Hundreds Of Furious Restonians Packed Monday's Meeting - But Do They Really Represent Reston?

RESTON, VA -- If you attended Monday's meeting at South Lakes High School on whether the density limit in Reston should be raised by the county to allow for more development, you would have heard a very clear -- and loud -- answer: No.

But were those in attendance a true representative of the average Restonian's thoughts on more development in the county? Opponents of the density limit ordinance would argue yes. But there are reasons to believe that not everyone in Reston feels that way.

Take the demographics of Reston, for example. According to Data USA statistics, the median age in Reston is 38.8 years of age. Just 63.6 percent of residents are white, meaning more than a third are minorities -- 13.6 percent are Hispanic, 10 percent are Asian, and 8.8 percent are Black. Only 89.3 percent were even U.S. citizens in 2015, lower than the national average of 93 percent.

The data indicates that Reston is a very diverse place. It's certainly not an aging population, either, with a median age just a year higher than the rest of the country. And although homeowners make up the majority of Reston, around 40 percent are renters.

But there was one unifying aspect among most of the attendees and particularly the speakers at the meeting Monday night: they were white, older than 40, and most appeared to be homeowners. So did Monday's raucous crowd objecting to Fairfax County's plan to pave the way for more development in Reston really represent the community, or just a particularly vocal segment of it?

>>> Read more: Reston PRC Zoning Ordinance: 5 Things You Need To Know

Terry Maynard, co-chair of Reston 20/20 and an opponent of the zoning limit increase, told Patch in an email that more than 900 Restonians "representing a broad cross-section of the community" were on hand for the meeting.

"Among the scores of community speakers were decades-long residents who are concerned about losing Reston's unique qualities as a planned community to new residents--even one who is moving to Reston in two weeks--who were, in the words of one young Black woman who recently moved here, deeply disappointed in Supervisor Hudgins and the county," Maynard said."The variety of participants seemed to show that Reston has grown as Bob Simon envisioned: Providing housing for all incomes, ages, and races."

Asked about the apparent disparity in representation at the meeting and Reston demographics, Maynard said that it "would be impossible to perfectly align those who participate in such a community meeting with a statistical profile of Reston," but that both minorities and younger people were in attendance.

"In fact, I was encouraged by the significant number of younger, newer Restonians there -- and speaking," he said.

It is difficult to find an opposing viewpoint to the Reston density limit issue, as there isn't a comparable activist group representing them. But there are certainly inklings that many Restonians weren't particularly enthralled by Monday's showing, at least based on comments on Reston Now.

Some argued that the crowd crossed the line and was disrespectful to local leaders with their shouting and booing. Others said that those in attendance completely ignore the needs of other people in the community who need jobs and places to live and play, which developers would provide.

"I was embarrassed to call myself a Restonian after attending the public meeting last night," wrote Bruce Wright. "People can disagree with their political leaders and county staff without being disrespectful. Those who shouted down staff and Supervisor Hudgins should be ashamed, as should those who impugned the reputations of the Supervisors and staff."

"These yellow shirt NIMBYs are impossibly selfish and should be ashamed of themselves. Nice community for me but not for thee... younger, browner, potential resident who now has to go ever further into the exurbs and away from metro to find housing," added commenter jpkpk.

What do you think? Are you OK with an increase in the allowed persons per acre in the Reston Planned Residential Community area? Or are you opposed? Let us know in the comments below.

Image via Fairfax County