R-23-48Strategic Plan
for the City of
Fairfax, Virginia
CHARTING THE COURSE TO SUCCESS
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Message from City Manager . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4-5
Who We Are . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6-7
Our Vision, Mission, and Values . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8-9
Purpose of Strategic Planning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10
Our Process . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11
Process Overview and Outline . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12-13
Our Promises and Commitments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14
SWOT Analysis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15
City Council 2023-2024 Strategic Goals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16-17
Economic Development . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18-19
Environment Sustainability and Stewardship . . .20-21
Community . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22-23
Transportation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24-25
Governance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26-27
Implementation and Tracking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28
Terms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .29
City Manager’s Senior Leadership Team . . . . . . . . . . . . .30-31
Reference Documents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .31
City of Fairfax, VA - 3
“Operating without a strategic plan
is akin to flying without a flight plan”
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CITY MANAGER LETTER
As city manager, I am proud to share the City of Fairfax’s first
organizational strategic plan . It is the product of many hours
of intense, focused discussions among members of the senior
leadership team with input from city staff . Our plan builds on
the city’s long tradition of civil service and is a commitment
to thoughtful leadership, intended outcomes, prudent spending,
and accountability .
Starting in October 2022, the Senior Leadership Team (SLT) began
meeting regularly to develop a plan to guide resource allocation
and the delivery of city services, advance city council’s two-year
strategic goals, and make meaningful strides towards realizing
the long-term goals in the city’s comprehensive plan, Livable Fairfax .
City council’s adopted 2023-24 strategic goals target
economic development, environmental sustainability/stewardship,
community, transportation, and governance . Each goal is
accompanied by priority action items to achieve positive outcomes
for city residents, business owners and visitors . To use a flight
analogy, the challenge to staff is landing city council’s plane by
fulfilling the strategic goals and achieving desired outcomes
through our day-to-day work . This organizational strategic plan,
our flight plan, ensures we will get where we want and need to go .
The strategic plan is a companion to the comprehensive plan,
and together they provide a firm foundation upon which to build
more detailed neighborhood and special purpose plans, develop
the annual budget and the multiyear capital improvement
program, and implement regulations, ordinances, and other
associated public policies and initiatives .
“A livable, connected community with exceptional services for all,”
our organizational vision for the City of Fairfax is stated simply,
yet the underlying challenges are nuanced and complex . It is
aspirational but completely achievable if we follow the organizational
strategic plan laid out in the following pages .
I want to extend a heartfelt thank you to everyone who worked on
this plan . I am extremely grateful for the opportunity to manage a
talented group of professionals who demonstrate their commitment
to our exceptional community every day .
Robert A . Stalzer, city manager
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ORGANIZATIONAL VISION
Strategic vision is an aspirational
and ambitious picture of the future
that serves as direction and purpose
of organizational strategy .
MISSION
The mission provides an internal aspect
of the existence of an organization
and, to a degree, an empowering
consideration for all organizational
personnel . The purpose of the
mission is to answer the questions:
Who are we?
Why do we exist?
What do we do?
Why do we do it?
For whom?
City Staff met to establish a mission
and, after ensuring it answered the
questions, the following mission
statement was created, discussed, and
accepted by the Senior Leadership
team and the entire planning group .
OUR PUBLIC SERVICE MISSION
Advance our community’s
distinctive quality of life
by delivering exceptional
customer service, ensuring
economic vitality, safety
and health, sustainability,
education, infrastructure,
and cultural
and recreational
opportunities
VALUES
Values embraced by all personnel of an organization are extremely important,
as they recognize the features that make up the personality and culture of the
organization . A workgroup met to revisit the existing values and proposed a revision
that was discussed, enhanced further, and agreed upon by the entire group .
