Fairfax committee proposes plan and zoning changes to preserve manufactured-home communities

County planners on Tuesday presented coordinated comprehensive-plan and zoning proposals aimed at preserving manufactured‑home communities and the affordable housing they provide.

Leah Niebauer, of the Department of Planning and Development, said the package would replace Appendix 10 with a new Objective 7 in the housing element to “preserve existing manufactured housing communities through physical preservation strategies” and to encourage commitments to long‑term affordability in exchange for infrastructure investments. The recommended changes would also remap several parks so the plan reflects existing residential density rather than older plan language.

The proposed zoning amendment to the Residential Manufactured Home Park (RMHP) district would reduce minimum district size and peripheral setbacks, increase the baseline allowable density from 6 to 10 dwelling units per acre, and permit the board to modify standards through special exception or proffered conditions. Janan Cato of the Zoning Administration Division said the draft keeps a 15‑foot side‑to‑side separation minimum but allows end‑to‑side and end‑to‑end distances to be reduced to 10 feet, and would permit a special permit for reductions down to the building‑code minimum where appropriate.

Staff said the package is intended to reduce long‑standing nonconformities that result from older zoning standards (many parks predate the county—s 1978 ordinance) and to provide flexibility to allow reasonable additions and to formalize existing site conditions. The draft also proposes limiting single‑family detached dwellings to 20% of units in an RMHP to preserve the manufactured‑housing character of parks and increasing required parking from 1.5 to 2 spaces per unit for new development.

Supervisor Lusk welcomed the preservation focus but pressed staff to explain density options for Harmony Place and how the map changes would align with adjacent townhouse densities; staff said remapping would reflect existing density ranges where appropriate while retaining floodplain protections and relocation policies where needed.

The planning staff said draft plan text and zoning text will be published in English and Spanish, with public comment open through late August and subsequent Planning Commission and Board of Supervisors hearings planned for fall and early winter.

The committee did not take a formal vote; staff will continue outreach with residents, property owners and advocates and return with draft amendments for the public review process.