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Fairfax County’s Reston Comprehensive Plan, the guiding document for land use and development decisions in Reston, has been updated. At its Sept. 12 meeting, the Board of Supervisors adopted a new plan, which includes updates to guidance for topics like affordable housing, open space and community health.

The newly adopted plan is the result of a Reston Comprehensive Plan Amendment, which was authorized by the Board of Supervisors in response to Hunter Mill District Supervisor Walter Alcorn’s Board Matter presented in January 2020. The plan amendment was informed by input from county staff, a community task force and public feedback in more than 50 task force meetings and seven post-task force public meetings.

“The adoption of the Reston Comprehensive Plan Amendment is a momentous achievement for Reston, ushering in a new era that ensures Reston’s continued success. Crafted through an extensive process that included numerous meetings and community outreach, this updated Plan safeguards existing neighborhoods and improves transit. It also sets the stage for the future of Reston, that is both responsive to the core values of Reston’s founder, Bob Simon, and to the valuable position that Reston plays as a major economic development location in the County,” said Board of Supervisors Chairman Jeffrey C. McKay.

“Since my Board Matter almost four years ago, dedicated community members, Planning Commissioner John Carter and county staff have put in countless hours on creating a new draft Reston Comprehensive Plan. After much deliberation by the Planning Commission and my colleagues on the Board of Supervisors, I am proud to say that Reston has an updated comprehensive plan that is much more than a land use document. It is also a blueprint for the next phase of what Reston has always been – an inclusive community that values our green open spaces and a vibrant economy,” said Hunter Mill District Supervisor Walter Alcorn.

Highlights of the new Reston Comprehensive Plan:

• One Reston: encompasses both urban and suburban sections of Reston.
• Community Health: Introduces new language to encourage consideration for the health and well-being of the Reston community with land use and development decisions.
• Equity: Introduces new language to encourage consideration of equity with land use and development decisions.
• Neighborhoods: Preserves Reston’s existing neighborhoods and enhances the transit corridor.
• Affordable Housing: Maintains focus on providing affordable housing in new developments and preserves existing affordable housing in Reston.
• Open Space: Preserves Reston’s forests, lakes and stream valleys, and provides additional open and recreational spaces.

The Reston Comprehensive Plan was last updated in 2015. For additional information about the Reston Comprehensive Plan Amendment, visit the project webpage.

The Fairfax County Board of Zoning Appeals has an opening for one member.

Interested candidates must apply by Nov. 13 to the Fairfax Circuit Court, which appoints the board’s seven members. Applicants should send their resume to Chief Judge Penney S. Azcarate, Fairfax Circuit Court, by email entitled “Board of Zoning Appeals Application” to kim.callahan@fairfaxcounty.gov OR by first-class U.S. mail to Chief Judge Penney Azcarate, 4110 Chain Bridge Road, Fairfax, VA 22030.

NOTE: THE APPLICATION SHOULD BE SENT VIA ONLY ONE FORM OF CORRESPONDENCE, WHETHER EMAIL OR U.S. MAIL.

This position will be for a five-year term from the date of appointment. Members of the Board of Zoning Appeals are appointed for staggered five-year terms; are compensated at a bi-weekly rate of $357.69; and serve as private citizens, not as county employees. Applicants must be residents of Fairfax County.

The Board of Zoning Appeals’ powers, duties and procedures are set forth in state law, and they are further detailed in the County’s Zoning Ordinance. These duties include:

• Hearing and deciding appeals of administrative decisions made pursuant to the Zoning Ordinance.
• Hearing and deciding applications for special permits and variances as authorized by the Zoning Ordinance.
• Hearing and deciding applications for interpretation of the zoning map where there is uncertainty about the location of a zoning district boundary.

To learn more about the Board of Zoning Appeals, visit its webpage. For more information, contact Brent Krasner; Zoning Evaluation Division, Fairfax County Department of Planning and Development , at 703-324-1280, TTY 711.

The Fairfax County Board of Zoning Appeals has an opening for one member.

Interested candidates must apply by Nov. 13 to the Fairfax Circuit Court, which appoints the board’s seven members. Applicants should send their resume to Chief Judge Penney S. Azcarate, Fairfax Circuit Court, by email entitled “Board of Zoning Appeals Application” to kim.callahan@fairfaxcounty.gov OR by first-class U.S. mail to Chief Judge Penney Azcarate, 4110 Chain Bridge Road, Fairfax, VA 22030.

