VA could do better with alot more towns

Anonymous wrote:Why isn't Ashburn its own town?

SHORT VERSION:
Virginia has had a state-wide ban on creating new towns and cities since some year in the late 1960s. This ban recently was renewed by the VA Legislature and signed by the Governor. I have never heard of any other state with such a law.

LONG VERSION:
As a long-time VA resident, as near as I can tell, the main driver for this is how sales taxes are handled. In an incorporated town or city, sales taxes accrue to the town and not to the county. So every county in the state has financial incentives to block creation (or expansion) of incorporated towns and cities. In turn, this county desire influences elected legislators voting.

There also can be other revenue-related considerations. The part of McLean which is in Tysons (specifically, 22102) generates much more business tax and property tax revenue than most other areas of the county. This is a (predictable) consequence of decades-long focus by county elected officials to concentrate development, especially Class 1 office space, in Tysons.

As an example, Fairfax County would lose a lot of revenue, and not lose as much responsibility, if McLean (22101+22102) incorporated as a town or city.

I think it would be better if there were more towns and cities in NoVA, but I doubt things will change in my lifetime.

Clifton, Herndon, and Vienna are incorporated towns within Fairfax County. Fairfax City is a Class-2 city within Fairfax County.

Falls Church City is a Class-2 city within Arlington County.

Alexandria City is a Class-1 city, so it has its own Circuit Court. A Class-2 city in VA does not have its own Circuit Court and instead uses the Circuit Court associated with the County.

Any incorporated city (but not town) in VA is allowed to have its own public school system. Falls Church City does have its own FCCPS. Fairfax City (for now) instead has contracted with Fairfax County for its public schools.

Annandale, Chantilly, McLean, and Reston all are examples of Census-designated (and USPS designated) places.

What makes things somewhat confusing here is that the Post Office does not align postal boundaries with incorporated city/town boundaries. This means, for example, that a postal address of Vienna might or might not be within the Town of Vienna.

Reston should be its own town, Tysons needs to be its own city at this rate. IDK who's running things down there but they need a Mayor

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Does it matter that it’s a town? It’s soulless suburbia for the DMV’s strived UMC new money types. Cookie cutter houses galore. The data centers nearby are an improvement to the culture, and that’s saying something…

You seem to be thinking of a different area. There are certainly 'soulless' parts of NoVa overrun by cookie cutter houses, but Reston is not ---- it was founded in the 1960s on principles of social integration, local community, walkability and access to nature for all. It was planned as a series of 'villages' each with a mix of types of housing, each connected by miles of paths so residents can all walk to parks, lakes and grocery stores, and lots of green space. It also has a wonderful Nature Center, among other amenities.

Reston is not perfect and recent years have brought more urbanization (Reston Town Center) but it is still a unique place in NoVa.

I don't live in Reston, I live just outside of it, but I agree that it is a very unique place. Like you can drive a mile from my house and it is very obvious that you are in Reston.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I live here. It is not a town. It is a census designated place. Reston association is an HOA that acts bigger. We vote on a a board and pay assessments to RA, but it in charge of pools, paths the lake etc. as well as standards dealing with design. Developemntproposals go through the fairfax county planning commisssion and somewhat through RA, which acts as a lobbying arm..

There is no mayor or council. It is under the jurisdiction of fairfax county board of supervisors, Hunter Mill District.

Why are you spreading lies, Reston is a town. I know because I voted for Mayor last election in 2023

Sorry but you did not. There is no Mayor. Do you live somewhere else but it is called Reston?

PP lives in Herndon but doesn't realize it.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Does it matter that it’s a town? It’s soulless suburbia for the DMV’s strived UMC new money types. Cookie cutter houses galore. The data centers nearby are an improvement to the culture, and that’s saying something…

You seem to be thinking of a different area. There are certainly 'soulless' parts of NoVa overrun by cookie cutter houses, but Reston is not ---- it was founded in the 1960s on principles of social integration, local community, walkability and access to nature for all. It was planned as a series of 'villages' each with a mix of types of housing, each connected by miles of paths so residents can all walk to parks, lakes and grocery stores, and lots of green space. It also has a wonderful Nature Center, among other amenities.

