Hudgins clearly not representing her constituents, unless she thinks that's the developers. Shameful.

Welcome to Mini-Manhattan! Reston is pretty much gridlocked now; taller buildings also mean higher density and higher density means more traffic and more gridlock. I don't see any plans to improve traffic flow, and I do not count the Metro because people will be using their cars to get to the station(s) but now, instead of simply moving through Reston, they will be coming TO Reston. To park. I stopped visiting Town Center years ago when it became all traffic, no easy parking and too expensive for the hoi paloi like me. Pffft. I think maybe I'll do all my shopping anywhere else except Reston. I no longer feel wanted here.

People are naive to be "dissapointed" or view a vote as "disheartening". It comes down to money. It's always about the money. Some bank accounts probably changed. Significantly.

And you are surprised by this-why? The woman is a politician who needs to feather her nest before she is voted out of office, which will eventually happen.

Time for a recall on Hudgins? I thought she's supposed represent her constituents. Why ignore all these different associations, and worse yet, ignore the task force she appointed?

I already avoid Reston Parkway during rush hour - this will just make it worse. The only choice is to widen the roadway which, given the proximity of many buildings, would be near-impossible.

It is not surprising that Supervisor Hudgins ignores not only the advice of county staff and her own often championed transit-oriented-development policy, but also every civic organization --Reston Citizens Association, the homeowners alliance and Reston Association--to approve an ugly scar on our landscape and growing gridlock.
Because we are unincorporated we simply have no voice!
This is only the beginning. Since her handpicked Task Force has failed in its mission of replacing our hopelessly outdated Master Plan (under which, e.g.,the Dulles Corridor is reserved for "industry and government"), developers pressed her to allow them to proceed with new construction without a new Plan. County staff recently told developers SURE, go ahead and submit project proposals--no Plan needed; thus effectivelty abrogating county responsibility & turning planning over to developers.
Look for the same with redevelopment around Reston's seven village centers.
Now, Reston National Golf wants to build on its166 acres--a central part of the Reston concept for 40 years. The community has risen up against this latest outrage. But, who would wager on the chances of success in preventing this violation of who we are?
As pointed out in the Patch article, business is not done this way in nearby Herndon--because they are self-governing, a Town. Reston has three times their population, but no effective voice in vital matters such as land use.
Only when we govern ourselves will this change.

Supervisor Hudgins made the correct and proper decision. Reston was designed to have a high density, urban center. This was Robert Simon's vision. Who also supported the RTC project. This project will have tremendous economic development value to Reston and Fairfax County.

Reston is such a great place to live work and play. The only negative is that it also has a very vocal minority who seem to want nothing to ever change. I am sure all of the people disappointed in this vote also would have been mad when the original Resotn Town Center was approved. As a resident of Reston, I am so fortunate I can live in a great place and have amenties like Reston Town Center less than 1 mile from my house. I am not afraid of change or growth and look forward to using the amenities this new proejct will provide us all. I also applaud Supervisor Hudgins for doing the right thing and not being afraid of change that adds to our community.

I believe the development. I do not believe in stagnation. Things never stay the same. I am also looking forward to a new and exciting Reston.

If we must have a 23-story tower, may I make the modest proposal that we change the name "Lake Anne" to "Lake Michigan"?

The only time you can expect an elected official to act in the best interests of the people they serve is if the elected official is already wealthy negating the need to prostitute themselves for personal gain.

Politicians remain in positions too long, and this is what happens. The idea that we "elect" someone (who realizes they cannot possibly lose) to take care of us in issues like this is flawed. The redevelopment of RTC is trusted to a handful of people who not only do not care about your opinion, they don't want anyone else even hearing it unless you agree with what they and their developer friends already have planned.
Bill Ray's comment, above, summarizes it perfectly.

I agree with StealthOps and The Analyst. The woman't GOT TO GO! PERIOD! This statement says it all:

"The longer this woman stays in office the more damage she'll do."

I think everyone should stop thinking of her as an elected official, or a public servant, and just assume that this is a con-woman that's taken this role for the sole purpose of helping wealthy developers. I don't think she has any intention at all of doing anything for the residents. EVERYTHING and EVERY DECISION will have it's roots not in the common good, but HOW CAN I HELP THE DEVELOPERS MAKE A KILLING - that's Hudgins.

It's like your at home and suddenly someone opens the door, and they just start grabbing stuff, putting it into there car, coming back, stealing some more while you sit there and watch. If all anyone does is watch they'll just keep doing it until your house is cleaned out. The thief has to be stopped.

Likewise, Hudgins needs to be stopped. She'll just keep giving everything she possibly can away to developers until Reston is wall-to-wall concrete.

IMPEACH HUDGINS NOW!!!

The only thing surprising to me about comments related to Hanlon and any other politicians suddenly striking it rich when they leave office (usually through "prescient real estate investments") is this: I am surprised that you act surprised.
We all know that none of these people has the influence, backbone, or credibility to be trusted to even slow down any developers desires. We all know that to them it is "all about the Benjamins." But worse, the next level of "decision-makers" who act totally in the dark and help grease the skids for these deals
....what benefits do they derive?

"The longer this woman stays in office the more damage she'll do."

That is the absolute truth. I think that aside from attempting to remove her from office, her party affiliation should be revoked as well. This woman is really sort of a crook hiding behind the Democratic party to obtain a degree of validity.

The Democratic party is not supposed to be about helping billionaires get richer while simultaneously ruining people's communities.

I was told this by a friend, and will never forget it: You cannot trust or rely on politicians (at any level). They are not equipped to help us. They are not trained to help us. They don;t want to help us. They have their own agenda, and you need to fear the one's who deny or don't realize this even more. They don't have the mind set nor the consciousness to help us even if they wanted to. If all of this is true, why should we expect any more out of Ms. Hudgins than we do from any other politician? Bottom line... if residents don't stay in touch and fight for themselves, nobody else will fight for them.

That's right, Erin, a vision! Did you actually look closely at the Reston vision of mixed-use development and the master plan before deciding to live there? It's been in place since the '60s. Reminds me of buying by an airport and wanting to curtail or stop flights after moving in. The RTC is a quality project, being developed by previously approved rights. The fact Fairfax County has maintained a lower residential real estate rate is due to having a strong commercial base. This project effectively adds to that base

That building is out of character for the area and goes against input form various sources. In addition we ought to have a requirement that before any new development can happen that the occupancy rate for existing commerical real estate has to be considered. Does anybody besides the owners of empty buildings care? This longtime resident does.