NOTE: THE APPLICATION SHOULD BE SENT VIA ONLY ONE FORM OF CORRESPONDENCE, WHETHER EMAIL OR U.S. MAIL.

This position will be for a five-year term from the date of appointment. Members of the Board of Zoning Appeals are appointed for staggered five-year terms; are compensated at a bi-weekly rate of $357.69; and serve as private citizens, not as county employees. Applicants must be residents of Fairfax County.

The Board of Zoning Appeals’ powers, duties and procedures are set forth in state law, and they are further detailed in the County’s Zoning Ordinance. These duties include:

• Hearing and deciding appeals of administrative decisions made pursuant to the Zoning Ordinance.
• Hearing and deciding applications for special permits and variances as authorized by the Zoning Ordinance.
• Hearing and deciding applications for interpretation of the zoning map where there is uncertainty about the location of a zoning district boundary.

To learn more about the Board of Zoning Appeals, visit its webpage. For more information, contact Brent Krasner; Zoning Evaluation Division, Fairfax County Department of Planning and Development , at 703-324-1280, TTY 711.

Scott L. Brillman is the new director of the county’s Department of Public Safety Communications (DPSC). Also known as Fairfax County 9-1-1, DPSC is a nationally recognized public safety communications center, the largest in the Commonwealth of Virginia and one of the 10 largest in the United States. Fairfax County DPSC receives approximately one million calls annually. 

Brillman was appointed Baltimore City’s Director of 9-1-1 in 2012, where he oversaw one of the busiest 9-1-1 centers in the country, handling 1.5 million calls per year. During his tenure the agency was recognized with the International 911 center “Team of the Year Award” from the International Association of Public Safety Communications Officials. His accomplishments in Baltimore also include helming the organization’s transformation into a “next generation ready” communications center, and planning and implementing numerous innovations.

In March 2020, Brillman was appointed Deputy Director of Emergency Management to help lead the COVID-19 response for the City of Baltimore. He also served in that role from 2007 to 2012, where he managed many of Baltimore’s large-scale emergencies, including multiple hurricanes, record-breaking snowstorms, earthquakes and the catastrophic 2012 derecho, as well as multiple-alarm fires, mass evacuations, pandemics, cyber-attacks and active shooter incidents. He also led major event planning teams, coordinating preparation and response for some of Baltimore’s largest and historic special events.

Prior to his appointment to Baltimore City 9-1-1, Brillman also served as a paramedic and mentor with the Baltimore City Fire Department. He has maintained his paramedic certification and served as a Medical Specialist on Maryland’s Urban Search and Rescue Task Force.

He is a member of numerous professional associations and councils and has served on multiple advisory committees. He has been honored with citations and recognitions from the City of Baltimore and the State of Maryland, among others. He received a bachelor’s in emergency health services management from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, and a master’s in management/executive leadership from Johns Hopkins University. Brillman is a Certified Emergency Manager, among many professional certifications.

Three county employees were recognized with the A. Heath Onthank Award for Merit, the highest honor awarded by the county to its employees, at the  Board of Supervisors meeting on Tuesday, June 25. The award recognizes accomplishments of outstanding worth in advancing and improving public service in Fairfax County Government and Fairfax County Public Schools.

Tajweer Beaufort
Beaufort has improved police recruitment using outstanding leadership and initiative. He added onto his development of Police Hiring Expos with a Hiring Expo focused on the 30x30 Initiative aimed at recruiting female applicants, and he launched “The Fairfax Experience,” an initiative targeted at hiring a diverse group of future law enforcement leaders, focusing on college students. His efforts are improving recruitment and hiring and as a result, the fall police academy class had its largest and most diverse cohort.

Leila Gordon
Gordon is a passionate advocate for arts involvement that transforms people’s lives, using her zeal to create a collaborative multi-faceted arts scene. In addition to leading the Reston Community Center in involving almost 99,000 people in 2023 in arts and programming, she chaired the Fairfax County Master Arts Plan: Facilities in creation of the Plan. Another milestone was the acceptance of a proffer of land for a possible arts venue, the culmination of her community engagement efforts in collaboration with Department of Public Works and Environmental Services staff. As chair of the Fairfax County Arts Committee, Gordon led efforts to develop a county COVID memorial and provided input and support on ways for the Original Mount Vernon High School theater renovation might meet its arts goals.

