In order to carry out the purposes and provisions of this ordinance, the following districts are hereby established.

This district is created to protect and preserve those critical and environmentally sensitive areas which could not be replaced if misused or destroyed and without which the public health, safety and welfare of the public would be adversely affected. Critical areas of special concern include, but are not limited to, parklands, wilderness areas, open spaces, greenbelts, beach reserves, scenic areas, wetlands, floodplains, floodways, watersheds and water supplies and fish and wildlife preservation areas.

This district is created to maintain and preserve those areas that are designated and developed for recreational purposes, whether as a public facility, a commercial enterprise, a nonprofit sports activity or as an amenity to a residential or commercial development. Only a limited number of recreational uses, not involving buildings and other structures, are permitted as a matter of right, with all other proposed recreational uses and structures requiring approval through the use permit process. The term "recreation" is not limited by a specific definition, but is to be understood and applied in its broadest sense, and is specifically intended to include commercially operated enterprises. Approval of the proposed uses and structures is directly dependent upon their compatibility with the surrounding community.

This district is created to maintain and preserve those areas that are designated and developed for recreational uses and facilities, whether as a public facility, commercial enterprise or non-profit or for-profit sports activity involving buildings and structures. The term "recreation" is not limited by a specific definition, but is understood and applied in its broadest sense, and is specifically intended to include commercially operated enterprises, such as stadiums, arenas, and recreation centers. Approval of the proposed uses, buildings and structures is directly dependent on their compatibility with the surrounding community.

(Ord. No. 03-O-074B, 6-17-03)

This district is created primarily for the protection of the agricultural industry and rural sections of the city from the invasion of urban and suburban uses and to preserve the agriculture and forest lands required for the health, safety and welfare of the community. This district is not intended for major residential development; therefore, residential development shall be limited.

This district is created to provide for developments of low density with a minimum lot size of three (3) acres in the rural overlay district. The RE-1 district is characterized by large lots interspersed with agricultural lands.

(Ord. No. 05-O-014, 3-8-05)

This district is intended for single-family residential development with a minimum lot size of 40,000 square feet in the rural overlay district.

(Ord. No. 05-O-014, 3-8-05)

This district is intended to allow some lots within a single-family residential development to be less than 40,000 square feet, with a minimum lot size of 35,000 square feet, provided that the average lot size in the development is at least 40,000 square feet. This district classification may be approved for a property in limited circumstances where either (1) the mixture of lot sizes would help to provide an appropriate transition between properties having different residential densities or between residential and nonresidential properties; or (2) the configuration or physical characteristics of the property are such that greater flexibility on lot sizes is needed for proper design and layout of the development.

This district is intended for single-family development with a minimum lot size of 25,000 square feet in the suburban and urban overlay districts.

(Ord. No. 05-O-014, 3-8-05)

This district is intended to allow some lots within a single-family residential development to be less than 25,000 square feet, with a minimum lot size of 15,000 square feet, provided that the average lot size in the development is at least 25,000 square feet. This district classification may be approved for a property in limited circumstances where either (1) the mixture of lot sizes would help to provide an appropriate transition between properties having different residential densities or between residential and nonresidential properties; or (2) the configuration or physical characteristics of the property are such that greater flexibility on lot sizes is needed for proper design and layout of the development.

This district is intended for single-family development with a minimum lot size of 15,000 square feet in the urban and suburban overlay districts.

This district is intended to allow some lots within a single-family residential development to be less than 15,000 square feet, with a minimum lot size of 12,000 square feet, provided that the average lot size in the development is at least 15,000 square feet. This district classification may be approved for a property in limited circumstances where either (1) the mixture of lot sizes would help to provide an appropriate transition between properties having different residential densities or between residential and nonresidential properties; or (2) the configuration or physical characteristics of the property are such that greater flexibility on lot sizes is needed for proper design and layout of the development.

This district is intended for single-family development with a minimum lot size of 12,000 square feet in the urban and suburban overlay districts.

This district is intended to allow some lots within a single-family residential development to be less than 12,000 square feet, with a minimum lot size of 10,000 square feet, provided that the average lot size in the development is at least 12,000 square feet. This district classification may be approved for a property in limited circumstances where either (1) the mixture of lot sizes would help to provide an appropriate transition between properties having different residential densities or between residential and nonresidential properties; or (2) the configuration or physical characteristics of the property are such that greater flexibility on lot sizes is needed for proper design and layout of the development.

This district is intended for single-family development with a minimum lot size of 10,000 square feet in the urban and suburban overlay districts.

This district is intended for single-family dwellings with a minimum lot size of 10,000 square feet and two-family dwellings with a minimum lot size of 13,000 square feet in the urban and suburban overlay districts.

This district is intended for single-family detached dwellings with a minimum lot size of 8,000 square feet.

