WHEREAS, per the Board authorization, the proposed Plan amendment would 1) review, update, and streamline existing Policy Plan elements; 2) add new Policy Plan elements as needed; and 3) ensure the Policy Plan is aligned with the Countywide Strategic Plan, the One Fairfax Policy, and other recently adopted policies and initiatives; and
WHEREAS, the Board approved an updated Reston Comprehensive Plan on September 12, 2023, following a three-year planning effort that incorporated community feedback, a citizen-led task force, and staff input. This update was the first major revision to the plan since 2015 and aimed to provide new guidance on affordable housing, community health, equity, and other issues; and
WHEREAS, it is noted that Reston has over 11,000 units in its pipeline; and
WHEREAS, it is noted that residential development approvals in the TSA are reaching saturation; and
WHEREAS, it is increasingly important that Fairfax County uphold its previously stated protection of Reston’s stable neighborhoods.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that Reston Citizens Association (RCA) opposes the concept of “streamlining” to the extent that citizen input is further restricted or eliminated. RCA opposes the concept of “streamlining,” a euphemism for restricting or eliminating citizen engagement in the land use decision process. Fairfax County previously had a robust tradition of citizen engagement, which has been watered down by procedural changes through ZMOD and other recent amendments, abolishing public hearings for certain uses, eliminating notice to neighbors, speeding up land use approvals, and other changes. The staff report champions “streamlining” as a virtue.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that RCA opposes the transition from using language recommending “protection of neighborhoods” in favor of language focusing on “thoughtful integration of land uses to enhance communities and provide additional housing opportunities.” That “transition” in Fairfax County policy will be extremely controversial in Reston, to the extent it encourages additional intensity and density in existing residential neighborhoods.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that RCA has specific concerns with the policy plan recommendations; therefore, in matters of Reston Land Use, the newer Reston Comprehensive Plan should prevail.
Approved by the Board of Directors of Reston Citizens Association, October 10, 2025