Development Concerns Prominent Among Vienna Town Council Candidates

Maple Avenue development is in the spotlight for Tuesday’s (May 7) Vienna Town Council election, with two incumbents facing off against four challengers for three council seats.

The Vienna Voice, the official town newsletter, recently profiled the Vienna Town Council candidates. Several of those profiled said they are concerned about the scale of new developments planned for Maple Avenue and are running to preserve Vienna’s “small town feel.”

The following candidates are listed as their names will appear on the ballot:

• Howard Springsteen — An incumbent who was a leading voice in opposition to new larger Maple Avenue developments. Springsteen said managed growth with low-density residential zoning and modest, appropriate developments for the commercial zones are critical for the town.
• Julie Hays — Pedestrian and bicycle safety and protecting residential neighborhoods are centerpieces of Hays’ campaign. Hays is a former member of the Transportation Safety Commission and chair of the Pedestrian Advisory Committee.
• Steve Potter — Potter is a founding member of the Vienna Citizens for Responsible Development, a group that has pushed for developments that preserve the “small-town character” on Maple Avenue.
• Nisha Patel — Patel is a local small business owner who has expressed concerns about the impact of high-density mixed-use developments on traffic and schools. Patel, Potter and Springsteen are all endorsed by the Vienna Citizens for Responsible Development.
• Tim Strike – Strike is a vice president of a local technology service company who has expressed opposition to the medium-high density developments while fast-tracking local businesses through the process. Strike has also said increasing public parking, reducing vacancies and improving traffic need to be town priorities.
• Tara Bloch — Bloch is an incumbent Vienna Town Council member and preschool teacher. Bloch has said pushing for a pedestrian-friendly business corridor is a priority of her campaign and touted the increased number of sidewalks and bike routes, as well as new commercial redevelopments, as part of her accomplishments.

Local residents who are registered can vote at the Vienna Community Center (120 Cherry Street SE.) from 6 a.m.-7 p.m.

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