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October 15, 2025

Neighbors,

Last week marked the end of an era in the oldest part of Reston. After 60 years, RELAC announced that it ended service effective this past Thursday.

For those who aren’t familiar, RELAC — short for Reston Lake Anne Air Conditioning Corporation — is a chilled-water cooling system that first went into service as a quiet, innovative air conditioning system in June 1965. It uses chilled water from Lake Anne to provide air conditioning to about 600 residential customers around Lake Anne.

When RELAC was turned on for the first time, the Washington Evening Star called it: “the world’s first ‘community air-conditioning system….’” It uses underground pipes to draw water from the lake that’s chilled at a central pump house and then circulated to individual homes to provide cooling. One of RELAC’s distinguishing features is that it quietly provides cooling without the noise generated by most air conditioning units.

Unfortunately, Reston RELAC which currently owns this small, private utility cited “rising costs, aging infrastructure and a decline in participation” as the reasons for shutting down after 13 years in business.

Although it was a modern marvel when first introduced, this isn’t the first time the system has run into problems during its 60 years. For this reason, last year I asked the Virginia State Corporation Commission, which regulates utilities, to require RELAC to be transparent with its customers and report its finances to the agency, as well as ensure quality service. The SCC included these requirements when they approved the utility’s sale last year to SpringRELAC. (The company only operated the system for one season after the sale ultimately fell through, leaving ownership with Reston RELAC.)

Now is the time for the homes and businesses that relied on RELAC to plan for how they’ll meet their cooling needs next summer. This is why I’ve reached out to the Waterview, Hickory, Washington Plaza, Wainwright, Coleson and Governor’s Square Clusters and the Vantage Hill and Lake Anne condo associations. I’ve inquired about their plans, as well as asked what, if anything, the county may be able to do to help like expediting permitting for new cooling systems. RELAC has always been a private utility, however. So, homeowners will need to find alternatives soon before the summer heat returns.

I recognize this all poses a challenge for these homeowners and for the two condo associations, and I will update my Resources for RELAC Customers webpage as any new resources are identified or become available.

Regards,

Walter

• In the Community
• Board of Supervisors Update
• Fox Mill Road Bike Lanes: Watch Meeting
• Chalkfest Volunteers Needed
• Reston Home Tour Oct. 25
• Upcoming Land Use Meetings
• What's News in Vienna
• Events and Activities

A Community Walk with Me

On Saturday, I led a community walk around Hunters Woods Plaza organized by the Reston Community Center. Thanks to everyone who joined, as well as to our docents Wayne Schifflebein with Reston Museum, Phoebe Avery with Public Art Reston and Ken Rosenthal with Reston Association.

Our docents engaged us with knowledge and expertise, and we had a wonderful time. On our tour, we visited Public Art Reston’s projects beneath two of the 26 underpasses in Reston. We saw "Emerge", the mosaic artwork beneath the Glade underpass that was Public Art Reston’s first commission through its public art process. And, we saw “Thoreau’s Ensemble" on the Colts Neck Road underpass, Public Art Reston’s most recent project. We also strolled to the Reston Association’s native meadow near the Reston Community Center on what used to be a unused ballfield. There we learned about the benefits of native plants and insects.

• Watch this short documentary about the making of “Emerge”

This community walk was sponsored by the One Hunters Woods initiative and Reston Community Center. One Hunters Woods is a community-driven project launched in August that aims to bring residents together for recreational, cultural and community events on or near the Hunters Woods Plaza.

Look for more upcoming One Hunters Woods events in the Reston Community Center program guides, and I also may be leading similar walks in Vienna. Stay tuned.

Vienna Fire Station Open House

To celebrate Fire Prevention Week, I joined the Vienna Volunteer Fire Department’s open house this weekend. Not only did I enjoy talking to residents and firefighters, but I also learned more about the fundraising drive to rebuild their 79-year old fire truck (read more about this further below in the newsletter.)

Fairfax Alliance for Better Bicycling President Joy Faunce (left) and former FABB Board Member Bruce Wright (right) receiving a proclamation from the Board of Supervisors. (Note that I am not in this photo as I had to attend the annual meeting of the Virginia WMATA board representatives with the Commonwealth Transportation Board in Richmond yesterday morning.)

Board of Supervisors Update

Board of Supervisors Update

The Board of Supervisors met yesterday Oct. 14. You can watch the meeting and review the agenda and package.

Recognizing FABB’s 20^th Anniversary

Congratulations to the Fairfax Alliance for Better Bicycling on their 20^th anniversary! The Board recognized this milestone with a proclamation yesterday. For the past two decades, this volunteer-led nonprofit has advocated for making bike transportation safe, accessible and common for people of all ages, abilities and skill levels. They helped push for adoption of the county’s Bicycle Master Plan and Map and they have been involved in shaping the ActiveFairfax Transportation Plan. (This new plan will combine and incorporate the existing Bicycle Master Plan and the Countywide Trails Plan into a new framework for safe, comfortable and convenient transportation on foot, bike, scooter, stroller, wheelchair and horseback.) In the Hunter Mill District, FABB is also an invaluable partner in planning and pulling off the Tour de Hunter Mill, my annual community bike ride in May.

