The rezoning request of Clifton residents Marie and Michael Ricciardi is moving right along. It got a green light during the Aug. 19 meeting of the West Fairfax County Citizens Association (WFCCA) Land-Use Committee.
The Ricciardis hope to build eight, single-family, detached homes on the west side of Old Clifton Road, south of its intersection with Clifton Road. But doing so first requires a rezoning from the county.
Since VDOT and the county are improving Clifton and Old Clifton roads, they both want quite a bit of the couple's property frontage for a stormwater-management pond. So if the Ricciardis can obtain a rezoning to R-3 cluster [homes clustered together], they may then dedicate the needed land to the county, without the county having to pay them for it.
Actually, their request is in keeping with Fairfax County's Comprehensive Plan which recommends two to three homes per acre in this area. The Ricciardis propose a density of 2.54 homes per acre.
The houses will have public sewer and water, plus two-car garages, and lots will range from 8,500 to about 15,000 square feet. The Ricciardis plan to preserve as many trees as possible and will build one of the houses for their own residence. Following the WFCCA's approval, last week, the matter will go before the Planning Commission on Sept. 10.
"The applicants worked with county staff on stormwater management to reduce the [amount of] runoff from the site so, environmentally, it's a good thing," said WFCCA Chairman Jim Katcham. "And they agreed to include blasting proffers, surveying area homes before and after any blasting and specifying hours during which blasting could be done."
<tgl> — Bonnie Hobbs