Wacky, Sitcom-Like Misunderstanding Go

Screen shot 2010-02-18 at 8.53.25 PM.jpgRemember that minor brouhaha about the Reston Association endorsing unwittingly giving free publicity to coincidentally mentioning three RA Board candidates in an e-mail, only not as an endorsement? Yeah, that was awesome. Now another Reston-area group has endorsed three candidates of its own, which quite coincidentally are not the same three candidates who benefitted from the RA's largesse electioneering incompetence. Who'da thunk it?

Apparently the folks at Save Brown's Chapel haven't gotten over that wacky, sitcom-like misunderstanding about building a massive rec center/juicery on top of one of Reston's few remaining open spaces. Making the second-best video ever about Reston apparently wasn't enough to satisfy their bloodlust, so now they're endorsing Joe Leighton, Peter Greenberg and Ken Knueven. What's up with that?

Remember last summer when the Reston Association Board of Director's [sic] planned to destroy Brown's Chapel Park and replace it with a $100 million county facility? The RA Board was working behind closed doors with the Reston Community Center (RCC) Board and was prepared to move this initiative forward.

Remember the meetings where hundreds of Reston Association members supported the coalition to Save Brown's Chapel and protested loud enough for the Board to notice that they would not be allowed to destroy one of our parks?

Remember the lack of openness and transparency between RA Board leadership and its members?

The Brown's Chapel fiasco underscored the dangerous outcome that can occur when the work of the RA Board is performed in closed executive session ultimately putting members' interests at risk. That scenario resulted in RA Board members rubber-stamping a $100 million facility that would ruin a beautiful park, destroy precious open space and cede acres of our valuable land to the county. Preventing this disaster required the actions and voices of the 1,500 Restonians who stood together and who signed a petition to force the RA Board to listen and finally to scrap the project after spending almost $100,000 of our money on a feasibility study.
Geez, guys. Haven't you heard of "water under the bridge?" Or at least "massive rec center over the open space?"
The Coalition to Save Brown's Chapel has endorsed the following candidates:

Joe Leighton - At-Large. Joe was the only current RA board member to take a stand early in the process and to send an alarm to the community. When Joe tried to make a motion in June 2009 to eliminate Brown's Chapel as a development site, not a single RA board member seconded his motion. It was months later after the RA board finally felt the pressure of its members that Joe's motion was passed. Joe is a leader who takes his job seriously and understands that he represents all RA members.

Peter Greenberg - North Point. Peter, a 14-year resident of North Reston, was the first person to sound the alarm about the destruction of Brown's Chapel Park. Peter worked tirelessly on the Brown's Chapel Park issue and was the first person who vowed to help put RA parks and open spaces in a "Conservation Trust". Peter, a successful businessman with extensive senior executive experience and a strong background in finance, is an outstanding North Point candidate.

Ken Knueven - Lake Anne / Tall Oaks. Ken will bring significant corporate experience to the RA board. For more than 30 years Ken has been instrumental in the development, growth and leadership of global organizations and currently manages Strategic Federal Programs for Microsoft. He values the neighborhood pool concept over the consolidation of mega locations, and will work toward protecting the interests of RA members against the mega-pool replacement concept People who live in this district should remember it was only a few years ago that Tall Oaks neighbors had to protest to the RA Board in order to keep their pool open. Ken will also lead in helping Lake Anne residents have a voice in dealing with the issues facing the aging RELAC operations.
SBC is having a meet-and-greet or something with these three candidates at 6:30 p.m. March 1 at -- wait for it! -- Brown's Chapel. We just wonder if the RA will "accidentally" send out their three names in a fancy e-mail.

Next Round of Reston Master Plan Meetings Begin Tonight

For Master Plan.jpgThe Reston Master Plan Task Force with a ridiculously long name we won't try to spell out (RMPTFWRLNWWTTSO) now turns its attention to the area south of the future Herndon-Monroe metro station, currently home to a crumbling parking garage and Targetville's sister city. The study area also includes "the areas around the future Wiehle Avenue" -- what, are we in a time warp or something? -- as well as Reston Parkway and the Fake Downtown.

"It is envisioned that future development in this area should take advantage of its proximity to Metro while preserving nearby neighborhoods" is how the RMPTFW task force is characterizing its work.

An informational meeting will be held tonight at 7pm at the Reston Community Center at Lake Anne, where "county and possibly other speakers will provide background on planning, policies, and practices as they apply to this area." Sounds like a party! Then on Saturday, a community forum will be held at 9am at Langston Hughes Middle School.

Monday, February 22, 2010

Photo Pfun: That's Why They Call Hole 14 at Reston National Golf Course the -- Wait for It! -- the DRIVING RANGE

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Secret Restonian operative "Mary Anne" sent us these exciting photos from hole 14 at Reston National Golf Course, which was the source of a bit of fun over the weekend... and not the usual, bourgeois, skip-out-of-work-a-bit-early, plaid-pants-wearing kind of fun, either. Behold!


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Yes, that's a car on the golf course. A 4x4, even. Also, South Reston appears to have been the victim of some sort of sinister terrorist biochemical attack that left everything vaguely lavender in its wake. Oh, the humanity!

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Somehow, the unknown driver managed to get the 4x4 stuck. On the golf course. How is that even possible?

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A CLUE! Also, as Restonian operative "Mary Anne" notes, "nice guitar case."

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We'll leave this scene of sad with one final, tragic footnote -- this crumpled can of Red Bull, left by the side of the car, a vertiable metaphor for shattered dreams and unfulfilled ambitions as the driver staggered away in search of -- what? a ball hit into the rough? Another 24 from the Soapstone 7-11? His caddy? We may never know.

This Week in Crime: Fairfax Police Officer Cleared in Shooting of Fox Mill Man

The police officer who shot a mentally ill Fox Mill man in his home on Feb. 5 has been cleared of criminal charges. The man, 25-year-old Ian C. Smith, is expected to recover.

The Fairfax County police officer who shot a mentally ill Herndon area man in his basement on Feb. 5 will not be charged with a crime, the Fairfax prosecutor said Friday.

