Fairfax County Zoning Ordinance

Overview

In 2017 Fairfax County launched an ambitious project to update and modernize its 40-year-old zoning ordinance. The update to the Fairfax County Zoning Ordinance, called zMOD, is slated to be adopted by the Board of Supervisors in early to mid-2021.  Information can be found here: https://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/planning-development/zmod

The zoning ordinance, which is used to implement land use and has the force of law, works in tandem with the comprehensive plan. The goals of the first phase of the zMOD process include: 

• Modernizing the permitted uses and their regulations

• Making the Zoning Ordinance easier to understand

• Removing gaps and inconsistencies

• Creating a streamlined, user-friendly document

• Using more tables, graphics, and hyperlinks

• Being usable on multiple platforms

To help implement zMOD, the county hired Clarion Associates and added two new staff positions to work on the project.

Different phases or sections of the draft new ordinance have been rolled out over the past two years, and in June 2020 a consolidated draft was released for review. At more than 700 pages, it is a massive document. On Nov. 25, a new consolidated draft was released, and the Board of Supervisors is set to take a vote on Dec. 1, 2020 to advertise hearings before the Planning Commission in January.

RA sent a letter to Supervisor Walter Alcorn and other Fairfax County leaders on Nov. 25, outlining some initial concerns over timing, Accessory Living Units (ALUs) and home-based businesses. It can be found here.

Additionally, RA’s land use consultant, Odin Feldman Pittleman, provided additional details on these concerns and those memoranda can be found here.

It is important for the Reston community to be aware of the changes to the zoning ordinance and its many very specific and potential impacts to Reston’s neighborhoods and future.