Letter to the Editor: Group Opposes Rezoning of Farm

FAIRFAX COUNTY, VA -- Editor's note: The following is a Letter to the Editor, submitted by Residents Against Rezoning

Residents Against Rezoning is a group of concerned neighbors in the Mt. Vernon District opposed to an effort to rezone 4+ acres of Justice Snowden Farm for development into 128 independent living condominiums, in four four-story buildings. On September 20th, the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors deferred its vote on the proposed rezoning at the request of Mt. Vernon District Supervisor Dan Storck. Mr. Storck requested a second deferral on October 18th. The next vote on the rezoning is scheduled for November 1st. We are seeking to defeat this effort and bring the developers to the table with the community to find a better path forward.

Since the first deferral of this vote, there has been an explosion of public interest and opposition to the rezoning. Residents Against Rezoning started a Change.org petition that has nearly 500 signatures online, two hundred on paper, and growing. The primary concerns expressed in the petition are: (1) the height of the buildings, (2) the density of the development, (3) the inadequate setback from the street, (4) impacts on traffic, (5) inadequate notice to the surrounding communities, (6) and the potential for further development and rezoning on the remaining acres of the farm.

We urge anyone who has concerns about the proposed rezoning to sign and comment on the petition, contact Supervisor Storck and the Board of Supervisors, and urge them to vote NO on the proposed rezoning. We want smart development in Mt. Vernon that strikes the right balance for this community. This isn’t it, and we have significant concerns that this effort is being driven by personal relationships instead of the public good.