OUR CORE VALUES
INTEGRITY
Uncompromising adherence to ethical principles, fairness, and consistency
Communicate with candor and honesty
Hold ourselves and one another accountable in our efforts to provide
responsive and thorough service
EXCELLENCE
Strive for excellence to achieve the highest standards of service to our
community and each other
Seek innovation, continuous improvement, and develop creative solutions
for a more sustainable, livable, and connected community
Collaborate and create an organizational culture where we learn, grow, and serve
SAFETY
Advocate for and support the physical safety, wellness, and mental health
of our community and workforce
We feel valued and part of a team
COMPASSION
Serve our community and each other with understanding, empathy,
kindness, and respect
Appreciate and recognize each other for our contributions and service
BELONGING
Value and seek out a diversity of talents, experiences, and backgrounds
to enable us to maximize our employees’ full talents and most effectively
serve our diverse community
Be open minded and embrace different ideas to drive creativity, innovation,
and optimal decision making
Facilitate a culture that promotes equity, fairness, and inclusion in which
all staff can bring their whole self to work and fully use their talents
in service of our mission
Prioritize a cohesive, collaborative, connected work environment in which
we feel valued and part of a team
ORGANIZATIONAL PURPOSE
Create a livable
connected
community with
exceptional services
for all.
The vision, mission, and values are the foundation of this
organization. Thus, every effort will be made to keep these
current and meaningful so that the employees and staff
of the City of Fairfax are guided by them in accomplishing
the goals, objectives, and day-to-day tasks.
City of Fairfax, VA - 1110 - Strategic Plan
In late 2022, we began our strategic planning journey
by creating this strategic plan framework to guide
the creation of our plan. This framework demonstrates:
How the strategic plan aligns with the long-term
comprehensive and master and the short-term
fiscal plan
How our Values, Vision and Mission shape
our City’s identity and create the roadmap
for the strategic plan
How the plan’s priorities, outcomes,
objectives, strategies and metrics work
together to define what we hope to
achieve, how we plan to achieve it and
how we will measure our progress
How the City will hold itself
accountable to the plan through
annual performance reports
and staff performance
evaluations
OUR PROCESS
Where are we going?What do we aspire to achieve?
What do we do?
Who do we do it for?
What do we want to achieve?
What are our desired results?
Where will we focus our efforts?
How will we achieve outcomes
and measure performance?
How will we track it?
How will we hold staff accountable?
VISION
MISSION
STRATEGIC GOALS
OUTCOMES
OBJECTIVES
STRATEGIES AND METRICS
ANNUAL PERFORMANCE REPORTING
STAFF PERFORMANCE EVALUATION
Comprehensive Plan/Master Plans
15-30 years
Strategic Plan3-5 years
FiscalPlan1 year CITY IDENTITYPLANACTIONSCIENTIFIC & TANGIBLEACHIEVABLEASPIRATIONAL10 - Strategic Plan City of Fairfax, VA - 11
PURPOSE OF STRATEGIC PLANNING
A strategic plan should serve as the physical product of strategic thinking
– that is, delineation of a community vision and the strategies and actions
that will be necessary to progress toward that vision . The Council, City
Government and community should ideally evaluate every opportunity
or challenge that presents itself against this vision and its associated
strategies to best determine how to allocate their time, money, and other
resources – all of which are limited .
The Strategic Plan is a companion to the City’s Comprehensive Plan which
represents how the City will physically change over time . Together, the
Strategic Plan and the Comprehensive Plan provide a firm foundation upon
which to build more detailed neighborhood and special purpose plans, the
annual budget, the multi-year capital improvements program, regulations
and ordnances, and other associated public policy and implementation
documents and initiatives .
Ideally one should be able to review this document and gain a firm
understanding of where the City intends to go, and generally how it
proposes to get there, as well as gain insight into how progress along
the way is intended to be measured .
Effective strategic planning benefits from a consistent and cohesively
structured process employed across all levels of the organization . Planning
is a continuous process with no clear beginning and no defined end . While
plans can be developed regularly, it is the process of planning that is
important, not the publication of the plan itself . Most importantly, strategic
planning can be an opportunity to unify management, employees, and
stakeholders through a shared understanding of where the organization
is going, how everyone involved can work toward that common purpose,
and how progression and success will be measured .
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Pre–Flight
1 . Understand the direction and intention
of the strategic planning process .
2 . Identify champions to lead the process .
3 . Charge the SLT with assistance in the process .
4 . Establish a work plan and meeting schedule .
Flight
1 . Council to set its vision for the City .
2 . Council to set City Council Goals and priority
action items .
3 . Revisit our current mission statement, giving careful
attention to the services and programs currently
provided and those which logically can be provided
in the future .