Tactical officers were trying to take Ian C. Smith, 25, into custody after he had shown the handle of a gun to his mother and sister. Fairfax police said they thought Smith was asleep, but when they went to the basement, he reportedly pointed a gun -- now known to be a plastic BB gun -- at an officer.

The officer heard "click click click," and thought a trigger was being pulled and shot Smith in the chest and the stomach.

Smith's family said Thursday that Smith had regained consciousness this week in the intensive care unit at Inova Fairfax Hospital, but doctors told the family that Smith is not out of mortal danger.

Fairfax Commonwealth's Attorney Raymond F. Morrogh said Friday he had reviewed the case and "found no criminal liability on the part of the officer who fired his weapon." The officer's name has not been released. Fairfax police typically do not release the names of officers involved in shootings or other critical events.

Alan E. Smith, Ian Smith's father, said he was not surprised by the ruling. He said he has become increasingly suspicious of the police explanation of how the shooting occurred in the basement, and why the decision was made to enter the basement when his son, who the police knew was paranoid schizophrenic, was the only person in the house.

"Ian is going to live to tell his side of the story," Alan Smith said. He said his son has undergone eight operations to repair the damage from two .45-caliber slugs, and that doctors have not yet been able to close his chest up.

Saturday, February 20, 2010

Less Polar Weather Means That Polar Plunge Will Go On

336863_120113127b.jpgNow that we're all dug out of the snow, go taunt the wintry gods one last time by watching people jump into Lake Anne for the comparative warmth no good reason.

The "Virginia Polar Dip," which was canceled earlier this month due to polar weather, is now on for 2pm today at Lake Anne Village Center, benefitting Camp Sunshine, a retreat for children with life-threatening illnesses. If you're so inclined, please to be enjoying RA Director of Parks & Recreation Larry Butler's fundraising page, which states that he's "plunging so others don't have to." Okay then!

Friday, February 19, 2010

On the YouTubes: Reston Master Plan Discussions, in Convenient Video Format!



Who doesn't want to wind down after a long work week with a 57-minute video about land use issues? Fortunately, the folks at Comcast uploaded this nifty discussion about the Reston Master Plan to the Internets, so those of us without a Comcast machine at home can still listen to host John Lovaas discuss the master plan with Dick Stillson, John Bowman, Kathy Kaplan, Guy Rando, and Terry Maynard of the Reston 2020 Committee. The real star, though, is the lifelike backdrop of Lake Anne Village Center, minus all the gang tagging. You can also read this fancy "news-paper" article about how Reston 2020 and the RA are going to provide input into the process even after the Official Task Force With a Ridiculously Long Name We're Not Going to Retype (OTFWRLNWNGTR) told them to pound sand (in a nice way, of course). Happy Friday!

Crime and No Punishment for Last Year's (Alleged) Serial Jewelry Burglars

Picture 1.jpgHey, remember that time police arrested three people from New York in connection with an ongoing series of jewelry thefts that largely targeted Indian families in Reston and throughout Fairfax and Loudoun counties? Yeah, that was awesome. Only when it came time for their day in court, things didn't go so well.

AT A PRELIMINARY HEARING on Tuesday, Feb. 9, Loudoun County Judge Julia Cannon dismissed all six charges against Francisco Gray, also known as Cristhian Oliva-Penaranda. Gray, 39, as well as Dagoberto Soto-Ramirez, 27, and his wife Melinda Soto, also known as Marie Soto-Melinda, 33, all of whom were arrested on Nov. 10, also each had 11 charges placed against them in Fairfax County. Judge Ian O’Flaherty dismissed 10 of those charges for each defendant at a preliminary hearing on Jan. 20.

Each of the suspects still has one charge pending in Fairfax County, with the collective preliminary hearing set for Feb. 24, and Soto-Ramirez and his wife are scheduled to appear before a Loudoun County judge on March 4, each facing the same six charges that Gray had dismissed.

"It was quite obvious that the commonwealth didn’t show they had probable cause for the arrest and the prosecution at that point, and the court dismissed it," defense attorney Bobby Stafford said of the hearing in Fairfax County. Stafford is defending Soto Ramirez in both counties.
Wait a minute. Whahappened?
POLICE said the November arrest was based on "burglarious materials" in the vehicle the suspects were driving.

Kumar, who attended the preliminary hearing in Fairfax County, said prosecutors had presented as evidence gold-detecting equipment, cell phones that had called the homes of victims before they were burglarized and a list of names and phone numbers, many of them labeled "indio," among other items found in the suspects’ possession. "But the prosecutors, they were unable to tie up the evidence," he said. He noted that the burglaries, which peaked in October, had ceased after the arrest.
Awkward! Apparently the trio is facing one more charge in Fairfax County (a speeding ticket, maybe?) Plus, four more New York residents have been extradited in connection with the burglaries. So maybe at some point they'll get a conviction. We hear there's a big city with tall buildings and lots of people up there, so someone's probably guilty of something.

Thursday, February 18, 2010

A New Contender for Best Reston Job Posting Ever

driving-miss-daisy.jpgWe must be seeing those fabulous "green shoots" we keep hearing about with the economy and whatnot, as in just the last few weeks, we've seen ads for two awesome Reston-area jobs on the craigslists! If you weren't fast enough to grab the singing telegram gig, dust off your resume, as here's your second chance:

Interviewing for a driver (Reston, VA)

Black female, who will - more than likely - be convicted of a DWI in the morning seeks a driver in advance. Must have a valid drivers license and a decent driving record (under the circumstances). Pay will be negotiable if an agreement is made.
Wow. Sounds like Driving Miss Daisy, if Jessica Tandy's character had a bit of a drinky drink problem and lived in an earth-toned rancher instead of an antebellum Southern mansion.

Snowgate: The Buck Stops Here

Reston Association CEO Milton Matthews has sent an e-mail to all candidates running for seats on the RA Board saying that he alone made the decision to send an official Reston Association e-mail with the names of three candidates who were among the organizers of last weekend's snow removal push.

