Fairfax County, VA · Fairfax County Zoning Ordinance
C-1 provides for non-retail commercial uses such as offices and financial institutions in a low-intensity form that serves as a transition to adjacent single-family dwellings. Height 35ft. FAR 0.25. Front setback equal to building height. Rear 25ft. Landscaped open space min 50%. Min lot 20,000 sq ft. Section 2103.1.
Development standards in C-1
Maximum FAR
0.25
Maximum height
35 ft
Minimum lot size
20000 sq ft
Rear setback
25 ft
Read from Fairfax County Zoning Ordinance, effective through 2026-07-01.
Permitted uses in C-1
AllowedOffice / Professional
AllowedFinancial Institution
AllowedMedical / Dental Office
ConditionalRetail / Personal Service Secondary to office; see Article 4 use table
Not AllowedSTR - Short-Term Rentals Non-residential office district
Not AllowedResidential
"Conditional" means the use generally requires a public hearing or special-exception approval — a very different timeline and risk profile from a by-right permit.
This is the zone. What about the parcel?
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size, overlays, existing improvements and site conditions. Run a free address lookup to see
what applies to one property.