Tag: housing
More citizen involvement urged in Fairfax County planning process
Fifteen houses are being built on this property on Backlick Road in Annandale, despite neighborhood opposition. The new Fairfax County land use planning process known as Fairfax Forward could lead to more strategic thinking about development, but only if the plan is revised to strengthen provisions on citizen involvement. That’s the view of Providence District … Continued
Fairfax County students build houses
7005 Spingville Court A brand-new house that will come on the market in Springfield soon for $824,500 is way more than just a house. About three-quarters of it was built by students from several Fairfax County high schools as part of a course on construction technology. One of those students is Bryan Jefferson, a senior … Continued
Mason Land Use Committee defers action on Peace Valley Lane infill project
The Peace Valley Lane site, with Ravenwood Park houses in the background. People who live near a proposed infill development on Peace Valley Lane in Seven Corners are cautiously optimistic after a Mason District Land Use Committee (MDLUC) meeting March 26. Will Collins of the Concordia development company is requesting a 1.89-acre site … Continued
New community center under construction at the Parliaments in Annandale
The Parliaments community center on Eastmoreland Road. Residents of the Parliaments are getting a new, much larger community room and fitness center as part of a renovation of the complex’ leasing and resident services offices. The rental community has 750 units in the heart of Annandale operated by Southern Management. Property Manager Karen Geier-Smith expects … Continued
Major redevelopment projects proposed for Annandale
Apartment building planned for this site. After years of inaction, something big is proposed for central Annandale: A large apartment building is in the works for the site of the AMF Annandale Lanes on Markham Street, and a smaller apartment building is planned for Rectory Lane, behind the Heritage shopping center on Heritage Drive. Both … Continued
Annandale housing inventory way down from last year
This house on Merrimac Trail, Annandale, is listed for $649,000. If you think you’re seeing a lot fewer for-sale signs in Annandale, you are correct. The inventory of homes is way down from a year ago. “That means it’s a great time to sell your house,” says Vivianne Couts of Coldwell Banker. There were just … Continued
Mason Land Use Committee hears Peace Valley Lane rezoning case
Will Collins seeks support for infill housing development. Plans to develop the Peace Valley Lane property in the Ravenwood Park community and to renovate the Woodrow Wilson Library in Bailey’s Crossroads were among the issues presented at the Mason District Land Use Committee (MDLUC) Oct. 23. We’ll report on the library discussion later, but here’s … Continued
Paved over lawns allowed if done before 2002
If you’re tired of mowing the grass or want to turn your yard into a parking lot, think twice. A county ordinance passed in 2002 prohibits a house on property zoned R-1 or R-2 from having more than 25 percent of the lawn (front and back) paved over. If the property is zoned R-3 or … Continued
Great gardens: No more lawn at this Annandale home
The Essers’ front yard. This is the first article in what we hope will be a series on extraordinary gardens in the Annandale area. Please email suggestions for other gardens to highlight. The entire lot surrounding Cam Esser’s house in the Truro community of Annandale is grass-free. Instead of a lawn, there are all sorts … Continued
Wow! houses: A dome in Annandale Acres
Charles “Chip” Emmons had always been a fan of Buckminster Fuller, the visionary inventor of the geodesic dome. So you could say the house he and his wife, Betty, built in Annandale in 2001, based on that concept, is truly their dream house. Chip says a dome house has one-third more surface area and “the … Continued
Neighbors raise concerns about Brightview senior housing project
The conceptual plan for Brightview. The main road to the left is Gallows. At an Aug. 28 meeting of the Mason District Land Use Committee (MDLUC), several people who live near a proposed assisted living facility planned for Gallows Road raised concerns about increased traffic on an already-busy thoroughfare. Other issues brought by residents include … Continued
Annandale community leaders question benefit of new planning approach
An infill development going up on Lincolnia Road. Fairfax County officials say their proposal to replace the Area Plans Review (APR) system for amending the county’s Comprehensive Plan with a new approach will increase opportunities for community input. Community leaders in the Annandale/Mason area, however, are doubtful that the new system will have much of … Continued
New Seven Corners complex aimed at ‘yuppies’
An illustration of the proposed complex next to the existing office buildings New details emerged on the proposed 195-unit residential/retail complex for Arlington Boulevard in Seven Corners at a recent meeting of the Bailey’s Crossroads Revitalization Corporation. The project would be located on the sliver of land between Route 50 and South Street, next to … Continued
Parklawn tour showcases exemplary homes
Recent Annandale blog posts about problems with multiple occupancy, “extreme yard sales,” and unfinished construction projects might have given the impression that the Parklawn neighborhood is in decline. Actually, there are many well-maintained, charming homes there that people have put great care into renovating, decorating, and landscaping. Three of them were showcased June 16 on … Continued
Planning Commission approves housing on Campbell and Ferrara site
Willow Run Drive Despite extensive opposition from nearby residents, the Fairfax County Planning Commission approved a rezoning request to allow 29 single-family houses to be built on 8.78 acres on property now occupied by the Campbell and Ferrara nursery on Little River Turnpike. No commissioners voted against the proposal although three members abstained: Kenneth Lawrence … Continued