To the Editor:
Reference: Special permit application for a riding stables business at 815 Blacks Hill Road.
We are property owners who have experienced significant disruption by Blacks Hill Stables, LLC in our neighborhood for several years, who would be most directly impacted by the special permit, if approved. To date, opposing neighbors have not been interviewed and we note increasing misinformation being publicly reported. We would like to share at least some of our side of the story.
Section 10-303 of the Fairfax County Zoning Ordinance states: "Home Occupations NOT Permitted 6.) Riding or boarding stables or kennels."
Despite the zoning law, the stables business was built in 2009, and operated until cited for its violation in June 2012, with no outreach to neighbors, apparently oblivious to the adverse impact it was having on so many residents. In May 2012, neighbors finally felt they had no option but to report the violation by the expanding business. It currently operates out the residential property with lessons held offsite.
Why did neighbors file a zoning violation complaint, and why are neighbors opposed to the special permit application now the county process is being followed?
There are residential properties in Great Falls that might be suitable locations for a riding stables business, but 815 Blacks Hill Road is not one of them.
The riding stable is located in the heart of our residential neighborhood and there is no public access to the business. Stables traffic travels half a mile each way over a private, single-lane, dirt and gravel, dead-end, shared driveway that is jointly maintained for residential use only, causing great disturbance to neighbors who live along the way, impeding ingress and egress, and creating safety and liability issues. A riding stable that primarily operates evenings and weekends is inappropriate in the middle of a residential neighborhood.
Our opposition is unrelated to horses. We chose to live in an equestrian residential neighborhood and we like our horse neighbors. Our Blacks Hill neighborhood is a private, secluded, low-density (ten residences) bucolic slice of life. We have an abundance of wildlife, and our shared driveway is used as a peaceful nature trail for jogging and walking. This was the quiet, country neighborhood character that informed our property purchase decisions. It changed in 2009.
We deal with large dust clouds from more frequent and heavier traffic, flying gravel, never ending potholes, tire tracks on lawns, impeded ingress and egress, noise (trailers on gravel sound like freight trains, unwelcome on weekend mornings), speeding, near misses (cars, people, pets) and knocked over bins and "children, go slow" signs. Residents whose gardens back up to Blacks Hill Road were forced to put up fences for safety. The neighborhood entrance is especially narrow. Of public safety concern is emergency vehicle access and even more people and animals needing to evacuate the neighborhood. In 2004, the fire department had difficulty accessing a barn fire with their trucks and water tank systems (no fire hydrants) and tragically 26 animals and birds died.
There are no easy solutions to the changed and increased road use. Paving could exacerbate flooding that our downhill properties experience, dust control chemicals can harm well water, wildlife, pets, and cars. At the height of business activities, the applicants did not acknowledge their disproportionate and changed use of the shared driveway, and do not view reaching a neighbor road management agreement as related to their special permit application.
Despite verbal presentations at the GFCA March 10 meeting, the written application on file, dated January 2013 proposes year round lessons, Monday to Sunday, from 8 a.m. to 7:30 p.m., with up to 12 students per day who would carpool. The county informed the applicants this was too much.
The applicants have stated they have made concessions and will reduce lesson to five (unspecified) days per week, ending at 7 p.m., similar to daycare. Daycare has a different business footprint and is typically operated during business hours on week days. Blacks Hill Stables, in addition to summer camp, currently operates after school, evenings and weekends, when residents are home, expecting to enjoy their private residences in peace and quiet. Daycare, for as many as 12 children in a residential neighborhood, also requires a special permit.
Our single-lane, unpaved shared driveway is adequate for low density residential use, but fell apart with the business use. It was Grand Central Station some weekends, with vehicles every few minutes! It is unclear what portion of increased traffic that remains today is by right and what portion is related to stables business, but the driveway is not adequately designed or maintained for increased and changed use. Those of us who reside at the beginning of the road, bear the greatest burden of it.
As for what is currently proposed, the applicants listed how much traffic they could put on our shared driveway that would be their right under zoning law. In our opinion, given the nature of our road and neighborhood, what technically may be "by right" is not necessarily the reasonable thing to do.
We need to alleviate, not exacerbate the situation.
The Molsters have prepared a full court press, reaching out to the media and the greater equestrian community asking them to write letters, sign petitions, and speak at meetings to "Save Our Barn." But these, no doubt, well-meaning people do not live here, and based on public comments, are unfamiliar with what has transpired over the years. Meantime, equestrian activists and stables supporters tug at public heartstrings with stories about the benefits and need for riding lessons for children.
And, we neighbors who have lived with discourtesy and disruption in our neighborhood since 2009, including an endless zoning violation appeal and special permit process, are depicted as mean people who want to keep the stables shut down.
We ask you to please consider how you would feel if this were taking place in your residential neighborhood.
Sara Downs
Great Falls
(On behalf of Falls Manors and Blacks Hill Road residents directly impacted by the path of the business traffic and activities.)