See more Lake Anne maps

Lake Anne Charrette Set for June 16-18
From the Times Community Newspapers
By Lise Hausrath Simmons
June 7, 2005

Now that Fairfax County has conducted several public meetings and focus groups and reviewed an economic study of Lake Anne Village Center's needs, there will be a public charrette on Lake Anne revitalization in Reston June 16-18.

Hunter Mill District Supervisor Cathy Hudgins (D) announced the dates for the three-day, intensive planning workshop in a May 31 news release.

Hudgins said the charrette is designed to “build consensus for the residents, merchants and other community stakeholders on ways to enhance design” of the Lake Anne area.

Considered Reston's historic heart, the village center, with Washington Plaza at its core, was designated a county revitalization area in 1998.

The 40-year-old center is showing signs of age, and the merchants and restaurateurs there see much slower business during the colder months of the year.

The center's complicated ownership structure makes it difficult to maintain, with members of the Lake Anne Residential Condominium association bearing the brunt of the costs of upkeep.

Condo owners pay very high monthly fees, and part of the reason for the revitalization initiative is to relieve them of some of the burden while updating and enhancing this mixed-use commercial and residential area overlooking a lake.

The county also is looking at increasing residential density in the area to build the pedestrian traffic needed to keep the merchants viable.

The June 16 and 17 meetings will be held at the Reston Community Center at Hunters Woods from 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., and there will be a meeting June 16 from 7 to 9 p.m. at Lake Anne Elementary School.

On Saturday, June 18, meetings will be held at the school from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Lake Anne Elementary is at 11510 North Shore Drive. The Hunters Woods RCC is at 2310 Colts Neck Road.

People interested in getting more information about the charrette are encouraged to call Hudgins' office at 703-478-0283 or visit the county's revitalization Web site at http://www.fcrevit.org

©Times Community Newspapers 2005