January 15, 2026 PC Joint Environment and Land Use Process Review Committees - Jan 15, 2026

meeting

Fairfax County Planning Commission 1h 32m 6 speakers 8 agenda items transcribed 7 days ago official recording ↗

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What is the purpose of the joint Environment and Land Use Process Review meeting?

Mary D. Cortina 0:02

There we go, 7.30 on the dot. All right, roll. Welcome, everyone. This is a joint meeting of the Planning Commission's Environment Committee and Land Use Process Review. We thought that we would combine the two committee meetings tonight because there are some potential regulatory and other changes, and so we'd have it together. The call to order here... Thank you. We have another commissioner joining us. Here, the purpose of this meeting is really to discuss climate adaptation and resiliency. We have two items tonight that we'll be addressing underneath that sort of umbrella. And the first is the flood risk reduction policy. And the second is a change to the public facilities manual amendment on trees.

Mary D. Cortina 0:56

And before we get started, I think first we'll do some introductions. And then I'll turn it over to Allison Homer, who's in the Office of the Environment and Energy Coordination, who will kick us off and give us some context for what we're going to be talking about tonight. And then we'll go into a discussion with our Land Development Services and DPWES, Department Hold on. Public Works and Environmental Services. I do know that, actually. But before we do that, first we just have to do some approval of minutes. Can we do that real quick? We'll do that in the

Candice Bennett 1:39

introductions. Pardon? Do this and then do the introductions.

Mary D. Cortina 1:42

Then we'll do the introductions real quick, just get rid of some business. So do I have a motion to approve the minutes from May 23, 2024 that were provided to you earlier? So

John A. Carter 1:56

moved.

Timothy J. Sargeant 1:57

Second.

Mary D. Cortina 1:58

Okay. All in favor? Aye.

Timothy J. Sargeant 2:00

Aye.

Mary D. Cortina 2:01

Those pass. I turn it over to Chair of the Land Use

Candice Bennett 2:04

Committee. Thank you. Can I get a motion to approve the minutes for the Land Use Process Review Committee for October 23, 2025 and December 4, 2025?

Timothy J. Sargeant 2:16

So moved.

Chris Landgraf 2:17

Second.

Candice Bennett 2:17

Can I get a second? Second. Any discussion? All in favor? Aye. Aye. Any opposed? Motion carries. Great.

Mary D. Cortina 2:25

Okay, so we are back. I'm taking the gavel back. So first, just to give some context for the evening, it's really the climate and resiliency evening, I guess, and I'll turn that over to Allison for a brief introduction. Oh, I'm sorry, introductions. Okay, Mary Cortina, I'm the chair of the Environment Committee, the Planning Commission, Braddock District. Mr.

Timothy J. Sargeant 2:54

TIM SARGENT, AT-LARGE MEMBER, PLANNING COMMISSION.

John A. Carter 2:57

JOHN CARTER, HUNTER MILL DISTRICT PLANNING COMMISSIONER.

Matt Meyers 3:03

MATT MEYERS, DIVISION MANAGER WITH THE OFFICE OF ENVIRONMENTAL ENERGY COORDINATION.

Kathy Elsagaff 3:08

KATHY ELSAGAFF, EQAC MEMBER FROM PROVIDENCE DISTRICT.

Larry Zargoza 3:13

LARRY ZARGOZA, EQAC CHAIR, MOUNT FERNAND DISTRICT.

John A. Carter 3:18

ERIC OPLERUDE, VICE CHAIR, EQAC.

Sandra O'Connell 3:22

Sandra O'Connell, Land Development Services.

Allison Homer 3:27

Allison Homer, Office of Environmental and Energy Coordination.

Adam LaPera 3:31

Adam LaPera, Land Development Services.

Bill Hicks 3:35

Bill Hicks with Land Development Services.

Christopher Harrington 3:40

Good evening. Christopher Harrington, Director of Public Works and Environmental Services.

Ellie Cotting 3:43

Ellie Cotting with Department of Public Works and Environmental Services.

Jamie Kahnbacher 3:48

Jamie Kahnbacher, Department of Public Works and Environmental Services, Stormwater Planning.

Kirsten Munns 3:54

Kirsten Munns, Land Development Services.

John Friedman 3:56

John Friedman, also with Land Development Services. Good evening. James Thomas, Springfield District.

Alyssa Batchelor-Causey 4:02

Alyssa Batchelor-Causey, representing the Drainsville District.

Chris Landgraf 4:06

Good evening. I'm Chris Landgraf. I'm the Vice Chair for the Environmental Committee, and I represent the Franconia District.

Candice Bennett 4:14

And I'm Candace Bennett. I am an at-large commissioner, and I'm also chair of the Land Use Process Review Committee.

Mary D. Cortina 4:22

Okay. Thank you very much. And with all that taken care of, we'll go ahead

Allison Homer 4:29

to Allison. All right, good evening, members of the Planning Commission. My name is Allison Homer, and I'm a Climate Resilience Planner with the Office of Environmental and Energy Coordination and the Program Manager for Resilient Fairfax. Today's meeting includes a few agenda items that relate to climate resilience, so Commissioner Cortina asked us to provide a brief introduction just to refresh memories on how these topics relate to one another and to the Resilient Fairfax Plan. You can see on this slide that in Fairfax County, we are working to address both the cause and the effects of climate change.