In the message, Matthews said he was aware the snow-removal event was planned by three Board candidates, but "given the nature of the volunteer work and what I believe were many benefits to the community, I do not second-guess my decision to disseminate the information via RA's various communication channels." Milton also apologized for creating "a stressful situation" for election committee members. The full text follows:

Everyone,

As many of you know, there are e-mails and probably other forms of communications circulating which call into question whether it was a wise decision on the part of RA to disseminate information about a community-wide call for volunteers to assist with snow removal on sidewalks, pathways and, in some cases near bus stops, located adjacent to several schools in Reston. The first point I need to make is that the decision to disseminate the information was mine and not that of RA’s Board of Directors. And, given that the members of the Board of Directors are my bosses, I take absolutely no position on whom those individuals will be, with the only exception being the vote I cast as a Member of the Reston Association.

When I was asked if RA would send out the information about the call for volunteers, my first question was whether RA would be the only source attempting to get the word out to the community. I was assured that efforts by many others were already underway to get the word out. Yes, I was very conscious of the fact that the information to be disseminated acknowledged that among the organizers were three candidates for the RA Board of Directors. However, given the nature of the volunteer work and what I believe were many benefits to the community, I do not second guess my decision to disseminate the information via RA’s various communication channels. On a personal note, I actually shoveled snow and ice at Armstrong Elementary School shoulder to shoulder with individuals I was meeting for the first time.

I have repeatedly stated that I want the Reston Association to be a valued and reliable resource to the community, even if there is a matter in which we are not the direct service provider. I believe getting the word out about the call for volunteers was a service to the community, notwithstanding the fact that three of the organizers of the effort are candidates for the RA Board of Directors.

To members of the Election Committee, I apologize if my decision has created a stressful situation for you.

Milton W. Matthews
Chief Executive Officer
Reston Association
We still think in the interest of full disclosure, the three board candidates should have been identified as such in the e-mail, or that it should have been left to other groups to disseminate. But kudos to Matthews for stepping up and taking responsibility.

Wednesday, February 17, 2010

Let's Call it Snowgate: Was an RA E-mail Promoting Weekend Snow Removal a Tacit Endorsement of 3 RA Board Candidates?

2536103901_432783be9d.jpgOnly in Reston could a call for volunteer snow removal become an imbroglio involving the election of Reston Association Board candidates. I mean, really?

You may remember that the Reston Association sent out an e-mail over the weekend encouraging volunteers to help dig out schools and sidewalks so kids could go back to school. It was a great idea, it really played up the good things about living in Reston -- the scads of people willing to help out a common cause -- and it made for some cute photos that filthy "web loggers" like us could make fun of. But there was this one line in the official RA e-mail:

(While the organizers, including Mike Collins, Kevin Danaher, and David Robinson, are Reston Association members, this project is not an RA sponsored event.)
The three aren't just Reston Association members -- all three are running for the three open seats on the RA Board, all of which are contested. Further, none of the three are running against each other.

Another one of the candidates is crying foul. Others have argued that this has basically tipped the RA's hand by showing what it considers to be its hand-picked slate of candidates. On the surface, it's hard to dispute that's exactly what this looks like.

Maybe the RA just goofed. Getting volunteers together was a good idea, and there's nothing that says that involved Reston residents -- who are exactly the kind of people who should be running for the RA Board -- shouldn't be able to reach out and ask the RA to help them get the word out about an event of this nature. If these three considered this part of their election strategy, that just makes them savvy campaigners. You really can't blame them for trying to get their names out.

But the RA needs to do its job and ensure that the process remains fair. At a minimum, they absolutely should have identified the three as RA Board candidates -- calling them "RA members" appears to the cynical to be a deliberate attempt to keep from pointing this very fact out. In its defense, the RA may have discussed how to identify these three people and thought that this would be the most fair way of handling it, as to avoid the appearance of a blatant endorsement. Unfortunately, it just made them look more underhanded in some people's eyes instead.

Perhaps the RA should not have promoted the event through official channels at all. Lord knows there are filthy "web logs" that will do that dirty work for pretty much anyone who asks.

In the interest of fairness, we'll publish any rebuttal or explanation these candidates or the RA wants to offer. In fact, we'd welcome it. Because without an explanation, this really makes the RA look conniving. Or incompetent. We'll leave it to others to decide which.

Update: From the comments, the most plausible explanation we've heard thus far.
I got an e-mail from the Lake Anne PTA a couple hours before I received RA's and that line was already in the first e-mail. I think the organizers themselves wrote it and the people who dispersed the message just left it in resulting in a sort of oversight. It seems a lot of the people who were out to help really just wanted to volunteer and help get their kids to school but the event seemed to be led by current RA board member Richard Chew and the three candidates. Maybe these aren't RA's hand-picked candidates but some of the current board members' preferred candidates?
We'll buy this less cynical theory. But the skepticism out there -- and not just on this filthy "web log" -- is a reminder that everyone involved needs to be more careful.

Tuesday, February 16, 2010

Reston Master Plan: Community Group Looking for a Few Good Strawmen

For Master Plan.jpgWhat, with the snow and the snow and the snow and the digging out from the snow, it's been a while since we've touched on the Reston Master Plan. As long speculated, the official and succinctly named Reston Master Plan Special Study Task Force has opted not to formally incorporate the community work groups proposed by Reston 2020. So it will trudge onward, as will the RA Board, which will provide support of its own:

Dick Stillson, Reston 2020 co-chair, started by noting that it appears that the community will have to move forward on its own to support the task force because the task force has not further considered the Reston 2020 Community Work Group (CWG) proposal per a conversation with is chair, Patty Nicoson. She offered a deficient alternative of task force member-led special topic groups on matters peripheral to the task force’s primary agenda. In a conversation with Stillson Feb. 3rd, Paul Thomas, the Reston Association Board’s member of the Task Force, said that the RA Board had charged its key committees to support the task force through the RA Board. He suggested that Reston 2020 proceed with its specific studies and write papers to the task force, preferably endorsed by all three key Reston civic groups (RA, RCA, & ARCH).
Confused? Us too. But Reston 2020 is seeking people to participate in its own working groups, and has sent this message out to the people of Reston on the Internets:
Reston Residents: 
The Reston 2020 Committee is a committee of the Reston Citizens Association which monitors land use planning in Reston.  Currently, we are most involved with monitoring and helping the Task Force of the Reston Master Plan Special Study.  As a way to better educate ourselves and provide a way for many people to participate in the planning process, we are forming working groups concerning several important areas that the Task Force will be considering.  These are: 

•          Transportation;
•          Environment;
•          Parks, Recreation and Public Facilities;
•          Residential and Urban Design, and Livability;          


We hope the groups will read studies concerning their topics that have been done on other areas, beginning with the Tyson’s Corner Planning Task Force, invite outside experts to obtain their views, and organize field trips to inspect and better understand the areas affected by the planning.  They will work closely with the advisory committees of the Reston Association who are working on similar topics.  They will prepare brief written reports and presentations on what they learn and provide the Task Force with their views.             

