RSU committee disbands after failing to reach a consensus

The RSU Committee in
charge of developing a recommendation for a new zoning ordinance allowing
residential studio units has been unable to reach a consensus. The group passed a motion at its June 9 meeting requesting the committee be disbanded.

That doesn’t mean
the issue is dead; the Fairfax County Planning Commission could always draft a plan to allow RSUs, which are tiny, no-bedroom efficiency units with low rents meant to help alleviate
the county’s shortage of affordable housing.

The motion passed by
the RSU Committee notes that more 15 public meetings were held throughout the
county and the committee conducted seven meetings.

“At this point,
however, it is unlikely that the Residential Studio Committee will reach
consensus on the proposed use,” the motion states, “as there remain a number of
concerns about the districts in which the use should be permitted, the
potential scale of the use, the special exception process, the potential
for modifications and waivers of the standards, the nature of services which
may be provided at the development, and the potential for impacts on
surrounding properties.”

The RSU Committee
recommends “that there be a broader community dialogue about affordable housing,
including a discussion on how best to provide for a range of housing
opportunities, including residential studios, that will serve the county’s
current and future residents at all income levels.”

The motion calls for
the RSU Committee to “report back to the Planning Commission with a
recommendation to adjourn the committee and their review of the currently proposed
Zoning Ordinance Amendment regarding residential studios.” It also calls for
the county planning staff to prepare a report summarizing the public outreach
and the issues raised by the community and the Planning Commission.

The motion was
approved unanimously with all of the committee members who spoke agreeing that
it was time for a “cooling off period,” reports Debbie Smith, a member of the
board of the Mason District Council of Community Associations.

“Basically, there was a general lack of support for the
proposed amendment,” Smith says. A host of issues was raised about the
feasibility of RSUs, including code enforcement, parking, compatibility with
neighborhoods, proximity to transportation, the need for on-site management,
and the special exception process for approving RSU developments.

Commissioner James Hart (at-large) expressed his frustration stating: “It seemed like before we ever got started, the opposition had pre-empted the discussion.”

Neighborhood groups in Mason District had been especially concerned that RSUs could lead to the further decline of older residential areas. There has also been concerns raised over whether RSUs are trying to serve too many separate populations with distinct needs, such as the formerly homeless, people in low-wage jobs, young people who can’t afford apartments, people in recovery from substance abuse, people with disabilities, and the elderly.