Meetings will be held in Conference Room 11 of the Fairfax County Government Center unless announced otherwise.
Mary Cortina, Chair
Chris Landgraf, Vice Chair
Alyssa Batchelor-Causey
John Carter
Phillip Niedzielski-Eichner
Timothy Sargeant
Alis Wang
Next Committee Meeting: TBD
THIS MEETING WILL ALSO BE BROADCAST LIVE ON CHANNEL 16 AND ONLINE AT CHANNEL 16 STREAM | CABLE AND CONSUMER SERVICES (FAIRFAXCOUNTY.GOV)
Previous Meetings:
January 15, 2026
Meeting Materials
- Agenda
- Flood-Risk Reduction Policy - Handout
- "Resilient Fairfax" and Resilient Trees - Public Facilities Manual (PFM) Amendment - Presentation
February 13, 2025
The Environment Committee meeting scheduled for Thursday, February 13, 2025, was cancelled.
May 23, 2024
Meeting Materials
- Agenda
- Policy Plan Amendment (2022-CW-2CP) - Joint with Environmental Quality Advisory Council (EQAC) - Presentation
- Climate Topics in the Comprehensive Plan - Joint with EQAC - Presentation
- Scorecard Consolidation - Handout
April 25, 2024
Meeting Materials
- Agenda
- Consolidation of Virginia Erosion and Sediment Control and Stormwater Management Regulations Presentation
September 28, 2023
Meeting Materials
- Agenda
- Discussion of the Chesapeake Bay Preservation Ordinance
- ERC Memorandum to Planning Commission
- EQAC Annual Report Presentation
- Policy Plan Amendment – Environmental Element Presentation (EQAC)
March 8, 2023
The Environment Committee was constituted. Commissioner Andres Jimenez was elected Chairman and Commissioner Mary Cortina was elected Vice Chairman.
October 6, 2022
Department of Planning and Development staff gave a presentation on updates to the Urban Design Guidelines and proposed changes for Street Trees in Tysons, Transit Station Areas, and Community Revitalization Districts/Areas. Staff responded to committee questions on the presentations and shared community feedback.
Meeting Materials
- Agenda
- Proposed Changes for Street Trees: Tysons, Transit Station Areas, & Community Revitalization Districts/Areas Presentation
September 23, 2022
Office of Energy and Environmental Coordination staff gave a follow-on presentation for both the Resilient Fairfax effort and the Community-wide Energy and Climate Action Plan (CECAP) Implementation Plan. Staff responded to committee questions on the presentations and shared community feedback.
Meeting Handouts:
- Agenda
- Resilient Fairfax Presentation
- Community-wide Energy and Climate Action Plan (CECAP) Implementation
March 17, 2022
Department of Planning and Development staff gave a follow on presentation on the Comprehensive Plan Amendment - Airport Noise Policy (PA 202-CW-3CP) at the joint committee meeting. Staff responded to committee questions from the previous meeting and shared community feedback.
Meeting Handouts:
February 10, 2022
Department of Planning and Development staff gave a presentation on the Comprehensive Plan Amendment - Airport Noise Policy (PA 202-CW-3CP) at the joint committee meeting. Staff's presentation topics included background, areas of impact, plan amendment considerations, community outreach plan, and schedule. The presentation and handouts are attached below.
Handouts:
July 29, 2021
The Environment Committee met in person at the Government Center Board Auditorium. The committee received a presentation from the Department of Planning and Development (DPD) staff on an overview of the Plan Amendment for Coastal Resource Management/Tidal Shoreline Erosion Control (PA 2013-CW-9CP). Staff discussed the future actions and proposed policy changes.
Handouts:
- Agenda
- Coastal Resource Management/Tidal Shoreline Erosion Control (PA 2013-CW-9CP)
- Draft Text - PA 2013-CW-9CP
- Draft Text - Chapter 116
June 24, 2021
The Environment Committee met in person at the Government Center Board Auditorium. The committee received a presentation from the Office of Environmental and Energy Coordination (OEEC) staff on an overview of the office, programs, and initiatives. The committee also received a presentation from the staff of the Department of Public Works and Environmental Services on Watershed and Stormwater Management.
Handouts:
May 20, 2021
The Environment Committee was constituted, with Mary Cortina elected as Chairman and Andres Jimenez elected as Vice Chairman. Staff from the Department of Planning and Development gave a presentation on the Green Building policy.
Handouts:
October 15, 2020
The Environment Committee was constituted, with Mary Cortina elected as Chairman and Andres Jimenez elected as Vice Chairman. Staff from the Department of Land and Development gave a presentation on the Resource Protection Area (RPA) planting density requirements for the Public Facilities Manual. The Committee also discussed potential topics for future meetings which included; LEED Certification, Green Initiative, Solar and Geothermal Car Charging, and Salt Management for Stormwater best practices.