5 . Revisit the values of the organization’s personnel .
6 . Identify the internal strengths and weaknesses
of the organization .
7 . Identify areas of opportunity or potential threats
to the organization .
8 . Identify the organization’s critical issues and
service gaps .
9 . Determine strategic initiatives for organizational
improvement .
10 . Set outcomes based off the SWOT
11 . Establish realistic objectives for each Council goal area .
12 . Identify strategies and tasks for the accomplishment
of each objective .
13 . Set a lead department and timeline for completions .
14 . Identify a method of tracking completions and
reporting metrics .
15 . Determine the vision of the future and set an
implantation plan for day to day work .
16 . Develop organizational commitment to
accomplishing the plan .
Smooth landing
17 . Live the plan—Use the strategic plan to guide
day to day operations .
18 . Continuous review and adjustment will be
ongoing and integrated into decision-making
19 . Use strategic plan in budgeting process
20 . Annual Review, Update, and Reprioritization
Strategic Planning Process Outline
FLIGHT PLAN FOR THE DAY
THIS AIRPLANE TELLS US
Why we
connect
the work
we do on
a daily basis
to City goals
What
gives us
the power
to get
there
Where we have been
and where
we are going—
strategically aligns
our path
forward
How to take
a vision and
make it a reality
What guides
staff time and
resources
PROCESS OVERVIEW
We started down the road to accomplish out 20-step
planning process following the airplane model as shown
above . This model allows us to show how council and
staff align on every action . We start at 50,000 feet setting
the vision with council and work through the landing
on the run way with our day to day actions .
COUNCIL & STAFF RESPONSIBILITIES AND ROLES: THE FLIGHT ANALOGY
Council Role:
Affirm
Vision/Purpose
Staff Role:
Support
Vision/Purpose
50,000 FT
PURPOSE & VISION 40,000 FT
STRATEGIC GOALS
30,000 FT
OUTCOMES
20,000 FT
OBJECTIVES
10,000 FT
STRATEGIES
RUNWAY
DAY-TO- DAY WORK
Council Responsibility
Staff Responsibility
Council Role:
Establish
Goals
Staff Role:
Align Goals
with Resources
Council Role:
Establish/Prioritize
Action Items
Staff Role:
Implement Priority
Action Items
Council Role:
Review/Adopt Budget
Conduct Meetings
Staff Role:
Prepare Plans and
Oversee Functions Council Role:
Authorize Contracts
per Procurement Policy
Staff Role:
Plan and
Complete Projects
Council Role:
Engage with
Community and Staff
Staff Role:
Carry Out Day-to-Day
Responsibilities
LONGER-RANGE PLANNING
BUDGET/CONTRACT APPROVAL
Adopted and modified from: “Council & Staff Work Flight Analogy”
Credit: “Mike Baker, Deputy Village Manager of Downers Grove, IL
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As an organization
We commit to a culture
in which all employees are
leaders oriented toward
results and positive outcomes
where organization and
community assets meet or
exceed recognized standards
where services provided
are “best in class.”
As departments
We take action and
deliver our services
guided by our
Departmental Service Plans
and secure the necessary
resources by budgeting
for the intended
outcomes.
As individuals
We perform
in accordance with
our personal development
and operational goals
established
annually.
OUR PROMISES AND COMMITMENTS
A SWOT analysis is a high-level strategic planning model that helps organizations identify where
they’re doing well and where they can improve, both from an internal and an external perspective .
SWOT is an acronym for Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats.
SWOT works because it helps you evaluate your organization by considering multiple factors:
Strengths and weaknesses are internal factors (things you can control), like team members,
software, and geographic location .
Opportunities and threats represent external factors (things you can’t control), such as
competitors, regulations, and economic trends .
Organizations use SWOT to plot out a future course that plays on their strengths and minimizes
risks . Taking the time to look at your organization from different perspectives and honestly assessing
your future prospects is a worthwhile activity; the insights you glean as a result can be used
constructively as part of the strategic planning process .
