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Fairfax staff propose zoning text changes to ease ADU occupancy rules and reduce some special‑use barriers
Summary
Planning staff proposed multiple zoning text amendments including removing age/disability occupancy restrictions for accessory dwelling units (keeping owner‑occupancy), setting size thresholds to remove special‑use requirements for small indoor recreation and medical care facilities, and separating veterinary clinics from kennels with tailored standards.
City planning staff presented a package of proposed zoning text amendments at the June 3 work session focused on regulatory clarity and reducing barriers for low‑impact businesses.
On accessory dwelling units (ADUs), staff proposed deleting age and disability occupancy restrictions while retaining the owner‑occupancy requirement. The change removes an eligibility hurdle that staff and the Planning Commission described as outdated and not necessary for managing neighborhood impacts. Staff also proposed minor language cleanups to use the term "household" consistently with the ordinance definitions.
Staff recommended several changes to reduce special‑use permit requirements for certain businesses that now operate as lower‑impact formats. For example, they proposed a 30,000‑square‑foot threshold so that small gyms, day spas and similar uses would be treated as personal services rather than a large 'indoor recreation' special use; a 10,000‑square‑foot threshold would treat most urgent care medical facilities like medical offices rather than a special use. The intent is to move common, low‑impact business models out of the lengthy special‑use process while keeping discretionary review for large or potentially impactful facilities.
The package also proposes separating veterinary clinics (permitted in most commercial zones) from kennels/boarding (kept as special uses with specific standards). Draft use standards for animal care incorporate sound mitigation, waste control, ventilation/odor controls and daylight‑only outdoor exercise areas for boarding facilities (planning staff said council feedback on the daylight restriction would be considered before hearings).
Staff said Planning Commission will initiate the amendments and that public hearings will follow. Council did not vote on the changes at the work session and staff requested any additional comments be submitted before the initiation and public hearing steps.
