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Development Process
1.
Rezoning/Special
Use Permit
Rezoning/Special
Use Permit Application Checklist
2. Subdivision
Subdivision
Application Checklist
3. Variance Request
Variance Request
Application Checklist
4.
Appeal of Zoning Administrator's Decision
Appeal of Zoning Administrator's Decision
Application Checklist
5. Home
Occupation
Planning and
Zoning Information
- Zoning District
- Special Topics
1. Home Occupation
2. Fence
3. Sign
4. Accessory Buildings
Public Hearings
General
Information
Development Process
Rezoning
The land in City of
Radford has been divided into zoning districts. Within each of these
districts, certain uses of the land and certain minimum lot sizes are
allowed. It is often the desire of the landowner to use his land for a
purpose other than those allowed in the land's present zoning. When this is
the case, the owner may apply to have the land rezoned to a district, which
allows for the desired use. In a rezoning, the desired land use is compared
with the uses around the land in question. Neighbors' views and the possible
benefits and costs to the people of City of Radford are also taken into
consideration, along with matters like the availability of water and sewer
lines, accessibility, slope of the land, existing use, potential problems
due to poor soils, flood proneness, and so on. Consistency with the
Comprehensive Plan is of major importance. If the Planning Commission and
the City Council, after considering all sides of a request, feel that the
request is in the City's best interest, then the land in question is rezoned
into a new zoning district.
Special Use Permit
There is sometimes a
need to attach conditions to a new use to help it fit into its surrounding
area. The special use permit application procedure is intended to provide
the opportunity for the planning commission and the city council to review
each proposed special use and its potential impacts on surrounding
properties and land uses, with special regard for the particular
circumstances of each case. It is also intended to provide an opportunity
for the planning commission to recommend and for the city council to impose
such conditions as are necessary to ensure that the use will be compatible
with the surrounding area and consistent with the intent of the particular
district
Application Process
The application process
begins when a completed application is filed and accepted by the Zoning
Administrator. The attached checklist identifies all items that are required
before an application is deemed complete. Unsigned or incomplete
applications will be deemed incomplete. If the application is deemed
incomplete, the Zoning Administrator will advise the applicant what
additional information is required before the application is deemed complete
and ready for processing.
After the Zoning
Administrator deems an application complete, the Zoning Administrator will
review the application and accompanying materials, and forward them to the
Planning Commission and the City Council. The Planning Commission holds a
public hearing to solicit public comment on the proposal. Following the
public hearing, the Commission makes a recommendation to the City Council.
The recommendation may be for denial, approval, or approval if certain
changes are made.
An application for a rezoning or special use permit shall contain the
following information and shall specify:
- The nature and extent of the desired change.
- The reason for seeking the special use permit.
- The names and addresses of the owner or owners of all property
abutting and immediately across the street from the property for which
a special use permit is proposed, unless the change involves more than
25 parcels.
A Site Plan shall be required according to Section 120.1-262:
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Applications
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Application Process
Site Plan
Approval Process
- Preliminary site plan submitted by developer to Zoning Administrator
(5 copies).
- Zoning Administrator distributes one copy to each Department:
City Engineer, Director of Electric Utilities, Director of Water/Sewer
Utilities, Building Official (1 Day).
- Staff reviews preliminary site plan; written comments returned
to Zoning Administrator (review time 10 days).
- Zoning Administrator provides written notification to developer
of need for additional information, corrections or modifications
(if required, 1 day).
- Developer makes any needed changes or corrections to site
plan.
- a. Final site plan submitted to Zoning Administrator (5 copies)
along with Soil Erosion and Sediment Control Plan (5 copies) and
building specifications (1 set).
b. Developer files Erosion and Sediment Control permit application
with City Engineer.
c. Developer signs "Signature Sheet".
- Zoning Administrator distributes one copy of final site plan
to each department: City Engineer, Director of Electric Utilities,
Director of Water/Sewer Utilities, and Building Official; Erosion
and Sediment Control Plan application submitted to City Engineer;
building specifications submitted to the Building Official (1 day).
- Staff review final site plan, Erosion and Sediment Control
Plan and building specifications (review time - 1 week).
- Building Official circulates staff "Signature Sheet" at the
time of application for all building and water/sewer permits.
- "Signature Sheet" returned to Building Official (10 days).
- Copy of signed "Signature Sheet" forwarded to City Engineer,
Director of Water/Wastewater Utilities, Zoning Administrator, Director
of Electric Utilities, and Director of Finance.
- Permits approved and issued by staff.
- Construction begins.
APPROXIMATE SCHEDULE FOR PROCESSING A REZONING
AND/OR SPECIAL USE PERMIT
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Fee Schedules
- $250 for each rezoning request
- $125 for each special use permit petition.
- This fee is applied to the cost of advertising,
special notices, and other review and processing expenses.
