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• In the Community
• Board of Supervisors Update
• Ranked Choice Voting Town Hall May 11
• What's News in Vienna
• Events and Activities

Westbriar PTA’s Falcon Fun Run

I was thrilled to join the Falcon community in crossing the finish line during this year’s fun run. Organized by the Westbriar Elementary School PTA, the run supports the PTA and students.

Huge shoutout to PTA President Kristina Glines and all the parent volunteers for organizing such a fantastic, family-friendly morning of movement. It was good to participate again – albeit at a slightly slower pace than 4 years ago!

Exploring Vienna During Tour de Hunter Mill

We had a sunny but brisk day for this past Sunday’s Tour de Hunter Mill. Thanks to the more than 80 people who joined me for my annual community bike ride. We had a wonderful time exploring the scenic, bike-friendly roads of Vienna together.

It wouldn’t be possible without our incredible partners, especially Fairfax Alliance for Better Bicycling for organizing another successful ride. And, thanks to Meadowlark Botanical Gardens for being our beautiful starting and ending point, and the Town of Vienna for hosting our pit stop for bikers to refuel.

We’ll be back next year with another new, scenic ride.

Photo: Board of Supervisors presents National Water Safety Month proclamation to Reston Community Center aquatics staff.

Board of Supervisors Update

The Board of Supervisors met yesterday May 5. You can watch the meeting and review the agenda and package.

Recognizing National Water Safety Month: Reston Community Center Partcipates

The Board proclaimed May as National Water Safety Month in Fairfax County, and the Reston Community Center’s aquatics staff were on hand to accept the proclamation.

As Aquatics Director Matt McCall said learning to swim isn’t a luxury, it’s a life skill. I agree, and it’s also a matter of equity, offering water safety and swimming lessons not just to those who can afford it. This is why Reston Community Center offers free beginning swimming classes to children and adults every summer. Register now for their Learn-to-Swim classes for kids ages 6-12 in July and August. This Saturday, the center is also offering a water safety day with presentations, activities and prizes, followed by Family Swim Fun from 1 to 4 p.m.

Comprehensive Plan Amendment: Including Reston Community Center in the Crescent Redevelopment Project

What’s happening: I introduced a motion to amend the Comprehensive Plan for the Lake Anne area to allow the Reston Community Center to be included in the redevelopment of the Crescent Apartments. To permit a community center, the proposed amendment would increase the allowable non-residential space to 30,000 square feet on the land where the Crescent Apartments are located.

Tell me more: Under the Comprehensive Plan’s current base guidance, non-residential uses are limited to 2,000 square feet for Land Unit D (the land unit where the apartments are located.) Note that there is a consolidation option in the current plan that would allow for up to 48,000 square feet on this property.

While the amount of non-residential space would be increased to somewhere between the current base plan amount and the consolidated plan option, a future community center’s size isn’t predetermined, and the redevelopment plans for the Crescent haven’t been developed yet either. (The county’s housing, department is currently working to identify developers who may qualify to bid on the project.)

Next steps: Later this summer, my office will hold a community meeting on the proposed Comprehensive Plan amendment where residents can talk with Reston Community Center representatives about community center plans and voice their opinion to me and other county officials.

Samuel Morse Drive Comprehensive Plan Amendment Approved

What’s happening: The Board approved the Site-Specific Plan Amendment for Samuel Morse Drive, allowing residential development on this nearly five-acre site at the intersection with Sunrise Valley Drive.

Previously, this site was planned for office, industrial, institutional and mixed-use under the Comprehensive Plan.

This approval enables Pulte Homes to continue moving forward with its concurrent rezoning application for this site. The developer proposes replacing the three existing empty low-rise office buildings with condos and stacked townhouses for its project called the Lofts II.

Why it matters: As called for by the Reston Comprehensive Plan, this land use change helps to provide more housing near Silver Line stations. Located in what the Comprehensive Plan labels as a “Transit Station Area,” the property sits about a half-mile from the Wiehle-Reston East Metro Station Station – right at the edge of what I and planning experts typically consider as truly transit-oriented. The approved land use change will allow the site to transition from a failing suburban office park into a walkable, urban mixed use development that includes affordable housing near transit as envisioned by the plan.

