City Council · Apr 5, 2025

City Council Retreat

Agenda Read the transcript6 agenda items · 6 tracked topics

Discussed

1
Council Vision and Goal Setting Session · Scheduled per agenda. Council vision and goal setting session with facilitator was planned for 8:30 a.m. No minutes or actions report available.
- Council Vision and Goal SettingA facilitated council vision and goal setting session was scheduled for 8:30 a.m. at the retreat. No outcome recorded.
2
Strategic Plan Update · Scheduled per agenda. A Strategic Plan update was planned as part of the morning session. No minutes or actions report available.
- Strategic Planin progressA Strategic Plan update was scheduled for presentation during the retreat's morning session. No outcome recorded.
3
Council Goal Champions (Committees) · Scheduled per agenda. Discussion of Council Goal Champions and committees was planned as part of the morning session. No minutes or actions report available.
- Council Goal Champions (Committees)Discussion of Council Goal Champions and committee assignments was scheduled during the morning session. No outcome recorded.
4
Presentation by Tony Coughlan · Scheduled per agenda for 12:15 p.m. No minutes or actions report available.
5
Budget Open House Follow-up · Scheduled per agenda for approximately 12:45 p.m. No minutes or actions report available.
- Budget Open House Follow-upA follow-up discussion on the Budget Open House was scheduled for 12:45 p.m. No outcome recorded.
6
Discussion on Potential Charter Changes · Scheduled per agenda for 1:00 p.m. No minutes or actions report available.
- Potential Charter ChangesA discussion on potential changes to the City Charter was scheduled for 1:00 p.m. No outcome recorded.
- Historic BlenheimHistoric Blenheim at 3610 Blenheim Boulevard, Fairfax, VA 22030 served as the venue for the City Council Retreat.

Topics touched · 6

Council Vision and Goal Setting
Council Vision and Goal Setting is a recurring facilitated session held during City Council retreats, intended to align the council on shared priorities and direction. The session was first scheduled at the January 11, 2025 retreat (agenda item 4, 10:30 a.m.) and again at the April 5, 2025 retreat (agenda item 1, 8:30 a.m.).
- What outcomes, priorities, or goals, if any, resulted from the January 11, 2025 facilitated vision and goal-setting session?
- What outcomes, priorities, or goals, if any, resulted from the April 5, 2025 facilitated vision and goal-setting session?
Strategic Planin progress
The "Strategic Plan" topic encompasses several overlapping but distinct planning processes tracked across City of Fairfax municipal bodies. The most prominent is the city-wide Strategic Plan: at the January 2026 City Council Retreat, Assistant City Manager Melanie Zipp presented the existing 2023 strategic plan framework and a proposal for developing a new city-wide plan; Council provided feedback on direction, public engagement, scope, governance, equity, and budget priorities, but took no formal action.
- No formal Council action was taken at the January 2026 City Council Retreat on the new city-wide Strategic Plan — the scope, governance structure, public engagement approach, and timeline for a new…
- The tiered performance management process described to Council is expected to begin in late 2026 and carry into 2027; its structure and timeline are not yet finalized.
Council Goal Champions (Committees)
Budget Open House Follow-up
Potential Charter Changes
Historic Blenheim
Historic Blenheim, located at 3610 Blenheim Boulevard, Fairfax, VA 22030, is one of three public historic sites stewarded by the City of Fairfax — alongside the Fairfax Museum and Visitor Center and the Ratcliffe-Allison-Poser House. It serves as an active venue for city events, programs, and meetings.