Commission hears work‑session on Shadow Walk RPA special exception; public hearing set for Feb. 19

Falls Church planning staff and a stormwater engineer described a homeowner’s request on Feb. 5 for a special exception to build a screened porch that would encroach into the seaward 50‑foot portion of the city's Resource Protection Area (RPA). Commissioners converted the item from an action item to a work session because statutorily required public‑notice advertising had not yet completed.

Why it matters: RPAs are regulated to protect stream buffers, water quality and the Chesapeake Bay watershed. Any development that encroaches into the RPA’s seaward 50 feet requires a planning commission review and a water‑quality assessment under the city code; the commission must evaluate strict criteria before granting an exception.

Key points from staff and the applicant - Bahailu Kafayu, a stormwater engineer with Falls Church public works, summarized local code and review criteria, citing the city's RPA rules and the need for a Water Quality Impact Assessment (WQIA). He said the lot is about 0.34 acre and that roughly 95% of the parcel lies within the RPA, with a small portion of the proposed 300‑square‑foot screened porch falling within the seaward 50‑foot buffer. Kafayu said staff’s first review flagged mismatches in tree narrative and tables; the applicant corrected those by confirming no tree removals and by proposing additional understory trees, shrubs and groundcover. - Property owner and applicant Michelle Killingsworth (appearing in person) told commissioners the addition will add about 300 square feet of new impervious surface and that she plans to plant four trees and six large shrubs; she said the yard is already heavily vegetated and the proposed plantings will improve water quality at the site compared with the regulatory worst‑case assumptions. - Staff said a WQIA was approved on a December resubmission and that because the required newspaper advertisement schedule for a special‑exception public hearing requires three consecutive weeks, the matter will return for a Feb. 19 public hearing after the city completes notices and mailings to owners within 50 feet.

Commissioner questions and staff responses - Commissioners asked about stormwater‑quality mitigation options such as rain gardens, biofiltration or planter boxes; staff said because the project’s calculated land disturbance is below the 2,500‑square‑foot threshold that triggers formal stormwater management facilities, a traditional stormwater facility is not required. Staff said the applicant is offering additional plantings that meet the Virginia DEQ offset approach and that the planting plan serves as the mitigation strategy for the approved WQIA. - Commissioners asked about the public‑notice and advertising steps; staff confirmed the city ran newspaper ads as required and will mail property‑owner notices within the 50‑foot radius ahead of Feb. 19.

Next steps - Planning staff will schedule the item for the planning commission public hearing on Feb. 19, 2025; neighbors will receive mailed notice and the required newspaper ads will complete the statutory advertising requirement. The commission will take formal action at that hearing.