Clifton Construction Sides-Steps Zoning

CLIFTON, Va. (WUSA) -- Truckloads of mud are brought in to level out the front yard of a newly constructed, huge, brick home in Clifton. But nothing is being done about the huge pool of muddy water that pushes up against Chapel Road.

Neighbor Buddy Morrissette says the water pit has been there for more than a year.

"When we get heavy rains, the water goes across the road and there's only a single lane to get through," says Morrissette.

He and other neighbors say the muddy water is an eyesore and a mosquito trap, but that's not what they're most concerned about.

They wonder how the property owners were able to build a second home on their single-home lot. Morrissette says, "It's not legal in my view. Somebody didn't do their job."

The property owners are Hoa Tran and David Hoang. They have not subdivided their lot, but won approval to build the second home. Tran told wusa9.com that they are not planning to demolish their first home, but keep it in tact and use it.

The plan seems to go against zoning laws in the highly-restricted Occoquan Watershed.

The Occoquan Reservoir provides drinking water for about half of Northern Virginia. To protect the water supply, in 1984, a new zoning ordinance went into effect allowing only one home per five acres in the watershed, which is 43-thousand acres surrounding the Occoquan.

Springfield Supervisor Pat Herrity says, "What you don't want to have happen is an illegal subdivision of a lot. "

Herrity says the county approved the plan allowing the old house to be used as servant's quarters. "They're going to have to provide documentation that it's being used by servants. If they don't, they won't get their residential permit and they won't be able to occupy the home."

Homeowner Hoa Tran said she does intend to have servants live in her old home. Still, the fact Fairfax County allowed two homes on one lot in the Watershed upsets Occoquan Watershed vice president Jim Chesley.

"I think it should be torn down. It's ludicrous to think it's going to be used as servants quarter." says Chesley.
He hopes it doesn't set a precedent and weaken the zoning laws.

Supervisor Herrity says he plans to look into the ordinance that can allow the building of a servant's quarters on one lot.