Massive home addition causes confusion in Fairfax County neighborhood

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m pretty sure the suspect in the Gerry Connolly attack lived at 4210 Marble Lane and even attacked one of the neighbors. I remember law enforcement vehicles being in front of it.

https://wjla.com/news/local/gerry-connolly-fairfax-staff-members-assaulted-armed-weapon-suspect-id-baseball-bat-custody-victims-injuries-hospital-city-police-investigation-washington-dc-us-capitol-virginia-voting-rights-democrat-republican-governor-youngkin-politics

OMG WOW. What a strange connection

found not guilty, funnny lol https://wjla.com/news/local/fairfax-county-virginia-congressman-gerry-connolly-attack-xuan-kha-tran-pham-insanity-plea-virginia-crime-two-staffers-injured

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m pretty sure the suspect in the Gerry Connolly attack lived at 4210 Marble Lane and even attacked one of the neighbors. I remember law enforcement vehicles being in front of it.

https://wjla.com/news/local/gerry-connolly-fairfax-staff-members-assaulted-armed-weapon-suspect-id-baseball-bat-custody-victims-injuries-hospital-city-police-investigation-washington-dc-us-capitol-virginia-voting-rights-democrat-republican-governor-youngkin-politics

OMG WOW. What a strange connection

found not guilty, funnny lol https://wjla.com/news/local/fairfax-county-virginia-congressman-gerry-connolly-attack-xuan-kha-tran-pham-insanity-plea-virginia-crime-two-staffers-injured

Not guilty by reason of insanity. The video in the first news article of him with a metal bat chasing a female neighbor who is running away and screaming is intense. It says the 50-something son has suffered from "serious mental illness for decades." Would he be living in the huge tower addition?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The 3 stories is nbd. The issue is how it looks like a townhouse just plopped next to a house. Why is the roof flat???

The flat roof is to to get around fairfax building height restriction - 35ft. Putting on a gable roof would have restricted the structure to two stories only.

[Anonymous]

Hoping they don't turn it into a group home..yes the County allows this by right. Ive seen a neighborhood or two screwed by multiple group homes (for recovering addicts, etc) in Fairfax. Much reform is needed to protect people

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This isn't a house addition, it's an apartment building.

+1

Yes, it’s an apartment building! Has a ugly flat roof and block structure that looks just like all the garden apartments in the area

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is WILD to me. I am from the Western US (live in DC now) and before I left my hometown I worked for my families construction business for years. The area we lived in had very liberal zoning laws (part of the the somewhat libertarian culture there) and this would never fly. The biggest issue is the set back -- building a three story structure less than 10 feet from a shared property line would just never pass approval in a suburban neighborhood like this. The only place you could do that would be in an urban neighborhood designed for townhome construction where setbacks are intentionally narrow and people assume high density and minimal space between houses when they buy in.

I could see a three story structure getting approval if it was at the back of the property and at least 25 feet from another structure. I could also see an addition right up against the set back (not the property line but whatever the setback requirement is for the structures on property -- it's crazy to me that the set backs in this neighborhood either don't exist or are less than 10 feet, I've never seen that before) but never more than two stories) but not three stories. I can think of 4 or 5 ways this family could get the same square footage and functionality as this addition without building three stories right on the property line. Also as someone with a lot of experience with custom layouts of additions, this looks like an awful layout. I'm guessing the plan is essentially to turn the upper two stories of the addition into 1 or 2 bedroom apartments for the additional family living there, likely with kitchenettes. This is essentially a multi-family dwelling. It's crazy this was allowed.

If I were the neighbor, I'd be working with a lawyer to identify any deficiencies in their permitting, and I'd be watching construction like a hawk and documenting every irregularity, and reporting it to authorities. I'd also be digging into property taxes to see if she can find an irregularities. Basically I'd go nuclear on this. It sounds like they had lax zoning laws simply because no one had ever tried anything this hostile before, so she is going to have to do everything else in her power. Going to the news was a start but I'd be looking for other regulatory and legal avenues for shutting this down. I would be shocked if the contractor is properly bonded, for instance, because I can't imagine many legitimate contractors would agree to this. I'd also be looking at their labor practices. Report it all.

