Win Some, Lose Some, but “Be the Hummingbird”

When I got involved with Rescue Reston and saving the open space of Reston National Golf Course (RNGC), I started following the activities of several other threatened golf courses around the country.  One in particular was just starting their battle and looked to Rescue Reston for a blueprint.   The Tides in Pinellas County, Florida went to bright green t-shirts with the slogan “Save The Tides” and paper and online petitions.

This week the developer and bank-owner of The Tides withdrew their development plan to destroy the Tides Golf Course and replace it with 170 homes.  It was due to pressure from the very strong opposition of the Pinellas County citizens.  A victory in Florida! 

Out of this battle came words of wisdom from the Pinellas County Staff to their Board of Supervisors:  "There is one fundamental point that must be interjected into the scramble to find enough land for everybody...once open spaces and natural areas begin to get nibbled away, they will inevitably be lost, plain and simple, and they will not be coming back." 

For others the land use fight continues, even when there is a victory.  Our neighbors in Oakton are trying to stop a 6,000’ warehouse from being built at Camp Crowell, a Girl Scout campground in a residential neighborhood.  The neighborhood declared victory on November 20, 2013 when the BZA upheld that the warehouse could not be put in a Residential-Estate District.  One month later, the Girl Scout Council (not to be confused with actual girl scouts who camp) filed a petition with the Fairfax County Circuit Court challenging the authority of the Fairfax County Board of Zoning Appeals.  I follow this case with interest not only because Oakton is our neighbor and houses the Difficult Run Stream Valley Park but also because their case (a BZA hearing) is functionally similar to what we face with RNGC. If the golf course owners ever keep their date with the BZA, whichever side loses will then take the case to court.  Victory or not, it won’t be over.

It’s hard to keep going sometimes.  Wearing us down is what the guys with the big bucks hope for.  At a recent Audubon Society meeting I heard a story about a hummingbird.  I invite you all to listen to Nobel Peace Prize winner Wangari Maathai.  I hope it gives you the encouragement it gave me:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fHtFM1XEXas.

Rescue Reston Board Members and our volunteers must stay vigilant.  If you hear any rumors, pass them our way and we’ll check them out.  Be the hummingbird.