City Council Meeting
What was decided
- 2awatch 4:04Actions out of closed meeting
Council unanimously concurred in the personnel action outlined by the City Manager in Closed Meeting, pursuant to City Charter Section 6.3(F). The new Economic Development Director, Colleen Kardasz, was introduced and made remarks.
Passed, unanimousUntil the next chapter, names Willard Sherwood ×3, Senior Center ×2, Fairfax Village in the City · read the transcript
- 6watch 20:07Consent Agenda – February 2026 Meeting Minutes (Items 6a–6f)
All six sets of February 2026 meeting minutes were approved unanimously as presented.
Passed, unanimousUntil the next chapter, names Meals Tax ×16, Small Area Plans ×12, Beacon Landing ×9, Green Building Policy ×7, Housing Trust Fund ×6, Special Use Permit ×6 · read the transcript
- 7anot chapteredPublic Hearing – Rise and Shine Preschool Special Use Permit Amendment (10185 Main Street / Fairfax Christian Church)
Council unanimously approved the SUP amendment allowing Rise and Shine Preschool to expand its childcare operation from 35 to 89 children as an accessory use to Fairfax Christian Church, subject to four conditions.
Passed, unanimous- Rise and Shine Preschool SUP AmendmentapprovedCouncil unanimously approved the SUP amendment allowing Rise and Shine Preschool to expand from 35 to 89 children in care at Fairfax Christian Church.
- Fairfax Christian Church 10185 Main StreetThe approved SUP amendment applies to the premises of Fairfax Christian Church at 10185 Main Street (Tax Map 57-4-09-001).
- Tax Map 57-4-09-001approvedThe parcel identified as Tax Map 57-4-09-001 is the site of the approved Rise and Shine Preschool SUP amendment.
- 9anot chapteredConsideration of Maximum Real Estate Tax Rate for FY2027 to be Advertised
Approved 4-3 to advertise a proposed maximum real estate tax rate of $1.095 per $100 of assessed value for FY2027. Councilmembers Hall, McQuillen, and Peterson opposed. This action does not set the final FY2027 tax rate.
Passed 4–3- FY2027 Maximum Real Estate Tax Rate AdvertisementCouncil approved 4-3 advertising a maximum real estate tax rate of $1.095 per $100 of assessed value for FY2027, above the City Manager's proposed $1.080 rate; the final rate will be set during budget adoption.
Presented
- 3aProclamation – Women's History Month and International Women's Day · proclamation, The Mayor presented a proclamation to the city's Commission for Women acknowledging March as Women's History Month and March 8, 2026 as International Women's Day in the City of Fairfax
- Women's History Month International Women's Day ProclamationMayor Read presented the proclamation to the Commission for Women at the March 10, 2026 meeting.
- 7bPublic Hearing – Proposed FY27 Budget · Public hearing held; no Council action taken. Public speakers addressed police compensation, the proposed real estate tax rate increase, the Green Building Policy, and funding for a full-time Climate and Energy Manager position.
- FY 2027 BudgetapprovedA public hearing on the proposed FY27 budget was held with public comment received; no Council action was taken at this meeting.
- Green Building Policyin progressMultiple public speakers urged Council to adopt the Green Building Policy and fund a permanent full-time Climate and Energy Manager position as part of the FY27 budget.
- 11aWork Session – Beacon Landing Tax Grant Request · Discussion held; no Council action taken. Staff presented the history of Wesley/Lamb's tax grant request for the Beacon Landing affordable housing development (54 supportive housing units). Project closed on financing in September 2025, broke ground in November 2025, and is anticipated for completion in December 2026.
- Beacon Landingin progresswikiStaff briefed Council on the history of the Beacon Landing tax grant request by Wesley/Lamb; the project closed on financing in September 2025, broke ground in November 2025, and is expected to be completed in December 2026. No Council action was taken.
- Beacon Landing Tax Grant RequestWesley/Lamb resubmitted its tax grant request in December 2025; Council discussed but took no action at this meeting.
- 11bWork Session – Draft Small Area Plan Zoning Ordinance Amendments · Discussion held; no Council action taken. Staff continued the discussion from the February 17, 2026 work session, covering zoning structure, dimensional standards, community benefits, frontages, open space, circulation and parking, and tree conservation and landscaping.
- Small Area Plan Zoning Ordinance Amendmentsin progressCouncil received a follow-up briefing on draft Small Area Plan Zoning Ordinance Amendments; no action was taken and discussion will continue at future meetings.
- 11cWork Session – Meals Tax · Discussion held; no Council action taken. Staff presented a comparison of Fairfax's meals tax rate with surrounding jurisdictions and historical revenue data.
- Meals TaxCouncil discussed the city's meals tax rate and revenue history in a work session; no action was taken.
- 11dWork Session – General Fund Questions and Discussion · Discussion held; no Council action taken. Budget Director presented graphs on city expenses versus assessment growth and outlined upcoming budget meeting schedule through Council adoption on May 5, 2026.
Named in discussion
Tracked topics the transcript names that no agenda item is filed under. Their own pages and wikis do not yet record this meeting; the passages below are the only trace.
“…the purpose of this project is to align the zoning ordinance better with our adopted small area plans and generally improve the review process for development and activity centers. I'm here with Justin Wallace and Mark White of White Smith and Casino…”
“…council action on a request from Rise and Shine Preschool applicant for renewal of a special use permit in Prince SUP pursuant to city code section 110-6.7 to allow a daycare center as a accessory used to a religious institution in the RH zoning district on…”
“…Reed and members of the city council. I'm here tonight to urge your support of the Willard Sherwood Community Center. There are just so many reasons for bringing this project to fruition. It keeps the county health services right in the heart of the city.…”
“…was in 24 when it was approved. And then 25, this council, not me, voted to approve the Davies at 102 dwelling units per acre.”
- General Fund3 passages, 3m
“…total expense versus the real estate. So over the past 15 years, the city's total general fund expenses have grown at a rate that is generally aligned with growth in real estate assessments, which are the city's primary revenue source. This indicates that…”
“…office and supported the Appropriation from the you know what we call the affordable housing trust fund A couple years ago and And really, this is, in general, a big part of why I ran to begin with, is supporting affordable housing in the city. And permanent…”
“we have the 2024 Old Town Parking Study. This was done primarily to look at some redevelopment that's happening in Old Town and how it might affect parking. But in order for that report to be written, the consultant did a detailed analysis of parking and…”
“…is kind of an interim. And the process is, is that the city appropriates it via the budget process, and the EDO in collaboration with the EDA, they will provide a refund. So the taxes are paid by Wesley Housing, but they're refunded back to the applicant.…”
“…The proposal is in general conformance with the goals and objectives of the comprehensive plan as the existing and proposed use of the subject site are both uses permitted within the social and civil network. The proposed use is a low-intensity use…”
“…on a few of the highlights and then some questions for Jamie Ergus as well. So the strategic plan that this specifically refers to, I believe, is Strategy 2.3, so Section 3.2.3. The reason why I bring that up is because what this states from the city's…”
“That's Main Street Marketplace and Courthouse Plaza, both of which had a peak utilization rate of around 2 to 2.5 spaces for 1,000 square feet. and for reference Main Street Marketplace has 3.7 spaces for 1,000 square feet. Courthouse Plaza has 8.4. And…”
“Anyway, on the other hand, looking at, for example, the botanist, the Willowwood Plaza complex has, of course, been subdivided. But if that happened to still be a single parcel, a single development, that density becomes, of course, a lot less. And that is,…”