The City of Fairfax’s Comprehensive Plan is a blueprint for future development. It was created in 1988 and later updated and amended.
But as economic and other conditions change, a city has to be flexible enough to acknowledge those shifts and be open to both them and other changes. So its Comprehensive Plan has to be a dynamic document, capable of being rewritten as needed so it continues to stay relevant.
That way, it better suits the needs of the city’s residents and also lets developers know what types of projects – residential, commercial, office or industrial – are allowed to be constructed within that jurisdiction and, specifically, where. And the idea of revising Fairfax’s current Comprehensive Plan came up July 7 during a joint work session of the Fairfax City Council and the Planning Commission.
“I think this is probably the most important thing that this Council and Planning Commission – and the following ones – will face in the next three years,” said Mayor Scott Silverthorne. Noting that it’s been at least 10 years since the City took on this huge task, he added, “The rewrite of the Comprehensive Plan is overdue.”
Councilwoman Nancy Loftus then asked about the timing of the rewrite – when it would begin. “We’d like to start the Comprehensive Plan overhaul later this year, after we finish the zoning [ordinances] rewrite,” replied City Planning Division Chief Cindy Petkac. “It’ll take about 18 months.”
Pleased, Planning Commission Chairman Paul Cunningham said the revision of Fairfax’s zoning ordinances will help define the City’s processes to deal with a variety of land-use and transportation issues that’ll arise as time goes on.
“The Comprehensive Plan ought to be dynamic and malleable and have the opportunity to be adjusted for certain areas of the City,” said Councilman David Meyer. He also recommended community involvement on issues including recreation, housing and the relationship of transportation to Fairfax’s schools and neighborhoods.
“Our citizens have changing expectations for the City,” continued Meyer. “They’re now interested in having pedestrian-friendly neighborhoods, as well as more emphasis on bike transportation and aesthetics, such as improving our parks and trails and undergrounding utilities. So I believe we should incorporate these things into a new Comprehensive Plan.”
Agreeing, Cunningham said, “Significant public input will be part of the process. We want to get good, public feedback and incorporate it into the Plan so we come up with a document that’ll carry us through the next five to 10 years.”