Updated 10/25/2025

DH’s Long Term Planning Committee has worked hard this year to keep our potential new pool project moving, and we’re excited to share an update on our progress. 

Working with Studio3 architects, we are pleased to share our latest pool concept design here. This updated version features an eight-lane pool, double diving well, and a zero entry area for toddlers and training new swimmers. 

This concept drawing features smaller bath houses to optimize deck space and would allow members to walk seamlessly between the two pools using either the existing or new check in areas. Importantly, combining the zero entry / training area with the larger pool would allow us to avoid the expense of constructing separate “kiddie pool” and training tank facilities at a later date. 

Reorienting the pool on an east-west basis would also reduce the chances that our plans would encroach on the resource protected area to the south of the property and require redesign. 

Next up, we are entering into Phase II of our site planning with Studio3. This phase will include the survey, environmental, geotechnical and other studies that are required to support our use permit application with Arlington County. Assuming that application is approved, our next step would be to hold member information sessions and a vote on whether to secure a construction loan and commission building plans. 

Below you’ll find Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) that describe the rationale, process, and funding for the next phase of our project and the steps we’ve taken to get where we are today. Of course, we welcome your feedback and questions, and we look forward to sharing more about our progress soon. 

New Pool Project FAQ

  • Why has DHARA contracted with Studio 3 to perform a pool replacement site plan, design, and zoning review project?
    • We began working with Studio3 in 2020 with two main goals: 1) assess whether it’s feasible to upgrade and expand the current pool; and 2) determine whether an additional pool could be sited on our current property or the adjoining Inscoe property the pool owns. 
    • The current pool is over 70 years old and is situated on a steep slope that borders a Resource Protection Area (RPA) that cannot be developed. Our evaluation process requires careful assessments of county rules, zoning requirements, environmental regulations, and construction feasibility. 
  • What are the intended results of this project, and how will they be used?
    • The Studio3 study is part of our overall Long Term Planning process to develop contingency plans for our aging pool and clubhouse and provide members options to expand and improve DH’s facilities. 
    • It takes roughly five years to plan for and build a new pool, which means DHARA would be closed for a number of years, perhaps permanently, without the process we have undertaken. 
    • The board has formed a Long Term Planning Committee (LTPC) that any member can join to assist with this process.
  • Describe the location, scope and size of the new pool facilities. Will they be larger than the current pool complex?
    • Studio3 has determined that the Inscoe property is the only viable site for a new pool. The front lawn is too small due to the existing clubhouse and setback requirements, and the remainder of our land falls into the restricted RPA. 
    • The new pool and deck areas would be significantly larger and more modern than our current pool. Based on member feedback and available space, our goal is to develop plans for a new eight-lane pool, a diving well with two boards, and a zero entry/training area for toddlers and new swimmers, pending county approval. As shown in the new drawing, the ramp from the parking lot and zero entry pool would vastly improve facility accessibility.  The size and placement of a new bathhouse and other features will be determined by county requirements.
    • With the existing pool’s age, the surrounding RPA restrictions, and its location that severely limits handicapped access and exposes it to erosion, we have been advised that replacing or expanding the pool in its current location would be unwise and prohibitively expensive.
  • When will DHARA members have the opportunity to see the proposed pool site plan? 
    • The most recent conceptual drawing for a new pool from October 2025 can be found on our website here. We will continue to provide updates to these plans as they develop. 
    • Based on discussions with Arlington County staff, this most recent site plan would allow DHARA to reduce the size of the bathhouse, which would increase the size of the pool deck and provide space for the zero-entry/training area. This approach would eliminate the need to continue to operate the existing training pool or to construct a new training pool elsewhere on the site, resulting in a significant cost avoidance for DHARA.
  • What led the DHARA Board to conclude that this project should be done now?  Is it related to the condition of the existing pool?
