Tag: zoning
Proposed zoning amendment would set rules for outdoor dining
Fairfax County is proposing an amendment to the Zoning Ordinance to codify the regulations for outdoor dining. The amendment would make permanent and add more details to the provision on outdoor dining in the emergency ordinance approved during the Covid pandemic. Two virtual community meetings have been scheduled on the proposed amendment, on Aug. 9 … Continued
Planning Commission defers action on Parking Reimagined
The Fairfax County Planning Commission on July 26 deferred action on Parking Reimagined, the controversial zoning ordinance amendment that would cut minimum parking requirements for new developments. More than 60 people spoke at the public hearing, which didn’t end until about 1:30 a.m. At the Planning Commission’s Sept. 13 meeting, there will be another public … Continued
Parking reduction plan advances
Fairfax County is preparing to make major changes to the zoning ordinance to greatly cut back the requirements for parking at new developments. At a Planning Commission work session on June 22, county zoning staff briefed the commissioners on the complex Parking Reimagined proposal that reduces the number of parking spaces for multifamily housing, office … Continued
Supervisors approve McDonald’s upgrade
The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved a zoning special exception on May 23 to allow an upgrade of the McDonald’s at the corner of Leesburg Pike and Carlin Springs Road in Bailey’s Crossroads. The project would add a second drive-through window and a 1,300-square foot addition to the building. The interior would be … Continued
Board of Supervisors approves zMod and calls for guidelines on data centers
The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors approved zMod – for the second time – on May 9 and also approved a follow-on motion calling for guidelines on data centers. zMod is a complete overhaul of the county’s 1978 zoning ordinance. The Board of Supervisors initially approved zMod two years ago. The state Supreme Court overturned … Continued
Planning Commission recommends approval of zMod despite widespread opposition
The Fairfax County Planning Commission on May 3 voted unanimously to recommend the Board of Supervisors approve an overhaul of the county’s zoning ordinance known as zMod. The Planning Commission also agreed to have its Land Use Process Review Committee look at some of the issues raised by residents during the public hearing, with the … Continued
County officials weigh options after Z-Mod is voided by the state Supreme Court
The Virginia Supreme Court’s ruling last week to throw out Z-Mod is causing a great deal of uncertainty on how Fairfax County will handle zoning decisions approved after the modernization of the Zoning Ordinance was adopted. Planning Commissioners, supervisors, zoning staff, and county attorneys are evaluating the Supreme Court decision and determining the next … Continued
Virginia Supreme Court throws out Z-Mod
The Virginia Supreme Court ruled on March 23 that Z-Mod, Fairfax County’s overhaul and modernization of the Zoning Ordinance, is void. According to the opinion by Justice Wesley Russell Jr., the Board of Supervisors “adopted Z-Mod in a manner that violated the open meeting provisions of VFOIA” [the Virginia Freedom of Information Act]. As a … Continued
Parking Reimagined would benefit developers, not residents
Fairfax County’s Parking Reimagined plan – which reduces the number of required parking spaces for new developments – would benefit developers, not local residents and communities, critics of the plan charge. That’s the main takeaway from a virtual information session Jan. 5 hosted by county planning and land development staff. A tiered approach Parking Reimagined … Continued
Residents oppose industrial rezoning
After hearing numerous complaints from local residents about a proposal to rezone the industrial Plaza 500 property in the Alexandria area of Mason District, the Fairfax County Planning Commission deferred a decision to Nov. 16. At an Oct. 26 hearing, people who live nearby urged the Planning Commission to reject the proposal, citing noise and … Continued
Historic Overlay District fails to gain sufficient community support
A proposal to create a Historic Overlay District in Holmes Run Acres will not go forward following a poll that found insufficient support. According to the poll results, 52.5 percent of homeowners opposed an HOD, and 45 percent supported it. Mason Supervisor Penny Gross said she will introduce a board matter before the Board of … Continued
Rt. 50 McDonald’s project advances
The Fairfax County Planning Commission is recommending the Board of Supervisors approve a zoning special exception to allow for a major upgrade and drive-through ordering at the McDonald’s at 6729 Arlington Blvd. in Falls Church. The project includes a modernization of the exterior, a minor expansion of the building, elimination of one of the two … Continued
The PLUS system will supersede all other land use records
Fairfax County’s land use systems will partially shut down from Friday, Oct. 21, to Monday morning on Oct. 31, when the new Permitting and Land Use System (PLUS) becomes fully operational. PLUS is a central online platform for creating and submitting permit applications online, paying fees, tracking the status of applications, and receiving electronic notifications. … Continued
Parking needs to be ‘reimagined,’ but the county plan needs work
By Donna Jacobson Fairfax County staff is working on a proposed parking amendment to the Zoning Ordinance, which would set reduced minimum parking requirements (MPRs) for new and renovated developments. The proposed parking amendment should be available at the end of October on the Parking Reimagined website.The Planning Commission is expected to have public hearings … Continued
Rt. 50 McDonald’s proposes major upgrade
The second-oldest McDonald’s in Virginia – at 6729 Arlington Blvd. – is slated for a major upgrade to include a drive-through. When it was built in 1958, it had large golden arches on either side and an outdoor food-ordering counter. It’s currently a simple brick building that needs to be modernized. Following a public hearing … Continued