WASHINGTON (Map, News) - The push to turn Reston into a town took a blow Monday, when Fairfax County Executive Anthony Griffin urged the rejection of what he called a “radical” proposal.

In perhaps the strongest public criticism to date of the campaign to incorporate the planned community, Griffin argued in a Nov. 27 memo to local lawmakers that the change would fragment the county, reduce revenues, seize private property and disrupt planning.

“Why should the unincorporated sections of other districts, many of which predate Reston by scores of years, not be able to become towns?” Griffin asked in the memo, rhetorically. “If Reston, then why not incorporate McLean, Centreville, Burke, Springfield, Annandale, Mount Vernon, Franconia and Merrifield, to name a few.

“The Board of Supervisors does not appear disposed toward Balkanizing the County.”

Marion Stillson, vice president of the Reston Citizens Association and an ardent township supporter, rejected Griffin’s assessment. She said the county executive exaggerated the scope of the proposal, which only seeks local control of land decisions and not wider governmental roles. The proposed charter also would grant the rights to tax and establish a public transportation system, however.

The incorporation issue recently gained steam after supervisors approved a measure — over local protest — that allows the construction of some 3,000 new dwellings. Stillson pointed to that decision as an example of why power over Reston’s land use should be wrested from the board’s hands.

“We have seen no brakes put on anything. No brakes on the applications that are made for Reston land use, and our traffic has suffered ... we see more and more coming down the pike,” she said.

Their petition calling for a referendum on whether to incorporate Reston now bears more than 3,600 signatures, most of which were collected in recent months. Reston has about 60,000 residents.

Legal problems still stand in the way. Fairfax County’s style of government bars the creation of new towns. For the question to reach voters, the General Assembly would need to approve not only a referendum, but also an exemption to that law.

wflook@dcexaminer.com