Small Area Plans
Small Area Plans are adopted land-use guidance documents for the City of Fairfax's four Activity Center districts: Old Town Fairfax (adopted June 23, 2020), Northfax (adopted June 23, 2020), Kamp Washington (adopted October 25, 2022), and Fairfax Circle (adopted July 23, 2024). 7 separate matters touch this plan or program; each has its own status.
Blenheim Boulevard Multimodal Improvements
The Blenheim Boulevard Multimodal Improvements Project (UPC-107013) is a city transportation corridor upgrade adding walking and biking infrastructure, benches, and an amphitheater, running from Blenheim Hall Drive to Ridge Avenue. The project has been in planning and design for several years, with construction expected to begin in 2025 per early-year projections; utility relocation was underway as of March 2026, with construction start revised to later in 2026 or early 2027.
- May 11, 2026Planning Commission · item 10Staff Report
An introduction to the upcoming process review of small area plans was reported as a forthcoming June Planning Commission agenda item.
Willard-Sherwood Community Center
The Willard-Sherwood Health and Community Center is a joint City of Fairfax and Fairfax County project to redevelop the Willard Health Center and Stacy C. Sherwood Community Center sites at 3740 and 3750 Blenheim Boulevard into a new shared health, wellness, and recreation facility.
- May 11, 2026Planning Commission · item 10Staff Report
An introduction to the upcoming process review of small area plans was reported as a forthcoming June Planning Commission agenda item.
Gallery at City Center
Gallery at City Center is a proposed mixed-use development 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, on approximately 2.52 acres. The project as briefed includes approximately 257 multifamily units, 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.
- May 11, 2026Planning Commission · item 10Staff Report
An introduction to the upcoming process review of small area plans was reported as a forthcoming June Planning Commission agenda item.
Courthouse Plaza
Courthouse Plaza (10300 Willard Way, with associated parcel at 3922 Blenheim Boulevard) is a shopping center redevelopment proposal in the City of Fairfax, pursued by Combined Courthouse, LLC. The project has gone through two distinct application cycles.
- May 11, 2026Planning Commission · item 10Staff Report
An introduction to the upcoming process review of small area plans was reported as a forthcoming June Planning Commission agenda item.
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.
- Jan 11, 2025City Council · item 3Overview of Land-Use Application Processes, Comprehensive Plan, Fact Book, and Small Area Plans
Small Area Plans were listed as a topic in the scheduled land-use overview presentation; no outcome recorded as no minutes or actions report exist.
- Discussion of Next Steps
The team reviewed when Small Area Plans were developed; four of the five Activity Center plans have been adopted: Old Town Fairfax (June 23, 2020), Northfax (June 23, 2020), Kamp Washington (October 25, 2022), and Fairfax Circle (July 23, 2024).
- Strategy Team Updates
Referenced alongside the Comprehensive Plan as a framework for aligning housing goals and production targets. The third phase of the Zoning Standards for Small Area Plans project is underway, aiming to recommend Zoning Ordinance amendments to better align with small area plan guidance.
passedMotion to approve the information sharing/gathering approach of attending various Village in the City events for the Home Sharing Strategy Team.✓ Light✓ LaCroix✓ Delboy✓ Bonaiuto✓ Vincent✓ Ihara✓ Derosier✓ Atwood✓ Gillespie✓ Napolitano✓ Cattaneo✓ Opoku-Yeboah· Anderson· Jensen· Wilber· Cabelli· Hatch
The Fairfax Circle Small Area Plan is one of four Activity Center Small Area Plans adopted by the City of Fairfax. Plan development began in Spring 2023.
- Discussion of Next Steps
The team reviewed when Small Area Plans were developed; four of the five Activity Center plans have been adopted: Old Town Fairfax (June 23, 2020), Northfax (June 23, 2020), Kamp Washington (October 25, 2022), and Fairfax Circle (July 23, 2024).
The Housing and Homelessness Strategic Plan is a City of Fairfax initiative to develop a comprehensive affordable housing and homelessness strategy, undertaken in partnership with national consulting firm Thomas P. Miller and Associates (TPMA).
- Developing HHCAB's Workplan
It was noted that the city is currently evaluating zoning ordinances in relation to the Small Area Plans, and that zoning standards for Small Area Plans are under development; HHCAB's Zoning Strategy Team will engage in this process to identify affordable housing opportunities.
- Discussion of a potential review and update to the adopted small area plans for Old Town, Northfax, Kamp Washington, and Fairfax Circle
The Planning Commission discussed a potential review and update to the adopted small area plans for Old Town, Northfax, Kamp Washington, and Fairfax Circle.
- Jul 13, 2026Planning Commission · item 8bDiscussion on the second draft of amendments to the City of Fairfax Zoning Ordinance related to adopted Small Area Plans
A second draft of zoning ordinance amendments related to adopted Small Area Plans was scheduled for work session discussion at this meeting. Approved Small Area Plans are also referenced as a basis for Implementation Guide updates scheduled for presentation at this work session.
- Jul 14, 2026City Council · item 12aWork Session – Second Draft of Zoning Ordinance Amendments Related to Small Area Plans
The second draft of amendments to the City of Fairfax Zoning Ordinance related to adopted Small Area Plans was discussed in a work session on July 14, 2026; no formal action was taken.
- Sep 14, 2026Planning Commission · item 7aWork Session: Discussion on potential zoning text amendments related to adopted small area plans
Small area plans were the subject of a work session discussion regarding potential related zoning text amendments. Amendments to Chapter 110 related to adopted small area plans were scheduled for a motion at this meeting.
- Discussion and update on potential amendments to the Zoning Ordinance related to adopted Small Area Plans.
Potential Zoning Ordinance amendments related to adopted Small Area Plans were discussed via staff report and presentation; no formal action was taken.
In full
The plans describe building placement, open space, and desired development character for each center, with resulting density treated as a product of those design parameters rather than an explicit numeric target. A multi-phase city project — Zoning Standards for Small Area Plans — has been underway to translate the plans' guidance into enforceable Zoning Ordinance amendments; by April 2026 the effort was in its third phase, aimed at recommending specific text amendments. A second draft of those amendments was reviewed in joint work sessions with the Planning Commission (July 13, 2026) and City Council (July 14, 2026), followed by a community open house in September 2026 and online engagement, prompting further revisions.
An additional City Council work session was held October 6, 2026 to present those revisions before a public hearing; no formal action has yet been taken.
Separately, a potential comprehensive review and update of all four adopted small area plans themselves has been flagged as a future step, with a City Council discussion tentatively slated for November 2026.