Planning Commission to vote on zMOD next week

zMOD would ease the rules for home-based businesses.

The Fairfax County Planning Commission had been scheduled to make a decision on zMOD Feb. 10, but instead agreed to defer a decision to Feb. 24. 

zMOD is a massive modernization and streamlining of the county’s Zoning Ordinance. The two most controversial provisions address Accessory Living Units (ALUs) and home-based businesses. 

Many of the 40+ people who spoke at a Planning Commission hearing on zMOD last month said easing the rules to make it easier to have those uses in single-family homes would destroy the character of residential neighborhoods. 

The Act4Fairfax Network outlines many of the concerns about zMOD. The network also raises concerns about how the zoning code is being rewritten during the COVID pandemic when opportunities for public engagement are limited.  

The group encourages community residents to complete a survey on zMOD. Access it here. Comments can also still be submitted to the Planning Commission at [email protected]. 

Related story: Residents speak out against zoning changes that would destabilize neighborhoods

Act4Fairfax isn’t a membership organization; it describes itself as a place where people from all parts of Fairfax County can work together to promote a more responsive government that prioritizes citizen input on land use issues. 

At the Feb. 3 Planning Commission meeting, commissioners had an hours-long question-and-answer session with county zoning staff. A recording of that session is available online. At the request of the Planning Commission, staff agreed to provide a written document outlining their responses. 

The Planning Commission also had a hearing on Feb. 10 on proposed zoning changes for flags and flagpoles. That will be covered in a future blog post.