Tell me more: The amended land use plan includes conditions for redevelopment of this site, following the Planning Commission’s recommendations. This includes open space, parks and transportation improvements to help connect the future neighborhood to the Metro station:

• Establishing onsite urban parks in accordance with the Urban Parks Framework
• Extending Easterly Road from Reston Station Boulevard to Sunset Hills Road, providing a new road connection to the north that continues the planned street grid. (Once Easterly Road is completed, the existing entrance to the site from Samuel Morse Drive should be evaluated to consolidate access points.)
• Providing a marked crosswalk on Sunset Hills Road at the intersection of Reston Station Boulevard.
• Providing an east-west pedestrian path along Sunset Hills Road to create safe pedestrian connections to and from the Metrorail station and the W&OD Trail.

Rezoning application: Pulte’s rezoning application proposes building three condo buildings with a total of 112 units and 46 stacked townhouses if ultimately approved.

Located at 1810, 1825 and 1850 Samuel Morse Drive, the property is currently developed with three low-rise office buildings constructed in 1982, along with a 48,000 square foot surface parking lot.

In addition to new housing, the Lofts II will provide open space and new urban parks, sidewalks and bike lanes.

The development will deliver almost half an acre in open space and six publicly accessible parks with active and passive recreation. This includes a central pocket park with open space with outdoor games, seating, a fenced-in play area, public art, and a small plaza.

As part of its proposal, Pulte will build a 9-foot-wide sidewalk in front of its development along Sunset Hills Road. It will also install a crosswalk across Sunset Hills Road from Samuel Morse Drive. The developer will build a 6-foot sidewalk along Easterly Road which the project will extend to Sunset Hills Road, and it will construct an 8-foot-wide sidewalk along Reston Station Boulevard, as well as a 5-foot bike lane on this road.

Before this current rezoning application, Pulte previously submitted an application in 2022. With the Reston Comprehensive Plan undergoing updates at the time, however, the Reston Study Task Force suggested that the developer pursue a site-specific plan amendment instead.

For better or worse, this is the first site-specific plan amendment in Hunter Mill since I took office in 2020.

Next steps: The Planning Commission is currently scheduled to hold a public hearing on the rezoning application on May 13. And, the Board of Supervisors will hold a June 23 public hearing as approved yesterday.

Fairfax Connector Route & Service Changes

What’s happening: The Board approved changes to Fairfax Connector routes across the county that includes discontinuing some bus routes. I reluctantly voted for these changes after riding several of these routes and seeing the low ridership for myself. The changes were proposed by staff to help the system improve reliability and deal with limited resources, and I hope this helps set the stage for us to look at our longer term transit needs. In the Hunter Mill District, the routes affected include:



• Route 463 (Maple – Vienna): Service frequency will change from 20 – 25 minutes to 25 – 30 minutes on weekdays. During off-peak hours on weekdays, bus service will remain at 30 minutes. Weekend service will remain the same.
• Route 552 (Innovation Center – Wiehle – Reston East): This route will be discontinued due to lower than average ridership. It serves an average of five passengers per hour — which is significantly fewer than the system average of 11.9 passengers per hour. Other existing bus routes also service the majority of the 552’s route: Routes 558, 950, 954, RIBS 1, RIBS 3, and RIBS 5.
• Route 553 (Kingstream - Herndon – Fox Mill): This route’s peak hour frequency will change from 20 minutes to 40 minutes.
• Route 950 (Reston Town Center – Herndon Metro): The weekday peak-hour frequency will change from 15 minutes to 20 minutes while the weekday off-peak frequencies will remain at 20 – 30 minutes. Weekend service will remain the same.

New Economic Revitalization Incentive Program That Includes Lake Anne Approved

What’s happening: The Board approved an updated economic incentive program to help revitalize and redevelop older commercial, mixed-use areas, including Lake Anne.

Under the program developers can take advantage of financial incentives for up to 10 years that include a 10% reduction in site plan fees and a partial real estate tax abatement.

The new program make these incentives more attractive to developers giving them more time and flexibility, county officials believe.

The updated program replaces the existing Economic Incentives Program created in 2020. Called the Revitalization and Redevelopment Economic Incentive Program, this new initiative expands eligible areas from the current six to nine — adding Lake Anne for the first time.

Why it matters: This new program offers the Board and developers more flexibility and a longer timeframe to take advantage of financial incentives to redevelop designated areas consistent with the Comprehensive Plan.

Under the new program, the 10-year clock for tax abatements would be specific to individual projects designated as “Economic Revitalization Zones,” not the much larger geographic areas under the previous incentives program. This means that projects would be more likely to achieve the full 10-year real estate tax abatement.