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Planning and Zoning
Information
Zoning Tools
Zoning is the
legislative process by which a local government classifies land within the
community into areas and districts referred to as zones. Zoning regulates
building and structure dimensions, design, placement and use. Requirements
vary from district to district, but they must be uniform within districts.
Zoning Districts
The Zoning Ordinance for the City of Radford (Ordinance #1243) was adopted
January 11, 1993. To further the objectives of the comprehensive plan,
the city has established the following zoning districts:
- CD Conservation District
- R-1 Single-Family Residential District
- R-2 Single-Family Residential District
- R-3 Single-Family Residential District
- R-4 Multi-Family Residential District
- Mu Mixed Use Residential/Business
District
- R-MH Manufactured Home Residential District
- B-1 Limited Business District
- B-2 General Business District
- B-3 Central Business District
- MD Medical Arts District
- UD University District
- M-1 Restricted Industrial District
- M-2 General Industrial District
- FP-1 Floodway District
- FP-2 Flood-Fringe District
- PUD Planned Unit Development Districts
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Special
Topics
Home Occupation Guidelines
Home occupations are very popular today and are
a permitted use in every zoning district provided they meet certain guidelines.
A home occupation is defined as "an occupation,
profession, enterprise or similar activity which is conducted within your
home or its accessory buildings." If you have a home business or
plan to start one in your home, it must meet the following guidelines:
- The activity must be clearly secondary to the
principle use as a residence.
- Not more than 25 percent of the floor area of
the main building shall be devoted to such activity, and in no case
more than a total of 400 square feet on any premises.
- No one other than a member of the family residing
on the premises shall be employed on the premises in the conduct of
the activity.
- There shall be no signs, other than one non-illuminated
sign not exceeding two square feet in area attached to the building,
and no displays or alterations to the exterior of the building that
would distinguish it as being devoted to any non-dwelling use.
- There shall be no group instruction or assembly,
no housing of persons for compensation, no repair of vehicles and no
product offered for sale or stored other than that which is incidental
to a service rendered directly to persons on the premises.
- No mechanical equipment or machinery shall be
used in the conduct of the activity that produces noise, smoke, odor,
vibration or other effects discernable beyond the property lines.
A business license is required for a home occupation
and may be obtained from the Office of the Commissioner of Revenue at
731-3613.
If you plan to begin a home occupation and have
questions, contact the Community
Development Office at 731-3603.
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Fence
Fence means permanent or
temporary architectural structure of any material that encircles any or all
of lot. Temporary fencing shall be removed when the purpose has been
satisfied or within 6 months.
Temporary fencing means
fencing designated for particular uses for limited time.
Construction fencing is
allowed during the construction on a lot but not to be considered permanent
fencing. This type of fencing must be removed within two (2) months of
construction completion. Fencing for protection against blowing snow (snow
fencing) is allowed from November 1 until March 31 of the immediately
following year (no more than 4 ½ months) but is not considered permanent.
Height limitations for
fences and walls in required yards:
a. Fences and walls not
exceeding four feet in height may be located within required front and
street side yards.
b. Fences and walls not
exceeding six and one-half feet in height may be located within required
side and rear yards.
c. Fences and walls not
specifically exempted by the provisions of Section 120-163 shall be
construed as structures, and shall be subject to all yard requirements.
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Sign
Sign means any
structure or device or part represented on a building or structure, or
included any letter, work, banner, decoration, device or representation
used as, or which is in the nature of, any announcement, direction,
advertisement directing service, excluding soft drink, snack and ice
machines. A "sign" designed to be seen from two (2) opposite directions
shall be considered as one (1) sign, provided that the two (2) sign faces
shall not be more than forty-two (42) inches apart, if parallel, or form
an angle of more than sixty degrees (60°) in angular sequence.
Nonconforming sign means
a sign which was lawfully existing at the effective date of the Zoning
Ordinance or subsequent amendment thereto, which sign does not conform with
the area, height, location, placement, type, number, or other regulation
pertaining to signs established by this chapter or any amendment thereto.
Signs shall be permitted
which are in accordance with:
(1) The general
provisions of Zoning Ordinance.
(2) The district sign
regulations of Zoning Ordinance for the district in which such signs are
located.
(3) All applicable
provisions of the building code of the city, as adopted, and all amendments
thereto of the Virginia Uniform Statewide Building Code.
Signs on Corner Lots
(1) On corner lots, the
front shall be either:
a. The side fronting the
street providing major access; or
b. The side which the
main entrance of the structure faces.
(2) For business or
industrial uses, the front shall not be a primary residential street. In
cases where the front cannot be determined, the Administrator shall
designate the front.
