Massive home addition causes confusion in Fairfax County neighborhood

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So it looks like there’s a setback issue but also an unresolved issue on the height (from August). I have a very hard time believing there was an architect, engineer or even a contractor involved in this monstrosity.

I watched the interview. Construction was paused because the building violates set back by 6 inches in the rear corner. Owner says he built exactly to the approved plan and seems very confident he will be granted a variance. How likely is that? Who is ultimately responsible?

This is super petty.

If you look at the complaining neighbors house they have a side that is equally long, just not as high. I don't see the issue with it and it was probably done becuase it was cheaper.

I'm no expert which is why I asked, but I have read someone say that as soon as new slab was poured, the previous setback guidelines no longer apply. The current regulations say the set back depends on the height. For a building this height it should be 20 something foot setback instead of 8.5. It doesn't have anything do with the length.

[Anonymous]

Can the immediate neighbor sue the county for approving this hotel?

She will never be able to sell her house and is essentially stuck there, unable to do anything. She should be able to sue and move somewhere where she’s not living in the shadow of a behemoth addition.

[Anonymous]

I’d be ok if the owner puts on a grass roof like they have in Vietnam.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:And these poor neighbors can’t even sell because no one wants to live in the shadow of a shoddy apartment building in the suburbs.

It’s ugly, but there are plenty of 4 bedroom, 2 bath houses nearby that no one is calling an apartment building.

I’m not Asian, but this feels like dog whistle. White people in the U.S. have been accusing Asians of living in overcrowded conditions since the mid-1800s, even when whites lived in similar density.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Here is the permit application. https://plus.fairfaxcounty.gov/CitizenAccess/Cap/CapDetail.aspx?Module=Building&TabName=Building&agencyCode=FFX&capID1=REC25&capID2=00000&capID3=00RB7&utm_source=chatgpt.com

The question of “is/will there be an Accessory Living Unit or Accessory Dwelling Unit?” Was answered “no”

Honest question because I don’t know. Is there a difference between an addition and an accessory dwelling unit?

ADU/ALU means a separate residence or apartment, complete with its own bathroom and kitchen. It's something that could be a home or hotel for someone who never enters the original main unit.

And addition it just an additional room(s) added on to a complete unit.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’d be ok with it if it were not attached to the old shatshack. Would just look like a “modern” shoebox house. Arlington has many. Just saw off the shatshack and all good!

Maybe they don't want to move out during rebuild, so they are building half of the shoebox, moving in there, then building the other half

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:And these poor neighbors can’t even sell because no one wants to live in the shadow of a shoddy apartment building in the suburbs.

It’s ugly, but there are plenty of 4 bedroom, 2 bath houses nearby that no one is calling an apartment building.

I’m not Asian, but this feels like dog whistle. White people in the U.S. have been accusing Asians of living in overcrowded conditions since the mid-1800s, even when whites lived in similar density.

It is indeed hypocritical that rich white ladies want their cheap mani/pedis but don't want to gaze upon the servants quarters.

[Anonymous]

Homeowner gave an interview to some instagrammer that I can't find now or else I would post it. He said that he started permit process in January, took 7 months to get it, had told his neighbor he was putting on an addition (didn't specify if he told her how big) and everything seemed fine until the third story was started. Once the third story had begun construction the problems started.

He is standing in front of the addition in the driveway and the quality looks awful. I hope that is just the basic beginning because it looks like it will fall apart in the wind.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:And these poor neighbors can’t even sell because no one wants to live in the shadow of a shoddy apartment building in the suburbs.

It’s ugly, but there are plenty of 4 bedroom, 2 bath houses nearby that no one is calling an apartment building.

I’m not Asian, but this feels like dog whistle. White people in the U.S. have been accusing Asians of living in overcrowded conditions since the mid-1800s, even when whites lived in similar density.

No, your post is the dog whistle. Making up an accusation of racism and inventing a story about white people complaining about Asians over overcrowded conditions. There is a long history of people complaining about overcrowding, including Italian and Irish immigrants in the tenements of NYC back in the day but what you alleging is a gross distortion so you can claim racism! If a white family was building this three floor extension, the outcry would be exactly the same.

This house is an atrocity. County should be sued for failing to do proper due diligence. Neighbor has easily lost hundreds of thousands in house value.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:And these poor neighbors can’t even sell because no one wants to live in the shadow of a shoddy apartment building in the suburbs.

It’s ugly, but there are plenty of 4 bedroom, 2 bath houses nearby that no one is calling an apartment building.

I’m not Asian, but this feels like dog whistle. White people in the U.S. have been accusing Asians of living in overcrowded conditions since the mid-1800s, even when whites lived in similar density.