Congratulations to Volunteer Firefighter Sebastian Herbolsheimer

At the meeting, the Volunteer Fire Commission presented their 2024 Volunteer Fire and Rescue Service Awards. I want to recognize Sebastian Herbolsheimer with Vienna Volunteer Fire Department who received the Firefighter Rookie of the Year Award. Since joining the department in 2021, he’s shown exceptional commitment and diligence, exemplary performance and calm under pressure as he acts quickly to help those in need.

I also want to thank and recognize all the men and women in Fairfax County’s 12 volunteer fire departments. They provide hundreds of hours of critical fire and emergency medical services every year to save lives and property

Watch for Children Signs Approved for Bright Pond Lane

What’s happening: Based upon requests from residents, I initiated the process in September to install “Watch for Children” signs on Bright Pond Lane in Reston, and the Board approved their installation yesterday.

Request traffic calming: If you’re neighborhood seeks traffic calming measures like “Watch for Children” signs, please contact my office by email or call 703-478-0283, TTY 711.

Background: Fairfax County’s Residential Traffic Administration Program helps communities to decrease traffic impacts and enhance safety in area neighborhoods. This includes “Watch for Children” signs that may be installed at the primary entrance to residential neighborhoods, or at a location with an extremely high concentration of children relative to the area, such as playgrounds, day care centers, or community centers. 

Historic Overlay District Property Classifications Standardized

What’s happening: The Board approved standardized property classifications for buildings in the county’s 15 Historic Overlay Districts, including Lake Anne Village Center. Now, properties will all be designated as either “historic,” “contributing,” or “non-contributing.” Because the districts were created at different times over the decades, they don’t use standardized property classifications as currently required by the county’s zoning ordinance.

What it means: “Historic” indicates that a property is a central component of the historic overlay district and is named in the historic district ordinance that created the district. “Contributing” indicates that a property is one of several that defines the historic character and significance of the district. “Non-contributing” resources are not character-defining because they have been altered or were constructed outside the district’s significant period or development.

The Lake Anne Village Center Historic Overlay District includes (see map):

• Nine “historic” buildings: the buildings facing Lake Anne.
• Two “contributing” buildings: the Reston Community Center building which was originally occupied by a Safeway, and the former Hardware and Garden Shop.
• One “non-contributing” building: The two-story office building at 11401 North Shore Drive that was built in 1983.

Why it matters: These classifications will be incorporated into the updated district-specific guidelines that the Architectural Review Board will adopt later this year. The board is updating them to make them more detailed and easier to use, incorporating maps, photos, and treatment recommendations. The ARB uses these guidelines to review applications for rehabilitation, new construction and exterior alterations.

• Read the draft Lake Anne Village Center District Guidelines

Background: The Board of Supervisors first began establishing Historic Overlay Districts in 1970. These districts provide regulations over and above the regular zoning protection to better protect those unique areas, sites and buildings that are of special architectural, historic, or archaeological value to local residents and visitors.

Lake Anne Village Center District was created in 1983, and it was the first use of an overlay district to protect an active commercial use. The center was also placed on the Virginia Landmarks Register on March 16, 2017, and the National Register of Historic Places on June 5, 2017.

What’s happening: Bike lanes are proposed for Fox Mill Road between Marcey Creek Road and Covered Wagon Lane as part of the Virginia Department of Transportation’s 2026 repaving program. On Oct. 7, the Fairfax County Department of Transportation presented this proposal during a virtual meeting that you may watch online.

Meeting recap: Because Fox Mill Road is a particularly wide road through this stretch than normal, the proposed bike lanes would be installed without removing any of the current on-street parking spaces, county transportation staff said. They would be created by narrowing the existing travel lanes for cars, helping to slow them down as an additional benefit since McNair Elementary School is located along this stretch of Fox Mill Road. The lanes would also provide a future connection to the planned cycletrack on Sunrise Valley Drive between Wiehle Avenue and Innovation Metro Station.

Chalkfest returns to Reston Town Center on Sunday, Oct. 19, and Public Art Reston needs volunteers to put on this free, family friendly event that transforms the town center’s streets into an outdoor canvas.

• Sign up now to volunteer.

What’s happening: Take a peek inside seven beautiful homes during the Reston Museum’s annual home tour on Saturday, Oct. 25. This self-guided tour runs from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tickets are $40, and all proceeds will benefit the nonprofit museum.

Tickets: Purchase tickets online ($2.40 transaction fee charged) or buy them in-person at the Reston Museum to avoid the transaction fee.

