Fairfax County Supervisor Walter Alcorn thanked Hunter Mill District Planning Commissioner John Carter for his nine years of dedicated service, following Carter’s announcement Wednesday that he is stepping down from the body.

Carter broke the news at the beginning of the Planning Commission’s July 22 meeting which was his last.

“I want to thank John for his many years of service on the Planning Commission,” said Supervisor Walter Alcorn. “His many contributions are visible to everyone who lives or works in Reston and the Hunter Mill District. He has helped to ensure that development in the district fits within the fabric of our community, meets high standards for design and promotes public art that’s crucial to our quality of life.”

To celebrate his contributions, a public reception will be held on Tuesday, Sept. 8 from 3 to 5 p.m. at the North County Governmental Center, 1801 Cameron Glen Drive, Reston. Light refreshments will be served.

Carter joined the Fairfax County Planning Commission in December 2017, and his current term was set to expire in December 2029.

Planning Commission Chair Phil Niedzielski-Eichner praised Carter during their July 22 meeting, citing a slogan from an 80’s commercial for a brokerage firm.

“When E.F. Hutton talks, everybody listens,” Niedzielski-Eichner said. “So which is to say, when you talk, John, I listen. I'm confident that this is also true for Commission colleagues, for the Board, and particularly true for Supervisor Alcorn. And I know this is also true of Hunter Mill residents who have demonstrated time and again their trust that Commissioner Carter, a 40-year Reston resident, will promote the community's best interests.”

In addition to his service on the commission, Carter spent many years working in architecture and urban planning and design. For more than 35 years, he was employed with the Montgomery County Planning Department of the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission. He’s also a licensed architect in Virginia, as well as a member of the American Planning Association and the American Institute of Architects. 

Carter also served on the Hunter Mill District Land Use Committee and county’s Architectural Review Board.

The new Hunter Mill District Planning Commissioner will be announced at their meeting in September.

For more information or reasonable ADA accommodations for the reception, contact the Hunter Mill District Office at 703-478-0283, TTY 711.