HC Stream Restoration Plan Presentation to the DRB on November 16th, 7-9PM

RA's Design Review Board (DRB) will hear the WSSI presentation on the HC stream restoration project and replacement bridge at the next monthly meeting, November 16th 7-9PM.

Note From SCCI:

Frank (WSSI) will give the presentation, but please encourage HCA members to sign up to speak so DRB has an opportunity to hear the thoughts from the community.

Stream Restoration Proposal
Apologies for the quality of some of the slides.

Follow up: DRB Meeting Summary by Fred S.

Tuesday evening the DRB voted to approve the preliminary design for the stream restoration, including the bridge proposal. WSSI will come back to DRB for information updates as the plans move forward, and final approval of detailed design including bridge details. No significant issues were raised and there was not much discussion by the DRB members. One new piece of information is that the adjacent Vantage Hill stream looks as if it will not go forward due to lack of cooperation from VDOT which is reluctant to accept an easement along Baron Cameron Ave. ("in case they ever need to widen the avenue").

Friday Night Panel Discussion on the Future of the Town Center: Tonight!

Tonight! (& apologies for the late notice.)
Friday night, November 5, 7:00 PM – 9:00 PM is the final panel discussion on the future and vision of the Reston Town Center – Visions for the Future (2010-2030) with the coming of Metro.

The Town Center subcommittee co-chairs Robert Goudie and Pete Otteni will be presenting their PowerPoint presentation and draft report to the Reston Master Plan Special Study Task Force.

This panel will provide Reston citizens an opportunity for interactive an Q&A session on the subcommittee recommendations to the main Task Force.

Location: Reston Community Center at Lake Anne Village Center
Date and Time: Friday Night, November 5, 7:00 PM – 9:00 PM

Topic and Format: Future development options of the Reston Town Center with the coming of Metro and recommendations to amend revision of Fairfax County’s Comprehensive Plan.

Loren Bruce
Phone: 703-408-2931
EMail: lcbruce@verizon.net

Stream Restoration: New Bridge Design Options

Thanks to everyone who turned out for the WSSI stream restoration presentation and Hickory Cluster walk and to WSSI for their comprehensive presentation and informational walk. 

WSSI Slides from October 16th Presentation

As part of the stream restoration, WSSI will replace the failing HC bridge (at the duck pond).  HC residents have presented two options that are quite different and there was discussion at yesterday's meeting about the options.  The HC board will further discuss these two options at the monthy meeting this Wednesday (10/20/10) 7:30PM at TWC offices.  If any residents are interested in the discussion, please attend this meeting.  Two Important Notes:  1. Any bridge design that HC chooses will still have to be approved by the RA Design Review Board.  2. The existing bridge design can not be replicated as it does not meet existing FX Cty code.

Option #1: A wooden planked footbed bridge with metal railings that are the same as the new HC railings found throughout HC.  This option will make a bold statement and announce that this is not simply another Reston bridge but Hickory Cluster specifically. 

Option #2:  A wood bridge that will blend in with the wooded surroundings and have detail elements that echo existing details on other HC elements such as the Goodman designed swingsets along the path.

HC Stream Restoration Information Meeting Scheduled, Sat. Oct 16th, 10:30am @ RCC-LA

WSSI has sent out an information packet to all HC residents explaining the proposed stream restoration project and announcing the information meeting on Sat. Oct. 16 at 10:30am, in Room C of the Lake Anne Community Center. Click to view the documents one and two.

Informational Meeting and HC Stream Walk:
10:30 on Sat. Oct. 16, in Room C of the Lake Anne Community Center.
Coffee and pastries provided.

There will be a presentation by WSSI and a question and answer session, followed by a guided walk through the restoration area to discuss the details, including trees to be removed, how the stream will be modified, etc.

To: Hickory Cluster Homeowners

From: Bob Anderson, Block II

The Stream Restoration Information Meeting is scheduled for this Saturday, October 16th (Lake Anne Community Center, Room C at 10:30 AM). This is a very important meeting for all Cluster homeowners. Without getting into any detail on the project, I just want to say a few things at this time. This is a huge project and it will result in a major improvement in the natural area running along the stream between Blocks I and Blocks II. When it is completed it will do more than restore the stream to its original beauty, in my view; it will be a very substantial enhancement. In addition to providing an attractive space that we should all like to visit from time to time it will add to the value of the Hickory Cluster Property. During the time that the work is being done there will some pain from noise, the disappearance of trees, and the unsightliness of earth moving equipment, but if all goes according to plan it should be accomplished within 2 to 3 months. I almost forgot a not insignificant point is that this change for the better will be at no cost to Hickory Cluster homeowners.