What you’ll see: The full list of homes will be provided on Oct. 23, the day before the tour. However, the museum has released a preview map to help you plan, and it revealed that you’ll see the following among the seven spectacular residences on display:

• Modern Townhome: The owner, an interior decorator, transformed this once-neglected 1993 duplex into a calming retreat filled with natural light, soft neutral tones, and travel-inspired décor.
• Contemporary Home: This renovated home features an eating area with floor-to-ceiling windows, a large screened-in porch that spans the back of the house, and a backyard oasis with a fire pit and rock-lined pond. 
• JW Marriott Reston Station Condominiums: The 93 newly opened units — on the 14th through 25th floors of the new JW Marriott — offer luxury living and hotel-style amenities. Complimentary light refreshments will be offered.

During the tour, take a break at The Wine Cabinet, which is partnering with the museum, for 10% off your purchases from 1 to 5 p.m.

Volunteer to docent: Volunteer as a docent to guide guests through the homes on the tour, and you’ll enjoy exclusive perks:

🎟️ Complimentary home tour ticket

🏡 Exclusive preview of your assigned home before the event

🥂 Invitation to the docent reception on Oct. 28

Both morning and afternoon shifts are available. To volunteer, sign up online or email the museum.

Upcoming Land Use Meetings

*Canceled: Reston Planning & Zoning Oct. 20

Because there are no applications to consider, the Reston Planning and Zoning meeting previously scheduled for Monday, Oct 20 has been canceled.

Hunter Mill Land Use Committee Oct. 21

Attend this virtual meeting on Tuesday, Oct. 21 at 7:30 p.m. Use this link to attend and participate. To join by phone, dial 571-429-5982 and use conference ID 228 882 966# 

Agenda: SEA-82-C-027-002: Wolf Trap Foundation for the Performing Arts

Help the Vienna Volunteer Department Save Santa’s Sleigh

What’s happening: Help keep a holiday tradition alive — the Vienna Volunteer Fire Department needs to raise $50,000 to rebuild its 1946 Maxim Fire Engine. Every year, the department drives Santa around town on this 79-year old fire engine while elves hand out candy canes — but this year, Old Saint Nick may not be able to make his Santa Runs without his special sleigh.

The department says the truck requires a full engine rebuild and an electrical rewire. It’s costly given this antique truck’s age, scarcity of parts and special expertise needed to make the repairs.

• Donate now

Get Two Free Native Tree Seedlings Oct. 18

Now is the perfect time of year to plant a tree, and you can pick up two free seedlings during the town’s Native Tree Giveaway on Saturday, Oct. 18 from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. (or until the last tree is given away). Head to the Vienna Community Center to get up to two seedlings per household and stop by early for the best selection. There will be 150 bareroot seedlings in six species available — 25 each of Allegheny Serviceberry, American Hornbeam, Black Gum, Northern Red Oak, Redbud, and White Pine. Planting instructions will be provided. This event is sponsored by the town’s Conservation and Sustainability Commission and the Tree Advocacy Committee.

Buy Tickets for “Under a Cowboy Moon.” Show Opens Oct. 17

Get ready for a wild ride through the wild west with Vienna Theatre Company’s fall production of “Under a Cowboy Moon.” The curtain opens Friday, Oct. 17, at 8 p.m. at the Vienna Community Center (VCC). Tickets are $16 each and purchase them online or in person at the community center.

Mayor’s Walk Oct. 17

Join Mayor Linda Colbert for the Mayor’s Walk on Friday, Oct. 17 at 9:30 a.m. Meet up outside Vienna Town Hall at 127 Center Street, South, and the mayor will join you to start the walk. If the weather is inclement, please wait inside the building.

🎼 Listen to opera classics with Mark Irchai and Loudoun Lyric Opera on Oct. 16 at Reston Community Center.

🎤 Listen to jazz vocalist Darden Purcell sing on Oct. 17 at Reston Town Center Square Park.

🎭Watch the Vienna Theatre Company’s production of “Under a Cowboy Moon” starting Oct. 17.

🎃 Attend the family friendly Fall Festival on Oct. 18 at The Farm at Halley Rise.

👻Make Halloween costumes for children in need on Oct. 18 with the Kids Give Back Fall Volunteer Festival.

🍷Attend the Langley Fall Tastings & Auction Benefit on Oct. 18 in McLean.

🍬Take the family to Trunk or Treat on Oct. 19 at Andrew Chapel United Methodist Church in Vienna.

🍬 Make a Halloween Trick or Treat bag on Oct. 20 at Reston Community Center.

🎭Audition on Oct. 20-21 for the Vienna Theatre Company’s upcoming production “The Sunshine Boys.”

📚 Join a book reading and discussion with novelist Robert Wilson on Oct. 23 at Bards Alley in Vienna.

🎸 Hear the Lončar Guitar Trio perform on Oct. 23 at Reston Community Center.

📚 Celebrate the release of author Jean Meltzer’s “The Eight Heartbreaks of Hanukkah” on Oct. 23 at Fonts Books in McLean.

🏠 Take the Reston Home Tour on Oct. 25.

🍊 Buy fresh citrus fruits to support the Fairfax Lions Club.

🎃Celebrate Halloween eve with food, music and activities on Oct. 30 at Capital One Center. 



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.