City Council · Feb 18, 2025

City Council Special Meeting/Work Session

▶ Watch recording Agenda Read the transcript2h 40m · 6 agenda items · 10 tracked topics, 4 in the wiki

2h 40m total — hover for items, click a segment to watch that part.

Discussed

2
City Council Emergency Preparedness Training · Emergency preparedness training was conducted as scheduled.
- Emergency Preparedness TrainingCity Council received emergency preparedness training at the Special Meeting on February 18, 2025.
4a
Pre-Application Briefing – Proposed Mixed-Use Development at 4085, 4101, and 4103 Chain Bridge Road · Pre-application briefing was presented to and discussed by the Council during the work session. No formal action was taken.
Discussed for 25m · also names City of Fairfax 2035 Comprehensive Plan ×2, Davies Property ×2, Old Town Small Area Plan, Special Exceptions, Special Use Permit · read the transcript
- Gallery at City CenterproposedwikiCouncil received a pre-application briefing on the proposed mixed-use development comprising approximately 257 multifamily units with amenities and structured parking, 7,395 sq ft of retail, 26,391 sq ft of office space, a proposed east-west road from University Drive to Chain Bridge Road, and a north-south pedestrian pathway on 2.52 +/- acres. No formal action was taken.
- 4085-4117 Chain Bridge RoadThis location is the site of the proposed mixed-use development discussed during the February 18, 2025 work session.
- University Drivein progressUniversity Drive is referenced as the western terminus of a proposed east-west road associated with the mixed-use development project.
watch 0:31
4b
Discussion and Review of the Two-Year Transportation Program · Council discussed and reviewed the Two-Year Transportation Program during the work session. No formal action was taken.
Discussed for 32m · also names Engage Fairfax, Small Area Plans · read the transcript
- Two-Year Transportation ProgramproposedwikiCouncil reviewed and discussed the Two-Year Transportation Program during the February 18, 2025 work session. No formal action was taken.
watch 26:26
4c
Discussion on the Norman Avenue Sidewalk Feasibility Study · Council discussed the Norman Avenue Sidewalk Feasibility Study during the work session. No formal action was taken.
Discussed for 31m · also names Engage Fairfax ×2, Two-Year Transportation Program · read the transcript
- Norman Avenue Sidewalk Feasibility Studyin progresswikiCouncil discussed the Norman Avenue Sidewalk Feasibility Study during the February 18, 2025 work session. No formal action was taken.
- Norman AvenueNorman Avenue is the subject location of the sidewalk feasibility study discussed by Council.
watch 60:22
4d
Discussion on the Chain Bridge Road/Eaton Place Intersection Improvements · Council discussed the Chain Bridge Road/Eaton Place Intersection Improvements during the work session. No formal action was taken.
Discussed for 1h 05m · also names Closed Session, Engage Fairfax, Rock the Block · read the transcript
- Chain Bridge Road/Eaton Place Intersection Improvementsin progresswikiCouncil discussed proposed intersection improvements at Chain Bridge Road and Eaton Place during the February 18, 2025 work session. No formal action was taken.
- Chain Bridge Road/Eaton Place IntersectionThe Chain Bridge Road and Eaton Place intersection is the subject of planned improvements discussed by Council.
watch 92:16
6
Closed Meeting to Discuss Personnel Matters · Council reconvened the special meeting and went into closed session to discuss personnel matters.
- Personnel MattersCouncil entered a closed meeting to discuss personnel matters following reconvening of the special meeting. No public action or outcome is recorded.
watch 159:40

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.

Engage Fairfax4 passages, 3m
“…the starting line. In terms of outreach, we developed an interactive map through our Engage Fairfax tool for residents to view the projects, make comments, propose other ideas. We had a postcard and you can see the front and the back at the bottom of the…”
watch 37:06 every passage
City of Fairfax 2035 Comprehensive Planapproved2 passages, 2m
“…is 2.52 acres the activity center place type in the small area plan is part of the comprehensive plan is applies to the site the current zoning is commercial office and the proposed zoning is commercial urban here are some photos showing the existing…”
watch 2:05 every passage wiki
Davies Propertyapproved2 passages, 2m
“…the applicant has had some level of coordination with the with the applicant for the Davies property showing how the greenway would would align consistent with the small area plane in terms of feedback from staff the staff has provided comments related to…”
watch 7:54 every passage wiki

Recording · 2h 40m

▶ Watch from the start

0:314a · Pre-Application Briefing – Proposed Mixed-Use Development at 4085, 4101, and 4103 Chain Bridge Road · 25m
26:264b · Discussion and Review of the Two-Year Transportation Program · 32m
60:224c · Discussion on the Norman Avenue Sidewalk Feasibility Study · 31m
92:164d · Discussion on the Chain Bridge Road/Eaton Place Intersection Improvements · 1h 05m
159:406 · Closed Meeting to Discuss Personnel Matters
Other items are not chaptered in the recording.