Kim Young
Through exceptional dedication, community outreach and resource utilization, Young dramatically expanded the acreage of native plantings and public education about

The A. Heath Onthank Award was established by the Board of Supervisors in 1966 to honor the memory of Colonel A. Heath Onthank (U.S.A. Ret.), the first chairman of the Fairfax County Civil Service Commission (1957-1962) and guiding force of the county’s career merit system.

Three county employees were recognized with the A. Heath Onthank Award for Merit, the highest honor awarded by the county to its employees, at the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors meeting on Tuesday, June 27. The award recognizes accomplishments of outstanding worth in advancing and improving public service in Fairfax County Government and Fairfax County Public Schools.

Alisa Brooks
Demonstrating outstanding leadership and initiative, Brooks assisted in the coordination of the Care to Share Program and developed the Care to Share Toolkit dually addressing food waste in schools and childhood food insecurities in Fairfax County. Since its development, food rescue programs have expanded to schools across the county, with PTAs, students, school staff, parents, school nurses and school clubs all getting involved. As a result, hundreds of pounds of food are being redistributed to those in need, making a positive impact on the health of food-insecure individuals in our community.

Gillian Ethridge
To help with a staffing crisis, Ethridge stepped up to supervise and train new 911 call takers receiving on-the-job training during a newly formed training shift covering the busiest hours of the day. The shift’s purpose was to train recruits quickly and increase staffing during busy call times. Ethridge reviewed all daily observation reports and mentored trainees on proper documentation and best practices. She coordinated ride-alongs with field responders to help trainees understand their role and developed games to promote teamwork and camaraderie. The new training shift was successful, resulting in quicker call-answering times and training completion. With new call takers being released from training faster, workloads were normalized and mandatory overtime for call takers and dispatchers was reduced.

Nathalie Washington
Through exceptional collaboration with epidemiology, nonprofits, and the Office to Prevent and End Homelessness, Washington created a more efficient COVID-19 screening and isolation protocol and monkeypox evaluation process for the Homeless Health Program. She led a team of nurse practitioners to provide 1,075 medical care visits, addressing over 1,500 critical health conditions and appropriately referring more than 1,300 individuals to higher levels of care and subspecialty evaluations. Through her dedication and direction, 132 vaccine clinics were successfully organized in locations including shelters and the streets, providing high quality, highly needed care in this vulnerable population.

The A. Heath Onthank Award was established by the Board of Supervisors in 1966 to honor the memory of Colonel A. Heath Onthank (U.S.A. Ret.), the first Chairman of the Fairfax County Civil Service Commission (1957-1962) and guiding force of the county’s career merit system.

The Task Force on the Future of Lake Accotink, established at the June 6 Board of Supervisors meeting, will hold their first meeting on Monday, June 26, at 7 p.m. at the Government Center. The task force will produce findings that will inform the Board of Supervisors’ decision regarding the future of Lake Accotink.

Lake Accotink Park attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors annually with its stunning trails, picturesque picnic areas and engaging waterfront activities. The 55-acre manmade reservoir, which was built by the U.S. Army, has required regular dredging due to sedimentation. However, extensive analysis by Fairfax County staff has led to the recommendation against further dredging due to significant costs, environmental impacts, and difficulties in processing and disposing of sediment. The staff proposes restarting the Park's Master Planning process with a focus on fostering a sustainable future for the lake and the park.

The task force will review past studies about dredging and ensure comprehensive exploration of all options to preserve Lake Accotink in the most sustainable, equitable and cost-effective manner. It will identify crucial questions to be addressed if the board decides to explore a managed wetland or hybrid option. The group will also consider the environmental impact, effects on surrounding communities, recreational park usage and financing implications, including ongoing maintenance.

“This task force will enable community members to be at the table to ensure that options are thoroughly explored, and that questions from the public are answered,” said Braddock District Supervisor James R. Walkinshaw.

