10230 Main Street

Summary

10230 Main Street is the site of the historic Farr House (also known as Five Chimneys or the Far Estate), a 9.38 +/- acre property located on the north side of Main Street, west of Barcroft Drive, east of Main Street Marketplace, and north of the terminus of Locust Street. The property is identified in the city's comprehensive plan with parcel-specific considerations, including a Resource Protection Area (RPA) in the rear, a recommendation that historic designation be explored for inclusion in a historic overlay district, and guidance that any development retain the existing house, minimize RPA disturbance, and consider appropriate relationships to the adjacent Farcroft neighborhood. Ox Hill Development Company has proposed a concept plan for a 96-room hotel with spa, pool, conference and event center, and restaurants on the property. On February 10, 2025, the Planning Commission received a staff-only pre-application briefing on the concept, with no formal action taken. On February 25, 2025, the City Council held a pre-application work session discussion, also with no formal action recorded. The adjacent Farcroft neighborhood and its HOA have raised early concerns about the proposal.

Open questions & options on the table

• No formal application has been filed; it is unresolved whether and when Ox Hill Development Company will submit a formal application for the proposed hotel/conference center development.
• The comprehensive plan notes that historic designation should be explored for the property — no determination on historic overlay district inclusion has been made.
• How the proposed development will address the Resource Protection Area in the rear of the property remains unresolved.
• How the project will relate to and buffer the adjacent Farcroft neighborhood (trees, lighting, density, etc.) has not been determined.
• Whether the existing Farr House (Five Chimneys) will be retained in any formal development plan has not been decided.

Discussion time

Minutes of named discussion per transcribed meeting.