Politics & Government

Remember the Residents, Speakers Tell Supervisors

Reston residents and local leaders remind Fairfax County Board to keep affordable housing in mind as Crescent parcel is redeveloped.

More than 15 Reston residents and community leaders spoke to the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors Tuesday about the future of Crescent Apartments.

The Supervisors will vote Sept. 10 on the interim agreement  with Lake Anne Development Partners for the redevelopment of the 16-acre parcel. After a Request for Proposals was offered in February of 2012, the Supervisors last month chose LADP (Republic Land Development) for the redevelopment. Details of the plan have not been announced.

The September vote is just the first step in a long process for the vision of Crescent, but the Reston advocates want to ensure that the supervisors don't forget the 181 families currently living in the affordable housing neighborhood owned by the county.

"I am very worried about Crescent's redevelopment," said Hermina Bellezza, a single mother who has lived the development for more than 10 years. "We are on a very tight budget. If my family is forced to move, it will will disrupt her education.  I will be unable to afford a more expensive apartment in Reston. This could have a big impact on her future. "

Some of the features of the interim development agreement:

* Include a relocation plan for Crescent residents.

* Realignment of Village Road and the relocation plan must be included in the first phase of development.

* Republic must include plans for "Land Unit A," which is the Lake Anne Plaza parking lot, the empty convenience store location and the Association of School Business Officials building.

There may be more than 900 units eventually built on the site, but the goals of the RFP was to preserve affordable housing, said Barbara Byron of the county Office of Community Revitalization and Reinvestment.

"One of the planned goals of the RFP was the preservation of affordable housing," she said. "One of the primary requirements was the retention of 181 units. In addition, it requires to percent of the total units as workforce units or affordable."
 
Reston founder Robert E. Simon spoke to the supervisors at Thursday's public hearing. He also reassured the Crescent residents.

"We have an extraordinary developer in Republic," Simon said. "Not only are they interested in the bottom line, ithey are interested in working with the community.

"The president of Republic managed to spend hours and hours talking with Lake Anne merchants and condo owners," Simon told the residents. "He is concerned with all of you. You do not have to be worried. No one is going to have to leave school. Not only is [Republic] going to provide as much affordable housing as is now, but an increased amount and more than is required under county regulations."

Other community leaders who spoke at the hearing included Reston Association president Ken Knueven; Greater Reston Chamber of Commerce CEO Mark Ingrao; Reston Master Plan Special Study Task Force Chair Patty Nicoson; Fairfax County School Board Hunter Mill Rep Pat Hynes; and Lake Anne Condo Board President Rick Thompson.

 


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