Preserve Fairfax

The site you are on is run by volunteers.  We do our best to post new and relevant information when we get it, but we don’t always get it right away. Official project updates from the town and developer (including the most recent maps) are kept on the Town of Fairfax Planning and Building Department website located here: https://www.fairfaxbuildingplanning.org

To receive the ‘official’ updates from the Town of Fairfax, sign up for their email list here: https://www.fairfaxbuildingplanning.org/updates.html

Thanks!

The Town of Fairfax has deemed the Marinda Heights proposal as ‘complete’.  What does this mean?  It means that the application has all of the necessary ingredients to move forward for evaluation, specifically on to an Environmental Impact Review (EIR).  It DOES NOT constitute an approval or denial of the application.

The town will issue a RFP to solicit environmental firms to conduct the EIR.  During or after the EIR, additional information will be requested and residents will be able to provide feedback before the project progresses to the next step.

Read the official letter here: https://www.fairfaxbuildingplanning.org/uploads/1/7/2/9/17296328/project_status_letter__w_attchmt_122918.pdf 

Update:  Ben Berto has recommended that Rothman not attend tonight’s meeting, so Rothman has instead supplied a letter with his input to the commissioners.  The topic will still be discussed, so please feel free to attend and voice your opinion on the subject!

Apologies for the short notice, but I received word that there will be a discussion of zoning guidelines for square footage at tonight’s Town Council meeting (Wed, May 2 – info at bottom of this message), and that Marshal Rothman (developer) will be there to discuss.  Please feel free to attend if you can!

From Marshal Rothman:

A heads up : I will be attending the Town Council Meeting on Wed. to speak on the proposal concerning adjusting the maximum square footage allowed by Zoning . I intend to point out that the current maximum is reasonable but also there are in place provisions to reduce it on steep building sites . I  will be mentioning that it was my ability to support my partners requested larger house sizes (still below current maximum ) that was instrumental in an agreement to reduce the number of proposed lots from 10 to 9 thereby reducing impact on immediate neighbors . I will also point out that the Marinda Oaks neighborhood has approximately 16,000 square feet per acre of building coverage while my property is already limited to 500 square feet per acre of coverage . This is important for the council in determining the stated goal for any change and findings that the change will accomplish that goal, such stated goal and findings being required by Due Process . 

It is unlikely that any such change could be in place before my application is deemed complete or that it could be applied anyway since it would then be arguably focused to limit one property which runs afoul of “Equal Teatment Under the Law” . My concern is more in dealing with future projects and making sure that there is sufficient latuitude to accomodate changes such as the one we made. This is more important than an arbitrary cap when 500 square feet one way or another is more a psycological salve rather than a significant physical difference.

I thought also you might like to hear the promised change monumented in a public hearing.
Marshal

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Meeting info from http://www.town-of-fairfax.org:

May 2: 
Town Council Meeting, 7pm
Where: Women’s Club, 46 Park Road (map)
Description: Regular Meeting
Agenda and Packet

Here is the town’s official response (27 pages) to the recent application for “Marinda Heights” from the developer.  In this letter, Director of Building & Planning Services Ben Berto details the items that the developer must address in the next application.

If a future application is deemed ‘complete’, then the formal review process begins.  This will involve an environmental review which typically can take up to 1 year, and also a series of public feedback sessions organized by the town to discuss any issues.

Nothing has been decided yet, the formal process has not yet even begun, and many things will be negotiated before it even comes to a decision, if ever.  There is a lot of information to digest in this letter, but if you take the time to read it, you will understand the Town’s position and what they are keeping an eye on.

LINK TO DOCUMENT:

https://www.fairfaxbuildingplanning.org/uploads/1/7/2/9/17296328/project_status_letter_w_attachments_032318.pdf 

Stay informed and make your voice heard.  You can sign up for updates at the building and planning website.

Heads up – proposal review on March 22:
Special Fairfax Open Space Committee Meeting, 7pm
Where: Women’s Club, 46 Park Road (map)
Description: Topic: Wall property/Marinda Heights development proposal review regarding the Open Space components.

The Town has created a site for all Wall-Property-related updates.  To receive email updates in your inbox, visit https://www.fairfaxbuildingplanning.org/updates.html to sign up.

There will be a letter coming out next week from Director of Planning & Building Services Ben Berto that provides the Town’s commentary on the recently submitted proposal.  By signing up at the link above, you will receive this letter upon release.