4131 Chain Bridge Road
Summary
4131 Chain Bridge Road (Tax Map Parcel 57-4-02-040, approximately 2.69 acres) is the site of the Davies Property redevelopment project in Fairfax City, proposed by The Hill, A Davies Family, LLC. The project sought to rezone the parcel from RM Residential Medium to CU Commercial Urban while retaining the Old Town Fairfax Transition Overlay District (TOD), accompanied by a General Development Plan with proffers, special exceptions, and a Certificate of Appropriateness for a mixed-use development. The property was first flagged publicly in December 2024, followed by a Planning Commission work session in January 2025 and a City Council work session later that month. On June 23, 2025, the Planning Commission voted 4–2 to recommend denial of the rezoning, finding the proposal not in conformance with the Comprehensive Plan and other adopted City goals and policies as currently presented. Despite that recommendation, the City Council approved all three components of the application on July 22, 2025 by a 4–3 vote (Mayor Read and Councilmembers Amos, Bates, and Hardy-Chandler in favor; Councilmembers Hall, McQuillen, and Peterson opposed), enacting Ordinance 2025-05 for the rezoning and Resolution R-25-23 for the special exceptions. The Council's approval was confirmed in staff's October 2025 report to the Planning Commission.
Open questions & options on the table
- Conditions attached to the approvals (including tree canopy coverage increase or up to $10,000 contribution for offsite plantings, Urban Forester review of landscaping, and standing seam metal roof along University Drive) must be satisfied; it is not yet confirmed whether those conditions have been met or permits secured.
What members have said
Commissioner Feather voted in favor of recommending approval of the rezoning and GDP at the June 23, 2025 Planning Commission meeting, one of two commissioners who supported the application.
Commissioner Coleman voted in favor of recommending approval of the rezoning and GDP at the June 23, 2025 Planning Commission meeting, joining Feather as one of two commissioners who supported the application.
Commissioner Briggs voted against recommending approval and in favor of recommending denial at the June 23, 2025 meeting, on grounds that the proposal is not in conformance with the Comprehensive Plan and other adopted City goals and policies as currently presented.
Commissioner Cunningham voted against recommending approval and in favor of recommending denial at the June 23, 2025 meeting, on the same Comprehensive Plan conformance grounds.
Commissioner Lockhart voted against recommending approval and in favor of recommending denial at the June 23, 2025 meeting, on the same Comprehensive Plan conformance grounds.
Commissioner Rice voted against recommending approval and in favor of recommending denial at the June 23, 2025 meeting, on the same Comprehensive Plan conformance grounds.
Mayor Read voted in favor of all three approvals (rezoning/GDP, special exceptions, and Certificate of Appropriateness) at the July 22, 2025 City Council meeting.
Councilmember Amos voted in favor of all three approvals at the July 22, 2025 City Council meeting.
Councilmember Bates voted in favor of all three approvals at the July 22, 2025 City Council meeting.
Councilmember Hardy-Chandler voted in favor of all three approvals at the July 22, 2025 City Council meeting.
Councilmember Hall voted against all three approvals at the July 22, 2025 City Council meeting.
Councilmember McQuillen voted against all three approvals at the July 22, 2025 City Council meeting.
Councilmember Peterson voted against all three approvals at the July 22, 2025 City Council meeting.
Positions as recorded in meeting minutes; votes without recorded comment aren’t summarized.
Full history
[10] Location of the Davies Property, subject of a forthcoming post-submission work session at the January 13, 2025 Planning Commission meeting.
[8a] Address of the Davies Property, subject of the rezoning and General Development Plan work session.
[12a] 4131 Chain Bridge Road is the subject of a redevelopment request discussed during the work session.
[10] Address of the Davies property referenced in connection with an upcoming redevelopment application.
[6a] Subject property (Tax Map Parcel 57-4-02-040, 2.69 +/- acres) proposed for rezoning from RM Residential Medium to CU Commercial Urban in the Old Town Fairfax Transition Overlay District; rezoning recommendation was denied.
failedMotion to recommend approval of Rezoning Application Z-23-00073 (RM to CU) and General Development Plan with proffers.✓ Feather✓ Coleman✕ Briggs✕ Cunningham✕ Lockhart✕ RicepassedMotion to recommend denial of Rezoning Application Z-23-00073 (RM to CU) because the proposal is not in conformance with the Comprehensive Plan and other adopted City goals and policies as currently presented.✓ Briggs✓ Cunningham✓ Lockhart✓ Rice✕ Feather✕ Coleman[7a] Site of the approved Davies Property mixed-use development; tax map 57-4-02-040, rezoned from RM to CU with TOD overlay retained.
passedApprove rezoning application Z-23-00073 (Ordinance 2025-05) to rezone 4131 Chain Bridge Road from RM Residential Medium to CU Commercial Urban, retaining the Old Town Fairfax Transition Overlay District (TOD), and approve the general development plan with proffers.✓ Read✓ Amos✓ Bates✕ Hall✓ Hardy-Chandler✕ McQuillen✕ PetersonpassedAdopt Resolution R-25-23 approving special exceptions pursuant to City Code Section 110-6.7 for 4131 Chain Bridge Road (Davies Property), with conditions including tree canopy coverage increase or up to $10,000 contribution for offsite plantings.✓ Read✓ Amos✓ Bates✕ Hall✓ Hardy-Chandler✕ McQuillen✕ PetersonpassedApprove Certificate of Appropriateness per City Code Section 110-6.5.6.B for 4131 Chain Bridge Road (Davies Property), with conditions including conformance with plans, securing permits, Urban Forester review of landscaping, and standing seam metal roof along University Drive.✓ Read✓ Amos✓ Bates✕ Hall✓ Hardy-Chandler✕ McQuillen✕ Peterson[9] City Council approved the proposal for 4131 Chain Bridge Road (the Davies property) at the July 22, 2025 City Council meeting, per staff report.
Discussed alongside
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