Reston staff seeks smoother handoff with Fairfax County Architectural Review Board for Lake Anne historic overlay properties

Reston Association staff told the Design Review Board on April 15 they are developing an informal navigation guide to help applicants and staff coordinate review for properties subject to Fairfax County’s historic overlay at Lake Anne.

Staff said the county’s Architectural Review Board (ARB) and the Reston DRB serve different roles and that applicants have been confused when larger projects must obtain approvals from both bodies. The proposed approach is to encourage applicants to present to the DRB in a work session first (where DRB’s aesthetic and design comments can be collected) and then provide a compiled summary to the ARB if the county process requires ARB review. Staff said the process is informal only because the two boards are separate legal entities and a joint formal meeting is not currently permitted.

Staff noted the ARB includes required professional qualifications (architecture, archaeology and related fields) that DRB members do not necessarily have, and that a pre-review by the DRB could reduce back-and-forth by giving applicants consolidated feedback before they file permit-level documents with Fairfax County. Staff is preparing a document that summarizes both boards’ comments so either board would be able to see the other’s discussion when evaluating a permit or design application.

Staff said the guide will be targeted at applicants for larger projects affecting properties in the Lake Anne overlay area, citing recent local discussions around potential redevelopment and other larger projects that will likely trigger joint oversight. Staff asked DRB members to provide input on what they would find most helpful in the guide.

Board members and staff also discussed the need for clear association approvals for limited common elements before DRB review, and staff reminded members that ARB review is triggered by county permitting requirements.