Food truck operators and small-restaurant owners in Reston's commercial districts could get relief under a Fairfax County zoning overhaul presented to a Board of Supervisors committee on Sept. 1.

The proposal, part of the county's Commercial and Industrial Modernization (CI-MOD) program, would extend food truck operating hours from four to six per day in commercial and industrial districts. The current four-hour cap and 32-day annual limit would stay in place for residential areas.

Restaurants up to 2,500 square feet would be allowed without a special permit in commercial and industrial zones, as long as they occupy no more than 10% of a building's gross floor area. Larger restaurants would need a special exception permit. Hours would be capped at 6 a.m. to 10 p.m., and restaurants would be prohibited in high-density residential districts.

"These seem all modest in my mind. Frankly, I think some of these are long overdue … I feel like we're catching up to real-time demand and consumer interest," Board Chair Jeff McKay said at the Sept. 1 Land Use Policy Committee meeting, as reported by FFXnow.

Mason District Supervisor Andres Jimenez said the food truck changes would give operators "an ability to work an entire day."

The changes reflect a shift in how ancillary businesses operate. According to the county's presentation to the committee, businesses now advertise online to the wider community rather than serving only building tenants. Enforcing the same operating hours as a building's primary use is "no longer viable" from a market standpoint, staff told the committee.

The proposal covers more than food and trucks.

Child care centers would be allowed by right in high-density residential districts (R-20 and R-30) for up to 60 children. Serving more would require a special exception permit. The county presentation notes a range of 50 to 99 children is still under consideration.

Convenience stores would be allowed in commercial zones at up to 2,500 square feet. A permit would be required in industrial zones. Business services in industrial districts would face the same 2,500-square-foot cap and 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. hours.

Specialized instruction centers, which include tutoring, music lessons and art classes, would be split into two size categories at a 6,000-square-foot threshold. New special permit fees are proposed at $5,790 for small facilities and $23,210 for large ones.

Lily Yegazu of the Zoning Administration Division is leading the effort. The Planning Commission's Land Use Process Review Committee is scheduled to discuss the proposal on Oct. 8. Community and industry outreach is planned for fall and winter 2026, with a Board authorization vote tentatively set for January 2027, a Planning Commission public hearing in February 2027 and a Board of Supervisors public hearing in March 2027.