Dear County Board Members, June, 15, 2016

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1 Tammy Bagnato Odyssey Condominium Association President Dear County Board Members, June, 15, 2016 I am writing you today as one of many county residents who own a home at the Odyssey Condominium ( th St. N, Arlington, VA 22201), and as the President of the Condominium Association. I want to thank all of you for meeting with us recently regarding the project located at 2000 Clarendon Blvd., Arlington, VA, which is located in front of the Odyssey. This past Monday night the Planning Commission voted to recommend this project for approval, both for zoning and site plan. The Odyssey Condominium Owners are asking that you defer approving this project until the modifications stated below can be made, creating a better project for everyone. You may recall that the Odyssey s configuration is unusual in that the front of the building faces the back and side of the 2000 Clarendon site. Our centerpiece drive circle and the living areas of owners (most with floor-to-ceiling glass) all face this site. We do not have the normal side-byside arrangement with 2000 Clarendon as many other buildings do. Over one-third of Odyssey owners will be directly impacted by this project and voiced concerns throughout the SPRC process to the committee and Planning Commission members, as well as Staff. Owners would like to see an additional 10 of buffer created between the Odyssey and the tower portion of the building, rear balconies moved to the front, and green space added to the site where the 10 buffer is created. This can be achieved by either reducing density, or moving the entire tower portion to the west (see attached diagram). Regarding density, this building is massive in proportion to the size of the lot itself (18,380 sf). If approved with the proposed 5.8 FAR, the density will exceed the maximum allowed, and requires that an exception be made to the minimum lot size requirement of 30,000 feet for C-O zoning. As is, the tower portion of the building will offer only ~ 40 distance between the two buildings, and approximately 35 from the closest balcony and our corner owners units. To help achieve a 5.8 FAR, bonus density is being offered for LEED features and affordable housing units (up to 25%). Note that for many projects, LEED features are a selling point for builders/developers, and bonus density may not be necessary. The Odyssey has been told that bonuses cannot be (or are not) denied, and that not granting a recommendation for approval might infringe on the rights of the Owner. Our understanding is that the rights are comprised of the current zoning, and that a Site Plan is a request for modification of those rights up to a maximum. If density if not reduced, Owners would like to see the entire building moved 10 to the west, up to the property line of 2000 Clarendon. This property line borders the pocket park, and moving the building would allow for green space to be added to the east of the building. This change would require a building code modification for the allowed percentage of window coverage on the west side of the building. Currently the builder can have up to 45% window coverage on that side of the building. Moving the building to the property line would reduce that coverage to 25%. While this percentage is dictated by a state building/fire code, I ve been told by an established Arlington architect that keeping 45% via a modification can be done as long it can be demonstrated that a particular situation provides an equal or greater level of protection than the "intent" of the code. The pocket park buffer likely fits this particular situation.

2 Efforts to speak to the owner of the pocket park were intercepted by the developer recently, so we do not know if the owner of that park would be willing to consider releasing the park to either be moved the to the East side of the building, creating a continuous flow with the Odyssey s green space, or provide the added buffer for window coverage per the fire/building code. Owners understand that the GLUP is being used as a guiding consideration for the developer s request. We have been told that part of the justification for granting a recommendation to approve 2000 Clarendon s zoning request is the Odyssey s zoning itself. However, there are differences between the two that may not have been highlighted, including the size of the Odyssey s lot (1.66 acres -- 72,531 sf), the FAR for the Odyssey (at 4.4, if I m reading the documents correctly), the requirement for green space per site plan, and 21 affordable units, totaling about 7.7% of the Odyssey s total units (273). In comparison, 2000 Clarendon does not have any green space, has about a 4.4% affordable housing ratio and sits on a lot that is 18,380 sf total. From the beginning, this project has felt predetermined for approval. The Odyssey appreciated having a seat at the table at the SPRC meetings, and did make earnest attempts to seek modifications from the developer in advance (such as tinted windows, balconies moved to the front of the building, adding more space between buildings, and including green space), however, the Odyssey was repeatedly told no. We realize that as a Board member, you have to balance many interests. Owners also balance many interests. They have had to accept the reality that a new project will affect the value of their homes, their privacy, their sunlight, and the added cost associated with maintaining more traffic in the public park that is maintained by the Odyssey. Owners were told early on in the SPRC process that these are not concerns that are taken into consideration, so owners have since been silent on most of these items, though they are still meaningful worries. We do enjoy living in an area where growth is progressive, but also believe there should be careful consideration to maximizing and super-sizing these site plans. A great building can fit onto the site with a smaller size, and still offer benefits to the community and developer. Finally, when a site plan is approved, the Odyssey Owners would like to see a condition placed on construction that pilings be drilled and not pounded, given the close proximity of the site. The developer has denied this request. The Odyssey respectfully requests that you vote to defer approval of this project until a plan with less density is created (or more space is given between the two buildings), and that also includes green space. Sincerely, Tammy Bagnato Odyssey Condominium Association President Tammy819@aol.com

3 County Board Requests Odysseyy Owners are grateful for the opportunity to present to you this summary of outstanding concerns for the project located at 2000 Clarendonn Blvd. Thank you! The Odyssey Condominium is the closest residential owner-occupied neighbor and is specifically seeking a deferal of this project until the developer can create a building that does not so greatly impact the quality of life for owners who facee the back and side of this building, and a building that offers green space to the site, further enhancing the experience for the community. Thee total FAR is 5.8 on a site thatt would normalyy support a maximum of Move (or decrease size of) massive Tower portion over 10 to the West. 2. Create Green Space on property. The Odyssey is not typical in that the front of the Odyssey, inlcuding the centerpiece drive circle and entrace, as well as 1/3 of o owners unit s living rooms (many with floor-to-ceiling glass) will be facing the side and back of this project. The corner of this building will be approximatley ~40 from the corner of the Odyssey. The balconies on the corner of 2000 Clarendon will w be even closer at about ~35. Staff will point out that other buildings in Arlington are as close as thesee two projects would be, however it seems thatt the bulk of those examples are not owner occupied-to-owner occupied residential buildings. POCKET PARK +/- 35 +/- 40

4 1a: By moving the Tower over so that the west-facing balconies line up with the west property line, the massive portion moves further from the Odyssey, and allows better quality of space to the Odyssey s Owners and front yard. 2: By moving the balconies to front units (or further west, or recessed), more privacy is provided to the front of the Odyssey space. 1b: By moving the whole building so that the west-facing balconies line up with the property line, the change of distance doubles the Green Space on the property at ground level.

5 3: By moving the whole building so that the west-facing balconies line up with the property line, the change of distance doubles the Green Space on the property at ground level.

6 2: By moving the balconies to front units (or further west, or recessed), more privacy is provided to the front of the Odyssey space.