Special Use Permit
approvedStatus set at City Council Meeting on Sep 8, 2026
- Proposed
- Under reviewJun 8, 2026
- approvedSep 8, 2026
Summary
This topic encompasses Special Use Permit (SUP) activity tracked across multiple proceedings. The most fully resolved matter is the SUP for Naila Ayoub to operate a family day care home for up to 12 children at 10230 Antietam Avenue, which was approved unanimously by the City Council on September 8, 2026, subject to five conditions including state licensing, operator residency, and no outdoor play before 8:00 a.m. Separately, a post-submission work session was held on June 8, 2026, before the Planning Commission regarding a proposed SUP (along with a Zoning Map Amendment, Special Exceptions, and Major Certificate of Appropriateness) for 4085-4117 Chain Bridge Road; no vote was taken at that session. A July 28, 2026, Council discussion — focused on detached Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) — featured extensive debate about whether detached ADUs should require an SUP, touching on fee burdens, parking impacts, neighbor proximity concerns, and the merits of a phased or pilot approach. No vote on the ADU-related SUP question is recorded in the dated material.
Open questions & options on the table
- What is the outcome of the SUP and related applications (Zoning Map Amendment, Special Exceptions, Major Certificate of Appropriateness) for 4085-4117 Chain Bridge Road, which was only at the work-session stage as of June 8, 2026?
- Has the City Council reached a decision on whether detached ADUs will require a Special Use Permit, as debated at the July 28, 2026 meeting?
- If an ADU special use permit requirement is adopted, will the $600 SUP fee apply, and how will parking and neighborhood impact concerns be addressed?
What members have said
At the July 28, 2026 meeting, Bates noted that the proposed height and setback requirements for detached ADUs are already stricter than those for non-dwelling accessory structures, and raised concerns about the burden the $600 SUP fee might place on homeowners seeking to add ADUs, drawing a distinction between ADUs (which provide housing) and other SUP uses like chickens or daycare.
At the July 28, 2026 meeting, Peterson asked about the full list of permits required for a detached ADU and noted that detached ADUs have proximity implications for neighbors that differ from attached ADUs, suggesting this distinction is relevant to the SUP question.
At the July 28, 2026 meeting, Hall confirmed the SUP fee is approximately $600 and noted that given overall ADU construction costs ($175,000–$450,000 depending on size), the fee is relatively modest; Hall stated strong support for requiring a special use permit for detached ADUs.
One speaker recalled the 2016 history in which ADUs were previously subject to an SUP requirement, and noted Council's past discomfort with requiring individual homeowners to appear before Council for home improvements while large new homes could be built without such review. Another unattributed speaker expressed sympathy for the concerns driving an SUP requirement and argued for a cautious, step-by-step pilot approach to detached ADU policy implementation.
Positions as recorded in meeting minutes; votes without recorded comment aren’t summarized.
Discussion time
Minutes of named discussion per transcribed meeting.
Full history
[8a] A post-submission work session was held; the Planning Commission received a staff presentation and provided feedback on the proposed Special Use Permit for 4085-4117 Chain Bridge Road.
[8a] The Special Use Permit pursuant to City Code Section 110-3.5.5.D.8 was approved unanimously to allow a family day care home for up to 12 children at 10230 Antietam Avenue, with five conditions including state licensing, operator residency, and no outdoor play before 8:00 a.m.
passedApproval of the Special Use Permit for Naila Ayoub to allow a family day care home for up to 12 children at 10230 Antietam Avenue.
Discussed alongside
Topics that come up in the same meetings.