County Zoning Administrator Asks for Clarification on BZA Decision on Reston Golf Course

In preparation for a potential appeal, the Fairfax County Zoning Administrator has formally requested a clarification of the April 15, 2015 BZA determination on the status of Reston National Golf Course. Copies were sent to attorneys for Fairfax County, Reston Association and Rescue Reston.

In a highly anticipated ruling April 15, the Fairfax County Board of Zoning Appeals seemingly opened the door to future development of Reston National Golf Course, dealing a blow to those who have been working hard to nail the door shut on any future development of the course.

Here’s an on-the-record county summary of the ruling:

“Today, the Board of Zoning Appeals made a unanimous decision on RN Golf Course’s appeal. They ruled on the procedures that need to be followed for potential development of the existing golf course; the board decided that Reston National may submit development plans without first getting the county’s Comprehensive Plan amended. If they choose to move forward, the company still must follow the county’s normal development review and approval process. This includes submitting a PRC plan amendment, a determination by the zoning administrator on whether a development plan amendment is required, plus public hearings before the Planning Commission and Board of Supervisors.”

Rescue Reston has collected 6,000 petition signatures in support of keeping the golf course as is, undeveloped, in the land use battle.

Also read: Reston Citizens Association’s: “The BZA Erred on the Comprehensive Plan Requirement for Development of Reston National Golf Course”

Here’s the letter from the county zoning administrator to the BZA:

DATE: April 28, 2015

TO: John F. Ribble, III, Chairman

Members, Board of Zoning Appeals

FROM: Leslie B. Johnson, Zoning Administrator

SUBJECT: April 22, 2015, Written Decision on Appeal Application

A 2012-HM-020 RN Golf Management, LLC

This is to request a reconsideration in the form of a clarification of one sentence of the April 22, 2015, letter regarding the action taken by the Board of Zoning Appeals in Appeal Application A 2012-HM-020, which states that, “[t]he Board’s findings of fact and conclusions of law were stated on the record at the April 15, 2015 meeting.”

Specifically, I am requesting clarification as to which of the many statements on the record constitute the findings of fact and conclusions of law upon which the BZA based its decision. Without this clarification, the participants in this appeal, including potentially the appellant, may have no choice but to appeal certain statements made by individual BZA members, even if the BZA collectively never intended those statements to be considered among its findings of fact and conclusions of law.

Staff will be present at the Board of Zoning Appeals meeting on April 29, 2015 to answer any questions. Thank you for your prompt attention to this request.

cc: Francis A. McDermott, Esq.

Catherine M. Hudgins, Supervisor, Hunter Mill District

Randall T. Greehan, Esq.

John L. McBride, Esq.

Fred Selden, Director, DPZ

Elizabeth D. Teare, Deputy County Attorney

Laura R. Gori, Assistant County Attorney

Mavis Stanfield, Deputy Zoning Administrator for Appeals, DPZ

Cathy S. Belgin, Senior Assistant to the Zoning Administrator, DPZ

Brent R. Krasner, Branch Chief, Special Permit/Variance Branch, DPZ

Lorraine Giovinazzo, Clerk to the BZA