by Anna C.
Who knew how instrumental a civil engineer would be to the current phase of the Capital Renovation Project, to even be able to prepare a special permit application to Fairfax County!
Well, maybe most of you knew, but others, like me, were surprised by the degree of the complexity involved. It is tempting to focus on the big vision and concept design thinking that, somehow, once these were in place, the rest—such as getting precise estimates and starting to build--would flow naturally.
Not by a long shot.
The thing is that lacking expertise in architecture and engineering, and any experience in construction, has some benefits. Every step of the process becomes an exciting learning adventure, an epic journey of sorts. The more you learn, the more pride succumbs to humility as you gradually descend from the heights of the vision to the clarity of reality.
Our present stop on the journey is dealing with the nitty gritty of preparing an application for special permit.
When Father David, Maria, and I met with Fairfax County representatives on Feb. 11 to get their advice on preparing our application, we learned about the four priority concerns they had after reviewing our plans. Accordingly, to be ready to apply, we must:
- Demonstrate that the required number of parking spaces can be accommodated within the church’s property, without spilling into the street.
- Figure out how to increase screening — the buffer between adjoining properties — on the north side.
- Submit a plan for storm water management.
- Create and implement an extensive plan of neighborhood outreach.
The first three items are the province of a civil engineer. A civil engineer, as an engineering site summarizes, analyzes the best options to take to comply with regulations and minimize construction costs. He or she deals with the structural framework and foundations, “makes provisions for the various utility services, storm water management and flood protection, sanitary sewerage and waste disposal, performance of building materials and components, and access to transportation networks.”
Our next task became crystal clear. The steering committee issued an RFP and is now nearing the end of the process for recommending a candidate to the parish council.
The next, and possibly most exciting, task ahead is putting in place and executing an outreach plan. For years, we have talked about getting to know and serving our neighbors and made some inroads. What a wonderful opportunity we now have for connecting with our neighbors in ways that are more effective and sustainable!
More on outreach in a later issue! For now, please know that we are looking for parishioners who live in or near the neighborhood or have an interest in building relationships between St. Mary and its neighbors, who can serve on the outreach team.
