2035 Comprehensive Plan Implementation Guide
in progressStatus set at Planning Commission Regular Meeting/Work Session on Mar 9, 2026 · ▶ watch the moment
Project wiki — a maintained overview, meeting history, and recorded positions.
- Proposed
- Under reviewJul 28, 2025
- DecidedJan 27, 2025
Summary
The 2035 Comprehensive Plan Implementation Guide is a living policy document maintained by the City of Fairfax Planning Commission to track and guide implementation of the 2035 Comprehensive Plan and associated adopted Small Area Plans (Old Town, NorthFax, Camp Washington, and Fairfax Circle). It is updated twice per year — typically in a winter/early-spring cycle tied to the Planning Commission Annual Report to City Council, and in a summer cycle — and covers action items across topic areas including land use, multimodal transportation, sustainability, and economic development. Each action item carries a time frame, lead/support roles, and status. On January 27, 2025, the Planning Commission approved the 2024 Annual Report and associated Implementation Guide updates 6-0. Updates were then presented to City Council at a February 4, 2025 work session with no formal action taken. A summer 2025 update was presented by Planner Amy Lynn Denny on July 28, 2025. The 2025 Annual Report cycle with associated winter 2026 Implementation Guide updates was presented to the Planning Commission on March 9, 2026, where discussion noted 11 actions with a 2026 time frame, 4 with 2028, 2 with 2030, and 6 actions not yet in progress (down from 17 the prior year). A summer 2026 update was scheduled for presentation on July 13, 2026, though no confirmed outcome is available for that meeting.
Open questions & options on the table
- No formal vote on the 2025 Annual Report and associated winter 2026 Implementation Guide updates was recorded at the March 9, 2026 Planning Commission meeting — it is unclear whether a vote is still pending or was deferred.
- The July 13, 2026 work session presentation of summer Implementation Guide updates has no confirmed outcome; minutes or action report are not yet available.
- Six action items were identified as not yet in progress as of March 2026 (including district flexibility for commercial/industrial uses, manufactured housing feasibility, a TDM fund, and commercial corridor/block concept diagrams); their resolution remains open.
- Small Area Plan Zoning Ordinance Amendments — referenced as a related ongoing project with a public meeting scheduled for March 26, 2026 at Sherwood Center — have an unconfirmed final outcome.
- Staff indicated an annual action plan was to be created to identify near-term implementation work within the year; its completion or presentation has not been recorded.
What members have said
At the November 24, 2025 meeting, Commissioner Cunningham suggested a discussion or review of Comprehensive Plan or Small Area Plan items, which prompted broader conversation about how to structure that kind of review using the implementation guides as a starting point.
At the February 9, 2026 meeting, Chair Feather was noted as having raised the need to discuss the plan for the Planning Commission's presentation at the City Council CIP session the following evening. Chair Feather is also referenced as presiding over the March 9, 2026 annual report and implementation guide consideration.
Positions as recorded in meeting minutes; votes without recorded comment aren’t summarized.
Discussion time
Minutes of named discussion per transcribed meeting.
Full history
[5a] Updates to the Implementation Guide were approved as part of the Annual Report item, 6:0.
passedApprove the 2024 Planning Commission Annual Report and associated updates to the 2035 Comprehensive Plan Implementation Guide and Small Area Plan Implementation Guides.[1a] Implementation Guides were presented and discussed at this work session. No formal action was taken.
[8b] Planner II Amy Lynn Denny presented updates to the Implementation Guides related to the 2035 Comprehensive Plan and approved Small Area Plans during the work session.
[4b] Winter 2026 updates to the Implementation Guide were presented as part of the annual report consideration.
[8c] Updates to the Implementation Guides related to the City of Fairfax 2035 Comprehensive Plan and approved Small Area Plans were scheduled for presentation at this work session.
Discussed alongside
Topics that come up in the same meetings.