We hope that you may be interested in participating in one of the groups.  They will meet at least once per month and will be chaired by a member of the 2020 Committee. It will require some commitment of time and effort over the next several months but it will be well worth it to be able to contribute to the planning process.  Please e-mail me by February 19 if you are interested and state which of the groups you would like to join. Thank you. 

Dick Stillson
Co-Chair, RCA’s Reston 2020 Committee
rts@point0.net
For what it's worth. Maybe you too can come up with your own strawman!

Restonian on Buzz, Whatever That Means

1444417344-GoogleBuzzLogo68.pngHey, guess what? Along with the Twitters and the Facebooks and the Facebooks discussion groups, we're on the awesome, Googlerific, privacy-destroying Buzz. We're not quite sure how you "friend" people or whatnot on Buzz, but you can search for "Restonian" or restonite@gmail.com, and get the same infrequent status updates you get on those other fancy "social media" platforms. Go ahead -- don't cost nothing.

Breaking: Partial Roof Collapse at Reston Apartment Complex

A "partial" roof collapse sounds a bit like being "a little bit pregnant," but that's what happened this morning at an apartment complex off South Lakes Drive in South Reston. Fortunately, it was just the crappy breezeway between several units that collapsed, so it could have been a lot worse:

Fairfax County Fire and Rescue units are on the scene of a partial roof collapse in a Reston apartment building this Tuesday morning.

Officials say they received the report of a possible cave-in at an apartment complex in the 2200 block of Lovedale Lane around 4:09 a.m. Dan Schmidt, spokesperson for Fairfax County Fire and Rescue says units arriving on scene found a partial roof collapse of a breezeway that connects apartment buildings, which also brought down a heating unit.

Schmidt says no one in the 3-story garden-style apartment building is in immediate danger. Nine apartments have been evacuated, however, due to lack of heat. Only one resident needed assistance from the Red Cross.
Update: Some exciting video from one of the local TV stations, if you consider dark and grainy shots of a roof that you can't tell has collapsed "exciting."

Monday, February 15, 2010

Photo Pfun: A Children's Treasury of Images from Reston's Big Dig

Yesterday, a bunch of people, and a few local politicians, fanned out across Reston with shovels and snowblowers and other fancy snow-movin' implements to help clear school buses and sidewalks in an effort to get their lumpen progeny off the couch kids out of the house and anywhere out of earshot back to school. But the "Big Dig" was all for naught, as Fairfax County Schools announced they were going to stay closed today anyway. Ha! The current plan is for schools to open on Tuesday with a delay, but that's only if there aren't any massive blizzard-like accumulations flurries today. Sunday night, the school system sent another groveling e-mail asking county residents to do their work for them and dig out more sidewalks today, so who knows.

Still, Sunday's dig wasn't a total waste. It reminded us -- seriously -- of our community's volunteer spirit. People also took lots of phun photos! Gather the kids around the computer, as you know they're just underfoot playing their XBoxes or whatever anyway:

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If this guy hadn't shown up with his fancy snow-blower, schools would have been out until July.

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Desperate folks near Sunrise Valley Elementary apparently created this graven image to worship some sort of capricious "sun god." We think it's time to take it to the next level and start sacrificing goats or something.

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One bitchin' bobcat. With the funky backdrop of Terraset Elementary, this could make a great album cover for some '70s progressive rock band.

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Shovel porn.

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This kid turns his face to avoid being identified as a collaborator with the gathering forces conspiring to send him and his peers back to school.

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There's really nothing funny to say about this picture, except to note that it's amazing that this was taken four full days after the last flake of snow had fallen, and these buses were still plowed in, and one of the most affluent, best-supported school systems in the country had to beg people to do something about it. And Fairfax County expected to be able to open schools today?

Saturday, February 13, 2010

Reston Big Dig: Come Hell or High Water, Parents Want Kids Back at School

2536103901_432783be9d.jpgHow badly do Reston parents want to get their screaming shut-in snowbound monsters precious children back to, what was it called again, school? Badly enough that they're prepared to do Fairfax County's work for it by digging out Reston schools, by hand or bloody stump if necessary.

On Sunday afternoon, February 14, volunteers will gather at South Lakes High School and then fan out across Reston to shovel snow at key school walkways and bus stops.

The project is being organized by a small group of Reston residents in response to a request from the Fairfax County Public Schools for help in clearing walkways and bus stops so that students can get to school safely starting next Monday morning.

(While the organizers, including Mike Collins, Kevin Danaher, and David Robinson, are Reston Association members, this project is not an RA sponsored event.)

Volunteers with shovels are asked to meet at SLHS (stadium side parking area) at 1:00 pm on Sunday. Groups of volunteers will then be dispatched out to key locations in Reston identified by FCPS.

With limited time, the organizers are utilizing email and social networking to reach out to the Reston community quickly. So please help spread the word.
"Bring shovels and cameras," the organizers advise, though we're not quite sure how a camera can be used to move snow. Maybe the lens caps can be used as improvised spades.

For more information, e-mail restonbigdig@c2va.com.

