Zoning Standards for Small Area Plans

There is a provision in the proposed amendments for management and removal of invasive species. Plantings are reviewed with every development proposal to encourage the use of native species.

This is an issue better addressed on a citywide basis. The zoning ordinance has standards for the required number of off-street parking spaces, parking locations, and loading areas.

Question: Is the draft complete? Maybe I'm missing something, but it looks like several Tables and Figures mentioned in the draft, in the discussion starting on Page 62, are missing. These are the ones that would say what a developer must do to earn "bonus" credits to be used to increase the height of buildings in the SAP areas.

Answer: All of the referenced tables and figures are included in this draft. The bonus credits table that qualifies the discussion on Page 62 is on Page 65, Table 6: Baseline Bonus Requirement. Figure 7 on page 68 shows the potential height bonuses that can be earned by participating in the Community Benefits Program. (These page references are for the markup version of the draft. For better ease of reading, view the Public Review Draft Revised June 2026).

Question: What are the things that will earn credits for the Applicants to build bonus stories of buildings in the SAP areas?

Answer: There are two community benefits that qualify for development bonuses: Open Space and Multimodal Infrastructure. These are described on page 62 and detail on eligibility are on pages 63 and 64. The density bonus calculation is shown in Table 6 on page 65. The potential bonus height limits that can be earned are shown in Figure 7 on page 68). (These page references are for the markup version of the draft. For better ease of reading, view the Public Review Draft Revised June 2026).

Question: Who will judge (during the approval process) that what the Applicant is offering is adequate, or performed to the standard?

Answer: The qualifications and eligibility requirements for the community benefits applicants provide are described on pages 63 and 64.

Question: What are the provisions for the public (e.g., the people who live here) to get involved in the bonus process?

Answer: Any application using this district would be a rezoning which would go through public hearings with the Board of Architectural Review, Planning Commission, and City Council. The public can comment at these public hearings as well as sharing comments with City Council and boards and commissions throughout the entirety of the review process.

Question: Is City Council giving up its responsibility of deciding the height of buildings in the City, or delegating it to an appointed official on City Staff? This bonus program recognizes that height and/or density are incentives for the developer - they lead to greater profits on a set area of land. But what do they do for the City or its residents?

Answer: No, City Council is still the final authority. Applicants using this district would be requesting a rezoning which means that they would have to go before the Board of Architectural Review, Planning Commission, and City Council. The Board of Architectural Review and Planning Commission provide recommendations to City Council, who then makes the final decision of approval or denial.

The purpose of the Community Benefits Program is to ensure that public benefits are provided as the city continues to redevelop. Applicants must provide open space and/or improve the street network in order to earn these development bonuses.

1. The ordinance will allow for special exceptions for situations like this where the site context/design makes the standard impractical or unfeasible.

2. This is a comment we have heard and we are considering if and how it could be regulated.

In order to increase walkability, create public spaces, stimulate the local economy, and support other general improvements, the City has adopted small area plans to support denser, mixed use development in the Activity Centers that are identified in the Comprehensive Plan. Not every development proposal received by the City is consistent with these goals which is why not all development projects are approved. Residential development is not supported by the Comprehensive Plan along major city roads outside of the intersections identified as Activity Centers. This is to prevent sporadic development of denser residential uses that would not be walkable and/or distant from economic activity in the activity centers.

The goal of these zoning ordinance amendments is to provide clear expectations for developers and property owners while still providing maximum flexibility. By setting clear standards, the process would be more efficient than the current process which relies on negotiation and can be unpredictable for developers. Property owners and members of the development community have been involved in each phase of this project, and we will continue to receive feedback on this draft of what would work and what would not.

The figure number reference is an error- it should reference Figure 6: Maximum Total Bonus Height Maps. Bonus height earned through the community benefit program cannot be more than the maximum height shown in figure 6 so a property shown with a max height of 4 stories would not be eligible to receive additional height. However, properties in the lower height limit areas would still be eligible for increased density. For those properties that can receive additional height, the maximum height shown on the map can be received by achieving any of the community benefits, unlike density, which is achieved based on the amount of the benefits provided per Table 7: Development Bonus Matric on page 49.

The goal of these zoning ordinance amendments is to provide property owners with clear expectations while still providing maximum flexibility in design so lot size would not exclude a property from benefiting from the program. It will be up to the property owner/developer to design their site to prioritize which, if any, benefits they would like to receive.

These amendments only apply within the City of Fairfax which is a separate municipality from Fairfax County.

All of the activity centers are located along multiple bus routes. The proposed amendments include incentives for community benefits wherein bonus density can be earned by providing open space and/or new street connections. Additionally, the proposed district includes incentives like providing shuttles and proximity to trails that would allow for a parking requirement reduction.

These amendments only apply within the City of Fairfax which is a separate municipality from Fairfax County.

The small area plans aim to enhance the unique character of each activity center, encourage context sensitive design, highlight the importance of transition zones and height step downs between the more urban development within the activity centers and adjacent residential neighborhoods.

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