ANNANDALE, Va. — Nine-year-old Ana Dapoigny of Annandale said the pandemic has been tough, but the treehouse her dad built her for her birthday made the last six months a lot better.
“I was really bored inside the house, like many others, and then when my birthday came by, I just had this sudden wish upon me," Ana said. "I was like I think our front yard could use something that will make it a little more fun, so I asked my dad to build me this treehouse."
And dad came through in May, constructing a treehouse around the big tree in front of their Annandale home.
Her happiness could be short-lived, however. Fairfax County sent the family a zoning violation in September, saying they weren't allowed to have a treehouse in their front yard.
Ana's mom, Sandra Lukic-Dapoigny, said the county told them someone reported it to them.
"That was something that was a huge surprise to us, because we know everyone in the neighborhood loved it, and we would always get, as people were walking past, a lot of compliments," Lukic-Dapoigny said. "We hope it was someone who just wanted to make sure everything was okay, but I don’t think he or she would realize the consequences it would have.”
The notice says the treehouse violates a zoning ordinance that prohibits "accessory structures" in front yards. The family has until October 29 to do one of three things:
- Remove the treehouse
- Relocate it to the backyard
- Apply for and obtain a special permit to keep it in the front yard
Lukic-Dapoigny said the way the treehouse was built around the front tree trunk does not allow them to relocate it -- so they'll have to be granted a special dispensation or tear it down.
“I was quite upset, because it was my birthday present, and my dad built it by hand," Ana said. "So it’s just really special, and we were at least hoping it would stick out by a year or so, and the fact that it has to be torn down early kind of is just sad.”
The family plans to appeal, which the notice says requires a $600 filing fee. Ana's mom, however, estimates total costs for the appeal to amount to nearly $1,000.
“It is a substantial cost, but especially during this time, there is something that is more important," she said. "It’s not just for our kids. We think it is important for kids to be able to still enjoy. It's also a labor of love, my husband's work, a present for a birthday."
Lukic-Dapogny created a change.org petition in the hopes of garnering support from neighborhoods. As of Wednesday, it had more than 300 signatures.
“We wanted to show that this is not something our neighbors and community is against," Ana's mom said. "In fact, we are surprised by the overwhelming support we got. "We've seen so much smiles in the neighborhood …so we are hopeful the county will be listening to our pleas, understand our children’s desires, understand the COVID situation, and vote in our favor.”
WUSA 9 reached out for comment from the code compliance investigator but did not hear back in time for broadcast Wednesday.