The Town Council's Resident Intellectual
George E. Lovelace has put pen to paper and come up with an instant classic in the Town newsletter:
Vienna is more than a collection of people and buildings. Rather it is a mosaic of neighborhoods. Essentially, our neighborhoods represent the building blocks and glue that define the town. Our neighborhoods comprise residents who have lived here over 50 years as well as those who have moved here recently. As I talk to residents around town, both newcomers and long-time residents, all clearly indicate that they chose Vienna as a place to live and raise their children because of its small-town character. The health of the town depends on the vitality of the neighborhoods. Neighborhood pride is demonstrated by well-maintained properties, changing home styles, families in the parks, street improvements, and a sense of safety. Maintaining this atmosphere is critical to the continued vitality of neighborhoods and ultimately the town as a whole. Citizens have assumed the responsibility to make sure it stays that way. The neighborhood watch programs, block parties, volunteers in the youth sports programs, arts and craft opportunities, support of the library, churches, schools, and service organizations demonstrate their resolve. Neighborhoods look to the town government for support in the way of events, communications, planning, infrastructure, recreation, and public safety. Citizens expect to be heard on issues that affect the neighborhoods. The tenacity of residents committed to ensuring that Vienna re- mains primarily residential is constantly demonstrated. Recently, a group of residents spoke clearly and in numbers, offering their opinions about a proposed development to be inserted into their neighborhood. The residents’ voices were heard, and the development was unanimously rejected by the Council. There are challenges. The primary challenge has been the arrival of McMansions, which provided impetus to overall change in the neighborhoods. This was the second change that I experienced, the first coming in the late 1960s to the mid-1970s when small cottages were replaced by larger two-story single-family homes; McMansions added another story. The significant factor in each change is that the residential zoning code has not changed in a meaningful way. This code is the foundation for the policy to maintain Vienna as a single-family residential community in all of our neighborhoods. The inflow of McMansions into the neighborhoods pumped up property values. For many, it proved to be a good thing. For others, particularly long-time residents who intend to remain in their homes, rising property values proved to be a burden. Some have left. Overall, the community has accepted this change as good. Our neighborhoods, although changed, have brought new families who believe in the small-town character of Vienna. They have become participating and valued citizens. As the housing stock changes, the town government faces the challenge to ensure that new houses meet the building code, particularly building height, setbacks, and lot coverage. I recently accompanied members the Town’s Planning and Zoning and Public Works staffs to observe how we ensure the Town’s building code is met. On site, physical measurements were made to verify setback, lot coverage and adherence to the lot grading plan approved by Public Works. Building height measurements are taken from engineering drawings provided by the developer. In order to assure our citizens of building height compliance, we will have to adjust our methods for verifying the height measurements. Stormwater runoff from newly constructed McMansions has had in some cases a deleterious effect on the Town’s infrastructure. We are challenged to address stormwater runoff at the construction stage. One way to approach this issue is to assess the first floor height of the property adjacent to the planned new construction as well as other houses along the street. The approved grading plan for the new house would adhere to the grade in the area. In upcoming work sessions the Town staff and the Council will determine how these issues will be best accomplished. Another challenge is improved communications with town citizens. The widespread use of the Internet might make the delivery of news, events and other areas of citizen interest more efficient over this medium. Also, infrastructure maintenance, particularly street and water and sewer maintenance, must continue to be a high priority. The future of our neighborhoods is dependent upon our ability to resist relaxing restrictions as outlined in the residential zoning code. Current residential development is now at the limit of the code. We must resist proposed changes that purport to take us to the “next level.” Pressure on residential zoning can come from several directions, for example, blighted properties. There are several areas in Vienna where properties are old but they have not fallen to the condition of being blighted. Usually, properties such as these are purchased by developers and become candidates for infill development. Another scenario might be applications from developers for townhouse/condo units in residential zones requiring a rezoning. The historic district must be protected from the pressure to change zoning categories. My goal in writing this article was to point out how valuable neighborhoods are to our town. Keeping Vienna a residential community is the vision of founding citizens and elected officials. I believe that strong, vibrant neighborhoods are the backbone of this community. I look forward to hearing from you on any matter, especially matters that will aid in the improvement of Vienna.
Got that everyone? The logic of a politician: promise everyone something while simultaneously saying absolutely nothing of substance all the while ignoring the real world. Good job George.
Comments
George is happy to have my McMansion revenue but collectively despises all of us who built one.
Posted by: vienna mommy | September 27, 2007 05:17 PM
The "UnaBoob" Manifesto. Classic.
Posted by: Thank you, George | September 27, 2007 05:43 PM
George's definition of McMansion? Any house nicer and bigger than his. Doesn't even bother to hide the class warfare and petty jealousy.
Posted by: HV | September 27, 2007 06:19 PM
"The neighborhood watch programs, block parties, volunteers in the youth sports programs, arts and craft opportunities, support of the library, churches, schools, and service organizations demonstrate their resolve."
Wasn't just last week George was calling for an end to block parties????
Posted by: McTeardown Rambler | September 27, 2007 07:59 PM
Looks like George has been smokin his daughter's MJ again!!!!