Friday, February 12, 2010

SnowmageddonpocalypsesnOMGredux 2010 (tm): The Wolfman Rides Again

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As we continue the big post-blizzard dig and Fairfax County Schools are practically begging stir-crazy parents to shovel their walks to help get their cooped up kids back to school sooner and our neighbors in gun-lovin' Herndon are using a plow the city bought on eBay for $150, this exciting photo of the Reston Association's snow removal efforts shows why you should think twice before confronting a plow operator during a full moon.

This Week in Crime: Finger-Pointing in Fox Mill Shooting, Plus Burglaries and Middle School Gangs

The Fox Mill man shot by Fairfax County police last week in his home was mentally ill and holding a plastic replica of a pistol, according to family members.

The Herndon man who was shot by a Fairfax County police officer last week was known by police to be severely mentally ill, and he was wielding a plastic replica of a pistol when he was shot at close range in the chest and stomach, police and family members said.

Ian C. Smith, 25, remains in critical condition at Inova Fairfax Hospital, where he has undergone four operations to repair the damage from two .45-caliber bullets. He was shot Friday morning in the basement of the home he shares with his parents and younger sister on Fallon Drive after a three-hour standoff with Fairfax tactical officers overseen by a police major with extensive experience dealing with the mentally ill.

But Smith's family said the officers reacted rashly by even entering the basement.

"The cop had no reason to do what he did," said Brenda Smith, Ian Smith's mother. "He isn't a murderer out on the street. He was a kid down in his basement having a psychotic attack."

Police said Smith emerged from behind a bathroom door, lunged at two officers and began pulling the trigger of his plastic BB gun. The officer did not know it wasn't a real gun, police said. "It's tragic. My heart goes out to them," said Maj. Shawn Barrett, head of the Fairfax criminal investigations bureau, who did not oversee the situation that day but is the lead investigator.

Barrett said Smith "pulled that weapon out and pointed it point blank at the officers and was pulling the trigger. At that point, the officer just responds when it's him or the other person. The [tactical] officer reverts to his training. They did everything they could."
Meanwhile, a 14-year-old at Langston Hughes Middle School has been charged with assault and gang participation:
Police charged a 14-year-old boy with assaulting a 15- year-old boy at Hughes Middle School, 11401 Ridge Heights Road, around 9:50 a.m. on Tuesday, January 26. The victim did not require medical attention. Petitions were obtained for assault and gang participation.
And after a long respite from last year's string of burglaries, a home on Moss Point Lane in North Reston was burglarized, police said.
A home in the 11900 block of Moss Point Lane was burglarized some time between noon on Friday, January 22 and 6:25 p.m. on Monday, January 25. Jewelry and watches were stolen.

Thursday, February 11, 2010

Another 15 Seconds: Restonian on the Radio

images.jpegSome filthy hobo masquerading as "Restonian the Blogger" was on NPR earlier, stone cold talkin' about blogging and blizzards and whatnot. The real shocker? We were compelled by the elitist mainstream media and their pesky "questions" to say nice things about both the RA and our commenters. (Okay, so we said one semi-nice thing about the RA, but close enough!)

The exciting "pod cast" is worth listening to on your fancy "pod casting" machine, if only to hear Kojo Nnamdi read an entry from this filthy "web log" in his deep, mellifluous voice. It almost made it sound classy!

Unfortunately, at the end of the call we didn't know the "phrase that pays" and did not win the Van Halen tickets and party pack, the end.

Meanwhile, in the Anti-Reston: Gun Shop Opens With an, Ahem, Bang

evil spock.jpegWhile us namby-pamby tree-hugging Reston metrosexuals are breathlessly anticipating the opening of a yarn shoppe at Lake Anne, our more rough-and-tumble neighbors to the west are celebrating their own newest retail establishment: a gun store.

When NOVA Armament, LLC, held its grand opening on Jan. 30, it drew a crowd that surpassed even its owners' expectations. Several dozen people, including Herndon Mayor Steve DeBenedittis and Town Councilman Dave Kirby, jammed into the small storefront at 795 Center St., formerly a vacant space below Tina's Hair Salon.

"I thought the snow would keep people away, but they really turned out," said Judy Rudek, a well-armed store employee who wears a Smith & Wesson Ladysmith .357 revolver in a leather hip holster while at the office.

"People came in and bought everything," she said. "We sold several guns and lots of ammo."
Lest you worry that Herndon's developing a machismo gap over our fair community, never fear: They've got massive weaponry for the ladies. And jewelry too!
Rudek says one of NOVA Armament's more unique aspects is its "Fairer Sex Section," in which several handgun carrying options -- both open and concealed -- are available for women. "The one question I get asked the most by customers is, 'How can my wife carry a concealed weapon?'" she said.

The store offers women several "on-body" and "off-body" options, from waist and shoulder holsters to purses with easy-access gun compartments. Earrings and other jewelry carved from empty shell casings are also on display.

"We plan on offering women more options than just pink guns and pink purses," Rudek said.
Awesome! Of course, some namby-pamby types are concerned about Herndon's image, which as we know, is already that of a progressive, welcoming community.
But some Herndon residents are less enthused about a gun store opening downtown.

Du said that on the store's opening day, he received an e-mail from a Herndon man who said he hoped the store's sales would be "disastrous" because the town did not need such a business.

Others, such as Carol Bruce, a former mayor, question the particular location of the store and the image it portrays to those visiting downtown.

"I respect the constitutional right of all law-abiding citizens to bear arms," she said. "However, I question the appropriateness of the location, which is across from the library and in an area frequented by children. I also have serious reservations about the image that a gun store projects for our town."
If conceal-carry enthusiasts can enjoy a meal at Champps without anyone complaining, they ought to be able to go to the library to pick up the latest Glenn Beck oeuvre. Right?

Wednesday, February 10, 2010

Shocking Lack of Power Outages, Widespread Looting, Human Cannibalism in Wake of HellstormpocalypsemageddonOMG 2010 (tm)

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Shockingly, as of 6:30 Wednesday night, this unlucky spot in Golf Course Island near Lake Anne was the one reported local power outage following the not-quite-blizzard-like blizzard winds. Now comes the fun of digging out!

