June 27, 2025

LAND DEVELOPMENT SERVICES

Letters to Industry

LDS Closed July 4

Fairfax County Government, including Land Development Services (LDS), will be closed on Friday, July 4 for Independence Day.

The Planning and Land Use System (PLUS) will remain accessible to customers, but staff will not be available to respond to questions in person or via phone or email.

LAND DEVELOPMENT SERVICES

Letters to the Industry

Technical Bulletin #25-06, 06.20.25

Subject: Site-related Plan Review Times and First Submission Policy

Summary:

With the adoption of House bill 2660 (HB 2660), the commonwealth of Virginia amended and reenacted §§ 15.2-2259 and 15.2-2260 of the Code of Virginia to mandate specific plan review times at various stages of submittal. Beginning July 1, the county will adjust various review time targets to comply with this new state mandate. Land Development Services' (LDS) Site Development and Inspections Division (SDID) has taken this opportunity to also comprehensively assess all review deadlines assigned for various site record types and make updates for consistency and simplification. In addition, this technical bulletin establishes a First Submission Policy to clarify when review timelines begin, and when a resubmission may be handled as a first submission due to various factors.

Effective Date:

July 1, 2025

Background:

In an effort to streamline plan review timelines across the Commonwealth, the state amended and reenacted §§ 15.2-2259 and 15.2-2260 of the Code of Virginia as proposed in HB 2660, which shortens review deadlines for all site plans and subdivision plats. SDID has incorporated these new mandated review deadlines into our business processes.

To further improve transparency and clarify review time expectations for staff and customers, SDID has developed a matrix that clearly identifies plan review times for each review cycle of each record type. Site-related records are now categorized into four tiers, each of which are subject to the same review timelines.

Additionally, to ensure that submissions receive complete and fair reviews, LDS has established a First Submission Policy. Review times and fees are set commensurate with the level of effort required to complete the review. In cases where a resubmission includes a significant change in scope, the level of effort to review may equate to a first submission, because the review must start over from the beginning. The First Submission policy clarifies the point in the process that review timelines begin. It also identifies types of projects that may require handling as a first submission due to the extent of scope changes, or length of time that has lapsed since the previous review.

For additional assistance, please contact Kirsten Munz, at Kirsten.Munz@fairfaxcounty.gov or 703‑324-7523, TTY 711.

Technical Bulletin 25-06:

https://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/landdevelopment/sites/landdevelopment/files/Assets/documents/25-06-plan-review-times-first-submission-policy.pdf

June 18, 2025

LAND DEVELOPMENT SERVICES

Letters to Industry

Nominees Wanted for Friends of Trees Awards

A Friends of Trees award recognizes efforts made for exceptional, outstanding, and innovative conservation-based tree actions in Fairfax County that include one or more of the following criteria:

• Protect and preserve existing trees and associated habitats.
• Increase Fairfax County's tree canopy and its related habitats.
• Educate and inspire people to plant more trees and properly maintain them
  and convey an understanding of both the value and benefits of trees.
• Developers who go 'above and beyond' Fairfax County requirements to
  preserve and protect trees and associated habitats.

Nominee Categories:

• Individual Volunteer: An individual who has provided extraordinary unpaid leadership in conceiving and implementing a tree-related project.
• Non-profit Group or Business: Examples include Scouts or other youth groups or clubs, "Friends of" groups, faith community properties, Homeowner Associations (HOAs) and Citizens Associations, county agencies and/or facilities.
• For-profit Company: Examples include large corporations or other businesses, HOA management companies, commercial nurseries, landscaping contractors, office park and property managers.
• Development Community: Must have demonstrated, during planning and implementation, a strong commitment to conservation-based actions to both preserve and plant trees above and beyond Fairfax County requirements.

Forms and supplemental information must be submitted to treecommission@fairfaxcounty.gov by July 31 annually. Click here for downloadable forms. Nominations are reviewed by the Tree Commission and Urban and Community Forestry Division staff.

Award recipients will be announced and honored publicly in the fall each year. Sponsored by the Fairfax County Tree Commission and Urban and Community Forestry Division.

June 12, 2025

LAND DEVELOPMENT SERVICES

Letters to Industry

LDS Closed June 19

Fairfax County Government, including Land Development Services (LDS), will be closed on Thursday, June 19 for the Juneteenth holiday.

The Planning and Land Use System (PLUS) will remain accessible to customers, but staff will not be available to respond to questions in person or via phone or email.