Posted by: McTeardown Rambler | September 27, 2007 08:05 PM
This is the writing of an absolute liar. Why so harsh language? The Vienna historic district protects nothing and never has. Lovelace knows this. So how and why is he going to protect a historic district, a random boundary, that does nothing to begin with? The only people in Vienna who think there is a historic district are those people who literally don't know the specifics of Maud's historic sham and assume it is legit or those ding a lings who hang out at the Freeman Store pretending they are living in Civil War days. The pretenders at the Freeman Store have that creepy granola glaze in their eyes, seemingly on the verge of singing Kumbaya at any moment. Those poor folks physically could not accept that the Vienna historic district is illegal crap. To do so, and this is not an exaggeration, would destroy their reason for living.
Posted by: HV | September 27, 2007 10:39 PM
“Building height measurements are taken from engineering drawings provided by the developer. In order to assure our citizens of building height compliance, we will have to adjust our methods for verifying the height measurements”
How does the above statement assure our citizens of building height compliance by adjusting our methods for verifying the height measurements? Obviously we do not have a standard method to determine building height in TOV. George explains that we must adjust our methods to verify the height measurements. Can anybody explain to me what George has just said?
Posted by: just the facts jack | September 27, 2007 11:41 PM
What do you mean, the Historic District protects nothing? Just look around you and you will see a district where only rich people can live. In my book that counts for something. I like living in this district. A while back, there was this family that wanted to build a house in the district on a lot that had a very old log cabin, and when this undesirable family wanted to move into the district, the Windover Heights Review Board appropriately slammed their proposal and did not left them build their house. They did the right thing, keeping low-life out of our historic district, and I would pay millions to keep this "neighborhood Protection Plan" up and running. If we didn't have this district, we would have rappers, and Latino's moving into our neighborhood, and that would be simply awful. I want to keep the lowlife and undesirables living elsewhere in Vienna, and you know where that is, I don't have to point that out.
So quit your bellyaching, MR. HV, the district is here to protect you, your family, and children and home prices from low-life type people who want to destroy our way of life, and we cannot let them into our neighborhood!
I can't wait to get appointed to some board so I can keep Vienna white and pure, just like they have been doing for the last 30-40 Years, and I fully support Maud's and Jane's efforts along these means, I mean, I Agree especially with Jane's son and his redhunter website, please, we need to keep Vienna safe from these people.
So, IMHO, the district helps us do just that. It works, and we have our relatively exclusive white neighbors, and we want to keep it that way.
We cannot afford to let it go, especially now, with so many people's home prices falling, and our schools having so much drug use, and children driving with their cellphones and using the Town Green to meet and get to know how the other half lives, if you know what I mean. Lovelace is right on key. We need to keep Vienna Family oriented as long as they know where they are supposed to live, and George, oops, I mean, Maud will be the first to tell George that!.. otherwise, why isn't George's house in the Historic District.
Posted by: The Historic District Rules!!!! | September 28, 2007 08:38 AM
Building height measurements are taken from engineering drawings provided by the developer. In order to assure our citizens of building height compliance, we will have to adjust our methods for verifying the height measurements”
I HOPE George is alluding to the "trick" that builders do (one in particular) where they build the house an extra ten feet out of the ground and then pile ten feet of dirt up to the "base" of the house.
These houses end up being 45 feet tall but since they are measured from the highest elevation in the front (or whatever), the town lets it slide by.
I understand why this is done - homeowners want walk out basements - but it makes a house entirely too tall. If your property is perfectly flat, then most likely you should not have your basement rising out of the ground. Find a property that slopes where a walk-out would work.
Posted by: vienna mommy | September 28, 2007 09:35 AM
Street improvements??? Hey, George, come take a look at my street some time. It's crumbling like a shortbread cookie.
Posted by: Pontific8tor | September 28, 2007 11:29 AM
“Building height measurements are taken from engineering drawings provided by the developer. In order to assure our citizens of building height compliance, we will have to adjust our methods for verifying the height measurements.”
Before the election George said he was going to measure all the buildings in Vienna. Has anyone seen George walking around with a ladder or tape measure? You might want to start at the condo's on locust George.
Posted by: frustrated citizen | September 30, 2007 05:04 PM
To the best of my recollection the town code said that the measurement would be from the average grade. Now I believe you have to have a permit to change the grade of a lot. You need to learn what average grade is on an existing lot. Also, the builders are hanging their hat on the 35 foot height rule when actually the law says two and a half stories not to exceed 35 feet. It does not say 35 feet. Repeat, two and half stories. There are four story buildings being built which are not over 35 feet under the "cheat system" of measurement. In one case the town required a neighbor of a tear down to share the removal of a tree on the line to the tune of 4000 dollars but they must suffer a monstrous building next to their living room window. I doubt that a tree that could be felled into an empty lot cost $8000 to remove.
Posted by: Charlie Mccarthy | September 30, 2007 06:59 PM
Mr. McCarthy:
monstrous building next to their living room window.
I guess where we know you stand.
Posted by: vienna mommy | October 1, 2007 08:28 AM