Handouts:
September 26, 2019
Planning staff provided an overview to Committee members of their progress to date regarding the Natural Landscaping at County Facilities proposed amendment that included stakeholder feedback with staff response and community comments. In addition, staff discussed their site visit to the National Garden and Bartholdi Park in Washington, D.C. The Committee voted unanimously to endorse to the full Planning Commission the proposed Natural Landscaping at County Facilities policy plan language for Objective 6; Policy a, which included edits discussed during the meeting.
Handouts:
- Presentation
- Stakeholder feedback/staff response/community input
- Natural Landscaping Objective 6, Policy a proposed language
June 27, 2019
Planning staff gave a presentation to Committee members entitled "Creating Natural Communities," which provided an overview of a typical building during development, its impact to the surrounding soil and trees, and ways to minimize and correct damage to the soil and nearby plantings. The presentation was in response to questions raised by multiple Commission members during the June 22, 2019, tour of Fairfax County facilities with natural landscaping. The tour provided current examples of how natural landscaping was incorporated and maintained at County buildings.
Handouts:
- Presentation on Creating Natural Communities
- Natural Landscaping Policy Plan draft language, dated June 17, 2019
- Merrifield Center, 062219 tour
- Merrifield Landscape Plan
- Oakton Library, 062219 tour
- Oakton Library - underground chambers
- Oakton Library Rain Garden - native plant list
- Public Safety Headquarters (PSHQ), 062219 tour
- PSHQ - stormwater features
April 25, 2019
Planning staff discussed with the Committee the outcome from the April 8, 2019, Interagency Stakeholder meeting on the proposed Policy Plan amendment for natural landscaping at County facilities.
Handouts:
March 21, 2019
Meeting Agenda
The Environment Committee received a presentation from the Department of Public Works and Environmental Services and Planning Division staff on the proposed Policy Plan amendment for natural landscaping at County facilities.
Handouts:
- Natural Landscaping Presentation
- Draft Natural Landscaping Policy Plan (as presented in 2007)
- Natural Landscaping Manual 2007
- Draft Natural Landscaping Policy Plan (current version)
- Benefits and Application of Natural Landscaping
February 21, 2019
Meeting Agenda
The Environment Committee was constituted. Commissioner James R. Hart was elected Chairman and Commissioner Mary Cortina was elected Vice Chairman. The Virginia Department of Environment Quality (DEQ) staff gave a presentation on the development of a Salt Management Strategy (SaMS) for Northern Virginia. The Planning Division staff introduced a Policy Plan amendment addressing coastal resource management guidance (tidal shoreline erosion control).
Handouts
- DEQ Salt Management Presentation
- Salt Management Strategy Fact Sheet
- Coastal Resource Management Plan Amendment - draft staff report
January 24, 2019
Meeting Agenda
The Committee reviewed and discussed with Planning Division staff the draft plan language revised from the November 9, 2017 meeting. The Committee voted unanimously to endorse the January 24, 2019, revised version of the Green Building, Energy Policy Plan - Policy b and recommend to the Planning Commission. Planning Division staff also provided an overview of the Board of Supervisor's (BOS) authorization for a Policy Plan amendment that would establish Comprehensive Plan support for natural landscaping at Public facilities.
Meeting Handouts for Green Building Policy Plan:
Meeting Handouts for Natural Landscaping at Public Facilities:
- BOS Authorization for Natural Landscaping
- Natural Landscaping Plan Amendment Request for Authorization dated November 20, 2018
November 9, 2017
Meeting Agenda
The Committee held a stakeholder workshop on the Green Building Plan Amendment and discussed with the Planning Division staff the related draft plan amendment language.
October 12, 2017
Meeting Agenda
The Committee discussed with the Planning Division staff the proposed changes to the Green Building Plan Amendment.
Meeting Handouts:
Green Building - Energy Policy Plan Update (2017-CW-2CP)
April 19, 2017
Meeting Agenda
The Committee was constituted and James R. Hart was elected Chairman. The Committee was briefed on the update of the Board of Supervisors' Environmental Vision Document.
Meeting Handouts:
Environmental Excellence: A 20-Year Vision
Fairfax County Board of Supervisors Environmental Vision
Sustainability Initiatives FY2017
January 26, 2017
Meeting Agenda
The Committee completed the review of the MITRE report, "Building Energy Technology Recommendations to Fairfax County" and voted unanimously to recommend to the Planning Commission to transmit the Environment Committee report to the Board of Supervisors (BOS). On February 1, 2017, the Planning Commission voted unanimously to approve the Environment Committee report as revised and transmit it to the BOS.
Meeting Handouts:
Summary of Planning Commission Environment Committee Recommendation Report - January 26, 2017
Memorandum from Environmental Quality Advisory Council - MITRE Building Energy Technology Report - February 16, 2015
MITRE Report "Building Energy Technology Recommendations to Fairfax County" - March 15, 2013
Summary of Public Comments received as of February 11, 2015
Summary Table of MITRE Corporation Building Energy Technology Recommendations, Staff Perspectives, Stakeholder Comments and Environment Committee Positions to Fairfax County