Fairfax County Executive Anthony Griffin has dismissed the idea of incorporating Reston. The ResTOWN project has been making gains in getting various legal hurdles met. To the dismay of town supporters, Fairfax County recently rejected sending a proposal to the Virginia Assembly to lift the ban on town incorporation in “urban” counties.
The DC Examiner reports Anthony Griffin said:
“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.
A vocal group of citizens felt proposals for such projects as a town center project at the Wiehle Avenue Park & Ride lot, and a density increase of 3000 people ignored the will of Restonians. Supporters of incorporation argue that if Reston where a town they’d have more power in such legislation. Opponents of the idea cite higher taxes, no increased governmental power, and a duplication of services.
Currently the Reston Community Center provides recreation services, the Reston Association provides park creation and maintenance, and also enforces zoning codes. The Reston Association is forbidden to transfer it’s land, so unless a private institution was granted the town charter, a the so called “Town of Reston” would not control park maintenance and zoning.
Local blog BeyondDC even highlights more issues with such a proposal:
Mr. Griffin is absolutely correct. NIMBY-based [Not In My Back Yard] local government is bad for the region. It exacerbates sprawl, congestion, the affordable housing problem… It makes just about all the regional problems we’ve got that much worse. Good on you, Fairfax County, for doing the right thing and making a stand likely to be unpopular with the voters.
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