SWOT ANALYSIS
Strengths of the Organization
1) Customer Service
2) Flexibility for Staff
3) Leadership and Vision
4) Smaller, high-touch teams – supportive and personal
5) Opportunities for Training & Development
6) Regional partners and cooperation
7) Great services
8) Aspects of the City itself
Weaknesses of the Organization
1) Small size of organization
2) Internal & External Communications is limited
3) Lack conditions for integration, collaboration, and innovation
4) Lack of diversity on SLT
5) Limited tax base
Opportunities for the Organization to Leverage
1) Expanding employee development opportunities
2) Expand Financial agility and stability
3) Engagement of staff
4) Sustainability practices
5) Improving and expanding partnerships
6) Departmental integration and collaboration
7) Communications
8) Technology improvements/ automation
9) Leverage diversity of talent and ideas
10) Maintain diversified business and industry
Challenges / Threats to the Organization
1) Possible economic instability
2) Attracting & retaining talent
3) Polarization
4) Ambiguity about incoming City Council
5) sources / Human Capital needs
6) Aspects of City itself
W
O
T
S
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TRANSPORTATION
Create safe and efficient
movement of pedestrians,
cyclists, motorists,
commercial vehicles and
transit through the City
and region via an intermodal
system that is appropriately
scaled, efficient, safe
and convenient.
What does this mean to the city…
Create opportunities for walking, cycling
and other transportation options that are
safe and environmentally sustainable.
Improve access between neighborhoods
and parks, schools, activity centers and
other destinations throughout the city.
Support new approaches for safe more
accessible, convenient, and efficient
public transit connections to metro,
GMU, and key locations in the community.
Further efforts to create a street grid
to facilitate economic and community
development.
Align efforts with public, private and
non-profit partners to identify future
transportation modes and infrastructure
needs.
GOVERNANCE
Maintain and strengthen
long-term fiscal health
through governance
distinguished by a high-
performing, innovative and
community based system
that is founded on open,
multi-faceted communication
with residents, businesses,
and visitors; demonstrates
accountability and
responsiveness and is
supported by a professional
workforce.
What does this mean to the city…
Attract and retain employees who will
address current and future city needs.
Improve citizen engagement through new
forms of communication with an emphasis
on under-served populations.
Align organization structure and business
processes and practices that result in
outstanding customer service and
responsiveness.
Continue our city’s excellent fiscal
management practices that include
capital investments, effective borrowing
and proactive fund balance management
to support city services, facilities and
infrastructure.
Use technology enhancements and
investments to make data-driven decisions,
support transparency in government
operations, and deliver accessible and
effective city services.
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
Take actions that result in a more
diverse, balanced, and resilient
economy through business
attraction, expansion and retention
to enable a business environment
that supports the quality of life
that our community expects.
What does this mean to the city…
Continue real estate tax base growth above
the Northern Virginia regional average.
Prioritize community “affordability” for
residents, businesses and visitors.
Continue partnerships in the Northern
Virginia region to improve our long term
economic health and leverage the city’s
competitive advantage and strategic
intergovernmental relationships.
Improve and streamline the city’s
processes to provide easy, quick and
friendly experiences when opening
and operating a business.
Enable appropriate, sustainable
transportation oriented mixed-use
development and redevelopment that
complements our distinctive sense of place.
ENVIRONMENTAL
SUSTAINABILITY
AND STEWARDSHIP
Preserve, protect and improve
our community’s natural, cultural
and historical resources as
population growth, economic
development/redevelopment
and climate change create
significant impacts.
What does this mean to the city…
Prioritize development or redevelopment
that embraces sustainable practices,
increases green space, and creates
compact and less car centric places.
Preserve, protect and enhance natural
and environmentally sensitive areas.
Strengthen environmentally sustainable
practices in city policies and operations.
Identify opportunities for collaboration
and partnerships including GMU, NVCC,
regional, state, environmental and
cultural institutions.
Undertake initiatives to improve recycling,
composting, and other solid waste best
management practices.
COMMUNITY
Strengthen our welcoming and
safe community, known for its
distinctive quality of life, through
community engagement,
connectivity, a safety net for
those in need and exceptional
City services.
What does this mean to the city…
Recognize, value and celebrate the many
traditions in our community through hon-
oring the history of those who established
the city and welcome those who will write
its future with their unique contributions.
Provide a comprehensive community-
based range of programs, special events,
and activities.
