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> DESIGN REVIEW
> DRB APPLICATION
Application
and Review Procedures
The
following is a general summary of the Design
Review Application(PDF)
and review procedures of the Design Review Board. For
more specific information and clarification of current
policies, contact RA staff.
What must
be reviewed and approved?
The key word to remember is change. If you are planning an
exterior change to your property, that change may need to
be reviewed and approved. Maintaining or refurbishing an already-approved
exterior feature does not need review or approval as long
as it retains its original DRB-approved design. You may want
to contact RA staff to verify that the item(s) have been approved.
Does every
change to property require a formal application?
Not necessarily. While changes must conform to the Design
Guidelines, or cluster standards, some changes can be made
without an application.
How can
you know whether you need to submit an application? The best
way to get started is to contact the Reston Association Covenants
Administration office at 703-435-6530. The RA Covenants Counselors
will assist by:
- Sending
you the guidelines or cluster standards that relate to your
project
- Advising
you about the information you will need to provide with
your application
- Explaining
how the review process works and what level of review and
application will be necessary
- Giving
you an estimate of how long the review process might take
for your project.
What will
the individual Design Guidelines tell you?
The guidelines are the best source of specific information
related to your project. Each guideline states its objective/goal,
gives the criteria for each type of review and explains whether
neighbor's signatures will be required. The guideline also
lists specific materials and information that must be included
with an application.
What should
be included in your Design Review
Application(PDF)?
- An
application usually includes:
- A detailed
written description of the proposed exterior modification
or addition
- Scale
drawings
- A site
plan showing size and location of project
- Photographs
of the existing condition
- A brochure,
detail sheet or catalog photo of materials.
In addition,
some levels of review require the signatures of neighbors
as proof of notification about your project.
Where
do you send your Design Review
Application(PDF)?
Bring or mail to the Reston Association any necessary
applications and related materials. RA's address is:
1930 Isaac Newton Square, Reston, VA 20190-5093.
An RA
Covenants Counselor will contact you if additional information
is needed. RA staff and DRB members may visit and possibly
photograph your property for reference. Your signature on
the application form gives permission for them to do so.
Who is
responsible for having your project reviewed and approved?
You are. The RA staff and the DRB are certainly willing to
work with your contractor. And your contractor may be able
to share his/her knowledge of the design review process with
you. However, you are ultimately responsible for ensuring
that your property complies with the covenants and guidelines.
What are
the types of review and how will you know which applies to
your project?
The individual guidelines list the available review options,
which are described below. Staff will help you decide which
option describes your project. Please call Covenants Administration
at 703-435-6530 for assistance.
No application
required
In general terms, an application is not required if:
1) You
are rebuilding an already DRB-approved project without making
any changes
2) The item is not subject to design review, or
3) A No-Application guideline identifies the design solution
you are using.
- Staff
review
Staff may review your application if you follow the specific
guideline that allows this option. You must submit an application;
in some cases neighbors' signatures may be required. Staff
may want to visit your property, and usually your application
can be reviewed in one to two days.
- Staff
review with DRB member consultation
Applications for which there is no registered Affected Party
and for which the Design Guidelines do not require review
by a DRB Panel, may be reviewed by RA staff in consultation
with a DRB member. You must submit an application including
neighbors' signatures. Such applications are generally reviewed
weekly, and the decision will be available within a few
days following the consultation.
- Review
by a panel of the DRB
All appeals, applications for which there is a registered
Affected Party, and applications for which the Design Guidelines
require review by the DRB, must be scheduled for a DRB Panel
meeting. You must submit an application including neighbors'
signatures. A panel of the DRB generally meets every Tuesday
evening. Applications must be submitted by 5:00 pm on Tuesday
of the week preceding the meeting date. Decisions are usually
mailed out one week after the meeting. Applicants or Affected
Parties who wish to attend the meeting and present, or comment
on, an application must contact RA staff to arrange a specific
time to meet with the DRB.
- Review
by the full Design Review Board
In most cases, an applicant cannot request review by the
full DRB. Such review is generally held only at the request
of DRB members themselves.
When will
your application be reviewed?
Applications reviewed by RA staff are generally reviewed upon
receipt of the application. The applicant will be notified
of the decision via mail within a day or two of receipt of
the application.
Applications
reviewed by staff in consultation with one DRB member and
applications reviewed by a DRB Panel are reviewed once per
week, generally on Tuesdays. RA needs to receive your materials
by 5:00 pm on Tuesday to have your application ready for review
on the following Tuesday. Applicants are usually notified
of a decision two days after the meeting for consultation
decisions, and one week after the meeting for panel decisions.
Timing
All applications must include estimated completion dates.