Former Board of Supervisors Chairman Sharon Bulova will lead the task force, and it will include representatives from the community, environmental groups and nonprofit organizations.

The task force meeting schedule is below. Learn more about Lake Accotink on the Public Works and Environmental Services webpage.

Meeting Schedule at the Government Center (Conference Rooms 2 and 3)

• Monday, June 26, 7 to 9 p.m.
• Monday, July 10, 7 to 9 p.m.
• Monday, July 24, 7 to 9 p.m.

A staff report with recommendations for Reston’s Comprehensive Plan is available for public review and feedback ahead of public hearings for the Planning Commission and Board of Supervisors. Prepared by county staff, the recommended plan text includes changes to the plan’s guidance for topics like land use, affordable housing, open space, community health and more.

Last updated in 2015, the Reston Comprehensive Plan is the guiding document for land use and development decisions in Reston. The Plan Amendment, detailed in the Reston Comprehensive Plan Staff Report, was informed by input from staff analysis, a two-year community task force and public feedback in more than 50 task force meetings and seven post-task force public meetings.

The Planning Commission public hearing is scheduled for Wednesday, June 14, at 7:30 p.m. Those who wish to share their views in-person should sign up as a speaker online. Ahead of the public hearing, comments may be submitted to the Planning Commission by phone, in-person, email or recorded video.

If the Planning Commission recommends moving forward with the Plan Amendment, then the Board of Supervisors will hold a public hearing on Tuesday, July 25. Following the public hearing, the Board of Supervisors will take action on the recommended Plan Amendment text.

To review the Reston Comprehensive Plan Staff Report and get additional information about the study and the public hearings, visit the Reston Study webpage.

At an in-person hearing on Tuesday, May 9, the Board of Supervisors (BOS) readopted the Modernized Zoning Ordinance (zMOD), originally adopted in 2021 and subsequently amended over the next two years. This action comes after the Virginia Supreme Court ruled that the virtual adoption method used in 2021 was invalid. While the board has asked the Supreme Court to reconsider the ruling, the readoption takes effect immediately and allows residents and businesses to move forward with zoning applications free from the uncertainty that followed the March court ruling.

zMOD is a comprehensive update to the county's 1978 Zoning Ordinance. The aim of zMOD is to make the ordinance easier to understand and navigate while modernizing land uses, including the establishment of new, more general zoning use categories.

The county developed zMOD with extensive community input that informed the final product. County staff held numerous in-person and virtual meetings over the course of more than three years to engage the community and gather feedback on the proposal. A complete list of outreach events, community meetings and hearings dating back to 2017 is available on the county’s Planning and Development webpage.

"Fairfax County is committed to serving the needs of our residents and businesses. zMOD represents a significant improvement over the 40-year-old Zoning Ordinance that it replaces and will help make our community more livable, sustainable and inclusive,” said Board of Supervisors Chairman Jeffrey C. McKay. “Engagement from our residents and businesses was crucial in developing the final version of zMOD that was readopted today and in ensuring that the new regulations meet the needs of our community."

Learn more about zMOD on the Department of Planning and Development webpage.

The Fairfax County Redevelopment and Housing Authority (FCRHA) and the Fairfax County Continuum of Care (CoC) were recently highlighted in a national publication of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. 

Emergency Housing Voucher Success Stories highlights the personal journeys and success stories of two Fairfax County residents who are receiving federal rental assistance through Emergency Housing Vouchers. The story describes the importance of partnerships between the FCRHA, CoC, the Fairfax County Department of Housing and Community Development and nonprofit organizations — as well as the perseverance of the residents. Fairfax County and the FCRHA’s commitment to equity is also highlighted in the article, noting the importance of One Fairfax and how this was used as a foundation to equitably assist households. 

“We at HCD are thrilled by the progress Carl and Harold, and many others facing similar challenges, are making with the help of our EHV program,” said Tom Fleetwood, director, Fairfax County Department of Housing and Community Development. “The bravery of our program participants, coupled with the compassion and creativity of our staff, are producing results of which we can all be proud,” 

Guided by our strategic plan, the county’s work with these residents shows our commitment to providing reasonably priced housing and healthy, livable communities for the residents of Fairfax County.

Read more about Carl and Harold and their stories of securing permanent housing.