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Fairfax County officials are considering whether some industrial land could make way for housing, but several supervisors warn that converting too much would permanently erode a scarce and active part of the local economy.

The proposal is part of Plan Forward, a broader planning initiative launched in 2022. Department of Planning and Development staff have suggested revising the county’s comprehensive plan to give industrial properties more flexibility to transition to residential development while preserving key industrial districts.

At a Board of Supervisors land use committee meeting Tuesday, March 11, Chairman Jeff McKay emphasized the need to protect those areas.

“Once it’s gone, you can’t get it back,” Franconia District Supervisor Rodney Lusk added.

Fairfax has roughly 8,300 acres zoned for industrial use, accounting for about 3.4% of the county’s land. Those properties accommodate businesses ranging from auto-repair shops and warehouses to data centers.

The county hired consultant Clarion to study industrial uses and possible redevelopment as officials confront falling commercial property values and persistent vacancies. Office buildings have been the primary source of those concerns.

Industrial space, however, remains in demand. Kelly Atkinson, director of the planning department’s planning division, said that demand may become less robust over time, but the current vacancy rate is only 4.9%.

“It is still a really tight” market, Atkinson said.

Where conversion could work

Clarion’s September 2024 report concluded that residential conversion could make sense in certain parts of Fairfax County. It recommended requiring high-density projects and substantial community benefits when developers seek to redevelop industrial parcels.

The report identified industrial properties along Metro’s Silver and Orange line corridors—including sites in Tysons, Reston, Merrifield and Herndon—as possible candidates. Some of those properties have become isolated and increasingly inconsistent with surrounding development.

Other industrial districts should remain protected, the consultant said. Its recommendations call for preserving land along the I-95 corridor, the southern half of the Capital Beltway and in the Ravensworth area near Annandale.

Clarion also urged the county to reconcile its vision for mixed-use development in the Dulles Suburban Center along Route 28 with the area’s continuing role as a major employment hub. Although more housing has arrived in recent years, the report said industrial land remains important for businesses supporting nearby Dulles International Airport.

Supervisors split over how far to go

Mount Vernon District Supervisor Dan Storck offered the strongest support for residential conversion, arguing that expanding the housing supply and controlling costs are critical to the county’s economic future.

“The heaviest industrial [areas] served a long-term purpose,” Storck said, suggesting that period may be ending. “I don’t think it’s for the most part essential.”

Hunter Mill District Supervisor Walter Alcorn favored a more selective strategy, saying a “mix-and-match” approach could make sense.

McKay noted that some industrially zoned land is occupied by offices and retailers rather than traditional industrial operations. Relocating those uses to commercially zoned properties could protect genuine industrial sites while freeing other land for housing.

Data centers have become a prominent industrial use across Northern Virginia, but Fairfax County has little room for the sprawling campuses they typically require. Only about 250 acres of vacant industrial land remain across 67 parcels, according to Atkinson.

“There isn’t much land available in the county, and the land available tends to be small,” she said.