Clyde's Update

My wife and I had New Years Eve 7p reservations at the RTC location. Sure they were pretty busy, but we weren't seated until 8:30. We sat there for a good 20m before a waiter came by. The water they brought out was lukewarm and had no ice in it and the bread was cold and hard. Since it was new years eve, the menu was 'limited' as they only had a few things, I assume in order to prepare them faster for quicker turnaround. I got a piece of prime rib that was still bloody (moreso than I like...and I like rare) and cold in the center with cold sautee'd spinach. Wife's was pretty much the same. I guess what I'm getting at is everything seemed like it was prepared about 4 hours ago. They didn't even refill our drinks...horrible food and horrible service. even a busy night is no excuse for that...

 

Sirens and live music are quite different from road noise. I don't care one way or the other about the hospital/clydes since I don't live near either one...but you can't make that comparison.

 

I had a waiter at the Reston place add $5 to his tip (used his pen to change the $3 to $8). Guess he didn't think he got paid enough (crappy service from him did not = 20% tip). By the time I got the bank statement and realized he did it, I'd gotten rid of the receipt. That was quite an annoyance.

 

AFGM: Now you've got my curiosity up more. What was the purpose of the thread, and what did you edit? Were there originally comments that explained the choice of info items posted, that you had second thoughts about? Was it directed at Snow, or at the hospital, since there was that whole "gotcha!" tirade about Donna getting a job at the steakhouse and cows being incinerated? It seems to have developed into quite a dogpile for a while there, when you reappeared with a grin. What gives? Is it a Snowball fight, or a hospital thread in disguise? Either way, you seem to be grabbing at some straws.

Anyway, since you are in the Dulles part of the Farm, what do you hear up there from the Broad Run side about any people who contacted Waters with noise concerns? Anything stirring in your HOA up there?

Barbara Munsey, from South Riding.

 

Started as an innocent informative post. Nothing else. I happened to come across the info on the County website. Had not heard the latest about Clydes and thought others would be interested as I am.

Then someone latched on to the Burton comment, which frankly, I hadn't even paid attention too. That lead to the tirade about noise.

Then you brought up the Waters issue. I was thinking Snow was doing a good thing. Seemed to be the right steps for getting things approved.

Anyway, then I became cynical. For those unwarned, my dry sense of humor tends to be for my own enjoyment, and unfortunately HS took offense.

As for your serious question...I've heard nothing about potential "noise" complaints. Nothing on the street, nothing through the HOA, nor anything informally through Waters. I think it's a big red herring, or an isolated NIMBY.

 

Homer-
A few things I would like to point out. Regarding your comment
"Again this is supposed to be a quiet natural neighborhood and not an urban town center."
Broadlands has MILLIONS and MILLIONS of square feet of yet to be developed COMMERCIAL space. It has always been in the plan.

Second, you are DEAD WRONG about your comments...."This noise issue is new. They're changing the game in the middle of it. When Clydes first announced there was no mention of the possibility of noise issues. I was under the impression that it would all be inside like the one in D.C."
The first Clyde's application that was approved by the last Board of Supervisors included plans to have occasional outdoor events, such as Octoberfests, etc. This was disclosed to the community at several meetings with Broadlands. I know, because I attended all of them. I don't remember the exact number of events they mentioned but I think it was around 5 per year.
There were a few residents that expressed concern about the possibility of noise. I relayed these concerns to the Board of Supervisors at the public hearing. I was told that each outdoor event will require a special permit from the county. If Clyde's is not sensitive to the concerns of the community, the county can simply stop issuing them permits for their outdoor events.

The reason that Clyde's had to go back to the Board and get approval again is because they changed the front facade of the building from wood to stone and they increased the size a little bit. It had nothing to do with the outdoor events. I find it ridiculous that the Board is withholding approval over an item the previous Board had already looked at and resolved.

Over the past few years, the question I have been asked most often is "When is Clyde's opening." There is a huge amount of support for this restaurant in Broadlands. Your 4 elected representatives to the HOA Board unanimously support the Clyde's restaurant.

I have asked Clyde's to come to the meeting on November 8 (location and time to be announced) prepared to address the following:
1) How many outdoor events will there be?
2) What hours will they run?
3) What is Clyde's doing to ensure there will be adequate parking on site so that there is no spillover parking on residential streets?

