Vienna Town Council members were intrigued Dec. 14 by two developersâ proposals to build âcottage housingâ or small duplexes near the Maple Avenue commercial corridor, but said they want to wait until the town completes its zoning-code rewrite next year before making any decisions.
Cottage housing, a collection of small houses clustered around a common area, have been around since at least the 19th century and recently have been popularized in the Pacific Northwest, said Deputy Planning and Zoning Director Michael DâOrazio.
These units typically have smaller footprints than most single-family housing, first-floor master bedrooms and recessed second stories, where another one or two smaller bedrooms are located, he said. Parking provided for such units tends to be a bit less than is typical and connected to the units via walkways.
The decision came three weeks later than planned, but the outcome perhaps was inevitable.
Vienna Town Council members on Dec. 7 voted unanimously to demolish a house, detached garage and outbuildings at 124 Courthouse Road, S.W., which previously had been owned by the late Vienna Mayor Charles Robinson Jr. and his late wife, former Council member Maud Robinson.
The Council approved a $28,000 contract with Tysons Service Corp. to perform the work. The price includes a $2,595 contingency allowance to cover unexpected costs.
The overall figure is an estimate and if the price exceeds $30,000, town officials will have to come back to the Town Council for further approval, said Vienna Parks and Recreation Director Leslie Herman.
Vienna officials OK trio of new residential developments insidenova.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from insidenova.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.