Board defers decision on 1601 Fairfax Drive multifamily plan to January 2026

The Arlington County Board on Sept. 13 unanimously deferred action on a proposed rezoning, site plan and partial Fairfax Drive vacation for a multifamily redevelopment at 1601 Fairfax Drive.

County staff told the board they received a formal letter from the applicant on Sept. 12 requesting a postponement; staff recommended the board defer final consideration to the January 2026 meeting so the applicant can continue community outreach and complete outstanding work. The manager’s office presented a supplemental report to the board reflecting that recommendation.

The application would have rezoned a portion of Fairfax Drive (a small street segment) and sought approval for an eight‑story building of up to 141 dwelling units with associated parking, density and circulation modifications. Planning staff and several neighborhood speakers had raised issues in earlier reviews about the project’s consistency with the Fort Myer Heights North plan (a neighborhood GLUP element) and site constraints; public testimony at the hearing stressed those planning questions and the site’s complexity.

Vice Chair Matt Ferrante moved the deferral to January 2026; Susan Cunningham seconded. The motion carried unanimously.

Why it matters: The project affects a constrained, in‑fill parcel within the Fort Myer Heights North study area where earlier planning sought to preserve neighborhood character and limit height and density in parts of Fairfax Drive. Deferral gives staff and the applicant time to address those policy and design concerns and to continue SPRC and community engagement.

What’s next: The item is scheduled to return to the county board at its January 2026 meeting; in the interim staff and the applicant will continue outreach and refine site design and GLUP conformity analysis.