The following statement was delivered by RCA President Colin Mills at the Fairfax County Planning Commission hearing on the proposed amendment to Reston’s Comprehensive Plan on November 13, 2013. The Planning Commission voted to defer the decision on the Comprehensive Plan amendments until December 5.
Good evening.
My name is Colin Mills,
and
I am president of the Reston Citizens Association. RCA has
participated in the Task Force review of the Comprehensive Plan since its beginning. In
addition to attending every meeting, we submitted
over a dozen papers to the Task Force containing detailed
analysis and recommendations,
and we submitted
several
rounds of comments as the draft Comprehensive Plan emerged
over the last several months.
My name is Colin Mills,
and
I am president of the Reston Citizens Association. RCA has
participated in the Task Force review of the Comprehensive Plan since its beginning. In
addition to attending every meeting, we submitted
over a dozen papers to the Task Force containing detailed
analysis and recommendations,
and we submitted
several
rounds of comments as the draft Comprehensive Plan emerged
over the last several months.
Given the
amount of time and effort that has
gone into this process – by RCA
and
many others – as well
as the excellent support provided by County staff, you would hope that the plan would be thorough and complete, and one that we could all support. Unfortunately, that is
not the case.
amount of time and effort that has
gone into this process – by RCA
and
many others – as well
as the excellent support provided by County staff, you would hope that the plan would be thorough and complete, and one that we could all support. Unfortunately, that is
not the case.
RCA’s Reston 2020 Committee reviewed
the Comprehensive Plan as
it stands, and graded it section-by-section
(see the attached
report card). The bottom line? Overall,
the plan received
a grade of “D.”
It
should come as no surprise that RCA’s Task Force representative voted
“No” on the plan.
the Comprehensive Plan as
it stands, and graded it section-by-section
(see the attached
report card). The bottom line? Overall,
the plan received
a grade of “D.”
It
should come as no surprise that RCA’s Task Force representative voted
“No” on the plan.
Why are we dissatisfied? Because the plan
lacks balance.
One goal of this Comprehensive Plan revision
is to redevelop
the areas around the Silver Line stations into
dense, mixed–use, transit–oriented areas with a
real sense of place.
By this measure,
the new Comprehensive Plan is fairly successful. However,
it falls well short in
another area: sustaining Reston’s values and
quality of life.
lacks balance.
One goal of this Comprehensive Plan revision
is to redevelop
the areas around the Silver Line stations into
dense, mixed–use, transit–oriented areas with a
real sense of place.
By this measure,
the new Comprehensive Plan is fairly successful. However,
it falls well short in
another area: sustaining Reston’s values and
quality of life.
If you read
the report card, you’ll see that we felt the plan could be improved in
many areas. However, some parts
concern us more than others. Therefore, I will focus on the areas where we believe the plan
really missed the mark.
the report card, you’ll see that we felt the plan could be improved in
many areas. However, some parts
concern us more than others. Therefore, I will focus on the areas where we believe the plan
really missed the mark.
One of our greatest concerns is
transportation. The Dulles Toll Road corridor is Reston’s biggest
transportation bottleneck; it divides our community in half and generates our biggest traffic jams. The Silver Line will bring a lot more traffic to our community; careful and thoughtful
planning is needed to
avoid gridlock on our streets. Sad to say, this plan
lacks that.
transportation. The Dulles Toll Road corridor is Reston’s biggest
transportation bottleneck; it divides our community in half and generates our biggest traffic jams. The Silver Line will bring a lot more traffic to our community; careful and thoughtful
planning is needed to
avoid gridlock on our streets. Sad to say, this plan
lacks that.
The plan calls for an overall Level of Service goal of E in the transit station areas. But it doesn’t specify when that goal is to be achieved. Can we expect that E during the peak hour? The peak period? On weekdays?
As an overall
average?
The answer has a
huge impact on our community. How much congestion
should we in Reston expect?
As an overall
average?
The answer has a
huge impact on our community. How much congestion
should we in Reston expect?
As written, this
plan will mean multi–minute delays at the
intersections
near the Toll Road. The County
Department of Transportation’s own modeling demonstrated that. String a few of
those intersections
in a row and add in
spillover effects, and the Toll Road turns into a virtual wall between
north
and
south Reston during the rush. That doesn’t
work for
us.
plan will mean multi–minute delays at the
intersections
near the Toll Road. The County
Department of Transportation’s own modeling demonstrated that. String a few of
those intersections
in a row and add in
spillover effects, and the Toll Road turns into a virtual wall between
north
and
south Reston during the rush. That doesn’t
work for
us.