Reston is not perfect and recent years have brought more urbanization (Reston Town Center) but it is still a unique place in NoVa.

Not reading all that, pal. Sounds like cope

Like cope??

Anonymous wrote:There are three towns in Fairfax County - Clifton, Vienna, and Herndon

Falls Church and Fairfax are cities.

Everything else is unincorporated

This right here.

Anonymous wrote:Why isn't Ashburn its own town?

It was a farm at the turn of the century, with one owner. Most of its growth has been in the last 30 years. Towns don’t really incorporate like they did 120 years ago. The county government provides enough regulation, and for more local regulations communities use HOAs.

Why isn't Ashburn its own town?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is Pimmit Hills a town?

There are three towns in Fairfax County - Clifton, Vienna, and Herndon

Falls Church and Fairfax are cities.

Everything else is unincorporated (i.e. neither a town nor a city), and is ran by the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors.

Not true at all, Clifton ceased being a town in 1977

What are you talking about? https://www.cliftonva.gov/

It's a town with a mayor and council. The town charter is online, feel free to get informed.

The TOWN OF CLIFTON is a governmental body created by the legislature of the Commonwealth of Virginia. The Clifton municipal charter was granted March 10, 1902. The town is one-quarter of a square mile in size.

Website is out of date. We de-incorporated in 2022. We are a glorified civic association with elected board members

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Does it matter that it’s a town? It’s soulless suburbia for the DMV’s strived UMC new money types. Cookie cutter houses galore. The data centers nearby are an improvement to the culture, and that’s saying something…

You seem to be thinking of a different area. There are certainly 'soulless' parts of NoVa overrun by cookie cutter houses, but Reston is not ---- it was founded in the 1960s on principles of social integration, local community, walkability and access to nature for all. It was planned as a series of 'villages' each with a mix of types of housing, each connected by miles of paths so residents can all walk to parks, lakes and grocery stores, and lots of green space. It also has a wonderful Nature Center, among other amenities.

Reston is not perfect and recent years have brought more urbanization (Reston Town Center) but it is still a unique place in NoVa.

Not reading all that, pal. Sounds like cope

Anonymous wrote:Does it matter that it’s a town? It’s soulless suburbia for the DMV’s strived UMC new money types. Cookie cutter houses galore. The data centers nearby are an improvement to the culture, and that’s saying something…

You seem to be thinking of a different area. There are certainly 'soulless' parts of NoVa overrun by cookie cutter houses, but Reston is not ---- it was founded in the 1960s on principles of social integration, local community, walkability and access to nature for all. It was planned as a series of 'villages' each with a mix of types of housing, each connected by miles of paths so residents can all walk to parks, lakes and grocery stores, and lots of green space. It also has a wonderful Nature Center, among other amenities.

Reston is not perfect and recent years have brought more urbanization (Reston Town Center) but it is still a unique place in NoVa.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is Pimmit Hills a town?

There are three towns in Fairfax County - Clifton, Vienna, and Herndon

Falls Church and Fairfax are cities.

Everything else is unincorporated (i.e. neither a town nor a city), and is ran by the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors.

Not true at all, Clifton ceased being a town in 1977

What are you talking about? https://www.cliftonva.gov/

It's a town with a mayor and council. The town charter is online, feel free to get informed.

The TOWN OF CLIFTON is a governmental body created by the legislature of the Commonwealth of Virginia. The Clifton municipal charter was granted March 10, 1902. The town is one-quarter of a square mile in size.

Does it matter that it’s a town? It’s soulless suburbia for the DMV’s strived UMC new money types. Cookie cutter houses galore. The data centers nearby are an improvement to the culture, and that’s saying something…