The County recently undertook a comprehensive review of the Zoning Ordinance (Appendix B of the County Code). This review includes consolidation of similar districts, updating the uses permitted in each district, and modification of the supplemental regulations associated with certain uses, among other revisions. The update incorporated revisions based on changes to the State Code, Board initiatives as outlined in their Strategic Planning effort, recommendations from the Business Development Focus Group, as well as recommendations identified in the County’s Comprehensive Plan and by staff as part of their daily interactions with the public. The County’s Board of Supervisors and Planning Commission participated in reviewing these revisions and input was sought from other County staff and citizen stakeholders throughout the process.

Public Engagement

After a four-year in-depth review, staff presented the draft to the public in the form of public open houses in November of 2022 and an online engagement platform throughout much of 2023. Staff is always available to speak with anyone about specific zoning districts, uses, and/or regulations that most interest them. If you have any questions regarding the changes, please contact Carol Rizzio or Anne Ducey-Ortiz at 804-693-1224.

Process Overview

The Board of Supervisors, Planning Commission, and staff began the Zoning Ordinance update in 2017. The update included review of all permitted uses, definitions, district regulations, and supplemental use regulations, among other components. Input was obtained from these groups through weekly meetings with the entire Department of Planning & Zoning, the Planning Commission’s monthly meetings, and quarterly joint meetings with the Board of Supervisors and Planning Commission. Staff presentations to these bodies and draft versions of each completed section are available in the sections below.

Phase 2 of the update included revisions to the specifications for administrative bodies, administrative procedures, enforcement, and other relevant sections. These reviews proceeded through a similar process as the previous reviews, including Board of Supervisors and Planning Commission review as well as input from County staff and citizen stakeholders.

Prior to adoption of any Zoning Ordinance changes, a public hearing was held by both the Planning Commission and the Board of Supervisors. The Planning Commission is advisory and makes their recommendation to the Board based on their review and input from the Public Hearing. The Board of Supervisors held a separate Public Hearing and voted to approve the proposed ordinance (without modifications).

Overview of Changes

The Board’s adopted Strategic Plan included the following Planning Goals:

• Thriving Economy:

  • Priority 3: In-depth review of County ordinances to eliminate or reduce regulations that inhibit or delay business growth.

• Housing and Land Use:

  • Priority 2: Enhance mixed use, multifamily and senior living development sites by: reviewing ordinances that would contribute/promote desired development.

  • Priority 3: Continue to offer land use advantages to farmers and timber farmers to preserve the County’s rural atmosphere.

• Governance:

  • Priority 3: Develop a plan and strategy for periodic review and revision of County ordinances by department to bring recommendations for change to the Board (including those that restrict residential owners).

In addition, the Economic Development Chapter of the Comprehensive Plan (2016) provided the following implementation strategies (among others) for Economic Development:

• Review ordinances to ensure they support and promote economic opportunities.

• Regularly evaluate existing processes for improvement.

• Support industries that are culturally and historically significant, such as agriculture, forestry, and water-based occupations, and revise current ordinances to ensure the continuance of these uses.

• Work to mitigate conflicts between business development adjacent to residential areas during the review process.

As a result, the changes to the ordinance generally allow more flexibility for property owners in all districts (agricultural, residential, and commercial) to use their land. Uses may be allowed “by-right”, meaning that the use would be permitted under zoning by administrative review and approval of a zoning permit and/or commercial site plan. Other uses may be subject to a Special Exception (SE) by the Board of Zoning Appeals (BZA) or a Conditional Use Permit (CUP) reviewed by the Planning Commission (PC) and approved by Board of Supervisors (BOS). Special Exceptions and Conditional Use Permits require notification of adjoining property owners and public hearings prior to approval and these uses are not necessarily guaranteed to be permitted on a specific property.