This temporary permit allows business owners who have been negatively impacted by various pandemic-related restrictions to expand their commercial activity to outdoor areas not including the public right-of-way. Please review details of the emergency ordinance here.

Town Council approved an extension of the emergency ordinance to permit outdoor business operations to September 1, 2021, unless extended, amended, rescinded, or readopted by Town Council. This includes outdoor dining and other outdoor commercial activity.

As public, semi-public, and private institutions have been impacted by restrictions related to the pandemic, Town Council approved an emergency ordinance to permit outdoor operations under certain conditions covered by the governor’s most recent executive orders and other state- and local-mandated health and fire marshal precautions.

Apply for this permit here.

The Town of Vienna Code currently allows “family day homes” and child daycare centers only under a Home Occupation Permit for seven or fewer children or as a  Conditional Use Permit for more than seven children in RS-16 Single-Family Residential, RS-12.5 Single-Family Residential, RS-10 Single-Family Residential, and RM-2 Multi-Family Residential zones. Town Code does not allow daycare centers to be located in the Town’s commercial and industrial zoning districts and may impose restrictions in other zones.

This emergency ordinance is valid only for establishments located in commercial and industrial zoning districts that already are approved to operate by right and for other public, semi-public, and private institutions in other zones. It gives the town manager authority to issue temporary emergency commercial child daycare permits to existing Town of Vienna businesses in commercially zoned districts. Permitted businesses must have:

• a current and valid Town of Vienna business license
• a child daycare (CDC) license from the Virginia Department of social services
• a diagram showing the onsite location of available parking and pickup/drop-off locations.

Apply for this permit here.

Here are things to keep in mind when applying for temporary permits:

• It’s important to note that you’ll be asked to upload a diagram of the proposed outdoor activity with your temporary permit application. If you need assistance creating a diagram or have any additional questions, please email the planning and zoning department.
• Restaurants are required by law to have a separate license to serve alcohol outdoors. Virginia ABC has provided an accelerated process for approving licenses for temporary outdoor dining areas. Find more details on Virginia ABC’s expanded services.
• The Town of Vienna does not need to provide a permit or letter for restaurants, as required by Virginia ABC's approval process, because Fairfax County passed an emergency ordinance that covers this requirement. 
• If you plan to use a tent that is larger than 900 square feet, you must apply for a Temporary Tent Permit through the Fairfax County Fire Marshal’s Office. Guidance on submitting an application for a tent permit can be found on the Office of the Fire Marshal's webpage.

Here is additional guidance from the Fire Marshal’s office related to:

• temporary tents
• open flame decorative devices (candles, oil lamps, decorative torches, gas lights)
• open flame cooking devices (charcoal burners and outdoor barbecue grills)
• portable heaters
• use of tents in cold weather

Please use the information below to connect with the county:

Fairfax County Health Department
703-246-2201

Fairfax County Fire Marshal
703-246-4860