At its May 11 meeting, the Fairfax City Council discussed the following items:
* The creation of a bond referendum in November to renovate Fairfax High School and Lanier Middle School continued its momentum, as the Council approved various aspects of the projects' site plans.
For Fairfax High, the Council approved 5-0, with Council member Gary Rasmussen absent, a special-use permit to allow expansion of a school of general instruction. It also approved special exemptions to reduce the required parking for a high school and allow the existing peripheral parking lot landscaping to remain for the new parking lot. The Council then approved a variance to allow site lights, or practice lights and football stadium lights, that exceed the 12-foot maximum height restriction.
For Lanier Middle, the Council approved a special-use permit to allow the expansion of a school of general instruction. It also approved special exemptions to reduce the required tree canopy; reduce the required landscape strip width and modify the planning requirement for peripheral parking lot landscaping; modify the interior parking lot landscaping; allow building expansion without satisfying requirements for parking lot improvements; and allow parking spaces without the required separation from an adjacent structure.
* The Council approved an appropriations resolution in the amount of $115,000 to construct a public safety equipment storage facility at Fire Station 33, 10101 Lee Highway. The storage facility would house three response vehicles owned by the City.
* The Council also approved an appropriation resolution in the amount of $30,000 for the publication and mailing of a Bicentennial Timeline/Calendar.
* An appropriations resolution was approved by the Council for consultant services to develop a community center feasibility study on the John C. Wood and Van Dyck properties. The $21,700 resolution would enable Mosely Architects to develop three alternative site plans for a 14,000-square-foot building.
* The Council amended an ordinance to establish a permit parking district on Brookwood Drive between Old Lee Highway and Spring Lake Terrace, in order to discourage parking by students at Fairfax High School.
* The Council approved a development agreement between the City and Fairfax County for the City of Fairfax Regional Library. The agreement says that either a new regional library consisting of approximately 45,000 square feet with 200 parking spaces would be built, or the current library would be renovated and expanded. The library improvements, which are in connection with the redevelopment of Old Town Fairfax, would be funded by the City through the issuance of bonds.