what is an historic overlay district (HOD)?

Historic Overlay Districts (HOD) are a county resource that support communities that want to protect their architecturally, culturally or historically important areas from development inconsistent with their community or area.

As the name implies, they overlay County Zoning Ordinances with design requirements for designated districts, with the result that Fairfax County is empowered to enforce design guidelines, specific to Hollin Hills, as part of the building permitting process.

Any building project affecting the exterior of a structure in an HOD that requires a building permit must have relevant design elements approved by the County before the County will issue a building permit. The Fairfax County Architectural Review Board (ARB) administers HODs, as per Fairfax County zoning requirements.

what is the value of a hollin hills HOD?

Creating a tailored Hollin Hills Historic Overlay District (HH-HOD) helps to ensure compliance with existing standards set by the original architect and maintained through the Hollin Hills Design Review Committee (DRC) through the mechanism of Fairfax County Building Permits.

The HH-HOD can assist enhancement of the architectural and historical integrity of Hollin Hills. An HH-HOD would be integrated into our community’s efforts to reach the overall goal of avoiding expensive and risky court cases, forestalling McMansion developers in our neighborhood and preventing remodeling and construction inconsistent with Midcentury Modern architecture.

With an HOD, if a homeowner goes ahead on such a building without permission, the county will issue and enforce a “Stop Work” order, something the HH Design Review Committee cannot do. This ensures continued enforcement of the architectural protections now provided by the covenants.

why can’t we rely on the existing community covenants to protect the architectural integrity of hollin hills?

Hollin Hills’ architectural covenants can be enforced only through expensive and time-consuming litigation with uncertain results. Recent litigation ended with a decision holding, among other things, that if the Civic Association did not own property in the same “section” of Hollin Hills as the disputed property, the architectural covenant could be enforced only when an individual property owner filed suit or when the CAHH owns property in the section.

Practically, this means that in the future such suits will pit neighbor against neighbor. An HOD designation remedies this. It protects not only the financial value of our homes, but also the architectural fabric of the community.

will the value of my property be adversely affected by HOD status?

An HH HOD could lead to a rise in value of the current house price per square footage. Prospective buyers of homes in unique communities like ours are generally willing spend more on the purchase price if they are confident that they are investing in a community whose unique design features will be preserved.

Hollin Hills’ listing on the National Register of Historic Places has already demonstrated the value people place on architecturally significant communities — our homes are skyrocketing in price, last only a few days on the market, and have attracted a new generation of Mid Century Modern aficionados.

As the Wall Street Journal reported recently, “mid-century modern homes are fetching top dollar” as this style of architecture has spawned a “cultish following in recent decades.”

It stands to reason that by taking additional steps, such as securing an HOD designation, we will enhance the already increasing value of our homes. This is supported by research into HODs in other states indicating that home values are sustained or increase after designation.

“In no case was there evidence that being in a local historic district reduced property values. In fact, in three of the four communities, properties within historic districts have had an annual increase in value greater than that of properties in the community,” reports a review of such districts in Connecticut.

why does hollin hills qualify for HOD status?

Because it is historically and architecturally unique. Hollin Hills is one of the few post-war, modernist, open-plan housing developments in Northern Virginia that has maintained the unique architectural integrity of the residences and the overall look of the community.

Designed by renowned architect Charles Goodman, Hollin Hills’ homes feature character-defining features that allow our structures to blend into the landscape. This has been achieved in part by siting homes in the contours and slope of the land, providing privacy for adjoining homeowners and employing flat or low-pitched roofs and windows to give our homes a transparent quality.

how do HODs work?

HODs are recognized in the County’s Zoning Ordinance as a part of zoning ordinance regulations. The County Architectural Review Board works with the local community to determine guidelines for a community HOD.

In the case of Hollin Hills, the HOD designation protects our historic and design heritage by creating a district ordinance. The HOD provides a legal mechanism for enforcement of the district ordinance that would be created for Hollin Hills.

