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Zoning Ordinance Modernization (ZOMod) Project
Implementing the Comprehensive Plan
In the fall of 2019, Chesterfield County issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) seeking the services of qualified professionals to assist the county in a comprehensive re-write of its Zoning Ordinance, Chapter 19.1 (PDF) of the Chesterfield County Code. The Zoning Ordinance serves as the primary tool to implement the Comprehensive Plan. While the Comprehensive Plan itself has changed over time to reflect the growth and development vision for county, much of the core content of the current Zoning Ordinance remains unchanged since the 1970s. A comprehensive re-write of the Zoning Ordinance is necessary to fully implement the future vision.
Project Timeline
The Zoning Ordinance Modernization Project, known as ZOMod, will have four phases:
- Phase 1 - Diagnostic (concluded Fall 2021)
- Phase 2 - Drafting
- Phase 3 - Public Hearing and Adoption
- Phase 4 - Training and Implementation
Learn more about the ZOMod Project timeline in the ZOMod General Overview video.
Current Stage - Drafting
The county is now in the second stage of the Scope of Work, which is the Drafting Phase. Please view the Phase Two video which provides additional information regarding this important next step in the ZOMod process.
ZOMod Goals
It is the intent of this project to create a new Zoning Ordinance with the following goals in mind:
- Make user friendly
- Modernize land use categories
- Increase flexibility and transparency
- Improve speed, consistency and predictability
- Utilize figures, graphics and tables more frequently
- Minimize reliance on current Conditional Use Plan of Development (CUPD) process
- Modernize and align with Comprehensive Plan
- Address changing conditions and demographics
- Create unique document specific to the needs of Chesterfield
Presentations and Resources
As the ZOMod Project continues to progress, previous status presentations and other resources will remain available.
Current Presentations and Resources
- The county is in the second stage of the Scope of Work, which is the Drafting Phase. Please view the Phase Two video which provides additional information regarding this important next step in the ZOMod process.
Previous Presentations and Resources
- View the Tuesday, March 21, 2023, ZOMod project update presentation to the Planning Commission. (Event bookmark: Zoning Ordinance Modernization (ZOMod) Project Update (20PJ0107) at timestamp 00:06:42).
- View the Tuesday, July 19, 2022, ZOMod project update presentation to the Planning Commission. (Event bookmark: Zoning Ordinance Modernization (ZOMod) Project Update (20PJ0107) at timestamp 00:11:41.) Download the July 2022 presentation (PDF).
- View the Tuesday, Dec. 21, 2021, ZOMod Project update presentation given by consultant Mark White, of White & Smith, LLC, to the Chesterfield Planning Commission. (Event bookmark: Zoning Ordinance Modernization (ZOMod) Project Update (20PJ0107) at timestamp 00:09:03.)
- View the Tuesday, July 20, 2021, ZOMod Project update presentation given by consultant Mark White, of White & Smith, LLC, to the Chesterfield Planning Commission. (Event bookmark: Approaches to Zoning at timestamp 00:12:08.) Download the July 2021 presentation (PDF).
- View the Tuesday, June 15, 2021, ZOMod Project update presentation given by consultant Mark White, of White & Smith, LLC, to the Chesterfield Planning Commission. (Event bookmark: Zoning Ordinance Modernization (ZOMod) Project Update (20PJ0107) - Overview of Zoning Ordinance Analysis Report at timestamp 00:10:51.) Or, view the ZOMod Project update presentation on YouTube.
- ZOMod Analysis Report Presentation - 6.11.21
- Zoning Ordinance Analysis Report Draft - 6.11.21 (PDF)
- Comprehensive Plan Policy Analysis - 6.11.21 (PDF)
- Use Table Analysis - 6.11.21 (PDF)
- Zoning Ordinance Listening Session Comments 2020 (PDF)
- View the Tuesday, April 20, 2021, ZOMod Project update presentation given by ZOMod Project Manager Rachel Chieppa to the Chesterfield Planning Commission. (Event bookmark: Zoning Ordinance Modernization (ZOMod) Project Update (20PJ0107) at timestamp 1:04:00.) Download the April 2021 ZOMod Presentation (PDF).
