Future parking lots and garages across Fairfax County will need to devote a larger percentage of spaces to support those with disabilities.
The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors approved a proposal Tuesday (Dec. 3) changing the ratio of accessible spaces to total spaces from the current one per 25 spaces to one in 15. The change took effect at midnight on Wednesday, Dec. 4.
“What we’re doing today is kind of on the cutting edge,” said David Simon, chair of the Fairfax Area Disabilities Services Board, which brought the request for change to county leaders.
The county reduced the overall number of parking spaces required for many types of future development with the Parking Reimagined initiative adopted in September 2023. The first major overhaul of parking requirements in 35 years, it aimed to reduce parking-lot sprawl in more urban areas of Fairfax County.
However, the reduction of total parking also decreased the number of spaces reserved for those with disabilities. The county traditionally followed the same parking standards as Virginia’s Uniform State Building Code, which sets a 1-in-25-space ratio.
To prevent a loss of Americans with Disabilities Act-compliant spaces, county staff proposed a zoning ordinance amendment that would increase the ratio to 1:15. The Fairfax County Planning Commission recommended approval of the proposal in October.
Tweaking the ratio so those with disabilities don’t lose spaces means all residents will “continue to enjoy equal and equitable access,” Simon said at the public hearing preceding the supervisors’ unanimous vote. He was the lone speaker.
Board of Supervisors Chairman Jeff McKay said the change represented “a manageable and workable solution,” while Vice Chair Kathy Smith, who represents the Sully District, said the process of crafting the zoning ordinance amendment reflected the best in resident engagement with their government.
“We heard from the community,” she said.
The 1-to-15 ratio applies to new parking facilities and those that are renovated. Existing parking facilities aren’t required to make changes, because most were approved under rules mandating more overall parking than what’s now required after Parking Reimagined took effect on Jan. 1.
To park in the reserved spaces, individuals must have a license plate or placard issued by the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles or the motor-vehicle agency of another state or D.C. Fines in Virginia for improper use of reserved spaces range from $100 to $500.
Photo by Steve DiMatteo/Unsplash