Topics touched · 10

Emergency Preparedness Training
Gallery at City Centerproposed
Gallery at City Center is a proposed mixed-use redevelopment by Christopher Land, LLC at 4085–4117 Chain Bridge Road (also referenced as 4085, 4101, and 4103 Chain Bridge Road) in Old Town, Fairfax City, encompassing approximately 2.52 acres. The project as described in pre-application briefings includes approximately 257 multifamily residential units with amenities, 7,395 sq ft of retail, 26,391 sq ft of office space, structured/subterranean parking, a proposed east-west road connecting University Drive to Chain Bridge Road, and a north-south pedestrian pathway.
- Formal land use application consideration by City Council is scheduled for September 8, 2026 — outcome not yet recorded.
- No final vote or approval/denial has been recorded at any body; the project remains under review.
This meeting in the wiki Overview
4085-4117 Chain Bridge Road
4085-4117 Chain Bridge Road is the site of a proposed mixed-use redevelopment in the city, brought forward by Christopher Land, LLC. The project as described at the February 18, 2025 City Council work session would include approximately 257 multifamily units with amenities and structured parking, 7,395 square feet of retail uses, 26,391 square feet of office space, a proposed east-west road connecting University Drive to Chain Bridge Road, and a north-south pedestrian pathway, all on approximately 2.52 acres.
- No formal action has been taken; votes on the Zoning Map Amendment (Rezoning), Special Use Permit, Special Exceptions, and Major Certificate of Appropriateness are all pending.
- It is unclear whether the project scope or plans have been revised since the pre-application stage (2.52 acres, 257 units, etc.) following post-submission feedback.
University Drivein progress
University Drive is a key corridor in the City of Fairfax, appearing in multiple overlapping municipal matters. Most prominently, the University Drive Bicycle Lanes Project proposes dedicated bike lanes along the segment between South Street and Layton Hall Drive; a public hearing on the project was held February 25, 2025, where speakers expressed general support but some concerns about sharrows, with no council action taken at that time.
- VDOT authorization for the University Drive Bike Lanes construction contract awarded September 8, 2026 is listed as a contingency — confirmation of VDOT approval and construction commencement status…
- The Courthouse Plaza redevelopment proposal (which fronts University Drive) was in the post-submission/work session phase as of July 2026; no final council action on that application has been…
Two-Year Transportation Programproposed
The Two-Year Transportation Program is a City of Fairfax planning and funding mechanism that identifies and prioritizes transportation projects for advancement through feasibility study, design, and construction. The current cycle (FY25-26) was introduced at the October 8, 2024 City Council meeting, reviewed during a work session on February 18, 2025, and formally adopted by City Council on February 25, 2025.
- The October 6, 2026 City Council transportation work session was identified as a venue to discuss the Two-Year Transportation Program and related project modifications; the outcomes of that session…
- A modification to at least one project (Fairfax Boulevard multimodal connectivity, originally in the FY22 program, with FY26 funding) was under consideration as of May 2026 — the resolution of that…
This meeting in the wiki Overview
Norman Avenue Sidewalk Feasibility Studyin progress
The Norman Avenue Sidewalk Feasibility Study is a City-initiated transportation project examining the viability of adding sidewalk infrastructure along Norman Avenue. At the February 18, 2025 work session, staff and consultant Megan Waring (engineer with Kim Lee Horn) presented an overview of the study, including existing conditions, a preliminary concept, and a public engagement plan, noting the project was still in an early stage.
- VDOT's decision on the FY 2027 Transportation Alternatives Program application (R-25-08) for the Norman Avenue Sidewalk Project is pending.
- Results of the public engagement process initiated during the feasibility study have not yet been reported to Council.
This meeting in the wiki Overview
Norman Avenue
Chain Bridge Road/Eaton Place Intersection Improvementsin progress
The Chain Bridge Road/Eaton Place Intersection Improvements project involves proposed physical changes to the intersection of Chain Bridge Road and Eaton Place within the city. The project was first discussed by City Council during a Special Meeting/Work Session on February 18, 2025 (agenda item 4d), at which no formal action was taken.
- Right-of-way acquisition has not yet occurred; the project must advance through that stage before construction can proceed.
- No Council vote or formal action on the project design has been taken to date; future Council action on design approval or right-of-way authorization is an anticipated next step.
This meeting in the wiki Overview
Chain Bridge Road/Eaton Place Intersection
The Chain Bridge Road/Eaton Place Intersection Improvements is a City of Fairfax transportation project aimed at improving conditions at that intersection. The project was first discussed by City Council at a Special Meeting/Work Session on February 18, 2025, with no formal action taken at that time.
- No formal Council action has been taken following the March 25, 2025 public hearing; the next steps (e.g., Council vote on the project, right-of-way acquisition authorization) have not yet been…
- The project must still proceed through right-of-way acquisition before construction can advance.
Personnel Matters
Personnel matters have been a recurring subject of closed meetings held by both the City Council and the School Board across an extended period spanning July 2024 through at least September 2026. These sessions are convened under Virginia Code §2.2-3711(A)(1), which exempts certain personnel discussions from open-meeting requirements; following each closed session, the respective body typically certifies that only lawfully exempted matters were discussed.
- Outcomes of the majority of scheduled closed sessions remain unknown, as minutes or actions reports are not yet available for many meetings (including those as recent as September 2026).
- The specific personnel matters discussed in closed sessions — other than the January 2025 Acting City Manager appointment and the apparent conclusion of a City Manager search around November 2025 —…

“This meeting in the wiki” opens the topic’s history at this date.

Documents · 10

Filed in agenda order; the agenda names the item each belongs to.