Fairfax County, VA · Fairfax County Zoning Ordinance
C-5 provides for neighborhood-oriented convenience shopping -- grocery, drug, small specialty shops, and personal-service establishments with limited small offices -- in compact centers, not intended to draw substantial trade from outside the neighborhood. Height 40ft. FAR 0.30. Front setback 40ft. Rear 20ft. Landscaped open space min 20%. Min lot 40,000 sq ft. Section 2103.5.
Development standards in C-5
Maximum FAR
0.3
Maximum height
40 ft
Minimum lot size
40000 sq ft
Front setback
40 ft
Rear setback
20 ft
Read from Fairfax County Zoning Ordinance, effective through 2026-07-01.
Permitted uses in C-5
AllowedRetail / Commercial
AllowedRestaurant
AllowedOffice
ConditionalHotel / Motel
ConditionalSTR - Short-Term Rentals Hotel/motel-type STR operations may be permitted per county ordinance.
Not AllowedIndustrial / Warehouse
"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.