Numerous McLean homeowners and civic associations have opposed a special exception to build an assisted living facility at the corner of Kirby Road and Westmoreland Street. The Planning Commission has scheduled a public hearing on the proposal for Thursday, July 28. Photo by Ken Moore.
The Planning Commission has deferred Sunrise’s proposed application to build an assisted living facility at the corner of Kirby and Westmoreland in McLean this September.
About 40 residents who attended the McLean Citizens Association meeting on Wednesday, July 8, applauded when the board voted unanimously to oppose Sunrise’s proposed assisted living facility.
“In 15 years, I’ve never seen so much opposition in any case,” said Mark Zetts, chairman of MCA’s planning and zoning committee. “We’ve been inundated with emails.”
Sunrise’s corporate headquarters are in McLean, and the company operates more than 300 Sunrise Senior Living communities in the U.S., Canada and United Kingdom, according to its website.
The facility would have a maximum of 73 units and 90 beds, according to MCA documents, in a 40,309-square-foot building. Approximately 90 employees would work at the facility, although a maximum of 25 employees would be on the site at any time, according to the documents.
“In the 102-year history of the McLean Citizens Association, few issues have driven neighborhood anger like the proposed location of the 90-bed Sunrise Assisted Living facility at the corner of Kirby and Westmoreland roads in McLean. After studying the proposal for almost two years, MCA voted to oppose the multiple zoning adjustments that Sunrise needs to build on this lot,” said MCA president Jeff Barnett.
Sunrise Development Inc. seeks a Medical Care Facility Special Exception permit to construct and operate an assisted living facility at 1988 Kirby Road, at the intersection of Kirby Road and Westmoreland Street.
Homeowners associations, including L’Ambiance of McLean, Mayfair of McLean, Autumn Chase, Foxhall Road, and civic associations El Nido, Marlborough-Nantucket and Franklin Area Civic Association all oppose the application, according to MCA draft documents.
“Given the mass it represents, we believe it should be on a full five-acre site,” said Zetts.
The Planning Commission was scheduled to hear public feedback on the application on July 28.