(3) On corner lots where
a building or buildings have more than one (1) principal use, sign area
shall be allowed for front linear footage as indicated in the district
regulations and for one-half (1/2) the side street frontage, provided that:
a. The side street does
not front on a primary residential area.
b. The sign area as
determined by each frontage is placed only on the frontage from which it is
determined.
c. No freestanding sign
shall be displayed on the side street frontage.
The following shall
apply in the Central Business District
(1)
Permitted signs; size.
(2) Location. All
signs, unless otherwise stated, shall be subject to the same setback and
yard requirements as other structures.
(3) Number of signs
permitted. Excluding public service signs, only one (1) sign shall be
permitted, except that a corner lot occupied by a single establishment shall
be allowed up to two (2) signs as provided in Sec. 120-234.
(4) Suspended and
projecting signs. Sign of these types shall be less than eight (8) feet from
the ground or larger than twenty (20)
square feet.
(5) Review by Main
Street Radford Design Committee. All sign permits for this district must be
reviewed by the Design Committee.
(6) Temporary signs.
Temporary sign can be displayed no more
than fourteen (14) consecutive days. Sales and special events signs shall be
removed within three (3) days after the event. No person may display
temporary signs more than five (5) times per calendar year.
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Accessory Buildings
Location and use of
accessory buildings
An accessory building
shall be located on the same lot as the main building to which it is
accessory, and the use of an accessory building shall be limited to purposes
incidental and subordinate to the use of the main building on the lot.
Permits and relation
to main building
No accessory building
shall be constructed or located on a lot until a building permit has been
obtained, and no permanent accessory building shall be constructed until a
permit for construction of the main building has been issued. No permanent
accessory building shall be used, except for temporary storage or materials
related to construction on the premises, until the main building is
completed and a certificate of use and occupancy is issued.
Height of accessory
buildings
Subject to the
provisions of section 120-169, no accessory building shall exceed the height
of the main building located on the lot, nor shall any accessory building
exceed the maximum permitted height in the district in which it is located.
Dwelling use
prohibited
No accessory building
shall be used for dwelling purposes except by domestic employees or
caretakers whose principal occupation is rendering services on the premises
for benefit of persons who occupy or use the main building on the lot.
Yards for accessory
buildings
(1) Yard requirements
applicable. Except as provided in this section, no accessory building shall
be located within any yard required for the main building on the lot.
(2) Location in rear
yard. A building accessory to a single-family, single-family attached or
duplex dwelling and not exceeding 12 feet in height may be located within a
required rear yard, but not within five feet of any lot line.
(3) Location in side
yard. A building accessory to a single-family, single-family attached or
duplex dwelling and not exceeding 12 feet in height may be located within a
required side yard, other than a required street side yard, but not within
five feet of any lot line. An accessory building attached to another
accessory building on an adjoining lot shall not be subject to a side yard
requirement along the intervening lot line.
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General Information
Most Frequently Asked Development Questions
(Items listed are general
and subject to change. Please consult with Department on specifics
of a project.)
- When is a building permit required?
A building permit is a document showing that all zoning,
architectural and health requirements have been met in order for
construction to begin. Permits are required for all signs and any
construction project which will exceed $500.00.
Its purpose is to protect you, your family and neighbors
from the effects of repairs or additions which violate building
codes and could cause fire or other hazards to life and property.
Building permits are obtained from the Building Official's office.
- When is a site plan required?
A site plan is required prior to the issuance of a building
permit in the event of construction of a new building, enlargement
of or moving an existing building or modification of the parking
or vehicular circulation system on a site. Five copies of a site
plan are required and submitted to the Community Development Director's
office.
- What are my setbacks?
Setbacks (or yard regulations) are areas not occupied by
any structure. They vary from each zoning district and by use.
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What is Erosion and Sediment Control permit and
when is it required?
An Erosion and Sediment Control Plan is a document containing
materials and management information for the conservation of soil
and water resources. A plan and permit are required when the land
disturbed is more than 5,000 sq. ft. Permits are obtained from the
City Engineer's office.
- How long does it take to get a site plan approved?
Usually, four weeks, unless a subdivision is involved, then
90 days is required. Erosion and Sediments Control permits usually
take a week. Single-family homes, duplexes and additions usually
take two or three days.
- How do I know if a building site has utilities?
Utility availability may be obtained through the Electric
Department and Water/Sewer Departments. Gas and telephone utilities
are not regulated by the City.
- What are the regulations for accessory structures?
The setbacks for an accessory structure are 5' from both the
side and rear property lines. Accessory structures include tool sheds
and garages. Fences are allowed on the property line provided they
are no more than 6.5' tall in rear yards and 4' in front yards.
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Contact Information:
| Zoning |
540-731-3603 |
| Water / Sewer |
540-731-3662 |
| Building Official |
540-731-3601 |
| Electric |
540-731-3641 |
| Engineer |
540-731-3604 |
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