Fortunately, a week of being cooped up with permanently truant school-age children and other assorted loved ones hasn't affected Restonians' "can do" spirit. A Restonian informant shared this touching story of the communal spirit overcoming adversity from earlier in the week:
Last night maintainence director at Springs@Reston was stopping vehicles from entering a section of the complex while plows/bobcats were busy removing snow; one resident didn't take kindly to the instructions, got out of his vehicle, and cold-clocked the maintainence director. Maintainence staff subdued the man and a gaggle of FFX Police showed to arrest te subject on two counts of battery.
Meanwhile, in Herndon, some people put together a bitchin' igloo, complete with tiki torches... which they had to extinguish when they realized they were melting the igloo. Snowpocalypses can be educational too!

If you still have power and have the tendency to be prematurely nostalgic, the Reston Association, the Observer and various intrepid photographers have endless photo galleries of snow-covered objects to scroll through while you wait for the snowplows to maybe come through for an indifferent pass of the ole' cul de sac.

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We'll leave you with this picture of Dear Leader, nearly buried in the snow. On the bright side, the snowdrift is obscuring his gang colors, so it's all good.

Tuesday, February 9, 2010

Snow Shoes, Snow Shirt, Snow Service: Another 8-16 Inches of White Death To Fall From Indifferent Sky

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As we prepare for yet another round of snow, wind, downed trees and human cannibalism general inconvenience, please to be enjoying this picture of snow cleanup efforts in Hickory Cluster. From this nearly godlike vantage point, we see how insignificant our futile efforts are in the face of nature's awesome power. Dance, tiny ants, dance!

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Meanwhile, someone put a sweater on the donkey at Lake Anne Elementary. Awww... cute! When the grocery stores all collapse from the snowpack on their roofs, we can boil it down to a tasty pulp and smear it over our last slice of bread.

Know fear. And, as always, share your snow-related tales in the comments.

Some Politics are Local: The 2010 RA Board Slate of Candidates

The slate of candidates running for the Reston Association Board is now official. A total of four people are running for an at-large seat, while three people apiece are running for seats representing North Point and Lake Anne.

Their statements are really long, so clicky through to the jump to read on:

Monday, February 8, 2010

Flashback Monday: A YouTube Gallery of Videos From The Hellstormsnowpocalypsemageddon (tm) of 2010

We're down to our last sip of milk and square of toilet paper, but we can now look back and laugh at this weekend's hellstormsnowpocalypsemageddon (tm). And while we haven't managed to dig ourselves out much further than the sidewalk, we have the wonders of the Internets to bring us a glimpse of what the rest of the world Reston was doing to have fun in the snow while we hid under the bed, sobbing uncontrollably. So here goes!


This chap shows us the responsible way to drive in the snow.


We're sending this one, filmed on South Lakes Drive, to Bob Saget.


This video has more heavy breathing than a convention of Darth Vader impersonators.


Someone was in the mood for Super Sunday, snow be damnmed. "I'm the fat kid that owned the little kid and made him cry," reads the explanation. How proud he must be!

Friday, February 5, 2010

Snowpocalypse II: Electric Boogaloo

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"Reston Ass!" As we gird our earth-toned loins for the second round of devastating fractalized killer hellspawn destruction from above this winter season, we thought we'd try to share one last laugh from the last major snowpocalypse to give us all a final chuckle before we slide into utter mirthless chaos. We'll be "live weblogging" during the storm, at least until the power goes out and civilization as we know it completely unravels. We'd encourage you to do the same, in the comments. A few suggested posts:

"It's still snowing."

"God, it's still snowing."

"All snow and no play makes Jack a dull boy."

"Saw a snowplow. It was immediately besieged by zombies, who pulled the driver out and feasted on his brains, given the lack of bread and milk in the grocery stores."

"Thought I saw the sun come out, but it actually was the glare from the corpse fire in the neighbor's yard. I should really call the DRB about this, assuming they still exist once the snowplows dig us out in May."

You get the idea. In the meantime, continuous, up-to-the-minute updates are available here.

Police Shoot Fox Mill Man During Domestic Dispute

Fairfax County Police shot a Fox Mill man following a standoff that culminated a domestic dispute call:

A man was shot during a stand-off with police in the early morning hours of Friday, February 5. Police were initially called to a home in the 2500 block of Fallon Drive around 11:30 p.m. on Thursday, February 4 for a domestic situation. Officers determined a man inside the residence was threatening to harm family members. Those family members were able to exit the home, leaving the man alone inside.

Tactical officers and negotiators were called to the scene and attempted to make contact with the man for several hours. An emergency custody order was issued by a magistrate; around 3 a.m. the tactical officers made entry and located the suspect inside. He failed to comply with their demands and brandished a handgun at the officers. The suspect was subsequently shot in the upper body. Medical personnel onscene rendered immediate aid to the suspect. He was then medevaced to Inova Fairfax Hospital with life-threatening injuries.

Detectives responded to the scene and the investigation is ongoing.

RA Meeting On Indoor Rec To Be Held in Ironic Location

simpsons-movie-dome-1.pngWell, well, well. The RA Board of Directors will be holding a special meeting on Monday night to, among other things, "receive, and take action as appropriate, a preliminary concept plan for an indoor tennis facility at Lake Newport Tennis Court Complex." We're still hoping against hope for an awesome plexiglass dome, but that's not the funny part. The funny part is that the meeting will be held at Brown's Chapel, the sight of much recent hilarity when it comes to indoor recreation. Oh, well. Bygones!

The meeting will be at 7 p.m. Monday, assuming the snowmaggedon doesn't turn us all into bread-and-milk-craving zombies, and the board will also consider approving "a letter to the Reston Master Plan Special Study Task Force regarding new residential developments in the area current known as the Reston Center for Industry and Government (RCIG)." That's a lot of verbiage, but the nutshell is that this would allow more condos and whatnot in mixed-used developments along the Toll Road, which Reston's original rules initially forbade. Bygones!

Update to Update to Update: Due to the ongoing snowmageddon, the meeting has been rescheduled to Saturday, Feb. 13 at 9 a.m. has not yet been rescheduled is now rescheduled to Thursday, February 11, at 7pm the regular RA board meeting later in the month... Feb. 25, maybe? We're not marking anything as definite on our calendars until the snow melts in July.