Now with this major change for the better about to get underway perhaps it is time for us to take stock of our own immediate surroundings – i.e. our own privately owned homes and property. What might we each do to maintain our own homes and property better?  Hickory Cluster is a class act, its houses created by an award-winning architect – Charles Goodman. Isn’t it time for us to make a special effort to ensure the future of this very special place by looking toward our own self-interest and the common interest, too, by re-committing ourselves to keeping our homes properly maintained and the areas around them spruced up? Don’t we owe it to ourselves to make the effort?

Please come to the meeting on Saturday, if you possibly can. It’s your future.

Fairway Apartment Re-developement Decision Moved to November 3

Planning commission will decide whether to move forward on high-density changes.
Full Article here. 

Background: Reston Connection, Jan 2010

Nature Walk: Hickory Cluster Stream Restoration Project, Oct 2 at 1pm

Nature Walk
Saturday, Oct 2
1:00 pm

Stream Restoration Exhibit and Walk. Meet at the Reston Museum, 1639 Washington Plaza, in Lake Anne Village Center to examine the current exhibit on Reston stream restoration with Kelly Petrey and Nathan Staley of Wetland Studies and Solutions Inc.

Learn about their work on streams in South Reston, and plans to begin restoration work in the Colvin Run watershed of North Reston. Following the briefing, join WSSI on a walk to a nearby stream to see the erosion damage for yourself, and hear about plans for restoration. The walk will follow a path along the stream running south toward Lake Anne from North Shore Drive between Lake Anne Park and the covered bridge on the West and Northgate Square and Inlet Court on the East.

Cluster Clean-Up Saturday 9/18/10 9am-1pm with Cook Out at 5pm

R4 Collection Day at Reston Town Center: September 15, 1-4pm

Not the best hours but here's the next local opportunity to shred documents and get rid of old computers, used up compact fluorescent light bulbs, electronics, bicycles, hearing aids, etc...

Reston Town Center presents the fifth R4 Collection Day: Reduce. Re-use. Recycle. Reston! on Wednesday, September 15 from 1 pm until 4 pm. In an effort to provide awareness and options for disposal of items that can be diverted from landfill, specific items listed here will be accepted for collection at the Reston Town Center Pavilion, 11900 Market Street, Reston, VA 20190.

More information on what's accepted here.

Reston Multicultural Festival 9/25/10

All are invited to come

Discover the World in Reston!

Enjoy and experience multicultural entertainment, cultural displays, children's and adults' activities, children's passports, food, arts and crafts, and cultural demonstrations. Come dressed in your own native attire and share your culture with your neighbors.

Saturday, September 25, 2010 11am-5pm

Lake Anne Village Center

For All Ages

Free

RELAC Rate Increase Will Stand

The Hearing Examiner's Report can be seen here and the following is a summary by Steve Sinclair from Fairfax County

The Hearing Examiner's report came out [August 4th]. The hearing examiner granted the rate increase agreed to in the stipulation (between the SCC and the company).

The Hearing Examiner also recommends directing RELAC to implement certain quality of service measurements. We think that is progress, but not strong enough and we may submit comments to that affect.

Excerpted below are several Findings and Recommendations of interest.

(16) In accordance with the Stipulation, RELAC should continue to provide written information to assist customers in properly maintaining their own equipment;

(17) RELAC should be directed to train its personnel to record accurately and consistently, information already required by its plant record forrns, especially as to supply and return temperatures and pressures, and outside temperatures;

(18) RELAC should be directed to record supply temperatures and pressures, and outside temperatures when the Company makes inspections or answers service complaint calls at customer premises;

(19) RELAC should be directed to document quality of service complaint calls, including whether the cooling issues customers reported resulted from problems in the system or inadequate maintenance/operation of internal units or other factors in the home;

(20) RELAC should be directed to establish a web page on the Aqua America website to provide customers with preventive maintenance information and with contact information; and

(21) RELAC should be directed to continue its discussions with neighborhood cluster presidents, with Staff and Fairfax County given an opportunity to participate in such discussions.

Any additional questions, please let me know. By the way, only formal parties to the case (and there are only 3) may file comments on the Hearing Examiner's report. However, if customers want to forward their comments to us, we will consider including them, if appropriate.

Thanks,
Steve Sinclair