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County of Fairfax, Virginia

MEMORANDUM

DATE:

August 21, 2015

TO:

General Distribution

FROM:

Donna Pesto
Senior Assistant to the Zoning Administrator

SUBJECT:

Solicitation for Comments on a Proposed Zoning Ordinance Amendment

Regarding the Palnned Development-Commercial (PDC) and Planned
Development-Mixed Use (PRM) Districts, Commercial Revitalization Districts
(CRD), Commercial Revitalization Areas (CRA), Community Business Centers
(CBC) and Transit Station Areas (TSA)

Enclosed is the most recent draft of a proposed Zoning Ordinance Amendment related to the
PDC and PRM Districts and the CRD, CRA, CBC and TSA regulations. Staff has also provided
a summary of the amendment that provides a brief description of the nature of the proposed
changes. The proposed Zoning Ordinance Amendment establishes the implementation tools
related to comprehensive plan changes and adopted design guidelines associated with
revitalization and redevelopment areas, as well as areas near mass transit stations. Specifically,
such areas include those associated with the Silver Line extension through the Dulles Corridor
and the updates to the Annandale, Baileys Crossroads and Seven Corners planning documents.
Staff is seeking your input on this proposal prior to authorization of this amendment for public
hearings. Please feel free to forward this draft to any other interested parties. In order to meet
scheduling deadlines, your comments are requested no later than September 4, 2015. Tentative
public hearing dates are November 5, 2015 for the Planning Commission and December 8, 2015
for the Board of Supervisors. A more detailed Staff Report describing the proposed amendment
will be provided in conjunction with the Boards authorization of the proposal for public hearing.
Please send comments via email to donna.pesto@fairfaxcounty.gov or via regular mail to the
address shown below. Please feel free to contact me at 703-324-1314 if you have any questions.
Thank you, in advance, for your review and consideration of this proposal.

Excellence * Innovation * Stewardship

Integrity * Teamwork* Public Service

Department of Planning and Zoning

Zoning Administration Division
Ordinance Administration Branch
12055 Government Center Parkway, Suite 807
Fairfax, Virginia 22035-5505
Phone 703-324-1314 FAX 703-803-6372
www.fairfaxcounty.gov/dpz/

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HIGHLIGHTS OF PROPOSED PDC/PRM AMENDMENT

A. Allow the Board to increase the maximum floor area ratio (FAR) in the PDC and PRM
Districts from 2.5 and 3.0, respectively, to not more than 5.0 FAR when the development is
in a Commercial Revitalization District (CRD), Commercial Revitalization Area (CRA),
Community Business Center (CBC) or Transit Station Area (TSA). The proposal will also
delete the provisions in PDC that required certain features like increased open space, unique
design features, below grade parking, etc. in order to increase FAR above the base level. The
actual maximum FAR for a specific parcel would be subject to any further limitation set forth
in the comprehensive plan recommendation for such parcel(s). For example, during the
Boards consideration of a PDC District rezoning request for a parcel in a CRD that has a
plan recommendation for 1.5 FAR, the Board can limit the FAR to 1.5 despite the fact that
the PDC District would permit up to 5.0 FAR. (Note: the amendment will be advertised to
allow the Board to adopt a maximum FAR up to 5.5, but staff is recommending a 5.0 FAR
maximum.) (See Pages 3 and 6.)
B. Clarify that the Board can reduce minimum yard requirements in CRDs, CRAs, CBCs and
TSAs to implement design criteria within the Plan or other endorsed design guidelines. (See
Page 1.)
C. Formalize that the Board can modify the currently required sight distance regulations on
corner lots as part of a rezoning approval. Such flexibility is needed because current
requirements do not accommodate urban design standards that set buildings close to the
sidewalk and street. This would apply to buildings, signs, or any other feature and an
applicant would need to specifically request the modification and provide sufficient
justification to support their request. (See Page 1.)
D. Changes affecting specific uses:
1. Add commercial recreation restaurants to the list of permitted secondary uses in the PDC
and PRM Districts to better accommodate businesses such as ESPN Zone and Dave and
Busters and remove the use limitation that limits patrons to 18 and over unless
accompanied by a parent or guardian. Other current use limitations will continue to
apply to all commercial recreation restaurants, which include family-oriented recreation
and on-premise dining with only subordinate carry-out service, a limit of 25% of the
gross floor area devoted to mechanical/electronic games, and a prohibition against
operating the recreation component independent of the dining component. (See Page 2
and 5.)
2. Add fast food restaurants to the list of permitted secondary uses in the PDC District when
located in a residential building and specify that such request can occur by way of

