October 07, 2025 Land Use Policy Committee - Oct 07, 2025

meeting

Fairfax County Board Committees 30 min 4 speakers 8 agenda items transcribed 2 days ago official recording ↗

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What is the purpose of the October 7 2025 Land Use Policy Committee meeting?

Kathy L. Smith 0:00

I swear some of these seats oops

Kathy L. Smith 0:09

Good afternoon. I'm gonna call the land use policy committee meeting to order. Um are there any corrections or additions to the minutes from the last meeting? Okay, seeing none, we will continue to move forward. We have one presentation on the agenda today. That is congregate living facilities and I never ask who I should turn this to to kick it off. Okay.

Jananne Cato 0:36

Yeah, I'll be presenting today, Jananne.

Kathy L. Smith 0:38

Thank you, Jananne.

Jananne Cato 0:42

Great. Good morning. Uh my name is Jananne Cato with the Zoning Administration Division. I'm joined by Leslie Johnson, Bill Mayland, and Tracy Strunk. Uh we'll be presenting on the proposed zoning ordinance amendment for congregate living facilities. We also have a staff summary document. Um with additional details and the draft text we're proposing. So our hope today is to gather more input and feedback as we move forward with the amendment. For background, this amendment originates from the twenty twenty five zoning ordinance work program, which the board endorsed in June. Congregate living facilities were identified as a priority one item directing staff to review zoning provisions for congregate living facilities to potentially expand the districts where they're allowed and revise the definition and standards to include uses like homeless shelters and supportive housing.

Jananne Cato 1:37

And this direction builds on past discussions. So the Housing Committee in November twenty twenty two directed staff to look at zoning barriers for facilities serving people experiencing homelessness. The twenty twenty-five work program item was carried forward from an earlier work program topic in twenty twenty-three, twenty twenty-four. and a December twenty twenty two board matter that flagged this need. So this amendment is intended to revise the definition of congregate living facilities and provide more uh flexibility in where they can be located. Under today's ordinance, a congregate living facility is defined as housing in a supervised setting with on site counselors or staff. They may include inpatient alcohol and addiction treatment.

Jananne Cato 2:29

and uh services for more than eight persons with disabilities. A certified recovery residence with over eight residents might also fall under this definition. And the definition clarifies that congregate living facilities are distinct from group households, assisted living facilities, and uh group residential facilities. Those are different uses that are limited by age, disability, or resident count. By contrast, congregate living facilities can serve a more diverse populations with broader supportive needs and don't have a maximum resident count under the zoning ordinance. And that distinction means that congregate living facilities uh serve populations that don't fit neatly into other categories.

Jananne Cato 3:15

Currently, congregate living facilities are permitted with special exception approval in all conventional residential districts except for rural agricultural, as well as in commercial districts C one through C four. In plan districts, uh they must either be shown on the development plan or approved by special exception. There's also a location standard which stipulates that congregate living for that if the facility looks like a single family detached house, it follows that district's standards. Otherwise, it must be located at least a hundred feet from all lot lines that about the R one through R four residential districts and forty-five feet from all other lot lines, or as determined by the board.

Jananne Cato 4:01

The congregate living facility used was first added to the zoning ordinance um in Two thousand three through an through an amendment? The amendment replaced the older use, which was called institutions providing housing and general care to the indigent orphans and the like. The term was updated to remove outdated terms and to reflect the broad range of support services that could be provided in a congregate living environment. Uh since that time in 2003, there have been six special exceptions approved. Each one has been in a residential district.