Developers would also be granted a grace period before the 10-year countdown began. They would have three years to complete their entitlements and substantially finish their project. At its discretion, the Board could also approve an additional one-year extension.

Eligible projects: Developers who purchase, assemble, revitalize, and redevelop properties in accordance with the Comprehensive Plan may qualify under these conditions:

• Projects must newly assemble a minimum of two parcels, not previously approved for a rezoning or site plan.
• Collectively, these parcels must total at least two acres in size (although the Board may consider projects below this size.).d
• Parcels must be zoned to permit multifamily residential development or commercial or industrial uses.
• Allows up to 20 percent of existing development to be retained or repurposed (although the Board may consider greater amounts).
• Be in conformance with all laws and policies related to the provision and preservation of affordable housing and the Comprehensive Plan.

How Lake Anne benefits: For Lake Anne, these new program features could help to catalyze additional revitalization efforts. Because there are multiple property owners, these changes may help specific projects just outside the historic core to take advantage of the full 10-year incentive period.

For example, this may help with the redevelopment of the county-owned Crescent Apartments. In the near future, the county will be soliciting redevelopment proposals from private developers, and the new program could help them leverage the revitalization incentives.



To help revitalize Lake Anne, the county also recently completed an Economic Visioning Study that I initiated. This effort developed a community-driven economic vision that’s both aspirational and grounded in market realities. And, it included an assessment of individual property owners’ interests and willingness to partner on implementing the vision. The new revitalization program may help them to move forward.

Active Transportation Plan Adopted

What’s happening: The Board amended the Comprehensive Plan to incorporate the new Active Transportation and Trails Plan. It consolidates the county’s previously adopted 2021 Bicycle Master Plan and the 2018 Countywide Trails Plan into a single new plan for active transportation.

Why it matters: As residents and commuters increasingly desire to get around on foot, bike and scooters — not just cars — this new plan helps prioritize these other more active forms of transportation. It will guide the planning for streets, sidewalks, bikeways and trails that allow everyone—regardless of age or ability — to comfortably, safely and conveniently travel to the widest range of destinations.

• It also offers a consolidated framework for identifying where active transportation facilities are expected, how off-road trails and routes fit into the overall network, and how to determine the appropriate facility type and potential alternatives.
• The plan is also a dynamic guide that offers flexibility to adapt to past, present and future conditions to create a cohesive transportation network.
• It also clarifies how the active transportation network should be interpreted and applied in practice.

What’s active transportation? Active transportation means self-propelled, mostly human-powered travel including walking, biking, rolling (scooter, wheelchair, stroller), hiking, running, and riding for transportation and recreational purposes.

What’s happening: Ranked choice voting is becoming more popular both locally and nationally. Arlington County, D.C., and New York City are among the 62-plus cities, counties and states using this voting method.

Come to my town hall to learn more and express your opinion about ranked choice voting — and what it could look like in Fairfax County.

📅Monday, May 11

🕖7 p.m.

📍North County Governmental Center, 1801 Cameron Glen Drive, Reston.

You’ll hear from two experts, one a local election official and the other an advocate for ranked choice voting:

• Gretchen Reinemeyer, Arlington County Director of Elections: Arlington was the first jurisdiction in Virginia to pilot ranked choice voting, and she’ll share how it works, what the voter feedback has been, and the lessons they’ve learned.
• Liz White, Executive Director for Up Vote Virginia: a nonpartisan organization focused on improving election systems, including ranked choice voting and campaign finance reform.

We will also have a Fairfax County election official in attendance.

Background: Virginia’s General Assembly recently made ranked choice voting a permanent option for city and county governing body elections. Localities were first authorized to implement ranked choice voting in 2021, but this original legislation sunsetted this voting method on July 1, 2031. However, state legislators made ranked choice voting permanent — along with expanding it to town council elections — when it passed SB 176 into law on April 22. This new law also specifies the State Board of Elections shall produce voter education materials on ranked choice voting, as well as develop regulations for administering elections using this voting method.

In Virginia, Arlington was the first county to use ranked choice voting in government-administered elections for its board members (first used for its 2023 primaries followed by the 2024 and 2025 general elections.) And, the City of Charlottesville used RCV in its city-administered council primary election last year. 

Vienna Wellness & Safety Expo is Friday

Attend the Wellness and Safety Expo this Friday, May 8, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Vienna Community Center. For adults 55+, this event allows older adults to explore resources on physical and mental health, aging in place, and connect with local vendors. Attendees can get free medical screenings and enjoy giveaways and an appraisal pop-up. To learn more, call 703-255-7801.

