Fairfax County, VA · Fairfax County Zoning Ordinance
C-3 provides for predominantly non-retail commercial uses, primarily offices and financial institutions and related supporting uses. Height 90ft. FAR 1.0. Front setback 40ft. Landscaped open space min 15%. Min lot 20,000 sq ft. Section 2103.3.
Development standards in C-3
Maximum FAR
1
Maximum height
90 ft
Minimum lot size
20000 sq ft
Front setback
40 ft
Read from Fairfax County Zoning Ordinance, effective through 2026-07-01.
Permitted uses in C-3
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?
Zone rules are the starting point — the answer for a specific property also depends on lot
size, overlays, existing improvements and site conditions. Run a free address lookup to see
what applies to one property.