Improve access to and availability of health
and human services through programs and
partnerships to increase mental and physi-
cal health and a sense of safety and individ-
ual well-being for all ages.
Identify existing and new programs that
can improve connectivity and access to
community and educational services.
Ensure economic vitality, safety and health,
affordable housing choices, sustainability,
education, infrastructure, and cultural and
recreation opportunities.
CITY COUNCIL 2023-2024 STRATEGIC GOALS
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1. ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
OUTCOME
Support programs and initiatives that establish Fairfax City as the premier location
in the region to start and grow businesses that strengthen our social and community
fabric and quality of life.
OBJECTIVE 1 Promote innovative new
partnerships that foster a forward-thinking
approach to land development, housing
affordability, and placemaking.
Complete Small Area Plans for the
city’s activity centers and coordinate
implementation with internal and
external partners .
Finalize citywide housing assessment and
strategies and begin developing a housing
policy to support strategic initiatives .
Continue growing the Old Town Fairfax
Business Association and deepening the
relationship with the Central Fairfax
Chamber of Commerce and Northern
Virginia Chamber of Commerce .
Promote the city as a prime destination
for new residential and mixed-use
development; establish relationships
through business investment with
property owners and developers .
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Identify and cultivate new supportive
relationships through professional trade
organizations such as the International
Economic Development Council, the
Northern Virginia Economic Development
Alliance, and the International Downtown
Association .
OBJECTIVE 2 Continue real estate tax base
growth:
Develop and expand business attraction
and business retention programs .
Continue to support and emphasize new
development — especially new residential
development that advances the creation
of interesting places .
OBJECTIVE 3 Improve/streamline city
processes for business and development:
Advance plans and have a development
liaison (in coordination with other city
departments and priorities) .
Identify and cultivate new internal and
external partnerships .
Collaboratively implement recommendations
of building/site plan process assessment .
Increase the types of applications filed
through the online permit portal and
expand electronic plan review capabilities .
Provide quality and efficient inspection
services for construction projects .
Modernizing the permitting and application
process to include stakeholder outreach
and engagement .
OBJECTIVE 4 Advance the goals of
community development while prioritizing
a distinct sense of place:
Continue and improve investment in local
parks, community spaces, and public
infrastructure .
Expand programs such as Restaurant
Week, Rock the Block, and other programs
that connect businesses, community, etc .
Develop programs that support investments
in parks and public infrastructure that
contribute to a high quality of life, such as
the Willard-Sherwood Health and
Community Center .
Complete the tree inventory and canopy
assessment as a baseline for enhanced
investment in the city’s urban forest .
Develop and implement small area plans
and other planning initiatives that identify
and promote unique aspects of the city’s
activity centers and neighborhoods .
Provide excellent project management
services and design oversight for various
assorted city projects .
Promote and reinforce community public
safety through environmental design .
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2. ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY AND STEWARDSHIP
OUTCOME
Develop ways to foster a sustainable future and improve the social, economic, and
environmental well-being of the organization and community through programmatic
enhancements, sustainable practices, community partnerships, and by embedding
sustainability into how we operate as an organization.
OBJECTIVE 1 Develop and implement a
multi-year sustainability program work plan
that identifies how to embed sustainability
practices into city operations and defines
priority actions, metrics, assignments,
funding requirements, and timeframe.
Develop a workgroup of internal and external
stakeholders to lead the development and
implementation of the work plan .
Assist in creating monitoring systems
to collect data that will be used for the
performance matrix and strategic decisions .
Identify and adopt the proper sustainability
frameworks to guide decision-making
(LEED for Cities and Communities, United
Nations Sustainable Development Goals,
American Planning Association sustainability
standards, etc .) .
OBJECTIVE 2 Identify, implement, and
promote high-impact practices to mitigate
and adapt to the causes and effects of
climate change.
Reduce greenhouse gas emissions citywide,
including government operations, by using
energy and climate best practices .
Develop smarter land-use and transportation
development patterns that reduce trip
length and support transit, ridesharing,
biking, and walking to mitigate GHG
emissions from transportation .
Minimize energy demand citywide, including
business, government, and residential
properties applying energy-efficient design
features, technologies, and best practices .
Increase the use of renewable energy sources
and advanced sustainable technologies
through achieving 100% renewable electricity
for government operations by 2035 and
citywide by 2050 .)
