Fairfax County supervisors on Oct. 19 directed the county’s Department of Land Development Services to analyze the possibility of waiving permitting fees associated with installation of electric-vehicle infrastructure.
The intention is to reduce barriers to switching to environmentally friendly alternatives, said Chairman Jeff McKay (D), who presented the proposal as a joint board matter with Supervisor Daniel Storck (D-Mount Vernon).
The Fairfax County community is working collectively towards net-zero energy and carbon-emissions reductions, McKay said. With electric vehicles becoming more popular, county officials should ensure there are sufficient resources and infrastructure available for community members, he said.
Electric vehicles require that additional infrastructure be built into existing facilities, which can present a major hurdle for residents seeking to switch to gas-alternative vehicles, McKay said.
Permitting fees can impose a financial burden and discourage environmentally sustainable actions, he said. “The climate crisis is now,” McKay said.
“We do not have time to wait on actions that can improve our carbon emissions and resiliency towards a changing environment.” The Department of Land Development Services’ fee-waiver analysis will include both commercial and residential properties.
Staff will report back to the board on the feasibility of a fee waivers no later than February 2022.
“We want to look for every opportunity to incentivize and support the transition” to electric vehicles, Storck said. “I think this is a good way to at least understand what our options are.”
