Urban Agriculture
in progressStatus set at City Council Regular Meeting on Jul 9, 2024 · ▶ watch the moment
- Proposed
- Under reviewJul 8, 2024
- Decided
Summary
Urban agriculture—defined in the proposed ordinance as the commercial cultivation, retail sales, and distribution of agricultural products within a fully enclosed structure or on a rooftop, using methods such as hydroponics, aeroponics, and vertical farming—has been a tracked zoning and economic development topic for the City of Fairfax since at least mid-2024. The effort originated with the city's Economic Development Office, which had been in contact with companies in the field interested in locating in Fairfax City, and aligns with comprehensive plan goals around diversifying the commercial sector and supporting regionally grown food. Staff presented draft zoning text amendments at a Planning Commission work session on July 8, 2024, and a City Council work session on July 9, 2024, with no formal action taken at either. On July 22, 2024, the Planning Commission voted 5:0 to initiate amendments to Chapter 110 and schedule a public hearing. On September 9, 2024, the Planning Commission voted 6:1 (Mr. Cunningham dissenting) to recommend City Council approve the ordinance; a City Council public hearing and action followed on September 24, 2024, at which the amendments were presented. As of early 2026, the Environmental Sustainability Committee (ESC) has added urban agriculture as a key area of focus, noting that the zoning ordinance was adopted (referenced as "2024") and identifying further regulatory and community-engagement actions as next steps.
Open questions & options on the table
- The ESC has identified continuing review of regulatory opportunities to expand urban agriculture as an action item, including community garden expansion and compilation of a city database of gardeners — the scope and timeline of these efforts remain unresolved.
- Councilmember Peterson raised the idea of the Environmental Sustainability Committee re-engaging on urban agriculture and sustainable food at the July 22, 2025 Council meeting; no formal follow-up action or assignment has been recorded.
- Whether any companies identified by the Economic Development Office have proceeded toward locating a commercial urban agriculture establishment in Fairfax City has not been recorded in the available material.
What members have said
Mr. Cunningham voted against the Planning Commission's September 9, 2024 recommendation to approve the urban agriculture zoning amendments — the sole dissenting vote in the 6:1 outcome. No recorded verbal comments from him on this topic appear in the provided material.
Ms. Lockhart made the motion on September 9, 2024 to recommend City Council approve the proposed ordinance amending Chapter 110 pertaining to urban agriculture.
Mr. Denton seconded Ms. Lockhart's motion on September 9, 2024 to recommend City Council approve the urban agriculture zoning amendments.
At the July 22, 2025 Council meeting, Councilmember Peterson connected the concept of 'yardening' (home gardening) in his neighborhood to the city's earlier urban agriculture work, and suggested the Environmental Sustainability Committee could potentially pick the topic back up. He is noted in a February 2026 ESC presentation as having introduced urban agriculture as a committee concern when he was chair.
At the July 22, 2025 Council meeting, Councilmember Bates stated he had no comments on the urban agriculture discussion.
Positions as recorded in meeting minutes; votes without recorded comment aren’t summarized.
Discussion time
Minutes of named discussion per transcribed meeting.
Full history
[8a] Staff presented a draft ordinance on potential Zoning Text Amendments regarding Urban Agriculture during the work session; the matter was discussed with no formal action taken, and potential initiation of zoning text amendments is anticipated at the July 22, 2024 Planning Commission meeting.
[12a] Council discussed potential zoning text amendments regarding urban agriculture during the work session; no action was taken.
[5a] Staff presented a report on proposed zoning code amendments related to urban agriculture; the Commission approved initiating the amendment process and scheduling a public hearing.
passedMotion to initiate amendments to Chapter 110 of the Code of the City of Fairfax pertaining to urban agriculture and to schedule a public hearing for consideration of said amendments.[6b] Proposed to be defined as an establishment for cultivation, retail sales, and distribution of agricultural products within a fully enclosed structure or on a rooftop; discussion included cannabis cultivation, animal keeping, wastewater, and compliance monitoring.
passedMotion by Ms. Lockhart, seconded by Mr. Denton, to recommend City Council approve the proposed ordinance amending Chapter 110, Zoning, of the Code of the City of Fairfax, Virginia, including Zoning Districts and Regulations, Site Development Standards, and Definitions.✓ Feather✓ Briggs✓ Coleman✕ Cunningham✓ Denton✓ Lockhart✓ Rice
Discussed alongside
Topics that come up in the same meetings.