Canine Cottage Court Visualizes Potential Vienna Zoning Update

VIENNA, VA — Throughout the month of May, those mini cottages displayed on the Town Green have made for some cute photo opps for Vienna's furry friends. That setup was there for another purpose too.

The Canine Cottage Court exhibit was set up by the Town of Vienna's Code Create Vienna, an initiative to update the town's zoning and subdivision code. The cottages provided a scaled-down visualization of what a cottage development would look like. The town is reviewing whether the zoning update should allow this type of housing in areas currently zoned for multi-unit residential uses and transitional office or commercial uses.

Residents could bid on the cottages, which double as a small dog-sized dog house. Each cottage was sponsored by a different organization or business. Sponsors included Skorpio's Maggio's Greek Family Restaurant, Very V!ienna, Greenheart Juice Shop, One Neighborhood Foundation, Vienna VA Foodies, Green Hedges School, Fisher Custom Homes, Pennywise Thrift Shop, Mindfulnest Yoga, and JDA Custom Homes.

The auction ran from May 11 to 19 and raised $2,510. All proceeds will go toward improvements at the Vienna Dog Park at 700 Courthouse Road SW. The Canine Cottage Court exhibit will be available on the Town Green until noon on Saturday, May 22.

The Code Create Vienna effort is underway to "clarify, simplify, reorganize, and update the Town’s subdivision and zoning ordinance," according to its website. The last significant zoning code changes happened in 1969. Fairfax County's Board of Supervisors approved an updated zoning ordinance in March through the Zoning Ordinance Modernization (zMOD) initiative, and changes will take effect on July, 1, 2021.

One local example of a cottage-style development is the Railroad Cottages along the W&OD Trail in the City of Falls Church. Railroad Cottages include ten 1,500-square-foot houses and a guest house for common use. The city won the Red Clay Award for Development of the Year from the Virginia Chapter of the American Planning Association for the Railroad Cottages project.