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Record of Proceedings

Historic District Review Committee Meeting Approves Pavilion Project and Defers Unison Rezoning on September 17, 2026

Commissions & Advisory Boards — Thursday, September 17, 2026
BodyLoudoun County, Virginia
SessionCommissions & Advisory Boards
DateThursday, September 17, 2026
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 1:35:25

Original source
Transcript — VerbatimClick a timed line to jump · ⧉ to share it
0:11

With that, staff, would you please confuse meeting the application?

0:16

Um I'm sorry about our last minute change of the the agenda.

0:22

We got word this is warned that we discuss historic district.

0:27

Apparently, several adjacent property owners are hoping to be added into the district.

0:32

All are not actually in the application previously.

0:35

As they've recently been doing more public outreach about the you know the guideline drafting meeting and um the rezoning process in general.

0:45

That's exciting, but unfortunately, we it sounds like there's some more review that needs to be done since there's a whole extra 200 acres in the application than there used to be.

0:54

So last minute change, but thank you all for your your flexibility there.

1:01

So sorry.

1:02

I was just gonna add um that the historic district guidelines component of the project.

1:10

We're gonna keep moving that forward.

1:11

So we're still having the community meeting on the 27th.

1:15

I think um sorry that's listened to the community input.

1:20

Well, it's probably told you we have uh a consultant that's looking on that.

1:25

We need that conversation.

1:31

So uh our only application agenda is uh second submission of last month's application.

1:36

Mr.

1:37

He's back here.

1:39

Since CAP 2026, zero 10, Bali Rahim Partscaping Pavilion and Outdoor Kitchen, item 19184 Project Trust Report in the Greek Crete Historic District.

1:53

Deferred to August 10th, 2026, the Each year of the meeting.

1:57

Um, I think I've seen this.

2:00

I think all of you were here last month, if I recall.

2:03

Um this property, just over an acre in the meeting house farm subdivision, um recently approved.

2:10

Subdivision relative uh in the Greeks Creek Historic District.

2:14

There's a pool house that was approved in the rear yard um in 2023 by you all.

2:19

Um, and the current proposal was buried at August 10th, 2026 meeting.

2:26

Um the application is just under 3100 square feet of partscaping behind the existing dwelling with um a pre-cast paver patio with the path to the existing driveway, um steps from the existing first level rear door for the patio, fire pit with bench seating, outdoor kitchen feature, uh prefabricated over pavilion and fireplace, um, some low walls at the edge of the hardscaping area, and um the the there's been several changes here, um, but one is that the vertical elements of the application are now proposed to be clad in a stone veneer rather than recast material as previously proposed.

3:08

Um it's proposing to change the pool house from its approval in 2023 in a minor way, it sounds like it's aware of the requirements there.

3:21

Um say that again.

3:23

Is the applicants aware of the requirements associated with uh modifying uh a previously approved cap approval?

3:32

Um so the issues you all identified last time, as I understand, are um the design of the pavilion, the materials, colors, and roof form and pitch of that uh pavilion structure, um, the material selections for the uh surfacing elements, um, and and also the vertical elements, the application, and just general questions about your purview in this instance.

3:57

Um, so the previous staff report took issue with the consistency of material choices of the post patio, outdoor kitchen, fire pit, and the design materials of the post pavilion.

4:07

Um, it also identified uh concrete papers and the staff report itself, but the meeting discussion review they were actually more accurately could be described as precast, which exposes the same thing, but where you said I wanted to note that that was what the previous submission was.

4:23

Um we didn't request a new zoning referral because the footprint of the application didn't change, so there are no new zoning issues for you all to be aware of.

4:32

Here you are for context in the Greek Crete Historic District.

4:38

This is a view of the facade of the property in question from within meeting house farms.

4:47

Another view again from meeting house farms looking uh northeast.

4:52

This is from the backyard looking at the rear of the structure where the post improvements are where the improvements are proposed.

5:00

And telegraph springs is past where the house is and past where actually the further houses and the tree line are just another view of the backyard.

5:14

This is a view of the um barn at the Isaac Nichols house property, which is uh something I didn't know at the last meeting is that it is fairly uh downhill from Meeting House Farms.

5:27

Um they they don't see where I am right now.

5:30

Um if someone were standing at that barn, they wouldn't see me taking this picture.

5:36

Um, at least if I was exactly where the patio and other outdoor elements in this application are proposed.

5:48

And this is the view from Telebranch Picture Road again.

5:51

Um, this is the subject property here.

5:55

So you can just just barely see the roof line, but most of the property you cannot see from the um storic right-of-way.

6:07

Um, this is another just a series of views like I presented last month on the view from the I think's house property.

