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Advocating for ‘Play’ BY LAURA STASSI
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n the more than 50 years since Robert E. Simon Jr. founded Reston as a place for people to live where they also work and play, numerous investors have promoted projects that check the boxes “live” and “work.” One group, though, has served to remind the community that “play” is important, too. That group is Rescue Reston, and what started as three concerned neighbors grew to 6,000 strong uniting to protect the Reston National Golf Course as open, recreational space. This spring, the group was named Citizen of the Year for 2015 by the Reston Citizens Association. “Redeveloping the golf course would have been counter to the vision of Robert Simon, and also counter to why we all live here,” said John McCrea, who nominated the group for the award. Rescue Reston “fired up this community unlike anything I’d ever seen in 20 years.” The roots of Rescue Reston reach back to 2012 with three neighbors in the South Reston cluster surrounding the 166-acre golf course, which opened in 1962. Joe Deninger, John Pinkman and David Stroh (who has since moved out of state) heard the golf course owners were attempting to turn the property into yet another residential development, so they formed the advocacy group. “We took the early lead because we had the most to lose,” said Pinkman, whose townhome
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“REDEVELOPING THE GOLF COURSE WOULD HAVE BEEN COUNTER TO THE VISION OF ROBERT SIMON, AND ALSO COUNTER TO WHY WE ALL LIVE HERE.” – John McCrea overlooks the first fairway. “We knew we needed to raise the alarm.” RN Golf Management LLC, with Northwestern Mutual as majority owner, had purchased Reston National Golf Course in 2005 for about $5 million. “They were told before they bought the golf course that it was permanent open space, and they invested anyway,” said Connie Hartke, who lives on Lake Audubon. She joined Rescue Reston after reading a local news story about the group selling yard signs to raise awareness as well as funds for the expected court fight. She is now president of the Rescue Reston board. In 2012, the golf course owners asked the Fairfax County Department of Planning and Zoning to rule that the golf course was not restricted from redevelopment. The department refused, noting that the golf course was, indeed, mandated as recreational or other open space by the Reston Master Plan. And because that plan was part of Fairfax County’s
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comprehensive plan, the golf course could not be redeveloped for residential use unless the county’s Board of Supervisors voted to amend the plan. RN Golf didn’t take no for an answer. Instead, it said it would seek a ruling from the county Board of Zoning Appeals. “This was an unprecedented attack by an investor that bought in without knowing anything about this community,” Hartke said. “And we were being attacked with unlimited funds.” Rescue Reston hired land use attorney Randy Greehan of Greehan, Taves & Pandak, who discounted his usual rate to take on this important case. As Rescue Reston’s legal voice, Greehan partnered with attorneys representing Fairfax County and the Reston Association to protect the golf course. In January 2015, after more than two years of delays, a hearing was held at the Board of Zoning Appeals. In April, BZA stunned Restonians when it ruled RN Golf could redevelop the property without an amendment of the master plan. Outraged but undaunted, Rescue Reston pressed on. “In my over 25 years of practicing law, I have never witnessed a better organized and supported community organization than Rescue Reston was in this case,” Greehan said. Rescue Reston, Reston Association and Fairfax County appealed the BZA ruling in the
Fairfax County Circuit Court. In November that court vacated the BZA decision. RN Golf formally asked the court to delay issuing the order, but in early December, the request was denied. RN Golf then filed notice that it planned to appeal to the Virginia Supreme Court, but in March announced it would not ask the Commonwealth’s high court to hear an appeal. The Rescue Reston activists are relieved, but they aren’t declaring total victory just yet. They still have legal fees to pay, though they’re hoping to fully satisfy the obligation with proceeds from the second annual golf tournament in October. Also, they’re wary. The golf course owners have indicated they’re still interested in redeveloping. “They can attack again, if they think people don’t care anymore,” Hartke said. “That’s why it’s so important” for Restonians to get involved. Added Pinkman, “Why wouldn’t you want to protect the quality of this town?” For more information on Rescue Reston and how you can help, go to http://www.rescuereston.org. Rescue Reston contributor Laura Stassi lives and plays in Reston. She works as a writer and editor in Arlington.