News and notes from Reston (tm).

Thursday, August 30, 2012

Caddyshackpocalypse Now: A United Front, and Signs, Signs, Everywhere Signs

The Shack.jpeg
Hey, development golf fans! Let's hit the links, and see what's been doin' with everyone's favorite Tournament of Pain in South Reston. This week, the Reston Citizens Association joined the growing chorus of organizations opposed to the potential redevelopment of Reston National Golf Course, writing in a resolution with more whereases than a Ron Paul delegate trying to get recognized in Tampa that "use of the [land] for any purpose other than open space dedicated to parks, recreation, and/or nature is an existential threat to Reston's longstanding vision."

Well, great. What could potentially be more important in the long run is that it sounds like RCA, the Reston Association, and the Association of Reston Clusters and Homeowners (ARCH) may present a unified front against any redevelopment proposal -- which would be a first. RCA President Colin Mills writes in a fancy "web log" post:
In recent weeks, RCA has reached out to RA and the Association of Reston Clusters and Homeowners to discuss the possibility of joint efforts. Our collaboration was inspired by other matters, but once the seriousness and urgency of the golf course issue became clear, we realized that we should join forces on this as well, to protect the integrity of Reston's Master Plan and our vision for the community.

Our joint effort is still in the planning stages, but rest assured you'll be hearing about it very soon. We'll definitely have a presence at the BZA hearing in October, and we'll be keeping the public informed on this issue as well. We will also reach out to Rescue Reston, to discuss how we can aid their efforts.

I'm very inspired by this; it's the first time I can remember that our three organizations are joining forces for a common goal. As I said in my post on working together, we speak much more effectively for Reston when we can speak with one voice. And I think Restonians will be happy to know that we're putting aside turf battles to stand up for our citizens on this important issue.

Our collaboration will send a clear message: We're here, we're watching, and we're united for the best interests of Reston.
One good thing about a existential threat: It tends to get people to do the right thing, at least once all other options are exhausted.

Mills also addressed comments by Supervisor Cathy Hudgins that there's nothing to worry about, as all this is routine.
Perhaps she's right. Perhaps the Board of Zoning Appeals will uphold the decision that the golf course must be open space unless a plan amendment is filed. Perhaps the golf course owners will accept this and stand down. And perhaps we'll all be able to relax and go home.

Maybe. But this doesn't exactly feel routine to us in the community. There seem to be a lot of land-use lawyers involved for a routine inquiry. If the Board of Zoning Appeals upholds the open space designation, the golf course owners might be planning a legal challenge. (Or at least threatening one as an intimidation maneuver.) If that's the case, we in the community will need to be ready for that challenge.

Either way, we'd be better off to get geared up for a fight and discover it's a false alarm, rather than assuming that there's no cause for alarm until it's too late to act.
Meanwhile, our BFFs at Rescue Reston are preparing signs like this:

Reston-Rescuers.jpeg
Visit their fancy "web site" for more details.

Now, the part with the jokes:


Spaulding, get your foot off the boat!

Update: And now for something completely different, a fancy YouTubes video of John Lovaas interviewing Rescue Reston's John Pinkman, in which we learn Reston National is the closest public golf course to the White House. Huh.


13 comments:

  1. "One good thing about a existential threat: It tends to get people to do the right thing, at least once all other options are exhausted."

    The "right thing" is to tell someone else what to do with their private property? Huh.

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    1. I hope the property's attorneys are able to add commenting on blogs to their billable hours.

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    2. Uh... Hello? This is Reston?! The RA told me I had to change the color of the 3/4" framing around my windows to match an approved Reston color - for the good of the community. I sure as heck hope they can prevent someone from razing acres of green spaces in the heart of our community. Maybe the new owner didn't realize this was a planned community? I wonder if that excuse will work for me the next time I get a notice of a Reston violation?

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  2. Hmmm...Operation Rescue The Downtrodden Reston Sub-1%might want to give some thought to the optics of diversity.

    Uh, I think there are more black people attending the Republican National Covention than are pictured in the above photograph.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qaz0N-2LCZ0&feature=player_embedded

    Speaking of black Republicans, why is that even black Republican women are fake blondes?

    Check it out at the 2:07 mark.

    If you really like to Go BIG or Go Home, then check it out at the 2:52 mark. Oh, yeah, Operation Rescue Reston should recruit 2:52 to help them organize their 'united front', as her front is CLEARLY united.

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  3. I am honestly shocked and amazed that the RA is fighting the developers on this. I figured any chance for them to pull in more revenue would be in their "best interests."

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    1. RA has to at least make it look as if they are putting up some resistance. It's just "huff and puff" posturing. They (like Fairfax County) are already thinking of how to spend any new revenue -- provided that new development isn't given the option to "opt out" of RA membership.

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  4. If the zoning board says no, can the golf course sue? if so, do you know how that kind of case would work?

    Would a redeveloped golf course even be part of the Reston Association? If its option why would they join? They get a Reston zip code and can use the trails, etc... and not pay. I don't think the tennis courts are policed for no Reston members very often either.

    Most highrise condos build their own pools, then charge higher monthly fees to support them.

    A concern I have that no one is addressing is possible future eminent domain issues. I may be a pit paranoid. But lets say the Spectrum gets totally redeveloped and its a high rise, etc... just north of their are older and small Reston Townhouses. This is where I live. This is technically the smallest and cheapest houses in Reston. Some developer could decide he wants to redevelop my townhouse into a high rise condo and then the county can get more tax money. This would be 10-20 years off, but still... it happens all around the country.

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  5. Perhaps those fortunate few with fairway views from their decks will succeed in this effort, but I am not a betting person. The golf course owners have armed themselves with plenty of lawyers for any fight that Reston residents may care to wage. Hudgins is gonna sit this one out (as usual). And would it be too cynical to suggest that she may be looking forward to accepting their check for her next campaign, since the county supervisors, as a general rule, have seldom met a real estate devleoper they did not like.

    As much as I would not care to see the golf course redeveloped into anything BUT a golf course, don't be surprised if property rights prevail here--at least that will be the golf course owners' argument.

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  6. In other news, more deafening silence on this issue from our County Supervisor...Which way is the wind blowing, Cathy?

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  7. Pinkman's claim that the Reston National Golf course is the closest public golf course to the White is so incredible false:

    East Potomac (public) Golf Course is 2 miles from the White House.
    Langston (public) Golf Course is 4 miles from the White House.
    Rock Creek (public) Golf Course is 5 miles from the White House.
    Greendale (public) golf course is 13 miles from the White House.
    Reston National (public) golf course is 22 miles from the White House.

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  8. The old bald guy shaking his fist completely makes that one photo.

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  9. If RA, RCA, and ARCH are united on this, where exactly does the person who was elected to represent their united constituency stand on the issue? Silent? Not concerned? I've said it before and will say it again, I do not vote for her. She does not represent my interests. After all, I'm just an overtaxed homeowner whose kids are now (in 4 short years since redistricting) attending a school that is way over capacity and who cannot wait until the metro gets here so I can jack up the price of my house, and get out of Dodge, leaving my neighborhood to the avaricious dreams of said Cathy H.

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  10. "Paging Cathy Hudgins. Ms. Cathy Hudgins, please report to the land of the living. Paging Cathy Hudgins."

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