There’s also an open question about who’s going to pay for our transportation improvements. Keeping
the traffic moving will require a
lot of
improvements, including multiple
new
crossings of
the Toll Road.
The price tag will run
in excess of $1 billion. Someone’s going to have to pick up that tab. More likely, a
lot
of someones. A combination of
state and county funding, developer proffers, and other
sources will probably be necessary to build these improvements. With a need
this great, and the sources so diverse, we need careful planning and guidance on how these items
will be paid for.
the traffic moving will require a
lot of
improvements, including multiple
new
crossings of
the Toll Road.
The price tag will run
in excess of $1 billion. Someone’s going to have to pick up that tab. More likely, a
lot
of someones. A combination of
state and county funding, developer proffers, and other
sources will probably be necessary to build these improvements. With a need
this great, and the sources so diverse, we need careful planning and guidance on how these items
will be paid for.
Does the plan provide that guidance?
Unfortunately not.
The brief section on transportation funding
contains only a list
of possible money sources. It provides no concrete guidance on how to acquire
the funds we’ll need. We in Reston are left with
an uncertain future: more traffic is coming, but we don’t know how much or who’s going to pay for the relief we’ll
need. The placemaking around the stations
could come at the cost of the place we live.
Unfortunately not.
The brief section on transportation funding
contains only a list
of possible money sources. It provides no concrete guidance on how to acquire
the funds we’ll need. We in Reston are left with
an uncertain future: more traffic is coming, but we don’t know how much or who’s going to pay for the relief we’ll
need. The placemaking around the stations
could come at the cost of the place we live.
Another
area
of serious concern to Restonians is parks and recreation
facilities. The planned
development will bring over
35,000 new residents to Reston. Those residents need places to play: not
just pocket parks
and playgrounds, but athletic fields as
well. The plan calls
for only 3 fields
to
be built in the transit areas. There aren’t
any fields there now, and the Park
Authority calculates that the new residents will demand the equivalent
of 12 new full-size turfed
and lighted fields.
area
of serious concern to Restonians is parks and recreation
facilities. The planned
development will bring over
35,000 new residents to Reston. Those residents need places to play: not
just pocket parks
and playgrounds, but athletic fields as
well. The plan calls
for only 3 fields
to
be built in the transit areas. There aren’t
any fields there now, and the Park
Authority calculates that the new residents will demand the equivalent
of 12 new full-size turfed
and lighted fields.
If the residents need 12 fields and
the station areas will have only 3, where will the rest of the demand go? Into the rest of Reston. The Park Authority expects that existing Reston fields will
be turfed and lighted in order to meet the demand. The plan is silent on where these newly lighted and turfed
fields
will be. We believe that the fields serving the transit areas should be located within the corridor or
at least within walking distance.
the station areas will have only 3, where will the rest of the demand go? Into the rest of Reston. The Park Authority expects that existing Reston fields will
be turfed and lighted in order to meet the demand. The plan is silent on where these newly lighted and turfed
fields
will be. We believe that the fields serving the transit areas should be located within the corridor or
at least within walking distance.
It’s also not clear exactly how these field improvements will be funded.
Reston’s existing fields are well-
used, and many of them are paid for by us through RA assessment dollars. Is Reston’s
future going to
find the existing residents fighting for
field time with the new residents,
and paying for
the improvements to boot? That’s not acceptable to Restonians. The plan needs to make clear that
any new or
improved fields to serve the station areas will be paid for
by
the development in those areas.
The rest of Reston
shouldn’t have to foot the bill for the park infrastructure that the transit areas will need.
Reston’s existing fields are well-
used, and many of them are paid for by us through RA assessment dollars. Is Reston’s
future going to
find the existing residents fighting for
field time with the new residents,
and paying for
the improvements to boot? That’s not acceptable to Restonians. The plan needs to make clear that
any new or
improved fields to serve the station areas will be paid for
by
the development in those areas.
The rest of Reston
shouldn’t have to foot the bill for the park infrastructure that the transit areas will need.
Another
issue that concerns Restonians is open
space. We were greatly disappointed when, at its
last meeting, the Task Force
cut back on open
space requirements, dropping from a minimum requirement
of 20% of net lot area as publicly accessible open space to a “goal” of 20%. Open space is central to Restonians.