Develop and implement plans and policies
to mitigate and adapt to the causes and
effects of climate change to improve
community health and resilience, and to
prepare for anticipated changes in weather
patterns, rainfall intensities, and flooding .
OBJECTIVE 3 Preserve, promote, and
enhance the city’s natural environment.
Revitalize the city’s urban forest by combating
invasive pests and increasing tree canopy
in vulnerable low-canopied areas with
native, climate-resilient species and achieve
a diverse, well-managed urban forest .
Protect and improve the health of the
city’s water resources and watersheds
through stormwater management best
practices and land use practices .
Support planting a diverse selection of
native vegetation and restore and preserve
natural open spaces and contiguous
greenway corridors that provide natural
habitats for plants and wildlife .
Implement city policies, practices, and
regulatory programs to protect, conserve,
establish, and rehabilitate natural resources
(tree cover, open green spaces, parkland, etc .)
that provide ecological and health benefits .
Reduce risk and improve preparedness
to meet the challenges associated with
natural and manufactured hazards .
Reduce exposure to pollutants and
hazardous chemicals in the environment .
Improve and preserve the integrity and
health of the city’s natural systems and
ensure all residents have equitable access
to parks, trails, and open spaces .
OBJECTIVE 4 Ensure the city’s solid waste
management program remains safe, efficient,
effective, and environmentally sound.
Provide thorough and compliant refuse
and recycling services .
Reduce waste and increase diversion
by city operations, residential properties,
and businesses .
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Provide effective communication to
the mayor and city council, community
members, and city staff about issues
regarding public safety to ensure resident
engagement with problem-solving efforts
and community issues .
Maintain, re-evaluate, and update
existing engagement systems for better
communication with everyone .
OBJECTIVE 2 Support the city’s overall
health and safety by working collaboratively
to strengthen the community risk reduction
by reducing risk associated with physical
and mental health through crisis prevention
and response efforts.
Task the city Community Response Team
to coordinate the city response for both
risk reduction activities (fall prevention,
fire prevention, hoarding, social isolation,
community education, etc .) and behavioral
health crisis response .
Provide thorough and efficient life safety
and emergency services .
Focus on training police officers in
de-escalating events and continue to
embrace technology for efficient traffic en-
forcement and traffic calming, and crime
enforcement and deterrence .
Develop and implement a multi-pronged
approach to multi-modal safety (educa-
tion, awareness, and enforcement) .
Increase assistance to our most vulnerable
residents (elderly, children, and residents
experiencing homelessness) .
Develop and implement a multi-pronged
approach to multi-modal transportation
safety (design, education, awareness, and
enforcement) .
OBJECTIVE 3 City staff will work
collaboratively to strengthen our social
connectedness through special events and
activities that build community.
Sufficiently staff public safety at events
and in the community to instill a sense of
safety and security in all who are enjoying
the amenities and activities .
Maintain and develop parks, athletic
facilities, and historic sites that have low
or no economic barriers to access .
Build social capital by providing recreational,
cultural, and educational programs,
activities, and events with low barriers to
resident access and are welcoming to all .
Implement proactive programs to improve
all city rights-of-way and open spaces to
enhance the quality of life for all residents .
Continue to provide safe and efficient road
closure services for all city special events .
3. COMMUNITY
OUTCOME
Reduce barriers to engagement to increase opportunities for all community members
to participate in city-sponsored special events, activities, and educational forums;
actively engage with city boards, commissions, and other civic activities; and have
equitable and timely access to human services safety net programs and supports
while providing the community excellent life safety and emergency services.
OBJECTIVE 1 Collaboratively coordinate
efforts to ensure improved equitable access
to city services, activities/events, and civic
engagement opportunities.
Develop and implement standard citywide
procedures that ensure that residents who
speak a language other than English can
communicate with city staff, understand
written information provided by the city,
and participate in city civic activities and
events .
Participate in the implementation of
the city’s Title VI program to ensure city
projects, programs, and services are
developed and performed without
discrimination on the grounds of race,
color, national origin, sex, or disabilities .
Ensure and Improve ADA accessibility
in all city facilities, parks, historic sites,
and events by implementing a citywide
ADA assessment .
