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some easements for utilities cut firough portions of the buildab{e
<br />areas of' some tots.
<br /> Fa[fins Count,/zoning officials have seen irregularly shaped [ocs
<br />before. Giles Glenn, however, was the worst the7 had seen. Lorrie
<br />Kirst, a depu .CF zoning administrator For cbc county, says the
<br />proposed subdivision is "within the letter of the regulations, but
<br />certainly not within the spirit of the regulations." K. irst says
<br />irregular [ors are common in fie count3', but never so many of such
<br />unusual design in a single subdivision.
<br /> Ma~t Marshall, of Land Design Consultants, contends that
<br />unusual subdivision configurations are nor new in Fairfax County.
<br />Giles Glenn couid have occurred just as easily !.0 or 20 years ago,
<br />
<br /> Property maintenance conflicts are also {ikely. With the
<br />slivers of land char meander throughout Giles Glenn, it may
<br />be unclear to the Future property owners who owns what
<br />land unless cheF use fencing or landscaping to mark
<br />boundaries. People may not regularly maintain or even use
<br />rear yards char lie on the other side of their [ors.
<br /> To address these issues, Marshall said the firm had used
<br />private "Enjpinmenr Easements" in the covenants or a
<br />separate easement plat. in chest easements, fie property
<br />owners have some minimal right rD use, but nor build upon,
<br />areas that are near their home bur that d~ey do nor own.
<br />
<br />he says. He esr[mares that l0 percent of the subdivisions created by /
<br />his firm over the 7ears have had irregular configurations, though Z.~ ~ = ~ ~ - ~ ~ ~. ~,-'- ~'~
<br />Giles Glenn is in fine "top cwo or three" most
<br /> I,' ......
<br />
<br /> extreme examples.
<br /> These similar subdivisions occur because the
<br /> land in question is very, valuable. Growth in the
<br /> counrie_s surrounding Washington, D.C., has
<br /> propelled properv/va/uts, which has led
<br /> developers rD squeeze in odd-shaped lore to
<br /> maximize profit. A single-acre [or in a subdivision
<br /> such as Giles Glenn can sell for more finn
<br /> $225,000. Homes on fiese [ors often can sell for
<br /> more than $750,000.
<br /> Land Design Consultants created for irs
<br />clients more than ten alternative lot
<br />configurations, some of' which included
<br />through streets and ["ewer lots. Each lost lot
<br />equals a loss of $1 million, when considering
<br />the combined value of fie [ors and rb.e homes
<br />rD be built upon them. According co Marshall,
<br />a neighboring Rl-~oned subdivision consisted
<br />of noncustomized 5,000-square-foot homes
<br />selling For more chun $1 million each.
<br /> Land scarcir7 is anD fief ke7 issue. According
<br />to Kirst, large parcels of land have nearly
<br />vanished in some areas of the county.
<br />Developers have returned co the small parcels,
<br />often more difficult to deveiop, chat were
<br />initially passed over, such as Giles Glenn. The
<br />sites with floodplains and other limitations have gained
<br />increased attention from developers.
<br /> Flaws in stare planning legislation are most to blame for
<br />situations like Giles Glenn. A duster development with set-aside
<br />open space could have prevented this situation. However, Virginia
<br />does nor have home rule, and cluster development is nor specifically
<br />allowed by the state without a lengthy and expensive special
<br />exception process. Land Design Consultants has gone through this
<br />spec[at exception process beGre, but it was not ~naatcial[y practical
<br />in the case of Giles Glenn. According co Marshall, pending
<br />legislation in Virginia would reenact by-right cluster development.
<br />Similar legislation expired several years ago. The legislation could
<br />take effect in ~vo years.
<br /> Viewing fie plan on paper makes apparent what problems the
<br />Gture residents of Giles Glenn will iikeiy con(roar after fie project
<br />is compicced. Disputes among neighbors are more likely to occur in
<br />Giles Glenn fian in more ordinary neighborhoods. Kirst said fie
<br />arrangement of-yards in Giles Glenn "raises all ~nds o{ future
<br />boundary disputes." The winding lore of Giles Glenn and similar
<br />neighborhoods create scanarios where one person's home is
<br />separated c'rom her back'/oral bv a neighbor's home or a neighbor's
<br />backyard. A. swing se: couid sic in front of a home bur nor belong
<br />~o :he owners of d~ac imme.
<br />
<br />The proposed Giles Glenn subdivision in Fa[trax
<br />Counv../. Virginia, has an unusual lot design char has
<br />upset some [oral offcials, yet mee~s the minimum
<br />county zoning regulatioru.
<br />
<br /> According to Kirsr, neighboring counties have created
<br />regulations in an attempt, to prevent odd-shaped [ors, using
<br />geometric standards, width-depth ratios, or contiguity
<br />standards for lot shape in their zoning codes. Despite the
<br />regulations, developers still find loopholes co squeeze in more
<br />lore. "People can become highly creative," says IGrst.
<br /> fosh Edwards
<br />
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