Thursday, February 4, 2010

Breaking: Saturday's Lake Anne Polar Plunge Postponed Due To Polar Weather

There are no words.

Wiehle Avenue Metro: First Major Redevelopment Goes Before Reston P&Z Next Week

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We love a good artist's rendering of tall bland office buildings as much as the next guy or gal, so here are some lovely drawrings of Comstock's proposed mixed-use development on the site of the current Wiehle Avenue kiss and ride. Note the large above-ground parking garage -- which is largely underground but at least partially visible from most angles --- and the tiny bit of open space -- supposedly the size of Lake Anne Plaza, minus the tubercular fountain.

Also, it's tall! Someone used one of those fancy 3-D modeling programs (MS Paint) to give a sense of how tall the proposed buildings would be:

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Those tiny specs are people. At the same time, the only thing that's guaranteed to be built as a result of the $90 million $110 million deal between Comstock and Fairfax County is the garage itself; the rest of the project, including even more stuff to the west of this block, will be developed as "market conditions dictate." Frankly, we'd rather have bland tall buildings than a free-standing parking garage surrounded by mud and construction tranches, but that's just us.

Reston 2020's Terry Maynard was so moved by these stirring images that he wrote a fancy 12-page document criticizing the Whiele Avenue development. The highlights:
• The design is conventional and bland, like many other such commercial development blocks in the Washington area. It is not innovative or world-class.

• The TOD mixed-use development of the site is entirely appropriate, but it appears to exceed its authorized FAR 2.5 density, probably in the range of FAR 4 to FAR 5 , when the nearly million square feet of above ground parking is counted.

• In no serious sense does the proposal meet the county’s requirement of 20% open space—much less Restonians’ demands for 25% or higher—other than pavement and parking lots along with an undeveloped ravine. It does not meet Restonians’ needs for open space and natural areas.

• The transportation impact analysis shows that, even with full implementation of the required improvements and Comstock’s additional offers and traffic demand management (TDM) program, traffic will worsen at the corner of Wiehle and Sunset Hills. This is inconsistent with Restonians’ needs for the concurrent or prior development of infrastructure to maintain or improve public services.

• Comstock limits its commitment to environmental sensitivity to meeting only LEED Silver or LEED Certified environmental standards in its development, and offers a financial arrangement as an alternative to meeting those requirements. Restonians demand a minimum LEED Silver standard, and prefer going for the Gold.

• The proposal covers only the two blocks owned by Comstock. The dozen other property owners in this quadrant near the Metro station could each propose their own isolated, incompatible development plan in the absence of a comprehensive approach to Reston planning. As a planned community, Reston’s development and re-development planning should reflect a holistic approach to its impact on Reston’s quality of life.

We can hope the Reston Association P&Z Committee—which has limited authority in the approval process—and the County considers these shortcomings as the application moves through the review process. Moreover, we can hope that the lessons from this development proposal will temper the drive for increasing density (FAR, DUAs, etc.) in Reston development; strengthen standards for infrastructure, open space, and sustainable development; and lead to a more thoughtful community-wide approach to development planning and implementation. That hope rests in the hands of the Reston Master Plan Special Study Task Force.

Reston’s citizens must work to see that their clear and consistent principles are established and implemented. Otherwise, the quality of life reflected in Reston’s innovative architecture, integration of extensive open space and natural areas, provision of park and recreational amenities, sensitivity to environmental impact, and other unique and attractive characteristics will erode block by block, development by development, neighborhood by neighborhood over the next generation.
You had us at "conventional and bland."

Reston P&Z will review this fancy plan during a meeting next week. As the proposal wends its way through the Reston and county planning process, it, along with the Fairway redevelopment proposal submitted by JBG, represent the first serious tests of what high-density, mixed-use development will look like in Reston going forward. Both have the ugly above-ground parking garages in common. At least Comstock's proposal is in the right spot--adjacent to the Metro station and in an area nowhere near existing residential neighborhoods. Even so, issues with pedestrian and vehicular traffic need to be examined closely.

Also, we recommend spicing up the design a bit. Maybe Comstock can borrow some cues from the rad '80s art planned for the Metro station next door.

Wednesday, February 3, 2010

Hey, Guess What? It Snowed. Again.

13126.jpgHow about that? It snowed again. Consider this an appetizer for the monster hellstorm snowpocalypse that might dump feet of snow on Reston this weekend... or just a little bit of rain. Or sleet. Or flaming embers from the forges of Hades itself. Or daffodil petals.

Whatever happens, we blame Al Gore.

Some Politics are Local: A Full Slate of RA Board Candidates (We Think)

In a Restonian World Exclusive (tm), an operative has shared an unofficial list of candidates for the upcoming RA Board elections. (The slate will be officially unveiled later this week, so we'll know soon enough if this list is actually correct.)

At-Large Candidates:

1. Rod Koozmin
11571 Embers Court, Reston, VA. 20191

2. Joe Leighton
2033 Approach Lane, Reston, VA 20191

3. David Robinson
1622 Bennington Hollow Lane, Reston, VA 20194

4. Patrick Shipp
11408 Running Cedar Road, Reston, VA. 20191

Lake Anne/Tall Oaks District Candidates:

1. Kevin Danaher
1795 Ivy Oaks Square, Reston, VA. 20190

2. Ken Knueven
11432 Waterview Cluster, Virginia, VA 20190

3. Guy L. Rando
1512 Inlet Court, Reston, VA 20190

North Point District Candidates:

1. Michael E. Collins
11408 Gate Hill Place, Unit Q, Reston, VA 20194

2. Peter Greenberg
1451 Waterfront Road, Reston, VA. 20194

3. Rengin Morro
1652 Sierra Woods Drive, Reston, VA 20194
Considering the full plate the RA has ahead of it, we're pleased to see so many people interested in serving on the board.

