Old Town Fairfax Transition Overlay District (TOD)
Summary
The Old Town Fairfax Transition Overlay District (TOD) is a zoning overlay governing development in and around the Old Town Fairfax area. The TOD came into focus through the rezoning application Z-23-00073 for the "Davies Property" at 4131 Chain Bridge Road (The Hill, A Davies Family, LLC), which sought to rezone the parcel from RM Residential Medium to CU Commercial Urban while retaining the TOD overlay. On June 23, 2025, the Planning Commission recommended denial of the application 4-2, finding it not in conformance with the Comprehensive Plan and other adopted City goals and policies as currently presented. On July 22, 2025, the City Council overrode that recommendation and approved the rezoning (Ordinance 2025-05) along with associated special exceptions (Resolution R-25-23) and a Certificate of Appropriateness, all on 4-3 votes. The TOD overlay was explicitly retained on the Davies Property as part of the approved rezoning. Conditions attached to the approvals include increased tree canopy coverage or up to a $10,000 contribution for offsite plantings, conformance with approved plans, Urban Forester review of landscaping, and a standing seam metal roof along University Drive.
Open questions & options on the table
- Securing of required permits for the Davies Property development, as conditioned in the Certificate of Appropriateness approval.
- Completion of Urban Forester review of landscaping plans for the Davies Property.
- Resolution of tree canopy coverage requirement (on-site increase or up-to-$10,000 offsite planting contribution) for the Davies Property.
What members have said
On June 23, 2025, Briggs voted against recommending approval and led the motion to recommend denial, citing non-conformance with the Comprehensive Plan and other adopted City goals and policies as currently presented.
On June 23, 2025, Cunningham voted against recommending approval and in favor of the motion to recommend denial on Comprehensive Plan conformance grounds.
On June 23, 2025, Lockhart voted against recommending approval and in favor of the motion to recommend denial on Comprehensive Plan conformance grounds.
On June 23, 2025, Rice voted against recommending approval and in favor of the motion to recommend denial on Comprehensive Plan conformance grounds.
On June 23, 2025, Feather voted in favor of recommending approval of the rezoning and GDP with proffers, and against the denial motion.
On June 23, 2025, Coleman voted in favor of recommending approval of the rezoning and GDP with proffers, and against the denial motion.
On July 22, 2025, Mayor Read voted in favor of all three approvals: the rezoning/GDP, the special exceptions, and the Certificate of Appropriateness for the Davies Property.
On July 22, 2025, Councilmember Amos voted in favor of all three approvals for the Davies Property.
On July 22, 2025, Councilmember Bates voted in favor of all three approvals for the Davies Property.
On July 22, 2025, Councilmember Hardy-Chandler voted in favor of all three approvals for the Davies Property.
On July 22, 2025, Councilmember Hall voted against all three approvals for the Davies Property.
On July 22, 2025, Councilmember McQuillen voted against all three approvals for the Davies Property.
On July 22, 2025, Councilmember Peterson voted against all three approvals for the Davies Property.
Positions as recorded in meeting minutes; votes without recorded comment aren’t summarized.
Full history
[6a] The subject rezoning application was situated within the TOD; the denial motion referenced non-conformance with the Comprehensive Plan as currently presented.
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] The TOD overlay was retained on the Davies Property as part of the approved rezoning to CU Commercial Urban.
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
Discussed alongside
Topics that come up in the same meetings.