It is indeed hypocritical that rich white ladies want their cheap mani/pedis but don't want to gaze upon the servants quarters.

NP. I hated it before I knew who owned it. Asian wouldn't have been my first thought for the ethnicity.

Do we know what business the owner has? Is this to house the workers? And what about parking when 10-15 extra people move in? Parking would be my biggest issue. There's only a single car driveway.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:And these poor neighbors can’t even sell because no one wants to live in the shadow of a shoddy apartment building in the suburbs.

It’s ugly, but there are plenty of 4 bedroom, 2 bath houses nearby that no one is calling an apartment building.

I’m not Asian, but this feels like dog whistle. White people in the U.S. have been accusing Asians of living in overcrowded conditions since the mid-1800s, even when whites lived in similar density.

No, your post is the dog whistle. Making up an accusation of racism and inventing a story about white people complaining about Asians over overcrowded conditions. There is a long history of people complaining about overcrowding, including Italian and Irish immigrants in the tenements of NYC back in the day but what you alleging is a gross distortion so you can claim racism! If a white family was building this three floor extension, the outcry would be exactly the same.

This house is an atrocity. County should be sued for failing to do proper due diligence. Neighbor has easily lost hundreds of thousands in house value.

Agreed. I can confirm that people in the neighborhood were shocked and upset about this addition before we had any idea about the ethnicity of the owner. None of the discussions that I saw even mentioned their ethnicity. That only became a topic in the news. We all feel terrible for the immediate neighbors.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:And these poor neighbors can’t even sell because no one wants to live in the shadow of a shoddy apartment building in the suburbs.

It’s ugly, but there are plenty of 4 bedroom, 2 bath houses nearby that no one is calling an apartment building.

I’m not Asian, but this feels like dog whistle. White people in the U.S. have been accusing Asians of living in overcrowded conditions since the mid-1800s, even when whites lived in similar density.

No, your post is the dog whistle. Making up an accusation of racism and inventing a story about white people complaining about Asians over overcrowded conditions. There is a long history of people complaining about overcrowding, including Italian and Irish immigrants in the tenements of NYC back in the day but what you alleging is a gross distortion so you can claim racism! If a white family was building this three floor extension, the outcry would be exactly the same.

This house is an atrocity. County should be sued for failing to do proper due diligence. Neighbor has easily lost hundreds of thousands in house value.

Neighbor's home is completely shaded in all the pictures they show.

Honestly, things like this make me so, so glad I live in my laid back HOA neighborhood. They don't care what color you paint your shutters as long as it's not neon and they don't care about backyard sheds, but they'd never allow this and they'd go to court immediately to fight it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:And these poor neighbors can’t even sell because no one wants to live in the shadow of a shoddy apartment building in the suburbs.

It’s ugly, but there are plenty of 4 bedroom, 2 bath houses nearby that no one is calling an apartment building.

I’m not Asian, but this feels like dog whistle. White people in the U.S. have been accusing Asians of living in overcrowded conditions since the mid-1800s, even when whites lived in similar density.

I think you're misunderstanding. The addition is not a 4 bedroom, 2 bath addition. I haven't seen the floor plans, but each floor has a kitchen, bath, and multiple bedrooms. The original home is 4 bedrooms, 2 baths.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Homeowner gave an interview to some instagrammer that I can't find now or else I would post it. He said that he started permit process in January, took 7 months to get it, had told his neighbor he was putting on an addition (didn't specify if he told her how big) and everything seemed fine until the third story was started. Once the third story had begun construction the problems started.

He is standing in front of the addition in the driveway and the quality looks awful. I hope that is just the basic beginning because it looks like it will fall apart in the wind.

Yes. I think if he took the 3rd story off and made an actual roof that matched his current roof, it wouldn't be such an issue.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:And these poor neighbors can’t even sell because no one wants to live in the shadow of a shoddy apartment building in the suburbs.

It’s ugly, but there are plenty of 4 bedroom, 2 bath houses nearby that no one is calling an apartment building.

I’m not Asian, but this feels like dog whistle. White people in the U.S. have been accusing Asians of living in overcrowded conditions since the mid-1800s, even when whites lived in similar density.

Go cry racism, somewhere else. That is not what this is about.

Go cry racism, somewhere else. That is not what this is about.

People are calling this an apartment building because it’s exactly what it is. It’s a three story box like structure that looks like an apartment or a hotel building. This does not look like your typical four bedroom two bath home. This is spitting distance between the neighbors house.

This addition was built to be as cheap as possible, which is why it’s designed the way it is and with no regard for the neighbors.