The pattern of land development in the Hunter Mill Road Corridor is generally zoned low density residential. There is significant forested and open space that will remain undeveloped because it lies in the numerous stream valleys of the area. The environmentally sensitive Difficult Run watershed, a prominent feature of the Corridor, is the largest watershed in Fairfax County.
Fairfax County’s Comprehensive Plan is the document that guides residential, commercial and industrial development countywide. There is a public hearing process for proposing and adopting Plan Amendments. The Hunter Mill Road Corridor is in Planning Areas II and III, as defined in the Comprehensive Plan.
The HMDL Land Use Committee monitors applications affecting land use in the Hunter Mill Road Corridor. The Committee gathers information from appropriate county officials and advises homeowner associations located near the relevant site. HMDL encourages all Corridor residents to notify the Land Use Committee of all requests for rezoning, variances, special permit, special exception, or filed site plan applications in their area.
In Fairfax County, the Planning Commission and the Board of Supervisors hear rezoning, special permit, and special exception cases. The Board of Zoning Appeals hears all variance cases and initial applications for special permits and special exceptions.
To learn more about Fairfax County’s Comprehensive Planning process and Zoning Ordinance, visit http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/dpz/homepage.htm