Tuesday, February 2, 2010

Could the Virginia Senate Bring an End to the DRB? The Answer, My Friends, Is Blowin' in the Wind

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Could the Virginia Senate bring about an end to the absolute power of the DRB? Probably not, but we could start seeing some lovely clotheslines hanging between our earth-toned abodes, casting attractive shadows on our red mulch.
By a 37-3 vote Tuesday, the Senate passed a bill that would prohibit homeowner's associations from banning residents from stringing up clothes lines to dry their garments.
The ramifications could be staggering. Just ask our favorite correspondent, The Peasant From Less Sought After South Reston:
If this bill passes the state assembly and is signed by our new governor, this means that our beloved nanny state RA cannot ban clotheslines, with their assorted flapping sheets and underwear, from festooning our fair paradise.  The end of earth-toned civilization as we know it!

But then again, the bill "allows restrictions concerning the size and placement of the so-called natural drying devices".  Well, that ought to keep the DRB productively engaged for months!  I bet the end product would be even better (i.e., more inane) than the design guidelines for compost bins.
The Peasant's right. We'd better beat the rush and start looking for some taupe-colored string right now.

This Week in Crime: More Peeps Than an Easter Candy Factory

peeps.jpgUsually we have to wait until warmer weather for the perverts to come out! First, we have the usual tomfoolery in one of the pedestrian tunnels on South Lakes Drive:

On Wednesday, January 27 around 12:55 a.m., a 39-year-old woman was walking in the 11100 block of South Lakes Drive when a man confronted her as she exited a pedestrian tunnel. The suspect exposed himself and then grabbed her before fleeing on foot. The victim was not injured.

The suspect was described as white, in his 20s, with brown eyes, around 6 feet tall, 200 pounds and wore dark clothing.
Don't feel like taking an ill-advised midnight stroll? The former Freetown Court peepers will bring the action to you!
Police are investigating a peeping that occurred in the 2000 block of Royal Fern Court on Saturday, January 23. A 49-year-old man inside the home observed a man peering through the blinds around 1:50 a.m.; the suspect fled when he saw the man.
And that's not all! We've heard from a Restonian operative that the perversion isn't just limited to south of the Toll Road.
When I read on your blog that a peeper had been caught at Freetown Court I assumed it was the same one harassing St. John's Wood apartment complex and I could relax. BUT today I had a note on my door from management that there have been two "possible peeping incidents" along with some safety tips. Just thought I'd pass it on....apparently the perverts like St. John's as much as Freetown court.
Amazingly, the criminal element somehow still managed to find the time to do some non-perverted wrongdoing:
ATTEMPTED BURGLARY OF AN OCCUPIED DWELLING: A man attempted to break into a home in the 2200 block of Castle Rock Square around 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, January 19. The suspect did not gain entry and fled on foot toward Soapstone Drive. He was described as Hispanic, in his 20s, about 6 feet tall and 180 pounds, with long, black hair. He wore a black T- shirt and blue jeans.

UNLAWFUL ENTRY/DESTRUCTION OF PROPERTY: Police responded to a home in the 12000 block of Trumball Way on Saturday, January 23 and charged a man with unlawful entry and destruction of property. Around 6:12 a.m., a 41-year-old woman discovered the man sleeping on her couch.
Also, someone stole some "game cards" from a Fireside Place home. There are no words.

Monday, February 1, 2010

Garden State: Reston's Homegrown Gunman Appears in Court, Gets Lawyered Up

nj-lloyd-woodson-arsenal-courtjpg-77f8c9cc2f63f31d_large.jpgLloyd Woodson, the former Reston resident who showed up in New Jersey with a cache of weapons, appeared in federal court today.

The Virginia man who allegedly had an arsenal of weapons and a map of a U.S. Army base stashed in motel room when he was arrested earlier this week appeared today in federal court, where authorities charged him with being a convicted felon in possession of weapons.

Lloyd Woodson, 43, whose last known address was Reston, Va., was arrested Monday in Branchburg, where several items, including two semi-automatic rifles, were confiscated.

Though authorities have not indicated how much of a threat they believe Woodson posed, the FBI has said he does not appear to have any links to terrorism. Woodson does, however, have a criminal record; he was convicted in 1997 of criminal possession of a weapon in New York, according to court papers.

Wearing a denim jacket over his olive-green prison garb and his hands cuffed in front of him, Woodson appeared today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Madeline Cox Arleo in Newark.

Arleo asked Woodson if he wanted her to appoint an attorney, to which he replied, "Yes, ma’am." K. Anthony Thomas, a federal public defender, was already at Woodson’s side and was appointed to represent him.

Thomas waived a detention hearing, meaning Woodson will remain in custody. The federal charge carries a potential sentence of 10 years in prison, with a $250,000 fine.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew Kogan argued Woodson should remain in custody as his case moves through the court.

Woodson, he argued, is a flight risk, posed a risk to others and said he intended to use the rifles he was carrying to commit a violent crime.
It was the second court appearance this week for Woodson, who deserted the Navy in 1989 and was on the run for eight years.

He appeared in Superior Court in Somerville Tuesday. The Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office has accused him of multiple offenses, including unlawful weapons possession and possession of defaced firearms. Bail was set at $75,000.
"Yes ma'am." Woodson may have some problems, the prospect of jail time among them, but at least he's polite.

Flashback Monday: South Lakes Village Center

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Set the wayback machine for 1982, when this artist's rendering of the fancy South Lakes Shopping Center, scheduled to open the following year, delighted Restonians.
The Village Center (Reston's second largest with over 108,000 square feet) will have an earth-tone brick and rustic wood exterior that captures and augments the lakefront setting. "It is designed to fit into the Reston image," declares Herbert S. Miller, president of Western. "Every aspect of its appearance is a perfect complement to what already exists at the other villages and at the other existing structures in Reston."
They spent a lot of time talking about a fancy "specialty shop concept," but the initial tenants were pretty much what you'd expect: Safeway, Peoples Drug, Hair Cuttery, Hallmark Cards, and something called "Fantastic Family Restaurant." And lest we forget!
An unusual and attractive feature of the Center is the boardwalk and dock that permits residents to "park" their boats while shopping.
Not to mention other, less legal activities.