Reston Citizen

We reported a month ago that utility relocation - an essential step in rail construction - would begin in December. The outcry over even worst congestion during the holiday season delayed the start again. But now VDOT has announced relocation will begin in early January. We’ll see.

Washington Gas will move it’s gas lines that lay under Route 7’s service roads, and the project will take about four months. Other ulities will move overhead and buried gas lines. Route 7 will stay open during the process, but when unities cut across the road, nigh construction will be used.

The so called Silver Line project will be brought to Wiehle Avenue in 2013, and construction to Dulles Airport will be finished in 2016.

Reston Lights, originally uploaded by rose_peacock.

Organizations like the Reston Community Center, Reston Association, and Reston Town Center Association recently sent letters to state representatives on town incorporation. Opinions ranged from outright opposition to a lukewarm reception. It should be noted these groups will loose power if Reston where to incorporate.

The Fairfax Times reports on what Ken Plum and Janet Howell received from the organizations:

The RA board voted on a letter that answered no to the first two questions and replied that they did not have enough information to answer the third.

The RA was more encouraging in their response than some of the earlier letters. The first organization to respond, the Reston Town Center Association, replied in a letter dated Oct. 25 that “the RTCA Board of Directors opposes both the referendum and the charter; and opposes the effort to include any property in the Reston Town Center District within the boundaries of a broader town proposal.”

The RCTA’s scathing review of the town idea is likely due to fears of a NIMBY based government. The resTOWN initiative is billed by supporters as being less developer friendly, and the high density core would be most affected  by an anti development board.

So far Reston’s delegates to the Virginia General Assembly have been most responsive to the Reston Citizens Associations town charter efforts. Fairfax County executive Anthony Griffin wrote another letter blasting the town charter idea:

“Why should the unincorporated sections of other districts, many of which predate Reston by scores of years, not be able to become towns?” Griffin asked in the memo, rhetorically. “If Reston, then why not incorporate McLean, Centreville, Burke, Springfield, Annandale, Mount Vernon, Franconia and Merrifield, to name a few.

More challenges exist than getting these organizations to sign on. Reston Association is barred from transferring it’s properties which includes 55 miles of trails, parks, and pools to any other organization.

Originally uploaded by Joshua Davis (articnomad).

From left to right, delegate Ken Plum, supervisor Catherine Hudgins, and school board member Stu Gibson. Photo courtesy Stu Gibson.

To late to halt proposed boundary changes, the Washington Examiner brings news of a petition calling for a recall election in the Hunter Mill school board race. Christine Arakelian, Stu Gibson’s challenger claims he “Illegally leaked information regarding her sons autism.”

The Virgina Board of Education found these claims true. Gibson rejects them saying “I never requested her student’s record,” and that Arakelian asked what could be done about her sons “double giftedness,” which apparently means he’s retarded (or to be politically correct, “learning disabled”) in some subjects, and excels in others. The information that Arakelian gave him was later reprinted in a newspaper article, and PTA newsletter.

A Google search revealed no other information about this petition. But that doesn’t spell an end to his troubles. All arguments his lawyer made in his support have been deemed “baseless” by the Virginia Board of Education, and potentially opens him up to federal investigation.

In liberal Fairfax County it seemed odd that parents where so quick to not want their kids to attended a “Socio-economic diversity experiment.” But apparently they’re also concerned that being in the South Lakes district will harm they’re real estate values. Now that it seems money is the issue, no wonder they’re fighting so hard.

And thanks to the Restonian blog for bringing this article to our attention.

A Bloom store is seen in Accokeek, Maryland.

Fears of Tall Oaks becoming another life style center have Tall Oaks residents sending post cards to former Food Lion grocer, Bloom. Catherine Hudgins, who lives walking distance from the center has been working with Tall Oaks to find a tenant to replace Giant. Here’s what the Reston Times had to say:

While Hudgins works with the landowner and leasing agent to find both short- and long-term solutions, Bentana Woods cluster president Tara Coonin is opening up a more traditional line of communication to find a solution with a postcard campaign.

To date, Coonin said she has handed out nearly 1,500 postcards addressed to the Bloom Grocery Store Real Estate Department, urging the chain to open a location in Tall Oaks. Residents simply have to sign the card and stick a stamp on it.

Rumor has it that Bloom scheduled a meeting to see the space abandoned by Giant, but no one has confirmed this. Believing that Bloom was eying the space, Tara Coonin thought sending 1500 postcards would show just how much residents wanted a new local grocer.

After Giant left, over fifty percent of the Tall Oaks space was empty. This prompted some to believe Atlantic Realty Company, who owns the center, plans to develop it into condos. The Tall Oaks center is off of Wiehle Avenue and only a few minutes from the future metro stop.

Anyone who’s ever tried to cross Village Road and Baron Cameron Avenue knows the “look both ways” rule doesn’t apply here. Pedestrian vision is limited by a bend in the road on both sides of the intersection, and on top of that cars routinely speed through.

To correct this VDOT has installed some new safety features. A one way stop sign for Village Road will be joined by two new stop signs for North Shore Drive. Crosswalks will be added when the weather is better, and there is a possibility of rumble strips. Other additions include signage to alert drivers of the crossing.

An accident last July involving an 87 year old pedestrian who was injured crossing that same street prompted the additions. Rumors initially identified the man as Robert Simon, Reston’s founder. These where false and the injured man was released from the hospital.

Anyone who’s been to the Reston Historical Museum will probably notice it mostly contains pictures and text. But that could change in the next few months when grants from Fairfax County are expected to fund a renovation.

The Washington Post is reporting the museum has a lot of collections and interactive exhibits they’d like to display:

“We have a lot of stuff that we don’t have room to display,” said Victoria Wingert, president of the museum’s parent organization, Reston Historic Trust. “We have oral histories on videos and would like to make the museum more interactive than it is today.”

The museums upgrade will hopefully draw more people to Lake Anne. The Reston Museum receives about 12,000 visitors a year, but those working to revitalize Lake Anne realize that every additional person in the center, particularly in the colder months, helps to improve the center until more people can brought in by the construction of more condo and office space.

Columbia Gas has donated $30,000 for the Nature House project, a nature center to be constructed at the Walker Nature Center. The total cost for the project is $1.5 million, of which $1.25 million has already been raised. This has some people expecting construction might start in 2008, as reported in the Fairfax Times:

Shaw said 2007 has been the most successful year for Nature House fund-raising and it has given her good reason to believe construction will begin in 2008. The campaign passed the million dollar mark this past year and has climbed steadily to $1.25 million.

“These types of gifts are just what our capital campaign is looking for,” Shaw said.

The Nature House has been long in the works, in 2001 a Reston Association referendum was passed by 70% allowing for construction of such a building. The new center will be a place where people can learn more about the environment around them by attending exhibits, lectures, and tours.

At Reston Citizen we love snow days, even if school stays open for the day. Unlike some of last years storms VDOT handled the white stuff pretty well. Most of the streets in Hunters Woods where fine, but a lot of the snow had melted and will probably freeze as the temperature dips to 19 degrees. So tomorrow will probably be the real test of how well VDOT does with snow removal.

The snow fall wasn’t without issues. There was one accident at the top of a hill in which one automobile skidded into another parked at a stopped sign. Fairfax County Public Schools has canceled all evening activities.

About an two inches have fallen, and snow fall will continue until 12 midnight, with occasional flurries into the early morning. The National Weather Service has warned of ice buildup during the dark hours, and that bridges will be icy late into the day, so be careful driving.