Reston Board Take Strong Position On Golf Course Redevelopment Proposal

RESTON, VA — Members of the Reston Association Board of Directors passed a motion at its work session on Thursday night to restate its opposition to the proposal to redevelop the Reston Nation Golf Course.

“Preservation of Reston National Golf Course, 168 acres of public golf course, without cost to the association or its members, is worth millions in annual assessments,” said Director John Farrell (At-Large), who introduced the motion.

Earlier this year, golf course owners Virginia Investment Partners 2019, LLC (“VIP”) and developer NVR, Inc. proposed an amendment to the Reston Planned Residential Community District as part of Fairfax County’s Site Specific Plan Amendment process.

Also See: Nearly 800 Homes Could Be Built On Golf Course Thanks To $8.5M Payment

The owners seek to build 288 townhouse units on 14 acres of the 166-acre golf course property. They contend that a zoning decision from 1966 approved those 14 acres for medium density residential development, which is about 20 dwelling units per acre.

Redevelopment of Reston National Golf Course would result in an estimated $40 million in lost assessed value to the 400 plus homes adjacent to the golf course property, according to Farrell, who is a land use attorney.

“It's also an extensive visual amenity that is a significant part of the lived experience of those of us who live in south Reston, whose homes are near but not on the course,” he said.

On May 5, Patch broke the story that attorney Mark Looney made an offer on behalf of the golf course owners to pay RA $8.5 million as part of an alternate plan in case the county rejects its proposal to redevelop the golf course property.

The alternative proposal was to amend the comprehensive plan to change the zoning of the entire 166-acre property from golf course to mixed-use, dedicating 80 acres to open space that could be used by the Reston community as parkland. The remaining 86 acres would be redeveloped into residential neighborhoods.

Also See: Golf Course Proposal To Build 300 Houses Sparks Debate

The motion adopted by the board on Thursday directed RA staff testifying at the Fairfax County Planning Commission’s May 15 markup session to relay the board's support for not adding the golf course proposal to the current SSPA work program. This would prevent the nomination from advancing further this year.

“County staff has already recommended against further consideration of Mr. Looney’s SSPA,” Farrell said. “Supervisor Alcorn has frequently made his opposition to the redevelopment of Reston National Golf Course clear."

For months, Looney repeatedly said that if his client's SSPA didn't go forward, they would use a 1966 zoning case to pursue a PRC amendment, according to Farrell. If that effort was unsuccessful, he would then sue to overturn the legislative nature of PRC amendments and develop Reston National Golf Course by right.

Also See: Reston National Redevelopment Presentation Axed By RA Board

Looney told Patch on May 5 that he planned to discuss his client’s offer to pay an annexation fee and monthly HOA fees to the association — as outlined in his May 2 letter — at the March 11 land use advisory committee meeting. The intervening two months would have allowed the golf course owners and the RA Board to discuss and negotiate the offer.

Instead, the RA Board held an emergency meeting on March 10 and voted to cancel the committee meeting. It also suspended the resolution that allowed developers an opportunity to give an introductory presentation to the committee.