Community Survey
The City of Fairfax Community Survey is a citywide resident satisfaction and priorities survey that was in development and discussion throughout 2025. 6 separate matters touch this plan or program; each has its own status.
Beacon Landing
Beacon Landing is a 54-unit supportive affordable housing development co-developed by Wesley Housing and the Lamb Center, located within the city. The project drew on 23 separate financing sources and received a $700,000 gap financing investment from the city's Housing Trust Fund in February 2023 — a fund built from cash-in-lieu payments made by developers prior to the adoption of the city's Affordable Dwelling Unit ordinance in 2020.
- December 2nd Council Presentation
The 2025 City of Fairfax Community Survey findings were referenced as a source of community and business perspectives on housing in the Council presentation.
Pathway Homes
Pathway Homes is a nonprofit organization headquartered in Fairfax City that provides supportive housing and services to community members, including older adults with low incomes. Its central tracked project involves the redevelopment of a building at 4010 University Drive (tax parcel 57-4-02-087-B) in the CR Commercial Retail Zoning District and Old Town Fairfax Historic Overlay District.
- December 2nd Council Presentation
The 2025 City of Fairfax Community Survey findings were referenced as a source of community and business perspectives on housing in the Council presentation.
The Botanist
- December 2nd Council Presentation
The 2025 City of Fairfax Community Survey findings were referenced as a source of community and business perspectives on housing in the Council presentation.
Davies Property
The Davies Property project is a proposed mixed-use redevelopment of 4131 Chain Bridge Road (a 2.69-acre site currently containing a large vacant house) by The Hill, A Davies Family, LLC. The application sought to rezone the parcel from RM (Residential Medium) to CU (Commercial Urban), retaining the Old Town Fairfax Transition Overlay District (TOD), with a General Development Plan for up to 276 multifamily apartments and approximately 10,796 sq ft of ground-floor commercial space, served by a 3-level below-grade parking garage.
- December 2nd Council Presentation
The 2025 City of Fairfax Community Survey findings were referenced as a source of community and business perspectives on housing in the Council presentation.
Fairfax Square
Fairfax Square Professional Center (9840–9946 Main Street) is a ~10.4-acre commercial site on the north side of Main Street, adjacent to the Fairfax Square garden-style apartment complex. The property owner (Van Meter Companies) is proposing a phased mixed-use redevelopment that would demolish most of the existing low-slung commercial buildings while retaining the five-story office building and an existing bank; the concept calls for roughly 300 new apartment units in two or three buildings, along with some ground-floor retail (~10,000 sq. ft.).
- December 2nd Council Presentation
The 2025 City of Fairfax Community Survey findings were referenced as a source of community and business perspectives on housing in the Council presentation.
The City of Fairfax 2035 Comprehensive Plan is the city's primary long-range land use and policy document, guiding development, housing, transportation, and related decisions. A five-year review process culminated on October 8, 2024, when City Council unanimously adopted Resolution R-24-30 approving the updated plan dated September 27, 2024.
- December 2nd Council Presentation
The 2025 City of Fairfax Community Survey findings were referenced as a source of community and business perspectives on housing in the Council presentation.
- Apr 22, 2025City Council · item 1aWork Session: Discussion on the Community Survey process
Staff presented and discussed the community survey process during the work session. No formal action was taken.
- Jun 10, 2025City Council · item 11dCommunity Survey discussion (Work Session)
Work session discussion was rescheduled for June 24, 2025; not held at this meeting.
- Jun 24, 2025City Council · item 11dWork Session: Community Survey discussion
Council discussed the Community Survey during the work session; no formal action was taken.
- Jun 28, 2025City Council · item 6Follow-Up Discussion on the Community Survey
Scheduled as a follow-up discussion on the community survey. No outcome recorded.
- Jul 1, 2025City Council · item 1eFollow-up Discussion on the Community Survey
Council held a follow-up discussion on the community survey during the work session.
- New Business – Summary of recent Council meeting actions pertaining to Parks and Recreation
The community survey for the Parks Master Plan is scheduled to be presented to City Council on January 6th.
In full
Staff first presented the survey process to City Council in a work session on April 22, 2025, with follow-up discussions held on June 10 (rescheduled), June 24, July 1, and at the June 28 Council Retreat — all without formal Council action. Survey results came back by late October 2025, when council members and staff publicly referenced findings showing high resident satisfaction, with the city described as one of the happiest communities in the country and ranking above national and Mid-Atlantic averages. Notably, the results also flagged affordable housing accessibility as a top concern, with roughly 45% of respondents neutral or dissatisfied on that issue.
The Parks Master Plan community survey component was separately reported to PRAB in November 2025 as scheduled for a City Council presentation on January 6, 2026. The broader survey results have since been cited repeatedly in discussions on housing, human services, parks, and seniors as an ongoing policy reference tool.