We support reverting to the staff’s
language mandating a 20% minimum, not just a fuzzy goal.
issue that concerns Restonians is open
space. We were greatly disappointed when, at its
last meeting, the Task Force
cut back on open
space requirements, dropping from a minimum requirement
of 20% of net lot area as publicly accessible open space to a “goal” of 20%. Open space is central to Restonians.
We support reverting to the staff’s
language mandating a 20% minimum, not just a fuzzy goal.
Our last major concern about the
plan is implementation.
Here we’re not concerned about
what’s in the plan, but rather what isn’t there. That is, any meaningful guidance about achieving the goals laid out in the plan, or ensuring
that its constraints are met. In 2010, RCA produced
a paper on this subject, and its title has become a mantra for
us throughout this process. That title: “Planning Without Implementation
Is Empty.” We never dreamed that, over three years
later, we would be looking at a completed plan with virtually nothing on implementation.
plan is implementation.
Here we’re not concerned about
what’s in the plan, but rather what isn’t there. That is, any meaningful guidance about achieving the goals laid out in the plan, or ensuring
that its constraints are met. In 2010, RCA produced
a paper on this subject, and its title has become a mantra for
us throughout this process. That title: “Planning Without Implementation
Is Empty.” We never dreamed that, over three years
later, we would be looking at a completed plan with virtually nothing on implementation.
Implementation
isn’t just a planning issue; it’s a political
issue. It’s where the
rubber meets
the road. If
the desired transformation of the Toll Road corridor
is going to happen, implementation is crucial to that.
If this vision fails,
or if the development comes at the cost of Reston’s quality of life,
our citizens will have our elected officials
to blame. It’s in everyone’s best interest that we get this right.
isn’t just a planning issue; it’s a political
issue. It’s where the
rubber meets
the road. If
the desired transformation of the Toll Road corridor
is going to happen, implementation is crucial to that.
If this vision fails,
or if the development comes at the cost of Reston’s quality of life,
our citizens will have our elected officials
to blame. It’s in everyone’s best interest that we get this right.
We look to the Tysons
plan for inspiration
here. We support having a single
entity responsible for implementation issues. Tysons called it
the “keeper of
the vision.”
In addition
to
promoting coordination between developers, citizens, and government, this
entity would formulate an implementation strategy, and determine how the
necessary infrastructure will be paid for. The key
benefit here is that there would be a single point of responsibility for carrying out the plan’s vision. If implementation isn’t someone’s responsibility, it’s no one’s responsibility. We can’t let that happen.
plan for inspiration
here. We support having a single
entity responsible for implementation issues. Tysons called it
the “keeper of
the vision.”
In addition
to
promoting coordination between developers, citizens, and government, this
entity would formulate an implementation strategy, and determine how the
necessary infrastructure will be paid for. The key
benefit here is that there would be a single point of responsibility for carrying out the plan’s vision. If implementation isn’t someone’s responsibility, it’s no one’s responsibility. We can’t let that happen.
In fairness, there are aspects of this plan that we like. We strongly support the references in
the plan encouraging new development in
the transit areas to become members of either the Reston Association or
the
Reston Town
Center Association. These two
entities are essential to maintaining Reston’s character and identity. Creating another
new association – or several new associations
– would only fragment our community and increase
the disconnect between
the transit areas and the rest of Reston. We urge that this
language be preserved
in the plan.
the plan encouraging new development in
the transit areas to become members of either the Reston Association or
the
Reston Town
Center Association. These two
entities are essential to maintaining Reston’s character and identity. Creating another
new association – or several new associations
– would only fragment our community and increase
the disconnect between
the transit areas and the rest of Reston. We urge that this
language be preserved
in the plan.
On the whole, though, the plan’s problems outweigh its merits.
Its fuzziness in key areas, especially
transportation and parks and rec, and the lack of implementation guidance run the risk of
creating a
divided community and harming our overall quality of life,
instead of making Reston stronger into the
future. We urge the
Commission to defer approval of the Comprehensive Plan amendment until these
areas are strengthened. Thank you for
your time and attention.
Its fuzziness in key areas, especially
transportation and parks and rec, and the lack of implementation guidance run the risk of
creating a
divided community and harming our overall quality of life,
instead of making Reston stronger into the
future. We urge the
Commission to defer approval of the Comprehensive Plan amendment until these
areas are strengthened. Thank you for
your time and attention.