The City of Fairfax Board of Zoning Appeals on Oct. 21 took a series of routine motions and votes, including approval of a special exception for a pet‑boarding business, adoption of minutes and reports, recertification of the remote participation policy and election of leadership.

Votes at a glance

- Adopt agenda: Passed, 3-0.
- Special exception SE-25-00487 (Martin Heiser Inc. / Happy Cat Hotel and Spa) to deviate from off‑street parking standards at 3220 Blenheim Boulevard: Passed, 3-0 (conditions: operations consistent with statement of justification; applicant must obtain all required permits).
- Approve minutes of July 18, 2023: Passed, 3-0.
- Approve draft annual reports for 2023 and 2024: Passed, 3-0.
- Recertify city remote participation policy for the board: Passed, 3-0.
- Elect chairperson Andrew (first name given in transcript): Passed, 3-0.
- Elect vice chairperson Michael (first name given in transcript): Passed, 3-0.

Procedural notes

Board members and staff reiterated that, under BZA bylaw 5.1, when only three members are present an applicant must be offered the option to continue the hearing to a later date; if the applicant proceeds, any approval requires a unanimous vote of those three members. Staff and applicants discussed that mechanism before the board proceeded with the special exception.

The recertification of the remote participation policy was routine; board members discussed limits in the policy (the policy allows remote participation for two meetings per calendar year or 25% of meetings held, rounded up) and reviewed that prior remote participation had been handled as an individual choice by a member. The board accepted staff’s presentation and voted to recertify.

Elections

The board nominated and approved Andrew as chair and Michael as vice chair by voice vote, each passing 3-0. The board discussed holding an annual January meeting to perform routine recertification of the remote participation policy and the annual elections to ensure those requirements are met early in the calendar year.

No public commenters signed up in advance or spoke on the record for any agenda item during the meeting.