Urban Agriculture
in progressStatus set at City Council Regular Meeting on Jul 9, 2024 · ▶ watch the moment
- Proposed
- Under reviewJul 8, 2024
- Decided
Summary
Urban Agriculture refers to the commercial cultivation, retail sales, and distribution of agricultural products within a fully enclosed structure or on a rooftop, using methods such as hydroponics, aeroponics, and vertical farming. The topic originated with the City of Fairfax's Economic Development Office, which had conversations with companies in the field interested in locating in Fairfax City, and it aligns with the city's comprehensive plan goals of diversifying the commercial sector and supporting regionally grown food. City Council held an initial general discussion in June 2024 and asked staff to draft zoning text amendments to permit urban agriculture in commercial zones. Following work sessions at both the Planning Commission (July 8, 2024) and City Council (July 9, 2024), the Planning Commission voted 5:0 on July 22, 2024 to initiate amendments to Chapter 110 and schedule a public hearing. On September 9, 2024, the Planning Commission recommended City Council approve the proposed ordinance amending Chapter 110 by a vote of 6:1 (Mr. Cunningham voting against), and a City Council public hearing and action on the amendments was held on September 24, 2024. As of early 2026, the Environmental Sustainability Committee (ESC) has added urban agriculture as a key area of focus, noting the already-adopted zoning ordinance and identifying further regulatory and community-engagement opportunities to expand the practice.
Open questions & options on the table
- Whether additional regulatory opportunities to expand urban agriculture beyond the adopted zoning ordinance will be pursued, as indicated by the ESC's stated intent to continue reviewing such opportunities (referenced February 2026).
- Whether the city will compile a database of gardeners and expand community garden access, including addressing the existing wait list, as discussed by the ESC in February 2026.
- Whether the Environmental Sustainability Committee and/or Council will formally re-examine urban agriculture policy, as suggested by Councilmember Peterson in July 2025.
What members have said
Mr. Cunningham was the sole dissenting vote when the Planning Commission recommended approval of the ordinance on September 9, 2024, voting against the motion (6:1). No recorded verbal comments from him on this topic are available in the material.
At the July 2025 Council meeting, Councilmember Peterson connected the concept of 'yardens' (yard gardens) to the urban agriculture activity stream that began in the Environmental Sustainability Committee, and suggested it might be a good time to pick that conversation back up. Peterson is also credited with having first brought urban agriculture to the ESC's attention when serving as chair of that committee, as noted in February 2026 remarks.
Positions as recorded in meeting minutes; votes without recorded comment aren’t summarized.
Discussion time
Minutes of named discussion per transcribed meeting.
Full history
[8a] Staff presented a draft ordinance on potential Zoning Text Amendments regarding Urban Agriculture during the work session; the matter was discussed with no formal action taken, and potential initiation of zoning text amendments is anticipated at the July 22, 2024 Planning Commission meeting.
[12a] Council discussed potential zoning text amendments regarding urban agriculture during the work session; no action was taken.
[5a] Staff presented a report on proposed zoning code amendments related to urban agriculture; the Commission approved initiating the amendment process and scheduling a public hearing.
passedMotion to initiate amendments to Chapter 110 of the Code of the City of Fairfax pertaining to urban agriculture and to schedule a public hearing for consideration of said amendments.[6b] Proposed to be defined as an establishment for cultivation, retail sales, and distribution of agricultural products within a fully enclosed structure or on a rooftop; discussion included cannabis cultivation, animal keeping, wastewater, and compliance monitoring.
passedMotion by Ms. Lockhart, seconded by Mr. Denton, to recommend City Council approve the proposed ordinance amending Chapter 110, Zoning, of the Code of the City of Fairfax, Virginia, including Zoning Districts and Regulations, Site Development Standards, and Definitions.✓ Feather✓ Briggs✓ Coleman✕ Cunningham✓ Denton✓ Lockhart✓ Rice
Discussed alongside
Topics that come up in the same meetings.