Planning the City's Future

The City is currently undergoing a review, update and eventual drafting of a new comprehensive plan. This is the document that serves as a guide for what we want the City to be over the next several years.

You can access the draft document and learn more about the process by clicking here.

In addition to being required under Virginia law, laying out a long-term strategy through the comprehensive plan serves multiple purposes.

First, it makes sure that we as a City know where we want to go when it comes to making investments in schools, parks, roads, infrastructure and land use policies. You can't go somewhere if you don't know the destination and the comprehensive plan provides the framework for our journey as a community.

Second, in developing this road map for the City's future, we have an opportunity to assess where we are - what we've done right, what could be done better - and learn from past efforts. When I read through the current plan and plans from years past, for instance, I realize that the core of what makes the City special and unique won't be changing anytime soon. Since the founding of our City more than 50 years ago, we've always desired to be more than a suburban bedroom jurisdiction. We wanted to be a community of neighborhoods, friends and have a local government that is accessible, responsive and delivers quality services. For an idea of the kind of progress that's been made since the last comprehensive plan, click here.

We have made great strides over the last several years in finding a balance of smart, responsible growth and making investments in our City infrastructure. Even with the tough economic times we have been able to build the privately-funded Sherwood Community Center, which has been a long-term goal of the City, and we've approved numerous development projects that will add both people and businesses in the City. Yet, we know there are many opportunities to redevelop our aging strip malls, upgrade City infrastructure, improve our transportation network and create new opportunities where businesses can thrive and residents can enjoy an even better quality of life.

So what then are we looking to change in this revised plan? Well, this is where the Planning Commission, the City Council and most importantly the residents of the City of Fairfax all come into view to create this vision. To be involved, please visit the plan update website and learn about how to participate in this exciting opportunity to shape our City's future.