Pretty sure that construction is currently halted because of setback issues. I feel like I just read somewhere it was 8 feet.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Many years ago there was a massive house near Haycock that had "Gigantor, I hate yards and trees" spray painted on it (it later burned down).

In Arlington there was a lot of uproar over this house because it violated setbacks: https://www.redfin.com/VA/Arlington/6430-27th-St-N-22207/home/22983928

Seems like a lifetime ago. These days huge house dwarfing small ones is just another day in 22207!

There was another gigantor nearby but in Fairfax County, across the street from Haycock ES. It was left unfinished for many years. The teens used to hang out and skate board on the concrete foundation. The neighborhood is old and dingy. Only thing going for it are the good schools; Longfellow MS is down the street.

[Anonymous]

I don’t see why you don’t just move somewhere rural if you want to build some mega family compound. Go buy a plot of land in Spotsylvania and have at it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Hoping they don't turn it into a group home..yes the County allows this by right. Ive seen a neighborhood or two screwed by multiple group homes (for recovering addicts, etc) in Fairfax. Much reform is needed to protect people

I’m surprised too that a group home is allowed by right in a single-family neighborhood. I thought there would be a public hearing and that neighbors would be notified before it gets built.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:That addition is so so bad. And completely out of place for that neighborhood. Those poor neighbors who are stuck living next to it. Good for them for raising awareness to stop
That monstrosity but how awful to have that tension with your next door neighbor. There’s no coming back from this.

Even worse, the neighbor’s property value just took a major hit. Who would want to buy a house next to that awful thing.

This. I feel terrible for the neighbors.

The thread about a pot smoker next door to someone had some ideas about how to run off a neighbor, getting them fired, having them lose their property, etc.

Link please!

[Anonymous]

Thats horrendous and should be illegal but oh that's right this is ok now in fairfax and the city of Alexandria residents now have this to look forward to too!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Hoping they don't turn it into a group home..yes the County allows this by right. Ive seen a neighborhood or two screwed by multiple group homes (for recovering addicts, etc) in Fairfax. Much reform is needed to protect people

I’m surprised too that a group home is allowed by right in a single-family neighborhood. I thought there would be a public hearing and that neighbors would be notified before it gets built.

This exists in our small SFH neighborhood. Our HOA jumped through many hoops to try to prevent it and then stop it, but they're still here years later. It treats court-ordered adults who have coexisting mental health diagnoses, so you can imagine the uproar. If you knew my neighborhood, you would be shocked. This is commonplace in areas of Florida like Palm Beach.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This isn't a house addition, it's an apartment building.

+1

Nothing confusing about it, OP.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Hoping they don't turn it into a group home..yes the County allows this by right. Ive seen a neighborhood or two screwed by multiple group homes (for recovering addicts, etc) in Fairfax. Much reform is needed to protect people

I’m surprised too that a group home is allowed by right in a single-family neighborhood. I thought there would be a public hearing and that neighbors would be notified before it gets built.

Currently in my neighborhood, there is a 24 person drug rehab facility being built right next-door to the elementary school. We were not notified, nor did we have an opportunity to oppose it prior to the sale and renovations of the home. Our councilwoman in Montgomery County couldn’t care less and was dismissive and rude to the neighbors when they voiced their opinion. So, in other words, I don’t think many of our local governments would give neighbors and residents an opportunity to voice, their concerns and oppose either a drug rehab facility, group home or massive three-story addition.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:No issues - so as long as they construct per approved plans. Concerned neighbors can contact the County and confirm. It’s their property and right to add, develop PER approved plans.

No issues, since this is not next door to you. Corrected that.