    • The board has discussed developing a new pool for roughly 20 years. Since 2020, we’ve conducted multiple member surveys, presentations, and votes that have shown overwhelming support for our LTP process and the concept of a new pool. Failing to complete this process now would run counter to this feedback. 
    • The current pool is structurally sound, but we recognize that it has a limited lifespan. Failing to plan now would result in DHARA spending “bad money” to maintain an old and poorly-situated facility.
  • Have DH Board and LTPC members discussed this proposed project with Arlington County staff?  If so, what has been their reaction, and what are the next steps in requesting the County to review and approve the proposed site plan?
    • The LTPC held an initial meeting with county planning officials this July, and Studio3 has been discussing our project with the county for the better part of the year. Feedback on our work so far has been very positive and has provided us the necessary assurances to continue to move this process forward. 
    • We are currently securing bids for consulting services and studies that will be necessary to submit an updated use permit to Arlington County. We hope to complete this process by early next year. 
  • Does DHARA have sufficient funds available to pay Studio3 to complete the work to submit a Use Permit application to Arlington County?
  • Yes; Studio3’s cost for completing this work, including site surveys and engineering analyses by third parties, is capped at $135,000. This cost has already been budgeted, and no special assessment will be needed to pay for it.
  • Will the existing pool remain open while the new pool is being constructed?  What will happen to it after the new pool is completed?
    • We intend for the existing facilities to remain open if DHARA undertakes a new pool construction project. 
    • Once/if a new pool is opened, we propose that the current pool would remain in operation as we manage its decline, subject to staffing and funding availability and pool maintenance requirements.  We would determine appropriate staffing and facility availability based on how members use the combined spaces. But at some future point, we would expect to decommission the current pool based on its cost and condition.
  • The proposed new pool will have eight lanes and a separate two-board diving well.  Does the DHARA Board want to increase the number of memberships to help pay for the new pool and to reduce the size of the waiting list?
    • Yes, we plan to allow a limited number of additional families to become members both due to the high demand for pools in the community and to help offset construction costs. 
    • We currently have ~750 families on our wait list, with an average time of seven years from joining the list to being offered a membership. The list size and timeline provide us significant flexibility to expand the membership in a thoughtful manner that does not crowd our current facilities.
  • What will be the next steps in this process, assuming that Arlington County agrees to issue a Use Permit for it? At what point will DHARA members be asked to vote on the scope and estimated cost of the proposed pool project?
    • If our use permit application is approved, the LTPC would hold membership information sessions to discuss the plans and solicit feedback. Again, members can also always participate in our LTPC efforts if they would like to volunteer. 
    • From there, we would make any necessary design updates, secure cost estimates, and hold a membership vote on whether to move forward.
    • If approved by membership, the next steps would be to secure a construction loan and begin developing construction plans that could be bid out to pool construction firms. 
    • This process would include executing a new follow-on contract with Studio 3 to prepare detailed pool design and construction documents and obtaining engineering, legal services, and project supervision support required to execute and oversee the pool construction project. 
    • We estimate this process would take upwards of two years.

Follow up from Special Meeting on 2/20/2024

Thanks to all who attended the special meeting last night regarding long-term planning and the proposed assessment to fund it. Please find below links to the presentation, meeting recording and, to the voting page. We also had a member move to extend voting for 1 week, until 9pm on February 27, which was passed by a majority vote of members on the call. So voting remains open until then

It was a good discussion that covered topics including the state of the existing pool, environmental concerns, the scope of this next phase of work that we’re asking to fund, the financial needs for planning, construction and future operations, what our goals are and more.

To that end, we’re preparing a few Q&A that came up in comments and on the call, that hopefully you find useful. These should be ready soon and will be posted on the website. The call recording covers these and others in more depth. If you have additional questions, feel free to reach out the board at info@dominionhills.org, and we’ll reply as quickly as we can.