6:15

You really won't see in trying to give you the most comprehensive look at you know how visible are these changes from the historic right of way and adjacent historic property.

6:26

I've basically given you a series of you know snapshots from that historic property looking this way.

6:34

Um there is one of them at which I think you might be able to see the proposed improvements, but I'm not sure you would see divert horizontal elements at all.

6:43

Um or much of what's proposed from many of the vantage points here from the average viewpoint at this historic property next door, which again is is a sort of secondary consideration to viewpoint from the impact on the view shed from the historic right-of-way.

7:02

Here's another view.

7:05

And yeah, another one.

7:06

This is probably the clearest one.

7:07

This is basically one point on the driveway at which you could see uh the backs of these houses.

7:17

So to fill you all in on the discussion of purview and visibility that you all wanted the answers to last month.

7:25

The answer essentially you have purview over everything, but there are some instances in which you are essentially not supposed to be um picking at a particular proposal because it has no impacts on the visual, it has no visual impact on the historic district.

7:43

So in this case, the horizontal elements could clearly be said to not have an impact on the historic view shed.

7:52

Um for this reason, um we don't believe there is really any reason for the committee to pick it take issue with the horizontal elements of this application.

8:03

Um, especially in this meeting on the ground, meaning on the ground or really below foundation level in this case.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Historic Preservation█████████████████████████████████████████████62%
Zoning Regulations████████████████22%
Building Codes███████10%
Miscellaneous██3%
Procedural██3%
Summary of Proceedings

Historic District Review Committee Meeting Approves Pavilion Project and Defers Unison Rezoning on September 17, 2026

The Loudoun County Historic District Review Committee (HDRC) met on September 17, 2026, to consider two action items and one new business item. The major agenda item was a certificate of appropriateness application for a pavilion, hardscaping, and outdoor kitchen in the Goose Creek Historic District. The committee approved the application with a condition regarding stone veneer material. A rezoning application for the Unison Historic Overlay District was deferred due to the addition of approximately 200 acres of adjacent properties. The committee also approved the August 10, 2026 action summary.

Consent Calendar

  • Approval of August 10, 2026 Action Summary: The committee unanimously approved the action summary from the August 10, 2026 meeting as submitted.

Unison Historic Overlay District Rezoning (Deferred)

  • Deferral: Staff announced that the LEGI-2025-0066 Unison HOD rezoning application was deferred from the agenda after staff learned that adjacent property owners were seeking to be added to the district, expanding the application by roughly 200 acres. Additional review was deemed necessary. The historic district guidelines component of the project will continue moving forward, with a community meeting scheduled for September 27, 2026.

CAPP-2026-0010: Wali Raheen – Pavilion, Hardscaping, and Outdoor Kitchen

  • Project Description: The application (deferred from August 10, 2026) proposed approximately 3,100 square feet of hardscaping behind an existing dwelling at 19184 Partridge Crossing Court in the Goose Creek Historic District, including a pre-cast paver patio, path, steps, fire pit with bench seating, outdoor kitchen, prefabricated pavilion with fireplace, and low walls. A pool house on the property had been approved in 2023 but not yet constructed.
  • Changes from Previous Submission: The vertical elements (pavilion columns, outdoor kitchen, fireplace, low walls) were now proposed to be clad in a natural stone veneer (random ashlar profile) instead of precast material. The pavilion roof form was changed to a gable to match the house, with wood construction and corrugated metal roofing.
  • Staff Presentation: Staff noted that the HDRC has purview over all structures under the zoning ordinance, but that horizontal elements (pavers, patio) had no visual impact on the historic rights-of-way or adjacent historic properties. Vertical elements were potentially visible from one angle at the adjacent historic Isaac Nichols House property but not from Telegraph Springs Road. Staff recommended approval, finding the proposed stone veneer and roof materials consistent with guidelines, and that the improvements were appropriately sited and subordinate to the dwelling.
  • Committee Discussion:
    • Members questioned the stone veneer appearance and profile. The applicant confirmed the use of a random ashlar stone veneer and showed samples.
    • Significant discussion centered on the HDRC's purview and how to apply guidelines to elements not visible from public rights-of-way. Staff explained that while all structures are technically within purview, the committee's focus should be on visual impacts to the historic district and public interest. Members expressed concerns about setting precedent for using modern materials in a historic district even when unseen, but staff emphasized the zoning tool's limitation as mitigation rather than preservation.
    • The committee discussed code compliance issues (e.g., need for railings) and the possibility of deferring applications when missing code information was significant. Staff clarified that the committee could defer for incomplete information.
  • Decision: The committee approved the certificate of appropriateness with the condition that the vertical elements (walls, outdoor kitchen, fireplace) be constructed of random ashlar stone veneer as shown in the latest application materials. The motion passed unanimously.