This will be accomplished without any cost to the Civic Association of Hollin Hills or individual residents. For example, if a well-resourced developer decides to come in and start scrapping properties to build McMansions, they would be prevented from doing that by HOD/Zoning Ordinance.

is an HOD designation awarded on a house-to-house basis, or is it a community-wide designation?

The HOD designation is a community-wide designation and applies to all homes with a MCM design.

are individual homeowners required to pay any fee for the HH HOD designation?

No.

who negotiated with the Fairfax County Architectural Review Board (ARB) on what the HH HOD would look like?

Beginning in the Spring of 2019, nine members of the community, representing a variety of views concerning the merits of designating Hollin Hills as an HOD, worked as an advisory committee to the Fairfax County Department of Planning and Development, which was charged with the responsibility of examining the propriety of designating Hollin Hills as an HOD. 

During this period, the Hollin Hills residents met more than a dozen times with the County’s Planning and Development Department employees.  As part of their remit, the Hollin Hills residents advised about Hollin Hills’ history and architecture, reviewed the existing structures within the proposed HOD, reviewed the boundaries for the proposed HOD, and reviewed and commented upon the draft Guidelines for Preserving Architectural Character.

who serves on the Fairfax County Architectural Review Board?

Eleven Fairfax County residents who have a demonstrated knowledge of and interest in the preservation of historic buildings, structures and sites are appointed by the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors.

By ordinance, two members must be licensed architects, one a landscape architect, one an archaeologist, one a historian and one a lawyer. Other members must represent related professions such as archaeology, history, architectural history or real estate including the representative of the Fairfax County History Commission.

ARB members are required to attend annual statewide and regional training sessions.

what design rules will apply to new construction or renovations in hollin hills?

The Hollin Hills residents who served as the advisory committee to the County Department of Planning and Development and a number of Hollin Hills architects provided substantial input concerning the Hollin Hills Historic Overlay Design Guidelines (March 2022), which can be found here.      

The County’s Architectural Review Board (ARB) will use the Guidelines to aid in evaluating those Hollin Hills projects that require its review. 

It is important to note that the Guidelines are not regulations; rather they represent the best practices for maintaining the architectural character of the community and provide the ARB with a guide for achieving that end.  The Guidelines also provide information about items that are not subject to ARB review – for example, landscaping and maintenance of the structures within the HOD.  Information about these topics is meant to be informational only, i.e., to aid the Hollin Hills resident concerning the best practices for maintaining property in an HOD.

will there be a role for hollin hills’ design review committee (DRC)?

The DRC and the Fairfax County Architectural Review Board (ARB) are independent reviewing bodies. Hollin Hills will continue to implement its existing Design Review Guidelines through its DRC.  It will be left to Hollin Hills to determine the DRC’s role in reviewing new projects.

the design review guidelines require that neighbors receive notification of proposed renovations to a property that adjoins their property. will that requirement continue?

The Hollin Hills Design Review Guidelines will remain in effect and will continue to require neighbor notification.  The County’s ARB procedures do not, at this time, have a similar requirement.

how likely is it that the new guidelines governing architectural renovations to hollin hills will allow for the use of new building techniques and new materials?

The original Hollin Hills designs were forward-looking and thus are part of the design aesthetic of the community. We anticipate that the ARB will continue to consider this in reviewing submissions.

how does the HH HOD affect me as an individual homeowner?

Individual homeowners will benefit from the added protection their property values will gain from an HOD, which will help to maintain the architectural heritage of Hollin Hills.

is there any application fee to submit a project for review to the architectural review board?

No.

what renovations does the ARB review process cover?

ARB approval is required before a Building Permit is issued and applies primarily to larger, exterior renovations, construction or demolition. It does not apply to interior alterations. Re-roofing or re-siding of structures within an HH HOD when this re-roofing or re-siding is like what is being replaced would not be subject to ARB review.

will I be required to seek approval from the Architectural Review Board for additions or renovations to the exterior of my home?