Assist with the citywide ADA assessment
and create a plan to fix any issues tied
to electronic communications .
Provide multiple avenues for residents
to communicate concerns or provide
positive feedback, both at the department
level and throughout the organization .
22 - Strategic Plan City of Fairfax, VA - 23
24 - Strategic Plan City of Fairfax, VA - 2524 - Strategic Plan
OBJECTIVE 3 Prioritize and execute key
projects (pedestrian crosswalk signals,
sidewalks, and other traffic calming
strategies, etc.) that benefit the city’s
multi-modal transportation goals.
Implement innovative traffic calming
and pedestrian safety programs and
monitor their effectiveness .
OBJECTIVE 4 Develop and implement
projects that promote safety, reduce
accidents, and promote greater walkability.
Continue the signals controller upgrade
projects to include infrastructure upgrades
(replacing old network switches), camera
system upgrades, and creating a more
redundant core structure through a new
backup system .
Operate, maintain, and improve city streets
to serve residential needs while ensuring
the safety of the users while meeting the
needs of the public in the future .
Develop and implement a complete street
policy that ensures streets are safe for
people of all ages and abilities, balances
the needs of different modes, and
supports local land uses, economies,
cultures, and natural environments .
Police to promote public safety with such
things as construction zone enforcement
and traffic safety .
4. TRANSPORTATION
OUTCOME
Create a framework that supports expanding the street grid, increases access between
activity centers and through neighborhoods, and creates efficient public connections
for walking, cycling, and other transportation options.
OBJECTIVE 1 Continuously update and
educate the community about the city’s
|rapidly changing /dynamic transportation
needs and priorities.
Initiate a five-year review of the City of
Fairfax 2035 Comprehensive Plan .
Use the Comprehensive Plan, Small
Area Plans, and other planning efforts
to identify and prioritize transportation
infrastructure improvements .
OBJECTIVE 2 Implement the adopted two-
year transportation program that outlines
local and regional transportation priorities;
pursue maximum funding for the program.
26 - Strategic Plan City of Fairfax, VA - 27
5. GOVERNANCE
OUTCOME
Develop and retain an responsive, agile, healthy, and highly professional workforce
by engaging in process modernization to sustain Fairfax City as a high-performing
organization that provides its citizens top-level transparency and accessibility.
OBJECTIVE 1 Provide avenues of
communication for equitable citizen access .
Examples include updating the language line
and document translation .
Assist with creating a plan to fix any issues
tied to electronic communications from
the Title VI assessment .
OBJECTIVE 2 Establish processes for
higher levels of efficiency and modernization .
Examples include workflow management,
cross-departmental collaboration and
workgroups, and establishing an innovation
committee and a business analyst position .
Use the city’s development review team
to promote collaboration among staff
involved in the development review pro-
cess and more efficiently process private
development and city projects .
Create an IT steering committee to keep
technology projects aligned with city goals
and needs .
Establish and create an innovation
committee .
OBJECTIVE 3 Protect and support city
employees’ mental and physical health .
Engage public safety employees on
solutions for occupation-specific mental
health and wellness programs .
Develop, evaluate, and provide wellness
programs to employees that are reviewed
and updated annually .
OBJECTIVE 4 Emphasize the importance of
a multi-year financial strategy that focuses on
maintaining and strengthening operations
(routine day-to-day activities), capital
investments, Ensure e and our financial
standing by increasing the unassigned
general fund balance .
Purposely budget fund balance
contributions throughout the year .
Strive to attain a 1 .0% year-over-year growth
of fund balance for the next five years .
Reduce increased expenditure supplemental
appropriation requests and manage internally
via departmental budget transfers .
Cease relying on the fund balance as a
budgeting balancing tool .
Continue implantation of the new ERP
system with a focus on reporting and
transparency .
OBJECTIVE 5 Create a workplace that is
attractive to prospective employees to
improve recruitment and retention .
Offer competitive pay and benefits and
review best practices and regional alignment .
Survey employees to determine organizational
culture and address areas of concern .
OBJECTIVE 6 Promote and implement
employee development at all levels across
the organization to foster leadership and
technical skill enhancement, cross-training,
and collaboration .
Provide sufficient funding for supervisor
training, LEAD, and technical training .