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approval of the final development plan, rather than the current process of special
exception. Fast food restaurants are already allowed as part of the approval of a final
development plan when located in a nonresidential building in the PRM District. (See
Page 2.)
3. Add kennels and veterinary hospitals as a permitted secondary use in the PRM District,
which will offer the ability to provide such a common service to residents within the
district. Both uses are currently allowed as a permitted secondary use in the PDC District.
Kennels and veterinary hospitals in the PRM, as in the PDC, would be required to be
indoors, with sound and odor proofing measures. (See Page 5.)
E. Specify that vehicle sale, rental and ancillary service uses in the PDC and PRM Districts are
permitted only when specifically identified on the approved development plan and when all
uses are conducted within an enclosed building, provided sale/rental vehicle storage may
occur in a parking structure/garage. (See Page 8.)
F. Add a new provision that highlights a variety of parking reductions are allowed in the PDC
and PRM Districts as set forth in Article 11 (Sect. 11-102) when a reduction in parking
furthers a goal of the comprehensive plan. Staff has also added a statement that stipulates
that structured parking is expected to predominate in the PDC district, as it currently is in the
PRM. (See Pages 3 and 6. )
G. Add a new provision to the PDC and PRM Districts to count floor area for any new cellar
space approved after the date of the amendment when tabulating the gross floor area for
purposes of calculating FAR. Exemptions from gross floor area would include cellar space
used for mechanical equipment, storage, accessory uses, loading spaces/travel ways/docks,
and unmanned datacenter equipment. In the Planned Tysons Corner Urban District (PTC),
cellar space already is counted in the gross floor area calculation; however, the exemptions
do not currently specifically identify loading spaces/travel ways/docks. Staff is proposing to
add these loading-related spaces to the cellar space exemptions in the PTC District. Staff
notes that cellar space is already required to be included in the parking tabulations when not
exclusively used for storage and/or mechanical equipment. Existing cellar space and cellar
space that will be constructed in accordance with an already approved development plan
would continue to be exempt from gross floor area. (See Pages 4 and 7.)
H. Modify the provisions for open space in the PRM District to specify that such open space
may include urban parks in accordance with Urban Park Framework in the comprehensive
plan. This change will clarify and strengthen the current open space regulations to address
urban parks. The changes will also stipulate that streetscape elements and those vegetated
areas related to green building standards are subject to a determination by the Board that the
proposed elements are appropriate for inclusion in the minimum open space requirement

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based on the definition of open space and the recommendations in the comprehensive
plan/development guidelines. The proposal will also provide that not more than one half of
the minimum required landscaped open space can be above street level, unless modified by
the Board. (See Page 7.)
I. Clarify that the Board can reduce parking in areas served by a mass transit station,
transportation facility, or sufficient high-frequency bus service upon satisfactory
demonstration that the reduction will not adversely impact the site or adjacent areas. (See
Page 9.)
J. Currently, in conjunction with a rezoning, the Board can reduce parking by up to 20% in the
CRDs and the Lake Anne CRA for non-residential uses only. The proposed change will
allow the Board to reduce parking by up to 20% in these areas for both residential and nonresidential uses in a mixed use development. Mixed use developments will be subject to the
application fee, whereas commercial developments will remain free of charge. (See Pages
10, 11 and 12.)
K. Allow for a waiver or modification of transitional screening and barrier requirements for
property that abuts the Dulles Airport Access Highway and Toll Road to help implement the
planning recommendations and design guidelines associated with the Silver Line/transit
station area along these roadways. (See Page 10.)
L. Stipulate that the bulk regulations, landscaping and screening provisions have general
applicability only at the periphery of a CRD, CRA, CBC or TSA in a rezoning application to
the PDC or PRM District. (See Page 10.)

Enclosure: Draft Proposed Zoning Ordinance Amendment