Zoning Permit: a zoning permit is required from the Zoning Administrator, in connection with the construction of a new building, the renovation or expansion of an existing building, or a change in the use or configuration of a lot or parcel of land. The Zoning Administrator is the official responsible for determining whether a particular land use or activity complies with the County’s Zoning Ordinance.
Zoning Variance: in certain cases, the unique physical characteristics of a lot or parcel of land make it difficult or impossible to comply with certain zoning regulations, such as required building setbacks. In those situations, a property owner may apply to the County’s Board of Zoning Appeals (BZA) for a variance, in accordance with the County’s Zoning Ordinance. Applications may be submitted to the Office of the Zoning Administrator. By state law (Va. Code 15.2-2201) a “variance” is defined as a reasonable deviation from zoning ordinance provisions regulating the size or area of a lot, or the size, area, bulk or location of a building or structure, when (i) a strict application of those provisions would result in unnecessary or unreasonable hardship to the property owner, (ii) the need for a variance would not be shared generally by other properties, and (iii) the variance is not contrary to the intended spirit and purpose of the zoning ordinance. Variances may not be used to authorize uses, or changes in use, that are not otherwise permitted by the zoning ordinance.
Subdivision plats and boundary line adjustments: The division of a lot or parcel of land into two or more lots or parcels generally requires formal approval of a subdivision plat by the Board of Supervisors, in accordance with the County’s Subdivision Ordinance. Boundary line adjustments and Family divisions do not require formal subdivision approval; however, the County requires a property owner to submit a plat of any proposed boundary line adjustment or family division for approval by the Zoning Administrator, to verify compliance with the County’s Zoning and Subdivision Ordinances.
Floodplain Ordinance: certain restrictions apply to the use and development of land that falls within a floodplain area. The purpose of floodplain regulations is to prevent loss of life and property, and to prevent the creation of health and safety hazards, by restricting or prohibiting certain development from locating in areas subject to flooding, and by regulating or restricting development that may result in unacceptable increases in flood heights, velocities or frequencies.
The Zoning Ordinance and Subdivision Ordinance are available on the Zoning and Planning Documents page.
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