Reston Development Study To Include Entire Non-Transit Sub-District

RESTON, VA — The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors moved Tuesday to significantly expand the scope of a land-use study in eastern Reston, clearing the way for a broader look at residential potential in an area currently dominated by aging office parks and light industrial zoning.

The board approved a motion by Supervisor Walter Alcorn (D-Hunter Mill) to expand the boundaries of the Site Specific Plan Amendment (SSPA) 2023-III-6UP. The study will now encompass all 35 parcels within the Reston East Sub-District South of the Dulles Access and Toll Road — Non-TOD.

The area, situated south of the DAAR and north of Sunrise Valley Drive, was previously limited to a study of 11 parcels. By adding 24 adjacent parcels, officials aim to create a "logical planning area" for a sub-district characterized by surface parking lots and office buildings. While currently zoned for light industrial use, the area is being evaluated for future residential conversions.

The expansion follows a 2023 authorization that established the Reston study as a Tier 1 priority. In June 2025, the board further increased the workload by adding five additional amendments to the Comprehensive Plan program.

Board members emphasized that Tuesday’s procedural vote is not an endorsement of specific development projects.

"This motion should not be construed as a favorable recommendation on these applications by the Board," the Board stated in the motion. The action does not relieve developers from existing regulations and "in no way prejudices the substantive review of the applications."

The broader Reston East District is currently bisected by the DAAR and includes a mix of medical, institutional, and research-and-development uses. To the west, the Wiehle Transit Station Area remains the focal point for high-intensity, mixed-use redevelopment.

County staff will now begin the expanded analysis of the Reston East parcels to determine if the transition from office and industrial use to residential mixed-use is compatible with the 2026 Edition of the Fairfax County Comprehensive Plan.