City of Fairfax Zoning Ordinance Amendments Small Area Plans
in progressSummary
The City of Fairfax is pursuing amendments to its Zoning Ordinance to bring it into alignment with adopted Small Area Plans. The effort began at least as early as May 12, 2025, when the Planning Commission held a work session at which consultant Justin Wallace of White, Smith, Cousino presented a staff report on the potential amendments; no formal action was taken at that meeting. Work continued into 2026, with a March 9, 2026 Planning Commission work session focusing specifically on frontages, open space, tree conservation and landscaping, and parking — again with no formal vote recorded. Concurrent engagement with the City Council and the public was scheduled around the same time, reflecting a multi-track review process still in progress.
Open questions & options on the table
- What specific amendments will be formally proposed and brought to a vote by the Planning Commission?
- Outcome of the City Council work session on the same topic scheduled for March 10, 2026.
- Outcome and public feedback from the public open house scheduled for March 26, 2026.
- Whether additional topic areas beyond frontages, open space, tree conservation and landscaping, and parking remain to be discussed in future work sessions.
Recent updates
[7a] Continued work session discussion on potential Zoning Ordinance amendments related to adopted small area plans, focusing on frontages, open space, tree conservation and landscaping, and parking. A City Council work session on the same topic was noted for March 10, 2026, and a public open house scheduled for March 26, 2026.
[8a] Potential zoning ordinance amendments related to adopted Small Area Plans were discussed at the work session; a presentation was made by consultant Justin Wallace of White, Smith, Cousino. No formal action was taken.
Full history
[8a] Potential zoning ordinance amendments related to adopted Small Area Plans were discussed at the work session; a presentation was made by consultant Justin Wallace of White, Smith, Cousino. No formal action was taken.
[7a] Continued work session discussion on potential Zoning Ordinance amendments related to adopted small area plans, focusing on frontages, open space, tree conservation and landscaping, and parking. A City Council work session on the same topic was noted for March 10, 2026, and a public open house scheduled for March 26, 2026.