Meeting Presentation:
LTP DHARA Special Meeting 2_20_24

Meeting recording:
https://us06web.zoom.us/rec/share/mnN1-xSDKkgio2thiut12hSjkldv4gDBCk7haFLFPqXn0yp2cMtc9xEPMVpMYmGc.fuGWrH4QftVc07riPasscode: %N5wr1T#

Voting page:
https://dominionhills.org/about/board/long-term-planning/dh-ltp-assessment-voting/

Frequently Asked Questions

  • The board has proposed a $500 assessment for the 2024 season. After feedback from members, we will be able to split that into 2 payments: $250 by March 15 and $250 by end of season on September 30.
  • New members will be expected to invest in this process as well, and we are working on how best to do that. One option is a non-refundable membership fee paid when a family first joins DH.
  • Studio 3 proposes to develop conceptual designs based on DHARA membership input that could be presented to Arlington County for approval and used to create construction-ready, permitted plans.
  • The expected next steps will be broken out into milestones and built into any contract. Payments will be made as those milestones are achieved.
  • As we reach each milestone, we can pause to consider whether the project should continue. As a result, the process could be terminated at any time with remaining planning dollars returned to membership.
  • We expect the funds to carry us through at least 2 years of planning. We will not be coming back next year asking for another assessment.
    More detail on Studio 3’s proposed next steps may be found on slide 13 of the Board’s presentation, which may be found below
  • Importantly, voting for the assessment is not also a vote for a renovation. For now, we are just planning. There will be additional discussions in the future regarding whether to proceed with a renovation and, if so, how to fund it and what it will look like.
  • Long-term planning, including discussions regarding how to improve, update or replace our existing facilities has been ongoing for most of the last 10 years and reviewed at annual meetings for the past several years.
  • In 2021, we performed a survey of the membership about long-term planning that showed a majority of the membership was in favor of a new pool and expanded facilities. This was presented at the 2022 annual meeting, which can also be found below.
  • To date, we have invested about $40,000 to assess the current structure of the pool, develop an understanding of the requirements to do any kind of renovation, and get a very general view of what a renovated property might look like. The Board feels that we have done all we can at this point using membership funds, and moving forward requires investing in a more formal engagement to document the physical, environmental, regulatory and financial options, and other challenges ahead of us.
  • If we continue at this rate, it would be several years before we have this understanding. For reasons discussed below, this is a risky path.
  • In addition, we have numerous members that visit the pool very infrequently, and the board wanted to propose the assessment at a time when those or other members could decide to sell their memberships before annual dues are due, if so desired.
  • The pool foundation rests on an aging concrete slab that was poured in the 1950s, and another that was overlaid to create the current layout in the 1980s. There are challenges with water intrusion, cracks and more. We have done numerous repairs to keep the pool functional and the community has recognized for quite some time that we are on borrowed time with the current pool.
  • In 2019, the board was advised that the current pool had approximately 7-10 years left. If we do not act now, we risk a failure of the current pool that would require the pool to be unavailable for at least 2-3 seasons while we figure out a solution.
  • Moreover, maintenance on the current pool is becoming quite expensive.
  • The Board has proposed the assessment to fund the significant preliminary work described in more detail below, so we can get ahead of any major issues that would inconvenience the membership for multiple years. A prolonged period with no pool could threaten DH’s ability to remain an organization.
  • Significant work would be required to update the existing pool. Given its age and the foundation issues described above, we would likely have to start from scratch rather than perform simpler repairs. In addition, the existing pool is not at all ADA compliant, adding a significant, federally required expense to any renovation.
  • Moreover, it is not clear that we could complete a major repair. First, there are issues with water flowing under the current structure and resulting erosion. We don’t know if these issues could be ameliorated. In addition, a Virginia Resource Protected Area (RPA) boundary cuts across our existing pool footprint. It is not clear whether a major renovation would be permitted to intrude into that area. We have been advised not to make significant investments in the pool’s current location.
