PERSPECTIVES | IDEAS | COMMUNITY LEADERS | VIEWS
Guarding Reston W BY CATHY HUDGINS
hen my family first moved to Reston, many aspects of the community were considered groundbreaking. The “Reston concept” espoused a new social and housing credo of an open community. In the unincorporated area of Fairfax County, a “new town” was established, inviting all to live, work and play in the community regardless of race, income or age. To ensure the visual character of Reston, protective covenants were formulated to guide and protect this first master-planned community in the United States. In the same way Reston covenants protect Reston, the Fairfax County Department of Code Compliance (DCC) protects the county. Each play a role in guarding Reston. The mission of DCC is to provide services that secure lives, property and environment. By providing a resource of trained professionals, DCC ensures the integrity of our neighborhoods. In essence, Code Compliance guides and enforces the Commonwealth codes and county ordinances’ mandated “covenants” for uses of property and how property use affects other properties. Each year, DCC responds to over 9,000 complaints related to outdoor storage, multiple occupancy, property maintenance, unpermitted construction and other zoning and building code violations. In bringing these violations into compliance, we enjoy a healthy and desirable living environment in Fairfax County. The Department of Code Compliance investigates neighborhood quality of
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EACH YEAR, DCC RESPONDS TO OVER 9,000 COMPLAINTS RELATED TO OUTDOOR STORAGE, MULTIPLE OCCUPANCY, PROPERTY MAINTENANCE, UNPERMITTED CONSTRUCTION AND OTHER ZONING AND BUILDING CODE VIOLATIONS. life complaints, involving most zoning, noise, property maintenance, building, fire, blight, grass and health codes. DCC is specifically responsible for the following: Animals & Pets Blighted Properties
RESTON | LIVE, WORK, PLAY AND GET INVOLVED™
Home Childcare Facilities Commercial Vehicles Donation Drop-off Boxes Exterior Maintenance Freestanding Accessory Structures Food Trucks and Mobile Vending Grass Heights Hoarding Home Businesses Illegal Dumping Inoperable Vehicles Multiple Occupancy/Dwellings Non-Residential Use Permits Noise Pollution Outdoor Storage Property Maintenance Residential Fences and Walls Short Term Residential Rentals Sight Distance Signs Yard Coverage Unpermitted Construction Now that you know all of that, the benefits of bringing violations into compliance — be they Reston covenants or Fairfax County Code — must be evident. I believe
the responsive resolution of neighborhood concerns creates the healthy and desirable living environment we enjoy in Fairfax County. Cathy Hudgins has represented the Hunter Mill District on the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors since 2000. As a long-time Restonian, she has been involved with local, county and state politics for over 30 years.