Reston Citizens Association: Current Issues

Reston Governance Density and Development

The RCA board has determined that some issues that would be coordinated by a town government should be reviewed to see what activities RCA could begin work on, independent of its work on governance. The issues included:

Visitability & Accessibility See info on Accessibility Forum

Nature of the Issue. Access to housing is a particular problem in Reston for mobility-impaired persons because of the prevalence of multi-level townhouses and condos. This affects potential residents who use mobility devices as well as out-of-towners who wish to visit (hence the word “visitability”) able-bodied residents. RCA Board has noted that some long-time Reston residents opt to move away from Reston as they age, rather than adapt their dwellings.

Reston Accessibility Committee. Meeting first in Jan. 2008, this small group of volunteers is looking to double its size. For information, contact Ken Fredgren at703/391-9019 or fredgren.k@juno.com. As its first project, the Access Committee is contacting individual businesses in Reston in the name of RCA to request and work out changes which would improve access to facilities the Committee members use or would like to use.

CHOICE (Coalition for Housing Opportunities in the Community for Everyone). RCA is an organizational member of this group. CHOICE Board members have appeared on broadcast RCA Board meetings, as has a private attorney who works with CHOICE when litigation is needed. Feel free to borrow CHOICE’s moving and enlightening video, on rehabbing seven area houses affordably, from Marion Stillson, by contacting her at 703-860-0019 or mbs@point0.net

Forum on Visitability and Accessibility. In May 2006, RCA and Reston Interfaith jointly presented a well-attended community forum featuring local architects, residents and vendors. Residents showed photos of remodeling projects and vendors explained the latest in stair glides, elevators and lifts. CHOICE provided information on financial assistance for remodeling.

Fairfax County Long-Term Care Coordinating Committee. RCA Vice President Marion Stillson has attended Fairfax Co. meetings on this issue and monitors their progress.

Press Coverage on Accessibility Issues

Possible Future Projects

Affordable Housing

Advocate extending the Fairfax County affordable housing guidelines to include multi-story elevator buildings

Coordinate with Reston Interfaith, which provides our community leadership in affordable housing activities to determine if there were areas, such as issue advocacy, with which RCA could assist

Add an RCA director with experience in Affordable Housing.

Discuss with Fairfax County the possibility of rezoning commercial space to mixed use (including potentially space in the Reston Center for Industry and Government (RCIG), near the planned Metro stations) with the provision that affordable housing be included

Press Coverage on Affordable Housing Issues

Business Development

Continue the dialog on governance with the GRCC

Seek business community involvement in any grants received

Determine Herndon and Vienna activities associated with business development

Encourage the participation of the remaining members of the RCIG (the Metro corridor along the toll road) in revising their covenants to permit mixed use development and in developing a comprehensive plan (not just for County-owned areas) for the Metro station areas

Community Healthcare

Determine the availability of grants to develop high-technology based community healthcare improvements, including telemedicine, that may allow a greater level of independence for the elderly population and less stressful care for the pediatric and other populations receiving care, and that may lead to reductions in the long-term cost of healthcare

Work with the Reston healthcare and high-technology communities to develop proposals and pursue any available grants

Multicultural/Immigrant Assimilation

Promote multicultural activities in Reston

Add RCA Directors and participants from the immigrant and minority communities

Gather and provide information about English language/immersion courses

Public Safety

Attend meetings on public safety; request presentations by police/fire public safety personnel.

Coordinate pedestrian and bicycle safety issues with the RA Transportation Committee

Determine the rules associated with trespass for private and public property and the potential implications for any private property which might transfer to a town

Review planning for evacuation of people with disabilities from multi-story buildings

Discuss with Herndon and Vienna their choice of maintaining their own police departments

Review how we can maintain the Reston approach of maintaining public safety by the presence of people enjoying our community, rather than through private guards and gated communities

Virtual Infrastructure & Communication - this includes both connectivity (for example, both fixed and mobile high-speed internet service) and content (for example, web sites associated with providing community information). See info on Info Sharing Forum

Determine the current areas covered by cable, DSL, and wireless broadband service and request service providers to broaden coverage to include the entire Reston area, making it a "hot-spot"

Determine the virtual infrastructure that might be needed to support other issue areas, such as community healthcare and public safety

Create Reston radio station and/or enhanced Ch 28 programming

Develop centralized on-line bulletin board/calendar for Reston organizations

Find additional support for RCA web site and research integrating it into Reston e-Village (this objective has been accomplished)

Transportation

Study impact of Metro on Reston life style, congestion, housing values, etc.

Ensure Reston participation in Metro decisions

Study traffic patterns and implement measures to facilitate better traffic flow

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