To the Editor:
The Tall Oaks developer held another community meeting with residents. The venue was the old grocery store space at Tall Oaks Village Center. With lighting so inadequate you could barely see people a couple rows in front of you, and the lack of a portable speaker system so everyone could hear what was being said, it was perfect. Hear no evil, see no evil and speak no evil despite community objections to the most current
proposal.
The results of the meeting: I would like to summarize the salient points made and topics avoided by the people doing the presentation.
The representative from RCLCO, a large nationwide study group for shopping centers and office buildings, spent an inordinate amount of time covering statistics based on national statistics. But note, no one from RCLCO or JAG said how those national statistics actually relate to Reston since Reston is a unique place in the United States, being the largest HOA in the country. In other words national statistics are just that -- national. RCLCO performed their study based on parameters provided by JAG (Jefferson Apartment Group). Their claim to fame of managing 500,000 square feet (a good size warehouse) of commercial space is a drop in the bucket compared to companies like JBG another local developer.
The RCLCO results indicated that grocery stores cannot be supported in
the Tall Oaks Village Center due to lack of access and visibility from
Whiele Ave.
When questioned to whether JAG or RCLCO had approached the Commonwealth of Virginia to see if access to Wiehle Avenue could be gained the answer was no; despite indications from the Commonwealth of Virginia that they would entertain access to Wiehle depending on the design. When questioned whether JAG or RCLCO had approached Reston Association to determine if trees could be thinned out to increase visibility from Wiehle Avenue the answer from JAG and RCLCO was no; despite indications that RA said they would be amicable to discussing increasing visibility depending on the design.
There you have it. The Tall Oaks Cluster is moving forward. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that are RCLCO based their study on parameters given to them by check so if you eliminate these parameters the results are self-evident.
What was especially disappointing is the Fairfax County planning representative in attendance who stated that the planning department performed a third-party analysis and came up with the same results as JAG and RCLCO. The county representative did not indicate that the county planning department had spoken to the Commonwealth traffic engineering department or the Reston Association.
When RCLCO was questioned by the audience with regard to contacting
grocers such as Aldi or a mini Walmart, the RCLCO representative
couldn’t remember.
When I met with Bob Simon last year a month before his passing, he
conveyed to me with a drawing his vision for the Tall Oaks Village Center’s future and future village centers.
He envisioned three or four five-story buildings along Wiehle Avenue and
two three-story buildings along North Shore. The buildings could accommodate ground level commercial and rooftop activities and underground parking. High density residential units would fill the balance of each building. Guess what happens to the rest of the property? Open Space! Wow what a concept.
Certainly there's a big gap between Bob Simon’s vision and the economic
reality. Until the county planning department and JAG actively engage the Reston Association in the Tall Oaks Village Center in the planning process we could end up with another Reston National Golf Course situation. Remember what happens at Tall Oaks will determine the future of the balance of the Reston village centers.
The county's desire to create a vast urban megalopolis throughout the county in places like Tysons corner certainly do not apply to Reston and few people understand that the relationship between the RA and the county is sometimes at a crossroads when it comes to Tall Oaks.
Remember, Tall Oaks is designated as a village center in the deed Reston the RA has indicated that they will continue to look out for the residents’ interests and all we can do is hope and pray that RA will win in the end.
Based on my 30 years of working with developers and local municipalities, I can tell you what we as citizens can do to affect the outcome is really very little except for the fact that we vote for our county supervisor Catherine Hudgins. Who (this is my personal opinion) has recently begun to support JAG and the county's viewpoint instead of the citizens of Reston. Please contact her and let her know how you feel.
Also contact the RA and let them know that you support Bob Simon's
vision regarding this matter.
Bill Woloch
Ph.D., Architect
Reston