The owners of a property at 103 St. Andrews Drive, N.E., will be able to consolidate that parcel with an adjoining land-locked on to the rear and build a larger home at the site, following the Vienna Town Council’s approval July 8.
Combining the parcels, which together total 0.54 acres, will remove a nonconforming lot, and result in no public-infrastructure impact, said Vienna Planning and Zoning Director David Levy.
One result that did get the Council’s attention was the proposal’s projected tree-canopy reduction from 62 percent to 20.6 percent. The lower figure comports with current town standards, but new ones that will take effect July 29 call for 25-percent tree coverage.
One of the applicants, Mir Zohori, said he would look into the possibility of increasing the site’s tree canopy, but Town Attorney Steven Briglia said the Council could not compel the applicants to do so as part of the motion for approval.
“This is not a re-subdivision,” Briglia said. “They are redeveloping their property . . . You can’t require them to do it.”
“They were told one set of rules and they followed it,” agreed Mayor Linda Colbert. “I think we should go with that.”
The Council approved a final plat for the property consolidation on a 4-1 vote, with member Roy Baldwin voting nay. (Members Jessica Ramakis and Sandra Allen were absent.)
