Pay Raises, Green Building Policy Under Consideration By Fairfax City Council

FAIRFAX CITY, VA — Fairfax City Council members will hold public hearings Tuesday, June 23 on a proposed green building policy, subdivision ordinance changes and pay increases for the mayor and council members.

The regular meeting is scheduled for 7 p.m. in the Council Chambers at City Hall, 10455 Armstrong St. The council will recess after the regular meeting and hold a work session on small area plan updates and Northfax Linear Park design guidelines.

Bus Rapid Transit Action Plan

Before the public hearings, Monica Backmon, chief executive officer of the Northern Virginia Transportation Authority, is scheduled to give a presentation on the authority’s Bus Rapid Transit Action Plan.

Green Building Policy

The council’s first public hearing will focus on adoption of a Green Building Policy for public and private buildings in the city. According to city staff, the policy would establish standards intended to improve environmental performance, efficiency, resilience and long-term sustainability.

The policy would apply to municipal facilities, including existing buildings, new construction and major renovations, as well as certain private-sector new construction and major redevelopment projects.

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For public-sector projects, the policy calls for energy benchmarking of existing public buildings of at least 1,000 square feet. New public construction and major renovations of at least 5,000 square feet would be expected to meet the Virginia High Performance Buildings Act, achieve LEED Building Design and Construction Gold certification, use all-electric equipment and appliances, meet zero-emissions standards and show a 50 percent reduction in modeled energy use above current state building code requirements.

For private-sector projects, the policy would apply to new construction of at least 5,000 square feet and major renovations that go through special exception, variance, rezoning, planned development review or special use review processes. Those projects would have to achieve at least Silver-level certification under LEED Building Design and Construction, EarthCraft Light Commercial or EarthCraft Multifamily. Single-family homes, townhouses and duplexes would be exempt.

The proposed policy would take effect immediately for public-sector standards and July 1, 2027, for private-sector standards. Staff says an Energy Program Manager position was approved as part of the fiscal year 2027 budget and would be responsible for administering the policy.

Subdivision Ordinance Amendments

A second public hearing will cover proposed amendments to Chapter 86 of the City Code, which governs subdivisions. The amendments would update the city’s subdivision plat review timeline and procedures to match changes adopted by the Virginia General Assembly in 2025.

The proposed change would shorten the zoning administrator’s review period for a completed final plat application from 60 days to 40 days and add language stating that subsequent submissions made within 45 days would be reviewed under Virginia Code Section 15.2-2259. The Planning Commission held a public hearing on May 11 and unanimously recommended approval.

Mayor And City Council Compensation

The third public hearing will focus on compensation for the mayor and City Council members. The proposed ordinance would raise the mayor’s annual salary from $13,000 to $24,000 and each council member’s annual salary from $12,000 to $22,000, which city staff says are the current statutory maximums for localities in Fairfax City’s population range.

The increases would not take effect until July 1, 2027, after the next regularly scheduled municipal election. The fiscal impact has not yet been determined, but any increase would not affect the city budget until fiscal year 2028.

Small Area Plan Updates

During the work session, council members will discuss a potential review and update of the city’s adopted small area plans for Old Town, Northfax, Kamp Washington and Fairfax Circle. City staff says the Old Town and Northfax plans have reached the five-year review milestone, but staff recommends reviewing all four adopted plans at the same time to keep them consistent.

Potential review topics include new city policies, specific projects that have moved forward since the plans were adopted, tree canopy analysis, property impacts, level-of-service considerations, fiscal impacts, formatting and document clarity. Some work could be done by city staff, while market, traffic, utility and mid-century commercial-theme analyses would require consultant support and potential funding in a future budget cycle.

Staff estimates the work could be completed in fall 2027 if only staff-led tasks are included, or summer 2028 if consultant-led tasks are part of the review.

Northfax Linear Park Design Guidelines

Council members will also receive a work session presentation on Northfax Linear Park design guidelines. The linear park is a recommendation of the Northfax Small Area Plan and is intended to serve as public open space, a neighborhood connector and green infrastructure for stormwater capture.

The park would stretch across multiple public and private properties in the Northfax Activity Center and would be implemented over time as redevelopment and public infrastructure projects occur.

The design guidelines are expected to address dimensional standards, stormwater strategy, plantings, landscape design, materials, site furnishings and amenities. A design and engineering firm is assisting city staff with the guidelines, and the project is being funded through stormwater utility funding included in the adopted fiscal year 2023 capital improvement program.

How To Participate

Members of the public may speak during the public hearings. The agenda also includes an initial general public comment period for city matters that are not the subject of a public hearing. Speakers who register with the city clerk’s office at 703-385-7935 before 5 p.m. the day of the meeting may speak during that period.

Comments are limited to three minutes per speaker. A second general public comment period is scheduled later in the meeting for speakers who did not speak during the first comment period.

Anyone who needs a reasonable accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act may call 703-385-7935 or TTY 711.