The County, starting in April 2011, undertook a project to update the Zoning Ordinance to make it easier to use, understand and administer. These updates were completed in phases as outlined in a work plan accepted by the County Board in October 2010.
The first phase of improvements included a comprehensive update of the sign regulations, completed in July 2012. In May 2013, The County Board adopted a reorganized and reformatted ordinance. In June 2014, the County Board adopted a series of amendments that codified a number of administrative practices related to bulk, coverage and placement requirements and made updates to nonconforming use provisions consistent with Virginia Code requirements (adopted amendments ). The final phase of the update was completed in February 2015 and is described below.
The final phase:
- Incorporated a use classification system
- Updated use tables and use standards consistent with the use classification system
- Added short term and accessory use standards
- Updated definitions
Adopted amendments (February 21, 2015)
- Adopted Zoning Ordinance amendments (with mark-up)
- Full current Zoning Ordinance (including adopted amendments)
Supporting Materials
- Final staff report (February 21, 2015)
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Cross-reference tables of current and proposed terms
Previous Drafts
- Final proposed draft (February 13, 2015)
- Amendments authorized for advertisement(January 27, 2015)
- Additional text added to advertisement by the County Board at the January 27, 2015 hearing
- Revised preliminary draft amendments (December 3, 2014)
- Preliminary draft amendments (September 5, 2014)
- Summary of changes – revised to RTA draft (Dec 3, 2014 to Jan 16, 2015)
- Summary of changes – preliminary to revised draft (Sept 5 – Dec 3)
Previous Meetings
- February 12, 2015. Civic Federation Planning and Zoning Committee.
- February 9, 2015. Business improvement districts and Partnerships.
- February 3, 2015. ZOCO. Changes since advertisement.
- January 6, 2015. ZOCO. Short term and accessory use standards.
- December 15, 2015. Business improvement districts and Partnerships focus group. Overview of Phase IIC and Short term use standards.
- December 9, 2014. Economic Development Commission. Overview of Phase IIC (focus on retail and commercial uses). Presentation
- December 2, 2014. Civic Federation. Overview of Phase IIC.
- November 12, 2014. ZOCO. Review of use classification system (retail, service and commercial uses)
- October 22, 2014. Public Meeting. Overview of Phase IIC.
- October 14, 2014. ZOCO. Review of use classification system.
- September 24, 2014. NVBIA/NAIOP. Overview of Phase IIC
- September 18, 2014. ZOCO. Short term and accessory use standards; definitions.
- September 17, 2014. Form Based Code Advisory Working Group. Overview of use classification system.
- July 15, 2014. ZOCO. Overview of use classification system.
- May 2014. Chamber of Commerce. Overview of Phase IIC.