Starting July 1, Fairfax County will implement updated fee schedules for Land Development Services (LDS) and zoning applications. The adjustments are intended to reflect the increase in costs related to inflation and personnel over recent years while ensuring the continuation of high-quality county services.
Background
The Board of Supervisors approved these fee adjustments on April 16, marking the first significant update since 2015 for LDS and 2011 for zoning applications. The new fees will better align with the current costs of providing these services, which have risen due to increased personnel costs and other inflation-related factors.
Details of the Zoning Application Fee Changes
Zoning application fees are set to increase by 17.5% on July 1, 2024. This increase is part of a planned 35% total adjustment that will be fully implemented on July 1, 2025. The minimum expenditure for Planned District Recreational Facilities will rise by 13% per residential dwelling unit in specific zoning districts, from $1,900 to $2,150, with the total adjustment reaching 26% (or $2,400) by 2025.
Certain fees will remain unchanged, including fees for select wireless reviews and family healthcare structures. In addition, the fee for appeals will only increase by 10% in 2024 and will not increase in 2025.
Updates to LDS Fee Schedule
On the LDS front, building fees (excluding vertical transportation) will experience a 12.5% increase on July 1, 2024, with an additional 12.5% increase following a year later. Similarly, site fees and technology surcharges will incrementally increase over the two-year period. New fees will also be introduced for pedestrian bridges and minor revisions to site-related plans.
The second set of increases will take effect on July 1, 2025, and include adjustments to technology surcharge fees and code academy surcharges.
All fee changes will apply only to applications submitted after each respective July 1 deadline. Applications filed before these dates will be subject to the fees that were in place at the time of filing.
Learn more about specific fee changes by visiting Land Development Services and the Department of Planning and Development webpages.
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