Judge orders Zaaki to comply with the building code, or face demolition
The code violations at the dilapidated building in Bailey’s Crossroads that formerly housed the Zaaki restaurant and hookah lounge must be fixed or the owners could be forced to tear it down.
Fairfax County Circuit Court Judge Richard Gardiner handed down a default judgment Sept. 8 ordering the landowners, Aaron and Mary Samson, and their tenant, Zaaki Restaurant and Café LLC, to bring the building into compliance with the county’s Zoning Ordinance.
The building, at 6020 Leesburg Pike, has been vacant for years. After Zaaki closed, the property became a dumping ground and a nighttime gathering spot for groups of men.
Gardiner charges that Zaaki had expanded its use of the property with various additions and uses without an approved site plan and without an approved nonresidential use permit. As a result, the judgment states, Zaaki is in violation of the Zoning Ordinance.
The ruling requires Zaaki to submit a minor site plan to the Department of Land Development Services for review and approval within 90 days of the default judgment. The minor site plan must show all additions and uses on the property and must address all comments received in response to the previous minor site plan submitted in February 2020.
If Land Development Services fails to approve the site plan, Zaaki must submit a new plan and apply for new permits within 60 days.
If Zaaki does not obtain approval of a minor site plan within the deadlines set by the court, it must demolish any unpermitted additions on the property and bring the rest of the building into compliance.
The landowners, Zaaki, or any other tenants are prohibited from occupying or otherwise using the property until a minor site plan is approved.
Problems with Zaaki have been going on for years. The county’s code enforcement department first charged the restaurant with violating the building code in 2013. Additional violations were filed in 2019. Zaaki appealed, unsuccessfully, resulting in the revocation of its certificate of occupancy.
Tear it down. Some, not all of these immigrant businesses will try to do anything to get away with meeting County zoning regs. Recently Zoning made a homeowner near me tear down their unstable addition which was not permitted. The addition had no foundation! I applaud this.
If you cannot afford the permitting process then find another place to dump your dump. I appreciate that the process is somewhat intimidating to new comers but there are plenty of people to help: architects, engineers, legitimate contractors and County Zoning and Code officials.
The regulations are in place to provide safe conditions to the owners, staff, customers and the general public. There is NO excuse to break the law!
What country did Aaron and Mary Samonson- the landlords- migrate from?
How is this an “immigrant” business?
It is a business owned by an (recent) immigrant. Other than that, no idea.
Fairfax county inspectors are a hit-or-miss folks – some are very incompetent and abrasive (racist) while some are knowledgeable and respectful. Example, an old house with old electrical panel of ’50s was forced to upgrade to current code while nothing was malfunctioning. One guy came in and intimidated the owner to change the plumbing system too, and then the final guy came to do finals and said that none of this is necessary because the home is OLD. So we have financed a very unreliable and challenging work force to serve the public. Shame!
For this case, it sure looked blight!
I really wish they would clean up this area along Rt7 between Columbia Pike and Glen Carlyn Rd
I drive by there often and I’m sick of seeing that eyesore. Tear it down ASAP! Please!
Sears and Emessa further up Leesburg Pike have been empty for ages, too, and also need to be torn down.
So happy to hear that someone is doing something about this eyesore. FINALLY. It’s a disgrace and the owners should be ashamed to have allowed this blight to exist for so long.
This process is just a delay. The Owner should be given 30 days to ” make it a parking lot”. Delays just cost the tax payers money. Appears this has been an eye sore since @2020. Time has been up. If it was me, I would have been fined and given a Large bill for tearing it down and removal .
I had the unpleasant experience of dealing with a very nasty, belligerent, lying, intimidating, code inspector when I brought it to his attention that he had the wrong address. I complained to Sharon Bulova who was at the time chairman of the BOS. Did no good.
any updates to the status of this issue? It’s now over 90 days since the ruling.
Any updates to the status of this issue? It’s now over 150 days since the ruling.