The RA: More Epistolary Smackdowns Than Oscar Wilde and the WWE Put Together

In response to a low-key neighborhood dispute involving the DRB, the Reston Association Board of Directors has sent its chair a fancy letter, written on official stationary and everything, outlining new guidelines for DRB members advising applicants or "any affected party."

* DRB members should disclose professional and business relationships with applicants or affected parties –which has been a long standing practice – the involved DRB member must also remove himself from discussions.

* During DRB discussions on the application, remove himself and only speak from the audience if directly asked a question by the DRB.

* Minutes of DRB meetings where members have a relationship with an applicant or affected party will now include the disclosure, recusal by the DRB member and record the vote of the presiding DRB members on the application.

The procedures will be in place until the RA Board adopts a formal resolution to replace them.

Here's a more recent article about the Cutwater Court dispute, in case you're keeping score at home.

But the letter-writing smackdowns don't end there! Citing unresolved issues with the most recent Fairway Apartments proposal, the RA Board will also write another letter to Hunter Mill Supervisor Cathy Hudgins, asking that the county defer a July planning commission meeting on the proposal until the DRB can get their hands on the plans. That's slightly less stringent than the Reston Citizens Association's flat-out opposition to the proposal, but in both cases, it's good to see the RA Board being proactive and -- dare we say it? -- responsive to legitimate concerns.