(Ord. No. 00-O-009, 1-18-00)

This district is intended for townhouse development where individual units are subdivided and include privately owned front and rear yards.

This district is intended for apartment and condominium developments where three (3) or more dwelling units are located on the same lot with a maximum density of sixteen (16) dwelling units per acre in the suburban and urban overlay districts.

This district is intended for high-rise apartment and condominium development where three (3) or more dwelling units are located on the same lot with a residential density not exceeding thirty (30) dwelling units per acre in the urban overlay districts on properties located one-half (½) mile or less from an interstate highway (Interstate 64, Interstate 264, and Interstate 464).

(Ord. No. 06-O-051, 5-16-06)

These districts are established to provide development standards for small lots which were platted before the zoning district standards were developed. These classifications may only be applied to land which has already been platted into lots of less than 8,000 square feet and may not be applied to any other property.

This district is established primarily for development of professional and personal service businesses and for certain compatible operations, generally not involving the sale of merchandise at retail. It also provides for the establishment of certain institutions, including schools, churches, nursing homes, hospitals and other facilities, many of which often generate supporting office developments.

This district is established primarily for the development and operation of centers where assembly or congregation of people takes place for a common purpose on a periodic basis. Assembly uses include, but are not limited to, churches, synagogues, temples and other similar houses of worship; meeting halls; clubs; and membership organizations.

This district is established to provide centers of convenience goods and services for surrounding residential areas. Certain compatible office, residential, governmental, educational, religious and recreational uses may be permitted within this district as special uses subject to the restrictions consistent with a neighborhood center.

This district is established to provide the standards for all retail development other than neighborhood business centers and urban business districts in the city. These general business areas will range from community centers serving Chesapeake residents on a broader community scale within the city to regional centers containing a wide variety of retail businesses and complementary office, entertainment and related uses serving a market of several miles and attracting users from throughout Hampton Roads. Certain compatible office, residential, governmental, educational, religious and recreational uses may be permitted within this district as special uses subject to restrictions consistent with the location and purpose of the particular commercial center.

(Ord. No. 99-O-022, 2-16-99)

This district is established to provide standards for retail and associated uses in commercial areas developed with distinctive character and appearance as an open-air, pedestrian-oriented commercial center, with a large number of businesses within easy walking distance of one another. Such retail centers shall be subject to regulations specifically designed and intended to create or preserve a "downtown" urban environment, to protect and revitalize local character and business prosperity and to provide safe, attractive and thriving business centers to serve surrounding residential and industrial uses. Such regulations include special standards pertaining to integrated uses, setbacks, density, parking and similar development standards that will recognize the unique characteristics of urban business centers, promote commercial revitalization and building rehabilitation, and best serve the welfare and convenience of business enterprises and residents of Chesapeake.

(Ord. No. 99-O-022, 2-16-99)

This district is established to provide areas for the location of light manufacturing, wholesaling and distribution operations which are free from the noxious fumes, noise, odors, vibrations, etc., that may be found in general industrial areas. These districts should be located near major arterial highways and would be expected to be serviced by neighboring office and business establishments.

This district is designed to provide for manufacturing and related uses which cannot meet the performance standards required of light industry. This district is intended to permit manufacturing, compounding, processing, packaging, assembly and other treatment of finished products from previously prepared material.

This district is established for moderately intensive water-oriented commerce and industry along the southern branch of the Elizabeth River where the channel has been improved for deep draft navigation. The intent of this district is to ensure that those properties having direct river channel access be utilized for port-related activities.

This district is established to encourage innovative and creative design, promote efficient use of land, protect surrounding property and natural features of the land and allow flexible application of development controls for uses of all kinds. These goals shall be accomplished through various measures, such as permitting a wider range of densities and uses to be developed in accordance with a master plan, establishing performance criteria which allow clustering of uses or densities in various areas of a site in exchange for increased open space or other amenities. The PUD district includes the planned unit residential development (PUD-R), planned unit commercial development (PUD-C) and planned unit industrial park (PUD-IP).

These districts are intended to provide additional or alternative development standards for one or more existing zones within the city, to allow comprehensive planning for areas with features that need to be addressed in more detail than existing zoning categories allow. See article 12 for established special overlay districts.

This district is intended for mixed use urban development that incorporates two or more different uses and may include a variety of housing types within a single development in a vertical or horizontal arrangement. Such a development should be designed to be pedestrian-oriented with various uses connected through an open space system of streetscapes and parks. Application of the MXD-U district is intended for properties designated as "mixed use" within the urban overlay district as shown on the adopted Land Use Plan. City council may find other properties within the urban overlay district to be suitable for MXD-U zoning based on overriding goals, objectives and strategies as contained in the adopted Comprehensive Plan.

(Ord. No. 07-O-168, 10-16-07; Ord. No. 17-O-081, 11-21-17)