- View the Tuesday, Feb. 16, 2021, presentation given by White & Smith which explains the project timeline stages to the Planning Commission and download the February 2021 ZOMod Presentation (PDF).
- ZO Presentation CPC July 2020 (PDF)
Learn More About Zoning - ZOMod Educational Video Series
Our educational video series will explain more about zoning and how it affects you.
- ZOMod General Overview - Learn more about the ZOMod Project.
- Zoning 101 - Part 1 - An introduction about zoning that includes background information about its purpose in our communities.
- ZOMod Comprehensive Explanation and Virtual Public Outreach - Watch an in-depth explanation of the ZOMod Project process.
- ZOMod Phase Two - Drafting - Learn more about the transition from Phase One (Diagnosis) to Phase Two (Drafting).
- ZOMod Comprehensive Explanation and Virtual Public Outreach - Part 2 - Watch an in-depth explanation of the ZOMod Project process including how public input is helping to shape the new zoning ordinance.
- ZOMod Public Comment Update - Learn more about public comment opportunities available late March 2023. This comment period ended on Tuesday, Aug. 15, 2023.
- Residential and Agricultural Districts - Learn more about public comment opportunities for Residential and Agricultural Districts. This comment period ended on Tuesday, Aug. 15, 2023.
- Commercial, Mixed Use and Employment Districts - Learn more about public comment opportunities for Commercial, Mixed Use and Employment Districts. This comment period ended on Tuesday, Aug. 15, 2023.
- Use Matrix, Use Regulations and Definitions - Learn more about public comment opportunities for Use Matrix, Use Regulations and Definitions. This comment period ended on Tuesday, Aug. 15, 2023.
- Development Standards and Overlays - Learn more about public comment opportunities for Development Standards and Overlays. This comment period ended on Tuesday, Aug. 15, 2023.
- Procedures and Submittal Requirements - Learn more about public comment opportunities for Procedures and Submittal Requirements. This comment period ended on Tuesday, Aug. 15, 2023.
Consultant Selection
White & Smith, LLC. was awarded the contract in March of 2020 by the Board of Supervisors; however, due to unforeseen circumstances related to the COVID-19 pandemic, the project start was delayed until January 2021. White & Smith, LLC. will enlist the assistance of three sub-consultants for this project:
The team assembled by White & Smith, LLC, will offer the county access to the vast expertise of multiple firms. Together, these firms have national experience with many successful code updates the majority of the continental United States.
Review Draft Zoning Ordinance
Planning has released draft zoning ordinance sections for public review online. A complete ZOMod draft (PDF) as of July 2023 is also available to download.
Zoning Districts: Residential and Agricultural
A zoning district is a place where a given set of property regulations, like permitted uses, setbacks and building heights are housed that govern development and help maintain the character of the county.
Residential and Agricultural Districts
Chesterfield’s current zoning ordinance includes 13 different types of residential districts plus the agricultural district. However, the new draft zoning ordinance consolidates these into six residential districts plus an agricultural district. This will simplify the ordinance and make it easier for everyone to use.
The first portion of the draft zoning ordinance, covering the Residential and Agricultural Districts, is available to review. Learn more by viewing the Residential and Agricultural Districts video. The public comment period ended on Tuesday, Aug. 15, 2023.
Zoning Districts: Commercial, Mixed Use and Employment Districts
A zoning district is a place where a given set of property regulations, like permitted uses, setbacks and building heights are housed that govern development and help maintain the character of the county.
Commercial, Mixed Use and Employment Districts
The proposed non-residential zoning districts are intended to implement the Comprehensive Plan, enable mixed-use development and accommodate economic development needs for the 21st century. ZOMod streamlines commercial and employment development efforts by consolidating the numerous individual zoning districts we have today. This will provide greater flexibility to meet community and business needs.
The second portion of the draft zoning ordinance, covering the Commercial, Mixed Use and Employment Districts, is available to review. Learn more by viewing the Commercial, Mixed Use and Employment Districts video. The public comment period ended on Tuesday, Aug. 15, 2023.
