The Reston National Golf Course owners presented redevelopment proposals at a community meeting on April 2, 2025 (photo by Steve LeBlanc)
The owners of Reston National Golf Course have teed up another redevelopment proposal, but this time, with public opposition expected to remain high, they’re considering a backup plan that would involve renovations and more limited housing.
Property owners Weller Development and War Horse Cities enlisted the developer NVR to nominate the 168-acre golf course at 11875 Sunrise Valley Drive for a Fairfax County Comprehensive Plan amendment that would allow housing on part of the site, while turning the rest into publicly accessible recreational or open space.
The nomination was among 53 submitted to the county earlier this year for its 2025 Site-Specific Plan Amendment (SSPA) process, which opens up individual properties for potential land use changes requested by developers and other members of the public.
Reston National has been targeted for redevelopment for more than a decade now, but previous attempts to change the site’s golf course designation, including an SSPA nomination in 2022, have been shut down by opponents. Efforts to redevelop Reston’s other private golf course at the Hidden Creek Country Club have similarly stalled.
NVR’s new SSPA nomination — which was among dozens accepted by the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors for a screening review on March 4 — proposes residential development with some outdoor amenity spaces, including a linear park, on 86.7 acres of Reston National Golf Course.
Another 81 acres would be converted into open and recreational space for public use. Suggested amenities could include lawn spaces, a playground, dog parks, community and pollinator gardens, restored meadows and public art installations.
NVR’s proposed concept for redeveloping Reston National Golf Course (via Fairfax County)
In a statement of justification, the developer argues that the envisioned neighborhood would feature more accessible recreational options than the existing golf course, which is only open to paying customers — less than 15% of them Reston residents, as of 2024.
“By permitting a portion of the Property to develop with residential uses and the balance of the Property to be dedicated for publicly accessible open space or park space, the Property can evolve into a community-serving asset that meets the needs of a broader cross-section of Reston and Fairfax County residents,” Cooley LLP land use attorney Amanda Williams wrote in the statement.
The development would also boost the area’s housing supply and ridership for Metro’s Silver Line extension, given its proximity to the Wiehle and Reston Town Center stations, Williams contends.
However, many local residents, led by the volunteer advocacy group Rescue Reston, have been adamant that the property should remain a golf course, arguing that the open space provides environmental benefits for both humans and wildlife.
Hunter Mill District Supervisor Walter Alcorn, who represents Reston, rejected the 2022 SSPA nomination and has stated that he’ll only support a rezoning if the surrounding community does — a stance he reiterated at a town hall on Feb. 6.
“I’ve made it clear, and my position has not changed since before I was even elected the first time: until communities surrounding the golf course come to me and ask me to change the comprehensive plan, I’m not going to support changing the comprehensive plan,” Alcorn said.
He suggested, though, that both Reston golf course owners are likely to persist in advocating for redevelopment because they “paid too much to operate them profitably as a golf course.”
Weller Development and War Horse Cities acquired Reston National from RN Golf Management for $23.57 million on May 22, 2019, according to county property records, which note that the “price reflects future redevelo[pment].”
Alternate plan would allow renovations, townhouses
Conceptual layout for Reston National Golf Course renovations and townhomes (via Urban/Fairfax County)
With the full redevelopment pitch facing an uphill battle, Weller and War Horse are simultaneously pursuing an amendment to the golf course’s existing development plan that would allow renovations and 288 stacked townhomes on 14 acres of the site already zoned for medium-density housing.
Because the site is located in a PRC District, revisions to the development plan must be reviewed by county staff to determines whether they conform with previous approvals, are exempt from PRC Plan requirements, or need to be approved by the zoning administrator or the Board of Supervisors.
County staff are looking to exempt more projects from needing a PRC Plan, primarily to make it easier to upgrade aging recreational facilities after Reston Association opted to scrap lighting from its Barton Hill tennis court renovations rather than submit a PRC plan for approval.
The proposed zoning ordinance revisions — which are set to be discussed at virtual community meetings on April 10 — likely won’t apply to the Reston National Golf Course, whose property owners are considering more extensive upgrades that would still require a PRC Plan, Williams confirmed to FFXnow.
Though a PRC Plan application hasn’t been officially filed with the county yet, proposed renovations shown in a Feb. 12 concept plan included with the SSPA nomination include:
Full reconfiguration of up to nine (9) golf course holes requiring substantial changes to the Property’s topography, including but not limited to the removal of trees, shrubs and buffers to create new fairways, cart paths, cart storage, tee boxes, greens and in-course water hazards, sand traps, the installation of new on-course fences, sprinklers and course maintenance facilities to reflect the new course layout;
Reconfiguration of customer/employee parking and internal roadways to serve the reimagined golf course;
Additional food and beverage options for golfers within both an upgraded clubhouse and a new “Back 9 Grill” (to be located between the 12th and 13th holes);
A lighted, technology-enhanced multi-story driving range to include features such as Top Tracer and illuminated targets;
A lighted, technology-enhanced short-game training area, which may include a chipping course with sand trap practice areas; and
A lighted, technology-enhanced putting course
According to Williams, the new layout, lighting and technology are necessary to keep Reston National Golf Course financially viable and competitive with other golf facilities in Fairfax County.
The 14 acres on the western side of the property are zoned for up to 20 units per acre of residential development under a development plan approved by the Board of Supervisors in September 1966, according to Cooley’s pre-application statement.
As a result, the housing can be constructed by right, meaning no public hearings or board approval are required. Williams says the Reston National owners are aware of the opposition to redevelopment but submitted the SSPA nomination to ensure there are opportunities for public input — something that wouldn’t be guaranteed with just a PRC Plan application.
“The Residential Development will provide new housing options in Reston, including affordable dwelling units as required by the Fairfax County Zoning Ordinance,” Cooley’s PRC Plan statement said. “Overall, implementation of the proposed PRC Plan will allow the privately-owned golf course to ensure its long-term economic viability by executing necessary modern upgrades to the course itself while providing much-needed attainable housing.”
After Reston Association’s board nixed a planned presentation last month, the Reston National developers shared their proposals with members of the public for the first time last night (Wednesday). About 20 people reportedly attended the meeting, according to Rescue Reston President Connie Hartke.
Hartke encouraged community members to attend a larger meeting that Fairfax County will host at Langston Hughes Middle School (11401 Ridge Heights Road) next Monday, April 7, at 7 p.m.
Rescue Reston remains opposed to any redevelopment of the golf course, she told FFXnow:
Rescue Reston, an all-volunteer organization, remains committed to defending the land use designation of both Reston golf course properties as private recreation 18-hole golf courses. For over 60 years, Reston has exemplified thoughtful planning and zoning, and speculative investments do not justify discarding this well-established vision. While the owners of RNGC overpaid for the property, spending nearly $24 million, that does not deter our community’s steadfast commitment to protecting our treasured green space.
Reston planners welcome investments and development that respect Reston’s carefully planned legacy. However, those pursuing purely speculative ventures must either align their strategies with our community’s values and priorities or step aside.