Key Outcomes

  • Unison HOD Rezoning: Deferred for additional review; community meeting to proceed September 27, 2026.
  • Wali Raheen Application: Approved with condition requiring random ashlar stone veneer on vertical elements.
  • August 10, 2026 Action Summary: Unanimously approved.
  • Process Clarifications: Staff clarified that the HDRC may defer applications if code non-compliance would significantly alter the approved design, and that the committee's purview covers all structures but its discretion is guided by visual impact and public interest within the historic district.

Meeting Transcript

With that, staff, would you please confuse meeting the application? Um I'm sorry about our last minute change of the the agenda. We got word this is warned that we discuss historic district. Apparently, several adjacent property owners are hoping to be added into the district. All are not actually in the application previously. As they've recently been doing more public outreach about the you know the guideline drafting meeting and um the rezoning process in general. That's exciting, but unfortunately, we it sounds like there's some more review that needs to be done since there's a whole extra 200 acres in the application than there used to be. So last minute change, but thank you all for your your flexibility there. So sorry. I was just gonna add um that the historic district guidelines component of the project. We're gonna keep moving that forward. So we're still having the community meeting on the 27th. I think um sorry that's listened to the community input. Well, it's probably told you we have uh a consultant that's looking on that. We need that conversation. So uh our only application agenda is uh second submission of last month's application. Mr. He's back here. Since CAP 2026, zero 10, Bali Rahim Partscaping Pavilion and Outdoor Kitchen, item 19184 Project Trust Report in the Greek Crete Historic District. Deferred to August 10th, 2026, the Each year of the meeting. Um, I think I've seen this. I think all of you were here last month, if I recall. Um this property, just over an acre in the meeting house farm subdivision, um recently approved. Subdivision relative uh in the Greeks Creek Historic District. There's a pool house that was approved in the rear yard um in 2023 by you all. Um, and the current proposal was buried at August 10th, 2026 meeting. Um the application is just under 3100 square feet of partscaping behind the existing dwelling with um a pre-cast paver patio with the path to the existing driveway, um steps from the existing first level rear door for the patio, fire pit with bench seating, outdoor kitchen feature, uh prefabricated over pavilion and fireplace, um, some low walls at the edge of the hardscaping area, and um the the there's been several changes here, um, but one is that the vertical elements of the application are now proposed to be clad in a stone veneer rather than recast material as previously proposed. Um it's proposing to change the pool house from its approval in 2023 in a minor way, it sounds like it's aware of the requirements there. Um say that again. Is the applicants aware of the requirements associated with uh modifying uh a previously approved cap approval? Um so the issues you all identified last time, as I understand, are um the design of the pavilion, the materials, colors, and roof form and pitch of that uh pavilion structure, um, the material selections for the uh surfacing elements, um, and and also the vertical elements, the application, and just general questions about your purview in this instance. Um, so the previous staff report took issue with the consistency of material choices of the post patio, outdoor kitchen, fire pit, and the design materials of the post pavilion. Um, it also identified uh concrete papers and the staff report itself, but the meeting discussion review they were actually more accurately could be described as precast, which exposes the same thing, but where you said I wanted to note that that was what the previous submission was. Um we didn't request a new zoning referral because the footprint of the application didn't change, so there are no new zoning issues for you all to be aware of. Here you are for context in the Greek Crete Historic District. This is a view of the facade of the property in question from within meeting house farms. Another view again from meeting house farms looking uh northeast. This is from the backyard looking at the rear of the structure where the post improvements are where the improvements are proposed. And telegraph springs is past where the house is and past where actually the further houses and the tree line are just another view of the backyard. This is a view of the um barn at the Isaac Nichols house property, which is uh something I didn't know at the last meeting is that it is fairly uh downhill from Meeting House Farms. Um they they don't see where I am right now. Um if someone were standing at that barn, they wouldn't see me taking this picture. Um, at least if I was exactly where the patio and other outdoor elements in this application are proposed. And this is the view from Telebranch Picture Road again. Um, this is the subject property here. So you can just just barely see the roof line, but most of the property you cannot see from the um storic right-of-way. Um, this is another just a series of views like I presented last month on the view from the I think's house property. You really won't see in trying to give you the most comprehensive look at you know how visible are these changes from the historic right of way and adjacent historic property. I've basically given you a series of you know snapshots from that historic property looking this way. Um there is one of them at which I think you might be able to see the proposed improvements, but I'm not sure you would see divert horizontal elements at all.

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