Vienna Farmers Market is Back!

If you missed it last Saturday, Vienna Farmers Market reopened for the season. It’s open every Saturday from 8 a.m. to noon at the Vienna Community Center through Oct. 8. Find locally grown fruits and vegetables and delicious homemade foods at this farmers market that run by the nonprofit Optimist Club of Greater Vienna..

💃 Watch the Heart Beats, an uplifting dance and live music performance, on May 7-8 at Capital One Hall.

🎞️ Watch free environmentally themed short films on May 8 at Walker Nature Center.

🎭 Reston Community Players perform “A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum” on May 8-9 at Reston Community Center.

🪴 Ayr Hill Garden Club’s annual Native Plant Sale is May 9 at the Freeman Store in Vienna.

💡 Attend the free OLLI Ideas Festival for adults 50+ on May 8–9 at George Mason University.

🍽️ The Longest Table returns to Vienna on May 9 for a shared meal and conversations.


💬 Attend graphic novelist Sophia Glock’s talk on May 9 at Bards Alley in Vienna.

🪙 Find your next treasure at the Church of the Good Sheperd UMC Rummage Sale on May 9.

🌧️ Make your own rain barrel on May 9 at Walker Nature Center.

♻️Free paper shredding event on May 9 from 9-11 a.m. at Andrew Chapel UMC, Vienna.

🏊‍♀️ Join Reston Water Safety Day and free family swim on May 9 at Reston Community Center.

🎵 Listen to Reston Chorale perform feel-good songs at their “Walkin' On Sunshine!” concert on May 9 at Reston Community Center.

🎵 Magical Mystery Girls perform a Beatles tribute concert on May 9 at Holy Trinity Lutheran Church in Falls Church.

🔭 Stargaze at the Udvar-Hazy Center on May 9.

🎼 Great Falls Philharmonic and Voce Chamber Singers perform Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 on May 9 at Heritage Fellowship Church in Reston. 

🍾 Join a blind tasting of fun fizzy wines on May 9 at Wine Junction in McLean.

🎭 “Seinfeld” writer Pat Hazell exposes his own “Permanent Record” in a confessional night on May 9 at The Alden Theatre.

🥁 Vienna Jammers present “The Big Jam 2026” on May 9 at Capital One Hall.

🍽️Dine at Härth in Tysons for their Mother's Day Brunch on May 10.

🎻Paragon Philharmonia’s String Quartet platys the biggest hits of the ’80s, ’90s, and 2000 on May 10 at Capital One Hall.

🎭 Watch the drama “A Burning Giraffe Looking at Iran” on May 9 at Capital One Hall.

🖼️Attend Reston Art Gallery’s May 10 artist reception for the “Down the Shore” exhibit that showcases paintings of the Eastern Shore, Isle of Wight Bay and Ocean City.

🩰Festival Ballet Virginia present “Echoes” on May 15 at Reston Community Center.

🌊 Attend the free Water Stewardship Workshop on May 16 at Emanuel Lutheran Church in Vienna. Presenters Fairfax Water, Clean Fairfax, Fairfax County, and the Northern Virginia Soil and Water District.

🖼️ Visit the Tephra ICA Arts Festival on May 16-17 at Reston Town Center.

🎼 Reston Community Orchestra’s presents “An Italian Evening” for its grand finale concert on May 16 at Epiphany Episcopal Church in Herndon.

🎵 Encore Chorales of Reston, Ashburn, Fairfax & Sentimental Journey Singers present a free concert on May 16 at Heritage Fellowship Church in Reston.

🪦Honor Vienna’s most notable Revolutionary-era figure on Charles Broadwater Day, on May 17 at his gravesite.

🎉Attend Polar Heat on Lynn Street on May 16 for a day of entertainment in downtown Herndon.

🐉Celebrate at the free Asian Festival on Main on May 17 in Old Town Fairfax City.

🎸Yacht Rock Lobsters return to Reston Town Center for a concert on May 16.

🎭 Enjoy NextStop Theatre presentation of musical “Once” starting May 21.

🎸Sting performs his hits on May 21-23 at Wolf Trap.

Find all events for these local organizations: Reston Community Center, Town of Vienna Parks and Recreation Programs, Tephra ICA and Arts Fairfax. Find other community events in the Reston Letter.