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Planning Department FAQ'S
-M-Manufactured Homes What is a manufactured home? A manufactured home is a structure designed to be moved to a site for single-family use. Manufactured homes are designed for use with or without permanent foundations. The Zoning Ordinance defines manufactured homes in Section 19-301. The term “manufactured home” and “mobile home” are often used interchangeably. I have a vacant lot – can I put a manufactured home on it? The manufactured home may be permitted if it is allowed in the zoning district where the property is located, and the lot is buildable. Maps Where can I get a zoning map? At this time, the county does not have online zoning maps. You may view paper or GIS zoning maps at our offices during normal business hours, or you may purchase paper copies of the zoning map at the Environmental Engineering Department (748-1035). Minor Site Plan Review What is minor site plan review? Minor site plan review is a quicker review process for minor office, commercial, and industrial development projects. If the project involves land disturbance or a building addition of 2,500 to 10,000 square feet, it may be eligible for minor site plan review. Click here for detailed information. There is no fee for this process. Minor site plan review typically requires one-week review, with a one-hour staff/developer meeting held on Wednesdays. If revisions are required, an additional hour on a subsequent Wednesday will be necessary. What is needed to apply for minor site plan review approval? You will need to provide completed minor site plan application. Mobile Homes What is a mobile home? A mobile home is a structure designed to be moved to a site for single-family use. Mobile homes are constructed on a chassis for towing, and are designed for use with or without permanent foundations. The Zoning Ordinance defines mobile homes in Section 19-301. The terms “mobile home” and “manufactured home” are often used interchangeably. Where are mobile homes permitted in the county? Mobile homes may be permitted in the MH-1 and MH-2 zoning districts. Temporary mobile homes may be permitted, for an approval period of up to seven years by special exception in the A zoning district. I have a vacant lot – can I put a mobile home on it? The mobile home may be permitted if it is allowed in the zoning district where the property is located, and the lot is buildable. Modular Homes Where are modular homes permitted in the county? Modular homes may be permitted by ordinance at any location where a single-family dwelling may be constructed. However, conditions of zoning, private covenants, and/or homeowners association restrictions may govern the installation of modular homes in certain areas. Nonconforming Uses What is a nonconforming use? A nonconforming use is a land use which was legally established in the past, but is no longer allowed under current zoning standards. What rules apply to nonconforming uses? Rules governing nonconforming uses are listed in Zoning Ordinance Section 19-3. However, recent state law changes apply to nonconforming uses and this section of the ordinance may require revision. If you have a specific nonconforming use question, please contact the Planning Department. Outside Storage What restrictions apply to outside storage? Restrictions for outside storage depend on the zoning district and the type of storage in question. Outside storage cannot be located in required buffer areas. The Zoning Ordinance provides the following minimum restrictions:
Additional restrictions may apply as conditions of zoning. Parcel Number What is the parcel number for my property? The Real Estate Assessments Department Web site has a simple fill-in screen that you can use to find tax map/parcel numbers. Parcel Plat Subdivisions What are the requirements for a parcel plat subdivision? A completed application and application fee are required. Parking Restrictions What restrictions apply to parking school buses in residential areas? There is no parking restriction for school bus parking on residential property. If the school bus is parked on a residential street, this may result in a traffic safety issue and may be reported to the Police Department . What restrictions apply to truck parking in residential areas? Trucks parked on residential property (not in the public right-of-way) may not exceed 10,000 pounds or have more than two axles. Also, tow trucks may not be parked or stored on residential property. If there is a violation of this requirement, you may file a complaint with our code compliance staff, at 748-1500 during normal business hours, or by using our Web-based complaint system. If on-street truck parking creates a traffic safety hazard, this should be reported to the Police Department. Permitted Land Uses What types of land uses are permitted on my property? Permitted land uses vary by the zoning district. Conditions of zoning (conditional uses, special exceptions) may also allow or restrict certain permitted uses in the county. Contact the Planning Department to verify permitted uses for a specific property. Planning How does the county plan for the future? The Comprehensive Plan is adopted by the Board of Supervisors to guide future growth and development. The Plan serves as the guide for evaluating future rezoning decisions. Click here for a description of the planning process in Chesterfield County. Portions of the plan are nearly always under review or in the midst of an update process. Plan updates are scheduled based on a variety of factors, including age of the plan, changing development patterns, interest of the Planning Commission and Board of Supervisors, and staff resources. Click here for current plan areas that are in the process of being updated. How do I find my Plan area? Click here for an overview of the Comprehensive Plan. Page 10 of this document shows the various Plan areas. Planning Commission What is the Planning Commission and what do they do? Click here for general information about the Planning Commission. Who is my Planning Commissioner? The county is divided into five magisterial districts (Bermuda, Clover Hill, Dale, Matoaca, and Midlothian), each with