Use Matrix, Use Regulations and Definitions
The Use Matrix is a key piece of the new zoning ordinance because it identifies where different types of homes, businesses and other forms of development are allowed. The new Use Matrix is a vast improvement over the one in the current zoning ordinance today. It identifies modern land uses, while removing obsolete terms and uses that are no longer relevant. The new Use Matrix has also been streamlined, reducing the overall number of uses to make it easier to use. Additionally, in the Definitions section, all the uses in the Use Matrix have been defined which is a change from what we have today.
All these changes result in a clearer structure for the zoning ordinance, reducing guesswork about what is and isn’t allowed. The new Use Matrix is structured in a much more user-friendly way, categorizing uses by their primary function or theme, rather than alphabetically. Accompanying the Use Matrix are Use Regulations that establish standards for individual uses, including regulations for restricted uses and other conditions that may apply.
The third portion of the draft zoning ordinance, covering the Use Matrix, Use Regulations and Definitions, is available to review. Learn more by viewing the Use Matrix, Use Regulations and Definitions video. The public comment period ended on Tuesday, Aug. 15, 2023.
Development Standards and Overlays
Development Standards are regulations for infrastructure, site design, and layout that apply throughout the County and supplement the standards for individual zoning districts. They serve to implement the Comprehensive Plan and guide the orderly layout and use of land. The new draft contains 13 categories of development standards. These standards are provided for each zoning district and serve as the rules for new construction.
At this time you can also review another new section of the zoning ordinance covering Special and Overlay Districts. Two new overlay districts have been added, the Village Overlay and the Urban Corridor Overlay. The Village Overlay applies to the historic villages of Bon Air, Chester, Ettrick and Midlothian. It includes higher standards for building design, roads and pedestrian elements, lighting, and location of gas pumps. The main reason for this overlay is to support a pedestrian focused community design over the typical auto-oriented design elsewhere. The Urban Corridor Overlay is intended to protect and enhance Chesterfield’s already developed areas along the Route 1, 10, 60 and 360 corridors in Chesterfield County.
The fourth portion of the draft zoning ordinance, covering the Development Standards and Overlays, is available to review. Learn more by viewing the Development Standards and Overlays video. The public comment period ended on Tuesday, Aug. 15, 2023.
Procedures and Submittal Requirements
The latest draft sections for review cover procedures, enforcement, administration and legal provisions. Also covered are nonconformities, such as when a zoning district no longer allows a legally established use, or an owner seeks to alter a nonconforming building or sign. Additionally, provisions for protecting existing neighborhoods during the conversion to the new ZOMod zoning districts are included. The majority of the procedures section is not new, but instead just reformatted and reorganized. It is intended to clarify how zoning processes work for applicants and the public. Procedures such as rezonings, site development and variances are now consolidated in one section of the ordinance for easier reference.
A key change in this section of the draft is a new process that provides for modifications to ordinance requirements. This process removes the need for the Conditional Use Planned Development, or CUPD, process we have today. The new zoning ordinance provides a variety of optional patterns of development within each zoning district allowing for more flexibility to meet the current and future development trends. The Board of Supervisors can approve modifications to ordinance requirements without having to change district classifications. With the flexibility offered by the new zoning districts and the ability to modify some standards, ZOMod will eliminate the CUPD process. Removing CUPD will eliminate the uncertainty, delay and administrative burden of customizing zoning district regulations for individual projects. It provides a more predictable and transparent process for applicants and communities. Eliminating the CUPD also ensures that the zoning district structure and, therefore, the land use policies of the Comprehensive Plan are implemented and not negotiated away. In addition, county residents and applicants can rely on the metrics set out in the new ordinance while having the ability to make common sense adjustments where needed.
The fifth and final portion of the draft zoning ordinance, covering the Procedures and Submittal Requirements, is available to review. Learn more by viewing the Procedures and Submittal Requirements video. The public comment period ended on Tuesday, Aug. 15, 2023.
Share Your Thoughts
We always welcome input and would appreciate any feedback you have. View the ZOMod Comprehensive Explanation and Virtual Public Outreach video and the ZOMod Public Comment Update video and then share with us your comments about the Chesterfield County Zoning Ordinance. What works well? What needs improvement? What priorities would you like to see in the new ordinance?
Comments and questions can be directed to ZOMod Project Manager Rachel Chieppa by email or by calling 804-748-1050.