 

Then Broadlands has and still is mis-representing itself to homeowners and buyers. It should be changed to disclouse that they want Broadlands to be Ashburn TC. I don't see how Nature fits into the way things are currently operating.

I'm FOR Clydes. I just want it to be controlled. Parties every night aren't good for a neighborhood. Looks like there are some controls which are good.

I wish your points had been posted before it got into lets attack Homer because he's a buzz kill started.

 

Hummm, the real story here may be how the other supervisors are beginning to treat Snow. I sure hope this isn't a reflection on how his colleagues are going to be treating his initiatives.

Contrary to the view of some of our friends in the South, I do support things he promotes, just not all of them. Losing support this early in the game would not be good for the entire Dulles District.

 

From the Broadlands website:http://broadlands.org/welcome/wel-faq.htm#3

"Why is Broadlands The Natural Way To Live?

Broadlands is a place where noises stop and sounds begin. A natural refuge called Stream Valley Park restores your spirit with woods and trails, wetlands and wildlife preserves. From the simplest bench overlooking a peaceful stream to the majestic beauty of a 150 year old Oak Tree. Broadlands is at home with nature."

I don’t think it is just Homer. If what Cliff says is true, then the website is</u> misleading. The website promotes that “The master plan was created to accommodate almost 4,000 homes in an environment that is totally at home with nature.” Somehow I don’t see “totally at home with nature" in Cliff’s “MILLIONS and MILLIONS” square feet of Commercial development. Broadlands is still beautiful (for now), but you have to call a spade a spade. It has been straying from it’s ‘natural way to live’ premise for some time now and apparently, it is a COMMERCIAL area, not a nature area.

 

Obviously you do have trouble reading the map, since you don't think there are any houses off of Claiborne.....

 

I agree
We moved to Broadlands in 1997 and the "colored" area's on the map for commercial development were pretty clear to me also. I used to play baseball with my boys on the field that is now "Southern Walk Apartments". We all knew that Apartments would be going in on this site one day, so no big deal when we were no longer able to do this. The thing with buying into a neighborhood STILL under development, you're not 100% sure what you're going to get, but the commercial sites are clearly disclosed. IMO if anyone can't live with this, move to an established neighborhood.

 

Here’s another one from the Broadlands website.http://broadlands.org/community/com-conc.htm:

“The Natural Way To Live.
The philosophy that the natural and the manmade can co-exist in harmony is at the heart of the Broadlands experience. At Broadlands, nature is not only a perfect backdrop for community activities; many times it's the catalyst for bringing the residents together, whether at a bluebird house building seminar or a native tree transplant day.”

I think they forgot to add “nature is not only a perfect backdrop for community activities but for ‘MILLIONS and “MILLIONS’ square feet of development as well.” It must have been an oversight

 

That's not really the issue. I knew about the commercial and I am fine about it. Saul shopping center is quiet and keeps the lights down. The issue is making sure these commercial properties keep in sync with the theme of the neighborhood. When Terrabrook left, the nature theme went with it. VM clear cut Southern Walk. There is a HUGE difference between Boradlands North and South.

 

To all: WARNING! The following is a reply from an outsider to an outsider that is political in content. It may be an inane ramble to some, so SCROLL PAST NOW. Anyone with the ability to move it to a new, strictly political thread may do so with my blessing, or feel free to tell me how and I will. Those who have an interest in district politics and how the sausage is made (or spoiled, or thrown) please read, because it could help you understand how things like Clyde's, the hospital, parks etc progress (or don't).

AFGM: Your initial reply to my previous question was reasonable, and I was willing to take it as face value until your most recent insinuation. Here is my take:

You posted your innocent information items to raise the very discussion you have just revealed: Why is the Snowman blocking a good thing like Clyde's? ...and even more sinister, how are other supervisors beginning to treat him?

First, if the other supervisors were not in concert with sending it to committee to work out the last kinks (which may be similar to the ongoing discussion about people moving into a still-developing area--how long have the noise people been here? It doesn't make them any less deserving of being educated about how the thing will work when it is actually up and running), THEY WOULDN'T HAVE VOTED FOR IT. Mrs. Waters inexplicably attacked Snow for suggesting it go to committee, on the grounds that he should have suggested it (?), and then VOTED FOR it, as did all the other supervisors. The vote was unanimous. How is that indicative of supervisors shunning Snow in some way?