its own elected representative to the Board of Supervisors. The Board Member for each district appoints a Planning Commissioner to represent the district. To find your magisterial district, you can go to the Department of Real Estate Assessments web site, which has a simple fill-in screen that you can use that will show your magisterial district. How can I contact my Planning Commissioner? Click here for contact information for your Planning Commissioner. Plats How do I get a plat of my property? The Planning Department has subdivision plat information for most properties that located in recorded subdivisions. Properties located outside of recorded subdivisions typically do not have plats available in electronic format. This information may be on file in the office of the Circuit Court Clerk. The Department of Real Estate Assessments web site has a simple fill-in screen that you can use to find plats for many recorded subdivisions. Population How fast is the population of Chesterfield County increasing? Click here for population estimates. Click here for population projections. Proffers What are proffers? A “proffer” is a voluntary offer by a developer to abide by certain development conditions. The best-known type of proffer is a “cash proffer.” Cash proffers are funds offered by developers at the time of rezoning to help defray capital facilities costs associated with the development. The Board of Supervisors has an established goal of “Growth to Pay for Growth.” Therefore, new residents and businesses pay their share of the expansion of the county water and sewer systems through connection fees. However, for roads, schools and other public facilities, it is not so simple. A system similar to utility-connection fees, called impact fees, is not legal in Virginia for these other facilities. Instead, a system of cash-proffer payments promised at the time of rezoning was enacted in 1989 by the state for Chesterfield County and other jurisdictions. Cash proffers are helping finance roads and infrastructure. Currently, less than half of residentially zoned, undeveloped property is required to pay a cash proffer. Over time, this percentage will increase as earlier-zoned properties, not subject to cash proffers, are developed. Required cash proffers are payable upon submittal of a building permit application. Click here to view the county’s adopted cash proffer policy. Are there proffers on my property? If the property was zoned prior to 1989, there should be no cash proffer. Properties zoned 1989 and afterwards may be subject to cash proffers, based on approved conditions of zoning. You can verify if cash proffers are required by contacting the Planning Department. If cash proffers are required, the current amount may be verified by the Budget and Management Department. Property Lines Where are my property lines located? Property lines are the recorded boundaries of your property. These lines may be recorded in official county records in the form of a recorded subdivision plat or (in the case of older properties or properties not located in subdivisions) by written deed description. Chesterfield County does not locate or mark private property lines. However, many properties have iron rods set at property corners, several inches below the surface of the soil. Often, the property owner may locate these rods by using a metal detector. If this is not possible, you may need the services of a professional land surveyor. Property Values How much is my property assessment? The Real Estate Assessments Department Web site has a simple fill-in screen that you can use to find tax map/parcel numbers for property. Click here for general information regarding assessments. How will a proposed development affect my property values? The county does not provide real estate advice and cannot predict the potential impacts of any development proposal on nearby property values. You may wish to discuss this question with a real estate professional. Publications The Planning Department creates and distributes a variety of reports and publications. These reports are available without charge in electronic format on our Web site. Popular reports and publications include:
Paper copies of most reports and publications are available by special order, for the cost of reproduction. Please contact the Planning Department for product availability. Public Facilities Plan What is the Public Facilities Plan? The Public Facilities Plan is the part of the county’s Comprehensive Plan that plans for future county public facilities to serve existing and future development. Public facilities covered by this plan include county facilities such as fire stations, libraries, parks, police stations, and schools. Public Hearings What is the public hearing process? Public hearings are required for zoning actions, Comprehensive Plan amendments, ordinance amendments, appeals, and certain other development proposals. Pending development cases under active review have public notification signs posted near the proposed development. Each sign has a three digit case code, such as "234." This represents the last three digits of the case number (in this example, the case number is 06SN0234. If you have a touch-tone telephone and want a general overview of the proposal, please call the Planning Department teleworks information system 24 hours a day at 751-4700. If these resources don’t help, please contact our office. It helps us to help you if you have a specific case number or the location of the sign so we can locate correct case information. How does the process work for mailed public hearing notices? The Planning Department mails public hearing notices in advance of public hearings to all owners of property located adjacent to the proposed project site, and to other persons and organizations that have requested written notice. When will a certain development or zoning case be heard at a public hearing? Click here for recent and upcoming Planning Commission hearing agendas. Click here for recent and upcoming Board of Supervisors hearing agendas. Click here for recent and upcoming Board of Zoning Appeals hearing agendas. Can't find what you need? |
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