Create cross-departmental teams to develop
and support innovative ideas for better
service delivery and increase operations
efficiency .
Create custom training sessions, such as
monthly “Brown Bag Training Sessions,”
and update training sessions on existing
applications .
Employees’ physical safety and security
and provide tools and equipment to
perform their jobs safely .
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28 - Strategic Plan City of Fairfax, VA - 29
TERMS
Vision
Looking 10-20 years out, what kind of community does the City of Fairfax
strive to shape? What defines the community in 2030 and beyond?
Goals – Planned, broad, achievable targets in a 4+ -year timeframe that
will support the City’s vision . Goals are the “what” the City plans to achieve .
Outcomes are what the City Council hopes to accomplish within
each of the strategic goals
Objectives identify where city staff will focus our efforts . There are
multiple objectives within each outcome .
Strategies – The measures taken to achieve the City’s goals over
an approximately 2-4 year period . Strategies represent “how” the City
will arrive at its goals .
Day to Day – The specific projects, programs, best practices, or tasks,
usually employed over a 6- to 18-month time frame, that City staff will
undertake to complete identified strategies . Day to Day will take into
account the following:
Prioritization – time, money, and attention
Collaborative Partnerships – we cannot and should not do this alone
Innovation – new ideas, new approaches, new partners
Metrics We will measure how well we are achieving our objectives
and desired outcomes through our metrics .
IMPLEMENTATION AND TRACKING
COMMUNITY INPUT
PRIORITYACTIONITEMS
OPERATING PLANS &STRATEGIES
5-YEAR CIP&10-YEAR PLANNINGHORIZON
EMPLOYEE,TEAM &PARTNERSHIPPERFORMANCE
ORGANIZATIONALPERFORMANCE
BUDGET OUTCOMES
KEY PERFORMANCEINDICATORS
COMMUNICATERESULTS
GOVERNING BODY
EMPLOYEES & PARTNERS
COMMUNITY
MAYOR & COUNCIL
PURPOSE
VISION
STRATEGIC GOALS
FY24 BUDGET-PROGRAMACTIVITIES
We will use this plan to guide our operations and financial investments .
As we continue to work more collaboratively internally and and externally,
we will empower the organization to find more opportunities for innovation, sustainability
and enhanced customer service while freeing up talent, time, money, and resources .
This plan is intended to be a living breathing document.
We will continue to learn throughout implementation.
We recognize and acknowledge that updates will need to be made
and we commit to being transparent about our learnings.
30 - Strategic Plan City of Fairfax, VA - 31
REFERENCE DOCUMENTS
Comprehensive Plan
Multimodal Transportation Plan
Small Area Plans for Old Town
Fairfax, Northfax, Kamp Washington
and Fairfax Circle
Departmental Two-year Plans
City Clerk
City Manager
Community development
and Planning & Zoning
Economic Development
Environmental Sustainability
Fire
Historic Resources
Human Services
Information Technology
Parks and Recreation
Police
Public Works
Transportation
Departmental Strategic Plans
Economic Development
Fire
Police
5 . Sara Greer, Human Resources
6 . Wendy Sanford, Transportation
7 . Mark Perry, Information Technology
8 . Kim Burgess, Risk Management
9 . Walter English, Emergency Management
1 . Brooke Hardin,
Community Development and Planning
2 . Melanie Zipp, City Clerk
3 . JC Martinez, Finance
4 . Robert A . Stalzer, City Manager
10 . Erin Schaible, Police
11 . Dave Summers, Public Works
12 . Christopher Bruno,
Economic Development
1
5
2
6
7 8
3 4
9
1110
13
15
16
17 18
12
14CITY MANAGER’S SENIOR LEADERSHIP TEAM
13 . Lesley Abashian,
Human Services
14 . John O’Neal, Fire
15 . Stefanie Kupka,
Environmental
Sustainability
16 . Matthew Kaiser,
Communications
17 . Susan Gray,
Historic
Resources
18 . Stacey
Sommerfield,
Parks and
Recreation
32 - Strategic Plan
fairfaxva.gov
A City of Fairfax, Va., publication
September 2023
we.care@fairfaxva.gov
To request this information in an alternate format,
call 703-385-7800 (TTY 711)