Fairfax City Council hears update on parks master plan; consultants seek council priorities

FAIRFAX CITY, Va. — Fairfax City staff and consultants on Tuesday updated the City Council on an ongoing Parks and Recreation Master Plan and asked members to prioritize short- and mid-term actions for the next five to 10 years.

T.C. Summerfield, Fairfax City Parks and Recreation director, introduced the project and said the current update replaces the city’s 2014 plan. James Mickel, a consultant with BerryDunn, told the council the team has completed extensive outreach — including pop-up events, listening sessions, focus groups and a web portal — and is finalizing analysis for a draft plan the consultant expects to return to the city for visioning and eventual adoption. Mickel said the project is slated to conclude in July 2026.

The consultant described the project’s phased approach and said outreach aimed to be “immersive, customized, convenient, inclusive and dependable.” He reported online engagement and survey results, telling the council the team had “received 423 surveys back” and that the engagement portal recorded several hundred visits. He said the plan will pair qualitative feedback with a level-of-service analysis, financial strategies and implementation guidance.

Council members used an interactive exercise to offer their top three priorities. Among the items raised repeatedly were improving accessibility and inclusivity across parks, adding or upgrading permanent restrooms, renovating fitness equipment, expanding walking trails and green-space protections, providing more programming for people across the lifespan, and pursuing revenue-generating events and partnerships. Council members also cited growing demand for amenities such as pickleball courts, destination and inclusive playgrounds, and options for multiuse sports and fitness features.

"We want to make sure we balance long-term vision with what we can actually fund and sustain," Council Member Hardy Chandler said, noting the need to plan across a 10-year horizon while addressing near-term maintenance. "What we do now shouldn't sacrifice what we need to keep."

Mickel emphasized that recommendations will be categorized by timing and feasibility — short (1–3 years), mid (4–6 years) and long term (7–10 years) — and that the team will include alternative funding strategies in the financial analysis so the city has realistic options beyond bond measures. He told council members the draft presentation would be shared with the department and then with the council for review; the department may also post draft materials to the project’s online portal for public comment.

Council members asked for maps that layer projects by timeframe and location so residents can see what is planned in the near- and longer term. The consultant confirmed maps and facility assessments will be part of the implementation plan and that staff and the consultant will work together to prioritize projects geographically and by equity of access.

The consultant also discussed metrics the team used for level-of-service analysis and referenced the national benchmark of approximately 8.9 park acres per 1,000 residents as one comparative tool while noting local equity considerations. He said the plan will include operations and organizational assessment elements in addition to capital recommendations.

Next steps, as outlined by the consultant, include finalizing analysis, returning for a staff visioning session to review key findings, drafting the plan with financial options and presenting a draft for council and possible public review prior to adoption. The consultant thanked the council for the input; the work session was adjourned at 7:45 p.m.

Sources: Presentation by T.C. Summerfield, Parks & Recreation Director; James Mickel, BerryDunn (consultant); City Council statements during the Jan. 6, 2026 work session.