August
2, 2014
2, 2014
Ms. Cathy Hudgins
Hunter Mill District Supervisor, Fairfax County
12000 Bowman Towne Dr.
Reston, VA 20190
Dear Supervisor Hudgins,
After consultations with many
Reston residents and my colleagues on the Board of Reston Citizens Association
(RCA), I am proposing that the County amend the Phase II of the Reston Master
Plan (RMPII) planning process.
Reston residents and my colleagues on the Board of Reston Citizens Association
(RCA), I am proposing that the County amend the Phase II of the Reston Master
Plan (RMPII) planning process.
Though we had been given many
assurances that there would be strong public involvement, the recent
presentations (June 7 and July 21) of the County’s plans for the future of our
community appeared to be a very general, top-down, pre-determined exercise on
what is to be done. While the public was
able to ask questions in one-on-one interactions with County officials and submit
disconnected comments, we believe that these briefings lacked the
interactivity, responsiveness and accountability that a presentation of
proposals in a group setting, followed by question and answer/comment format, would
normally provide.
assurances that there would be strong public involvement, the recent
presentations (June 7 and July 21) of the County’s plans for the future of our
community appeared to be a very general, top-down, pre-determined exercise on
what is to be done. While the public was
able to ask questions in one-on-one interactions with County officials and submit
disconnected comments, we believe that these briefings lacked the
interactivity, responsiveness and accountability that a presentation of
proposals in a group setting, followed by question and answer/comment format, would
normally provide.
Without collaborative discussions
early in the process, we believe that the citizens of Reston would be left out
of the process and the ideas from residents and those that might be affected would
be lost or presented entirely out of context or ignored with limited or no
accountability. We cannot see how the process so far has allowed us or
other citizens groups to participate in a constructive manner.
early in the process, we believe that the citizens of Reston would be left out
of the process and the ideas from residents and those that might be affected would
be lost or presented entirely out of context or ignored with limited or no
accountability. We cannot see how the process so far has allowed us or
other citizens groups to participate in a constructive manner.
We suggest that after the “strawman”
is released in September, the County holds additional three or four meetings with
community representatives to identify and address, among others, the following key
issues in re-planning suburban Reston, including how or whether this
needs to be done.
is released in September, the County holds additional three or four meetings with
community representatives to identify and address, among others, the following key
issues in re-planning suburban Reston, including how or whether this
needs to be done.
· What should be the future of the Village
Centers?
Centers?
· How do we protect developed Reston
neighborhoods?
neighborhoods?
· What should be the future role of the Baron
Cameron North area and the Convenience Centers?
Cameron North area and the Convenience Centers?
We believe that the additional
meetings would also help the Planning Staff to understand the minefields in
front of it as it tries to develop a responsive and constructive plan.
meetings would also help the Planning Staff to understand the minefields in
front of it as it tries to develop a responsive and constructive plan.
We understand that you are
trying to work within tight schedules, and we all wish to avoid the time-consuming,
frustrating exercise that was Reston Master Plan Task Force, but it is
important that you facilitate interactive public involvement on crucial
decisions that will directly affect the neighborhoods
where we live.
trying to work within tight schedules, and we all wish to avoid the time-consuming,
frustrating exercise that was Reston Master Plan Task Force, but it is
important that you facilitate interactive public involvement on crucial
decisions that will directly affect the neighborhoods
where we live.
I also have two other questions
that we would like to get your responses on:
that we would like to get your responses on:
1.
During
one-on-one and email exchanges with the County staff, we have been led to
understand that the goal of RMPII is to stabilize the density and mix of use at
village centers at their current levels, which in fact will be even lower than
the previously planned (and zoned) levels.
I am requesting you to please confirm that that is in fact the
case.
During
one-on-one and email exchanges with the County staff, we have been led to
understand that the goal of RMPII is to stabilize the density and mix of use at
village centers at their current levels, which in fact will be even lower than
the previously planned (and zoned) levels.
I am requesting you to please confirm that that is in fact the
case.
2.
We would also
like to understand the parties that have directly participated in the RMPII
process thus far – Is it just the County staff and officials? Or have external parties such as real estate
developers, commercial landowners, brokers and agents had direct one-on-one
opportunities to participate in the process and if so, why?
We would also
like to understand the parties that have directly participated in the RMPII
process thus far – Is it just the County staff and officials? Or have external parties such as real estate
developers, commercial landowners, brokers and agents had direct one-on-one
opportunities to participate in the process and if so, why?
Given the aggressive timetable
for this process, I am requesting that you please respond to our proposals and questions
above at the earliest. I will also be
happy to meet with you to discuss how we can improve the process to make it
more interactive and accountable. You can reach me on my email or via my phone,
+1-202-409-2722.
for this process, I am requesting that you please respond to our proposals and questions
above at the earliest. I will also be
happy to meet with you to discuss how we can improve the process to make it
more interactive and accountable. You can reach me on my email or via my phone,
+1-202-409-2722.
Thank you and yours sincerely,
/s/
Sridhar Ganesan
President, RCA
Email: sridharganesan1 @ gmail.com
Tel: +1-202-409-2722
cc: Ms. Sharon Bulova,
Chairman, Fairfax County Board of Supervisors
Chairman, Fairfax County Board of Supervisors