Why Now? Here’s Why

I found reading the Feb. 14-20 issue of the Reston Connection depressing (even if it did contain my article as a letter at the bottom of page 14). How can a simple issue on the immediate future of Reston be made so complex? Dialecticians seem prepared to tie our future up in knots.

The facts are that Reston was created in 1962 by an ordinance that, among many matters, provided for an ultimate population (or cap) for the new community of 13 persons per acre. Some time along the way, county officials decided that instead of determining Reston’s population by interpolating an estimated number between periodic official census numbers, they would use current numbers (factors) for each type of existing or planned residential unit. This system would make it possible for planning staff to have a useful population number for each residential building that came before them for review, thus keeping their total population figures current. Although it was mandated that these factors be reviewed every three years, the last updated figures are for those of 1975. Using these 1975 factors today, Reston’s population would be approaching the cap of 80,912, whereas the best guess is that, if a census were taken today, the total actual population would be in the neighborhood of 60,000.

No doubt, over the past decades, planning staff felt it an unnecessary chore to make a survey of occupants of the various housing types in Reston so as to update the factors. However, recently it became obvious that, with the outdated factors, the population would appear to be approaching the cap. This, because the numbers of people living in the various residential unit types had dropped considerably in the last 30 years. So it was necessary to update the factors (based on the latest available census figures) so as not to inhibit future development.

There is no need to change Reston’s basic ordinance now, no need to set up a task force. All that needs to be done is to update the factors that are 30 years out of date. The staff has done the research; they have produced the up to date factors. These factors should be adopted now.

Several contributors to the Connection ask “Why do it now?” The answer is the sooner, the better so that planning can go forward for revitalization of areas around the future metro stations at the Wiehle and Reston Parkway sites and for revitalization of the village centers starting with the Lake Anne Center.

Robert E Simon
Founder of Reston