Fairfax Circle

Summary

Fairfax Circle is a geographic area in the City of Fairfax that is the subject of one of four adopted Small Area Plans. The Fairfax Circle Small Area Plan was approved by the Planning Commission on July 8, 2024 (Resolution PC-24-02, 5-0), recommending City Council adopt the draft dated June 24, 2024, subject to final approval of associated Comprehensive Plan amendments and specified modifications including property access preservation, a transportation safety study, walkway/shared-use path width analysis, and three textual edits. As of mid-2026, the plan's implementation is actively tracked: as of July 2026, six of its action items had been updated in the most recent review cycle, the Fairfax Circle intersection study was in the consultant procurement phase, and the area was noted as one where essentially no action items are considered fully complete. In June–July 2026, City Council and the Planning Commission discussed potential reviews and updates to all four Small Area Plans including Fairfax Circle, with discussion touching on transportation challenges, naturally occurring affordable housing, BRT opportunities, trail connectivity, and a potential mismatch between Small Area Plan development scenarios (described as envisioning very tall, high-density futures) and current zoning. A pre-application briefing on a nearby development proposal called Circle Gateway (3226 and 3250 Blenheim Boulevard, adjacent to Fairfax Circle Shopping Center) was held at the July 13, 2026 Planning Commission work session.

Open questions & options on the table

• Whether and when City Council will formally initiate a review and update of the Fairfax Circle Small Area Plan (discussed at June 23, 2026 City Council meeting but no action taken).
• Outcome of the Circle Gateway pre-application briefing at 3226 and 3250 Blenheim Boulevard — no minutes or confirmed actions were available for the July 13, 2026 Planning Commission work session.
• Completion and findings of the Fairfax Circle intersection study, which was in the consultant procurement phase as of July 2026.
• Whether the Small Area Plan review process will incorporate BRT planning considerations at Fairfax Circle, as discussed at the June 23, 2026 City Council meeting.
• Whether language supporting naturally occurring affordable housing and/or workforce housing will be added to the Fairfax Circle Small Area Plan during any future update.
• How trail connectivity toward Cardinal Road, the Fairwoods Parkway Neighborway Project, the Wilcoxon Trail Project, and up to Fairfax Circle will be achieved, given the status of the George Snyder Trail.
• What action items under the Fairfax Circle Small Area Plan will be deemed truly complete, as staff noted this is a subjective determination that had not yet been made.
• Whether the potential mismatch between the Small Area Plan's development scenarios (very tall, high-density) and current zoning will be addressed in any plan update.

What members have said

Positions as recorded in meeting minutes; votes without recorded comment aren’t summarized.

Discussion time

Minutes of named discussion per transcribed meeting.