Yes, the process is integrated into the County’s Building Permit process.  Changes to exterior of your home which require a building permit will need to be approved by the ARB in order for a Building Permit to be issued.  However, since most Hollin Hills residents make infrequent additions to their home which require a building permit, the requirement to seek ARB approval is not unduly burdensome.

how do I get ARB approval for a project?

Obtaining Architectural Review Board approval is part of the process of obtaining a building permit. With an HH HOD, building permits will be approved only for projects that have received the ARB’s approval.

The ARB meets once a month, and all plans to be considered must be available for ARB member review at least 2 weeks prior to the monthly meeting. The ARB’s meetings are open to the public and all votes concerning a project occur during the public meeting.

After the ARB approves a plan, the plans are reviewed and approved by the County Building Department.

how much time will the process typically take?

The time frame for ARB approval depends upon the complexity of the project, clarity of the project information presented to the ARB and the potential impact of the project on the historic properties in the HOD. Some projects can be reviewed and approved at one meeting with the ARB; other projects may take two or three meetings.

Securing ARB approval for a proposed addition or renovation is estimated to require an additional month, dependent upon homeowner/architect planning and the timing of the application submission in relation to the monthly ARB monthly meeting schedule.

is there any way I can expedite the process?

Yes. Set up a preliminary workshop with the ARB when your project is in the planning stage and come prepared. Make sure that you and your architect are familiar with the HOD guidelines and bring architectural drawings that demonstrate the architectural intent but not necessarily the detailed construction documents required for submission for building permits.

Adding the ARB workshop process and meeting schedule to your design timeline can save time as well.

what is an ARB workshop?

A workshop session provides the opportunity to discuss your plan with experts and understand and integrate HOD requirements into your plan from the beginning. Scheduled during regular ARB meetings, workshops can be a preliminary exploration of your proposed design or a review the final design itself.

Property owners and their architects should bring, at minimum: 1) drawings that show architectural intent, 2) location of the project on the property and 3) initial drawings for floor plans and exterior views.

The expertise and free consultation from the ARB is a real benefit. Since the Hollin Hills HOD will be designed to protect MCM principles and the architectural integrity of the community fabric, an early workshop can make sure that your project expresses those common goals and avoid additional cost and time if a final design is inconsistent with MCM values.

Since the ARB requirements are consistent with the normal permitting process, this can also save time in terms of gaining a building permit for your project.

what if I disagree with the ARB’s decision with respect to a renovation?

The ARB meets with the homeowner and the architect to develop a design that is mutually acceptable. This is a collaborative process that considers the homeowner’s needs and how they can fit into the design aesthetic that the HOD is designed to protect.

It is an effective process; there has not been an appeal of an ARB decision in more than 15 years. If a homeowner is unhappy with a decision, they may appeal directly to the Board of Supervisors.

will HOD status impact changes that I make to the interior of my home?

No.

will I be required to tear down or modify any renovations to my house made prior to the adoption of an HH HOD?

No.

will I be required to use certain builders or other contractors?

No.

if hollin hills is designated as an HOD, will my property taxes be increased?

Property taxes are not increased because a structure or a community has been designated as an HOD.

resources

further reading

Historic Redistricting Does Not Have a Negative Effect on Property Values (2016). Annotated bibliography compiled by the Nashville Metro Historic Zoning Commission.

Mabry, J. (2007) Benefits of Residential Historic District Designation for Property Owners. (White paper). Department of Urban Planning and Design City of Tucson.

Morton, Elizabeth. 2000. Historic Districts are Good for Your Pocketbook: The Impact of Local Historic Districts on House Prices in South Carolina. Columbia, SC: South Carolina Dept. of Archives & History. 13 pages.

Todd, Jonathan H. “How Historical Designations Affect Property Values”. Urban Land: The Magazine of the Urban Land Institute (online). December 15, 2014: 1-5.

Gamerman, Amy. (January 18, 2018) Popular Midcentury Modern Homes Are Fetching Top Dollar. Wall Street Journal.