The Fairfax County homeowner adding a massive addition to his Greenbriar home has submitted an appeal to continue work on the project. The three-story addition has been criticized by neighbors and garnered national media attention.
Homeowner Minh Nguyen told ABC7 that he was building the addition to house his three-generational family.
Neighbor Courtney Leonard said the structure blocked her sunlight and view of the street. She also fears the addition will affect her property value and ability to eventually sell her home.
Leonard contacted Fairfax County, and officials found that the structure violated setback requirements. It sits about half a foot too close to Leonard’s property. Construction was then halted.
According to The Washington Business Journal, Nguyen submitted a request for administrative approval to continue construction. It was denied in December. He has now filed a zoning appeal with Fairfax County, asking the county to lift the stop work order.
The zoning appeal notes that the homeowner obtained a building permit in August for the addition. The plans were prepared by licensed officials and approved, and the construction “commenced strictly in accordance with the approved plans.”
The contractor working on the project, Norman Soto, submitted a letter attached to the zoning appeal. He said that relocating the right side of the wall would be “extremely difficult and costly.”
“If the structure were required to move in by 6 inches to 1 foot, it would necessitate dismantling key load-bearing elements, impacting the foundation. … This extensive work would not only escalate costs by tens of thousands but also introduce safety risks and structure integrity during demolition and reconstruction,” Soto said.
Feature image courtesy Courtney Leonard