The DRB may consider a phased construction plan but the duration
of the construction should be reasonable for the project.
Neighbor
notification
Neighboring property owners, including cluster associations
and the Reston Association, may be affected by additions or
alterations to your property. As a means of communication
about your proposal, you may be required to notify at least
three nearest-reasonably-available neighbors of your plans
and have them acknowledge your notification by signing the
application form. For certain types of applications, wider
notification will be required. In cluster housing, the cluster
association is considered one of the neighbors whom you must
inform. RA staff can assist with identifying the most affected
neighbors and providing their addresses. The neighbors' acknowledgment
is neither an approval or disapproval of your application.
Affected
Parties
An Affected Party is any owner of property subject to the
Reston Deed whose property is materially affected by the application
and whose request for Affected Party status has not been denied
by the DRB. Affected Parties can present information related
to an application during a DRB Panel meeting. Affected Parties
are also notified about DRB decisions and other actions related
to the application, and about applicant appeals of DRB decisions.
Affected Parties may also file appeals of DRB decisions.
To register
as an Affected Party, contact the DRB Secretary or a Covenants
Counselor at RA and submit a written statement of your concerns.
If you have been asked to sign a neighbor's DRB application
form, you must register within five days of receiving the
application.
Your signature
on the application form only indicates that you have been
made aware of the proposal. It is not an approval or a disapproval
of the application, nor does your signature alone serve to
register you as an Affected Party.
Appeals
Either the applicant or a registered Affected Party may appeal
a panel decision to another DRB Panel that consists of at
least two DRB members who did not hear the original decision.
The DRB will hear only one appeal of a decision.
For a
consultation decision, the applicant may elect to have the
decision reheard by a DRB Panel or may appeal the decision.
Applicants'
appeals must be received by the DRB Secretary within fifteen
days after notice of a decision has been mailed.
Affected
Parties' appeals must be received by the DRB Secretary within
seven days after notice of a decision has been mailed.
Requests
for appeals must be submitted to the DRB Secretary in writing.
The Secretary will schedule the appeal to the next DRB Panel
qualified to hear the appeal and will include the appeal in
the published agenda.
DRB decisions
may be overturned on appeal for either or both of two reasons:
- If
the original reviewer(s) misapplied specific guidelines
or DRB-approved cluster standards
- If
there is new and/or additional design information that was
not available to the original reviewer(s).
In most
cases, the appeal decision becomes the final decision, though
there are special circumstances when a decision may be heard
by the full Design Review Board.
If you
wish to appeal a decision, call RA Covenants Administration
at 703-435-6530 for assistance.
Virginia
property
Commonwealth of Virginia rights-of-way are not subject to
the Reston covenants.
Reston
Association open space
RA owns and cares for about 1,100 acres of open space within
the Reston development. This space provides natural buffers
among the residential areas and is habitat for a great variety
of wildlife. The boundaries of RA open space are marked with
simple concrete posts with a lower case blue "r"
painted on them. Because it is maintained in a natural state,
residents are reminded not to encroach upon this land by construction,
mowing, depositing lawn or landscaping trimmings or storing
personal property on the space.
Shoreline
stabilization
Because properties border the lakes owned and maintained by
RA, guidelines have been published to encourage shoreline
stabilization that protects and enhances the natural appearance
of the lake shore, and minimizes any disturbance to the shoreline
environment and the ecology of the lakes. These guidelines
are referenced in several Design Guidelines and are available
from RA staff in either the Covenants Administration or Parks
and Recreation department.
County
approvals
Fairfax County administers structural codes, zoning, types
of property use and regulations related to health and safety
issues. The county also issues permits, inspects construction
and holds bonds. The DRB only reviews architectural design
considerations and the possible effects on adjacent properties
and the neighborhood.
Some projects
require county review and permits in addition to DRB approval.
You should contact Fairfax County before beginning any work
to verify what permits are required. Note: RA recommends contacting
Fairfax County directly as the most reliable source of information
regarding building permits and related regulations.
Easements
Plans for proposed changes to properties should also accommodate
any easements on the property. The Reston Developer has the
right of easement for the underground installation, replacement
and maintenance of utilities, supply and transmission lines
and drainage facilities, including ingress and egress for
such purposes.
Provided
no other reasonable access is available, RA has the right
of easement for ingress and egress for the repair and maintenance
of the common area and for enforcement of the provisions of
the Reston Deed of Dedication. RA must give timely notification
to the owner before entering the property, except in an emergency.
Reston
Association is not responsible for identifying any easement
held by other agencies or organizations (such as utility companies)
or any restrictions placed upon those easements. Property
owners should consult the property deed and site plan for
easements which might affect a planned addition or alteration.
Design
Review Application (PDF)
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