Caddyshackpocalypse Now: BZA Hearing Hinges on Scooby Doo Plot Point

Yesterday's Board of Zoning Appeals hearing on the future of Reston National Golf Course was a doozy, stretching out for more than five hours. The BZA has deferred a decision on whether the golf course property can be considered as zoned for residential development instead of permanent open space until April 15. But who knew the property owners are basing the crux of their argument on whether a yellowing document from 1971 had the correct stamp? Give us some good blockquote, BFFs at Reston Now:

After RN Golf’s side gave a long saga of trying to locate the original documents — which took them through Fairfax County file rooms and Reston Association records, among others — McDermott argued that at least two of the the 1971 documents located came from George Mason University’s planned community archives.
McDermott said without coming from the county with official government stamps, the documents are not valid.

“You must be persuaded you be persuaded [by Fairfax County zoning] to respect and give greater dignity to unapproved plans from an unapproved source,” said McDermott. “They call these the approved development plans. There is not one iota of evidence that they are the approved development plans.”

Zoiks, Scooby! As of now, there's no truth to the rumor that the seal was STAMPED IN INVISIBLE INK.

The folks from Rescue Reston argue all this is a diversion, given that Old Man Wilkins was wearing a ghost costume county staff and the Reston Association support their position.

John Pinkman, founder of Rescue Reston, said talk of missing files is a diversion from the real issues.

“When you have a weak position, you create a diversion,” he said. “That diversion is the rabbit hole of suspicion, such as where did docs stamps come from? If you look at the spirit of the community, no one would think of that. I don’t know if there is anyone here in 1971 who said in 40 years there will be a subway here and we have to create the documents to create a loophole.”

Again: INVISIBLE INK.

Others in attendance said that the BZA told the large crowd that their decision on the haunted amusement park golf course would focus on technical issues, not the impact of a proposed change on nearby property owners or residents (they suggested those arguments would be better served if and when any proposed development goes before the county board of supervisors). That's one reason a decision wasn't made yesterday. Who knows, maybe they're going to squeeze some lemon juice on the documents to see if the INVISIBLE INK appears.

But we digress. We'll have to wait and see what happens next. But it seems clear that the property owners are prepared to leave no legal loophole unturned. But what happens when the developer behind the scenes is finally unmasked?



Zoiks, indeed.

Action McNews coverage (moved to this link because of the stupid autoplay).