  • The community house was originally built in the 1800s and has lived many lives. It has been grandfathered from current building and electrical codes, so would require significant work. And, again, we don’t know what we don’t know, so there could be other issues with the aging structure. As a result, any renovation would likely require a complete gut, possibly a tear down.
  • The bottom line is that renovation of the existing pool and clubhouse would be very difficult and expensive, at a minimum, and perhaps impossible.
  • The board will be asking for volunteers to participate in a strategic planning committee, so we can take advantage of our member’s experience, expertise, to ensure we’re considering all options and using our relationships to communicate more broadly.
  • The board will also publish status updates on a regular basis.
  • Studio 3 is a highly respected regional firm, with deep experience working with community pools in Northern VA.
  • We discussed the project with other area pool Boards, and they highly recommended Studio 3.
  • They were also recommended by construction firms we have worked with recently.
  • We have been pleased with the work they have done so far.
  • Yes, Studio 3 has extensive experience with these areas and has already provided an overview of such requirements and the impact of regulatory rules on various renovation options under consideration.
  • DH also has several legal and regulatory resources used previously that can be tapped for help.
  • Maintaining and improving our environmental stewardship and complying with all regulatory requirements is very important to the board, and our membership, and something we do not take lightly.
  • The Board’s goal is to develop a long-term plan for utilizing DH’s entire usable footprint and ensuring that we have a contingency plan in place for pool failure.
  • The next planning phase, which would be funded by the assessment, is needed to understand the full scope of our options. Until then, we cannot do more than speculate.
  • That said, based on what the work done to date, it appears that we will need a new pool so that, at a minimum, we do not have to close when the existing pool fails.
  • Once we have additional information, we will be able to refine the future vision, with the input of membership. Of course, any final decisions on a plan and how to fund it will be brought to the membership.
  • Long-term, would we expect two pools? While this would be the preferred outcome at this point, the next phase would help us determine DH’s options, both from a property usage and financial perspective.
  • It is too early to say, but the ballpark figure we are using is $3 million.
  • We would have a number of options to fund the renovation. We have talked to banks, and the primary option would be a builders loan.
  • We also could raise money with future assessments and/or capital increases. An assessment is not refundable if you sell your membership. A capital contribution is returned to you by the family that purchases your membership.
  • As discussed above, we also are looking into ways incoming members can contribute to the effort.
  • If a decision is made by the membership to proceed with a renovation at some point in the future, part of the discussion will be about how best to fund that renovation and more details would be presented at that time.
  • At this point, we could only speculate on what the future operating costs might be, but a modern facility may be more expensive to run.
  • We will continue to communicate with neighboring pools, which may give us some sense of annual costs at a more aggregated level.
  • On the flip side, we are looking for ways to increase revenues as well. Depending on the final design, we may be able to increase membership. This year we added 20 new memberships, and we will revisit our numbers each year going forward to make sure we are maximizing opportunities for our neighbors to join, reduce the waitlist time and grow what is a fantastic community at DH, while balancing the space and character of the pool.
  • As noted above, we also are considering ways to raise revenue from new incoming members. There are a number of other options under consideration as well, including possible weekday-only passes.
  • What all of this might mean for annual dues in the future remains to be seen, but it will depend on a combination of operating costs, membership numbers, debt load and other factors, all of which we will be exploring during this next phase.

Reference Documents for LTPDRAFT3_2025184BSP01-PRELIM 3

2025 Updated Dominion Hills Pool Concept

https://dominionhills.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/86/2025/10/DH.concept.10.21.2025-1.pdf

2022 DHARA structural engineering assessment

https://dominionhills.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/86/2022/07/DHARA_-Structural-Evaluation-of-Existing-Swiming-Pool_06.23.22.pdf

Summary of 2021 DHARA Member Survey

https://dominionhills.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/86/2022/07/DH-LTP-presentation-2022-1.pdf

Dominion Hills Special Planning Meeting February 20, 2024

https://dominionhills.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/86/2024/02/LTP-DH-special-meeting-2_20_24_member.pdf