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Possible New Parking Rules on Ridge Heights
Dear ARCH Cluster Member Representative:
This Monday evening , May 12, at 7:00 PM, Marie Turner, from Fairfax County’s Department of Transportation, will be available at the Reston Association-- 1930 Isaac Newton Square—to discuss the establishment of a Large Area Community Parking District within the Hunter Mill District.
The possibility exists-- within the Hunter Mill District-- to adopt new provisions to deal with parking of ‘commercial vehicles’ on public streets rather than doing so via a difficult and expensive petition process that is currently required to have such restrictions placed on individual neighborhoods or streets.
Under the new process, once a large area CPD has been approved and created, any areas that want to be excluded within the new CPD must go through a petition process to opt out, and, then, only large areas such as Town Center (e.g. more than 3500 addresses, 35 miles of secondary roads, or at least five square miles in area) may opt out of the CPD provisions.
This provision would minimize enforcement confusion and avoid the possibility of commercial vehicles getting around the provision by simply moving into small “donut holes” created in an otherwise restricted area.
Our understanding is that implementation of the proposed zoning ordinance as it would apply to Reston is dependent upon a determination by the Hunter Mill District Supervisor of the level of community support for the establishment of a large area CPDs.
Very briefly, the ordinance would restrict non-residential parking of freight-hauling trailers (including boat trailers), commercial business vehicles, campers, busses, vehicles with three or more axles, and vehicles weighing more than 12,000 pounds. It would not affect cars, SUVs, minivans (e.g., Chrysler Town & Country), mini-campers built into minivans, privately operated pickup trucks and motorcycles. Enforcement would include, first, a warning ticket, then 24 hours later a $40 fine and towing to an impoundment lot. This delay will accommodate most short-term commercial vehicles-- like moving vans & groundskeepers-- with only a warning. It specifically avoids interfering with Cluster guests and residents who need an “extra” parking space for any time period, short or long. The CPD restrictions only apply to public streets where adjacent land use is zoned residential, and it will not apply to blocks where there is non-residential zoning on one side, or down at the end of the street. However, the Board of Supervisors can prohibit commercial vehicles from parking on both sides of a street that serves as a boundary between areas zoned as residential and non-residential.
We encourage ARCH Members who are interested in how this change may impact them to attend. An ARCH Board member(s) will also attend to learn more about this and to share any comments pro or con that our Members share with us in response to this update. If you or a member of your Board can’t attend please share your views with me and we will convey them to the County Representative at the RA Meeting on Monday evening. The County has prepared further detailed information on this subject at http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/fcdot/large_cpd.htm
Sincerely,
Gerald R. Volloy, President
Alliance Reston Clusters and Homeowners
Community Parking Districts
Summary
of a Memorandum from the Director of the Fairfax County Department of
Transportation to the County Board of Supervisors, February 6, 2008
By
Katherine D. Ichter, P.E.
Subject: Community
Parking Districts – Proposed Code Changes
The memorandum advises the Board about the implications of enacting district-wide Community Parking Districts (CPD) within the County, and reports the experience of Alexandria with their recent CPD ordinance. The DoT staff has developed a process to allow magisterial districts, as opposed to individual property owners or neighborhoods, to restrict parking of boats, trailers, mobile homes, commercial trucks and other vehicles without going through a petition process that costs time and money. (The current CPD program requires a $10 fee from each petitioning address.) Police enforcement is first to issue a warning so the vehicle owner is aware he cannot park there, and if the vehicle is not removed it is ticketed. Mount Vernon desires to follow this model, and staff understands that Prince William County staff considers it successful. It will not replace the existing petition process for smaller areas, but will be an alternative process for large area CPDs without petitions.
Major CPD Provisions
A “large area” CPD applies to a minimum size of 3500 addresses, or 35 miles of secondary roads, or at least five square miles in area. Any of these criteria will qualify a space for CPD regulations. Restricted vehicles include boat trailers, watercraft, motor homes, camping trailers or any other trailers or semi-trailers whether or not they are attached to another vehicle, any vehicle with three or more axles, any vehicle with a gross weight rating over 12,000 pounds except school busses used regularly to transport students, any vehicle designed to transport 16 or more passengers including the driver, and any vehicle of any size used to transport hazardous materials.
CPD restrictions do not apply to commercial vehicles when discharging passengers (e.g., transit busses) or when temporarily parked while performing work or service (e.g., tree removal, gardening), or restricted vehicles temporarily parked for a maximum of 48 hours while loading, unloading or preparing for a trip.
Application to Reston
Experience
The County CPD rules will re-apply the former Reston Association parking rules which were removed when Fairfax County assumed responsibility for all the public secondary roads in Reston. Long-time Reston residents should find these rules familiar and in accord with their experience prior to County take-over.
An official CPD summary is available on the Fairfax County Web site: . http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/fcdot/rtap.htm#top
Upcoming RA Events
5K Fund Run/Walk to Benefit Nature House
Saturday, April 19, 8–10 AM
Walker Nature Education Center
11450 Glade Drive
Earth Day Festival
Saturday, April 19, Rain date Sunday, April 20, 1-5 pm
Walker Nature Education Center
11450 Glebe Drive
FREE
Newcomers Night
Thursday, May 8, 7-9 pm
Reston Association
1930 Newton Square
Second Lakewinds Cluster Association
Annual Meeting
The
annual Second Lakewinds Cluster Meeting was
held on Tuesday, May 8, 2007 in
the Langston Hughes School Cafeteria beginning at 7:30 PM.
We considered:
·
The
2007 Budget
·
Cluster
Improvements and Repairs
·
The
Revised Boat Mooring Procedure
We
elected 2 new Directors. The term of Charlie Russell
expired and Pat
Karlsson resigned this year.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Cluster Boating ...
The Cluster's boat mooring and storage regulations have been updated ... Click for a link to ...
Cluster Boat Mooring Application
Cluster Boat Storage Application
Cluster Stains Notice ...
Cluster residents of homes which have not been stained to the new standard color palette can expect to receive a notice which reads as follows ...
The Lakewinds II Cluster Board approved and published a revised color palette several years ago. The approved palette was required on all Lakewinds II properties as of January 1, 2005. Please be informed that your property does not conform to the current color palette and must be changed. Details of the approved color palette are posted in the Exterior Guide page on Web site and in the Exterior Guide provided to all homeowners. If you have questions you may contact any of the Board members
Current Topics ... The Cluster President has offered thoughts on a couple of topics ... The Functions of the Cluster Board and Submitting a request to Reston's Design Review Board (DRB) Process. Click on either of these topics and 'jump' to these new offerings.
Cluster Colors ... Please be sure to use the correct color stain on your home ... Our Cluster adopted a new color scheme in 1998 and grandfathered the application of the old colors until 2000. The new colors are very sensitive to formula variations. So ... Be sure to obtain the correct colors before applying them to your home. 'Click' here to jump to our Exterior Stain Guide. You might be wise to print the stain formula and take it with you to the recommended sources.
Cluster Board Meetings ... The Board meets frequently. Cluster homeowners are always welcome to attend Board meetings. Please contact the named host the meeting and advise your intent to participate. Phone/eMails for the named hosts are at the Cluster Contacts web page.