Reply to Massive home addition causes confusion in Fairfax County neighborhood

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]I saw that the permit is on hold but I think there are lies on the application. Whomever certified that the addition "blueprints" blend in with the neighborhood should have their ass handed to them. [/quote]

That's obviously a subjective statement. If the building materials and colors are similar to other homes, you could absolutely say it blends in.[/quote]

Most people would also say there are upper limits on how big a house can be in order to "blend in" and in particular whether the bulkiest part of the house is right on the property line or close to the street, instead of set back on the property like other homes in the neighborhood.

I think that's what annoys me most about what has been done here. There were ways for this family to add the same amount of square footage without sticking a three story building right against the shared property line with their neighbor. It honestly feels hostile to have chosen this particular approach, and that's where I think zoning should have pushed back and noted that the location of the addition is totally out of character for the neighborhood and impose real burdens on the next door neighbor. If that 3 story addition was at the back of the property, it would still be hideous but would solve the worst of the problems.

And no, cost is not a reasonable excuse for doing this. Sure, it may have been cheaper and easier to design the addition in this way. Well it would also be cheaper and easier for me to put in a pool by sticking it in the front yard because it's bigger than my backyard and it would be easier to get the equipment in. But you aren't allowed to do that because front yard pools cause hazards and negative externalities for neighbors. You don't just get to do the cheapest, easiest possible thing with your property. There are some minimum standards.[/quote]

The addition complies with height limits. That's an absurd objection. You don't have to like it, but it is obviously legally acceptable. You don't get to make up your own requirements for others to follow.[/quote]

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