The better question is this: Since Burton, Kurtz and York have ALWAYS treated Snow like *poop*, why is Waters jumping on the bandwagon? The four of them aren't going to get anything passed by themselves, but she (Waters) is desperately needed by the other three to have an eastern suburban base of attack on Dulles policy, since Blue Ridge is on record as NOT wanting the east in their business, and got their hand rightly slapped for coming over the line into Dulles when it suits them.

Why is she doing this? Who knows? She received national coverage at the Freedom 21 convention last summer for "leading the fight against smart growth in Loudoun County." She. Personally. Alone. Does she want to be all things to all people, and she's seeking it in the west too? Her recent comments of record could make it appear that way, since her positions are all over the place.

She stated as the reason for her attack that she had been contacted by constituents about the issue. Well, as I said, if the Farm straddles the district line, I'd bet that some of the calls came from there, and had a whole lot less to do with possible noise at Clyde's than in providing an opportunity for her to be used as a tool in Dulles. I've asked you about the new PEC group(s), whose name changes by the week (the newest is the Eastern Loudoun Schools Association, and five bucks says that's who leafleted South Riding with the scare/lies about the school boundaries) who are trying to work through HOAs to influence politics in the east (any one of our subdivisions is many times bigger than ANY town in the county, except Leesburg). So my question stands: who in the Farm is planting complaints with Waters to gum up the works on this? On MANY levels?

Barbara Munsey, from South Riding.

 

Barbara,

You brought it up, not me. Your previous reference (see below) was the first time, I even heard of the supposed "Water's/Snow dynamic". Are you not the one capitlizing on an informational post to promote your agenda? Don't blame it on me.

Posted - 10/25/2004 : 21:42:26
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He may have been supporting Supervisor Waters' attack on Snow. Apparently there are some folks in the extreme northern rim of the Dulles district who have been pretty vocally concerned about it lately (I don't know if they are from Broadlands or Ashburn Farm, but some may have been from the Farm because Sup. Waters said she'd been getting calls on it too), so Snow made a motion to send it to land use to get it worked out, and then subsequently in discussion Sup. Waters said to send it to land use and get it worked out or he wasn't taking care of his constituents. ?but he just said?
Anyway, I am curious about it too, because from the conversation on this forum it appears that most of the people who post here are really looking forward to the restaurant. Anybody know anything about the concerns of the people who raised the noise issue?

Barbara Munsey, from South Riding.

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I can't believe how ridiculous this thing has become. Clyde's has done an outstanding job introducing, discussing, applying, meeting, planning, adjusting and promoting this project. I have no idea where this "noise" complaint is coming from. Apparently the only viable explanation is the one Barbara posted.

If what Barbara is stating is true, then I do think the Dulles district will have issues being legimately heard. That's not an isolated issue. Nor is it an attack on Mr. Snow, but one to be aware of. I support Mr. Snow and his efforts for getting Clyde's approved.

Oh, and for the record, you're more of an outsider than I. I am one miles from the proposed Clyde's site.

 

AFGM: I'm glad you support Snow getting it approved, no matter how funny your method of showing that support may be. The fact that they (Clyde's) submitted some changes did provide the opportunity for anyone with an axe to grind to run their issue up the flagpole one more time. The fact that Waters' response to Snow's suggestion to address those concerns was to demand that he address the concerns threw me for a bit of a loop, aside from the complete lack of logic--I guess I've got my own issues with critical "outsiders" as far as district is concerned, particularly as the election gets closer: for some reason, South Riding polling places are always knee-deep in people from points well west and south of here, who often address us as "you people" and tell us how we should vote and why, whether one is interested or not.

Barbara Munsey, from South Riding.

 

These "axes to grind" have become way too boorish. The message to the BOS last November was clear- we in the East are fed up with the density packing, anti-business, no growth attitudes and elected people like Waters who ran on a platform opposing those views. Now why has she reversed her course and apparently become another one of York's flunkies? I, for one, don't have the short-term memory she thinks I have. She needs to flex her political muscle in her own backyard.

 

The Clyde's meeting will be Monday, November 8 at 7pm in the Mill Run library.