703-324-1380
TTY 711
Leanna O'Donnell,
Director
An evaluation of the Site-Specific Plan Amendment process is taking place this fall and winter that will consider the current process and identify potential improvements. A survey was created to gather community and stakeholder feedback that the Planning Commission and Board of Supervisors will utilize as they review the current process and identify appropriate changes. The community survey is now closed, and summary results are available for review. Survey findings will be used along with a staff analysis to help inform discussions with the Planning Commission and Board of Supervisors on potential process changes.
The Planning Commission’s Land Use Process Review Committee will discuss the SSPA Retrospective on January 20, 2022 to consider the survey results, the benefits and drawbacks of the current process, and potential changes. Meeting details are available on the Planning Commission website. Changes, if any, are expected by mid-2022.
The Site-Specific Plan Amendment Process (SSPA) is an opportunity to participate in Fairfax County's land use planning process by submitting proposals (called Nominations) to amend the Area Plan volumes of the Comprehensive Plan (the Plan) and/or the Comprehensive Land Use Plan Map through the Plan Amendment Work Program. The Comprehensive Plan is the guide used by the Planning Commission and the Board of Supervisors to make land use decisions.
The SSPA process, including the appointment of Task Force members, is organized by the County's Supervisor Districts. In the 2017 SSPA cycle, Comprehensive Plan land use guidance for the northern portion of the County, including the Dranesville, Hunter Mill, Providence and Sully Supervisor Districts, is being reviewed. In the 2019-2020 SSPA cycle, the southern portion of the County, which includes Braddock, Lee, Mason, Mount Vernon and Springfield Supervisor Districts, is being reviewed.
The SSPA process concerns site-specific land use recommendations. There are limitations on what properties can be proposed for a Comprehensive Plan change. Review the eligibility criteria for proposals that cannot be submitted for the SSPA process. A nominator may submit only one nomination for the specific land area that he or she proposes for consideration in the SSPA process. This land area may consist of one or many parcels.
Nominators must complete a Nomination Form and justify the nominated change to the Comprehensive Plan. The justification should explain how the proposal would:
During the submission period, DPD staff will be available to answer questions about preparing nominations.
Once nominations have been reviewed and accepted into the process, a community screening will take place with the task force to evaluate how the nomination compares to long-standing county policy and the merits and urgency of the nomination. County staff and the task force will make recommendations to the Planning Commission about which nominations should be added to the work program. A public hearing will be held to review these recommendations and adopt a new work program. The work program will be sent to the Board of Supervisors as an information item. A formal review and impacts analysis for those nominations that are added to the work program will follow. Both staff and the task force will make recommendations to adopt or modify the nomination, or to retain the Plan to the Planning Commission at a public hearing. Only those nominations that are supported by the Planning Commission will move forward to the Board of Supervisors where the Board would take action on the nomination following a public hearing. For more information, review the Nomination Review page.
The Fairfax County Land Use Planning Facebook page will provide timely announcements about the SSPA process, as well as announcements related to the Comprehensive Plan, Plan Amendments, special studies and other planning activity.
Subscribe to the Comprehensive Plan Announcements email service under the "Land Use & Development" heading. This listserv will provide timely announcements about the SSPA process, as well as announcements related to the Comprehensive Plan, Plan Amendments, special studies and other planning activity.
