In a Virginia suburb, tensions are rising as residents express their discontent over a neighbor’s decision to construct a three-story addition to their home, which many consider an eyesore.

The family residing on Marble Lane in Fairfax has embarked on building a tall, townhouse-like structure intended to accommodate multiple generations living under one roof, according to those familiar with the situation.

While some community members remain unbothered by the new construction, others are voicing their frustration—not towards the family, but at the county authorities for greenlighting the project.

Next-door neighbor Courtney Leonard shared her concerns with the Daily Mail, stating, “Since the beginning of October, I’ve been reaching out to the county to express my worries about the addition. I want to emphasize that we hold the county responsible for allowing this to progress so far.”

Leonard further clarified that the neighborhood is designated as a “cluster zone,” which permits the development of substantial structures on relatively small plots.

The disgruntled local added that it was a ‘shock’ and ‘a concern for everyone in our neighborhood’ that the family was able to get their renovation plans passed and approved by the county. 

She also explained that she was concerned about the construction reducing the light reaching her house, impacting the electricity yield from her solar panels, as well as the ability of her neighbors to see over her privacy fence from the higher stories and the potential impact all this could have on her property value. 

‘When I decide to sell my house, how much of the buyer portion did I just cut out, just knowing that they have to live next to that?’ Leonard said. 

This three-story addition to a house in a suburban neighborhood has left neighbors outraged

Courtney Leonard lives next door to the structure and has shared her frustrations publicly

The building is on Marble Lane in Fairfax, Virginia

‘For me, it would be an immediate no. I would never live next to a structure like that. So I am concerned about my investment in my house. One of the main purposes of county zoning and permitting is to protect people’s property values, and that seems like it was a big miss here.’ 

Leonard previously told FOX5 Washington DC: ‘Design-wise, it doesn’t look anything like what its attached to or anything else in the neighborhood.’

She also said that there is no homeowner’s association in the neighborhood, which means there are no rules or regulations on the way houses must appear or fit in with the surrounding aesthetics of the area. 

Leonard added that according to local zoning laws, the family is ‘well within their rights’ to build the structure, which only increased her frustration. 

‘There’s really nothing I can do about it,’ she said. 

The family building the structure said they had nothing to add to the story and declined to speak further with FOX5. They also did not immediately respond to the Daily Mail’s request for comment.

Although she acknowledged that her neighbors were technically allowed to build the three-story addition, Leonard complained that she was given no notice prior to construction.

She said that she has not spoken to her neighbors since they began the renovation, but she also emphasized to the Daily Mail: ‘I really wish them no ill-will. I felt like an a**h*** for even bringing this up to begin with, but I felt like I had to notify the county.

‘I don’t want them to have to go through any financial hardship by making a change here, but I also should have some rights in this whole situation as well.’

Pat Herrity, a member of the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors, has promised to propose an amendment to the local zoning laws at the board’s next meeting on Tuesday

Katie Dash, a resident who lives a few blocks away, also shared her frustrations

Locals say the family building the addition to their home are planning on housing three generations of their family

Construction has been paused, because Fairfax County staff have said the structure is currently too close to Leonard’s property line

Another resident named Katie Dash, who lives just a few blocks away, also shared her frustration. 

‘It feels like it’s not real when you see it. I mean you’ve seen it, so yeah, it’s shocking,’ she said before questioning how the structure is acceptable according to zoning laws.

Dash said she was worried about other people in the neighborhood making similar modifications to their homes now that it is clear they are allowed to do so. 

‘If it could happen to [Leonard], it could happen to any of us,’ she said.  

The zoning law question is at the core of unhappy residents’ gripes. Pat Herrity, a member of the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors, visited the construction site and has promised to propose an amendment to the zoning laws at the board’s next meeting on Tuesday. 

‘It clearly does not belong in our suburban neighborhoods – a structure like that – eight and a half feet from the property line, three stories tall for the length of the lot,’ Herrity said. 

‘It has no place, and we need to fix our zoning ordinance to make sure that doesn’t happen again.’ 

But changing the zoning laws may not be necessary to stop construction of the new building. Fairfax County staff have said that although the structure falls within zoning guidelines for height, it is currently too close to Leonard’s property line. 

As a result, construction has been placed on hold. It is unclear what the family building the structure will do to address that roadblock. 

The Daily Mail has reached out to Pat Herrity for comment and additional details.