1. A.
   Authority. The Director of Planning interprets this Chapter in the course of processing permits, and any board or commission may interpret this Chapter in rendering any decision delegated to them by this Chapter or Virginia law. The Director may render a written interpretation upon request, as provided in Article 5.
2. B.
   General Rules of Interpretation.

   1. 1.
      Provisions are considered the minimum required to promote public health, safety, convenience, morals, and general welfare.
   2. 2.
      Unless otherwise specified, the standards of this Chapter are the minimum required.
   3. 3.
      When regulations of this Chapter conflict with each other, other Chapters of the County Code, or state or federal law, the more restrictive regulations or those that impose higher standards govern.
   4. 4.
      This Chapter does not abolish easements, covenants, or other private agreements.  However, where this Chapter's requirements are more restrictive or impose higher standards, this Chapter governs.
   5. 5.
      A building, structure, or use that did not legally exist on January 1, 2026 is not made lawful solely by the adoption of this Chapter.
   6. 6.
      Where this Chapter's requirements are vague or unclear, the Director of Planning is responsible for their interpretation.
   7. 7.

      Graphics and figures are provided for the reader's convenience only and are not a substantive part of this Chapter. The Director of Planning may use a graphic to interpret this Chapter. However, if a graphic and the text of this Chapter are inconsistent, the text governs.

3. C.
   Specific Terms. Unless otherwise provided:

   1. 1.
      "Include," "including" or "such as" when providing a list of examples also means "but not limited to."
   2. 2.
      “Up to” means “not more than” or “not exceeding.”
   3. 3.
      A reference to a building, structure, lot, site, property, or other area includes either all or part of the building, structure, lot, site, property, or other area.

Access means the right to cross between public and private property allowing pedestrians and vehicles to enter and exit property. 

Access Point means the area along the property line of a lot, or the boundary of a development subject to a site plan or rezoning application, that allows access.  This does not include access that is accessible only by emergency vehicles.

Accessory Building/Use means a structure or use that is customarily incidental, and subordinate in scale, to the principal use of a lot, building, or structure located on the same lot as the accessory structure. Examples of accessory structures/uses include sheds, carports, garages, parking areas, mailboxes, and signs.

For floodplain management purposes, an accessory structure is a non-residential structure which is on the same parcel of property as the principal structure and the use of which is incidental to the use of the principal structure. Accessory structures are not to exceed 600 square feet.

Adjacent means a property having a common boundary, property located across a street, or property separated by open space. 

Adaptation Measure means a project, practice, or approach to mitigate or address an impact of climate change including sea-level rise, storm surge, and flooding including increased or recurrent flooding.

Administrative Modification means an exception granted by the Director of Planning from any building setback requirement.

Adult Bookstore/Video Store means an establishment having as a substantial or significant portion of its stock-in-trade books, magazines and other periodicals and/or videotapes, computer disks, CDROMs, DVD-ROMs, virtual reality devices or any other media that are distinguished or characterized by their emphasis on matter depicting, describing or relating to specified sexual activities, or specified anatomical areas or are intended for the sexual stimulation or titillation of patrons.

Adult Business means an adult bookstore/video store, adult mini-motion picture theater, adult motion picture theater, adult store, a business providing adult entertainment or any other establishment, including without limitation any adult modeling studio, adult cocktail lounge or adult nightclub, that regularly emphasizes an interest in matter relating to specified sexual activities or specified anatomical areas or is intended for the sexual stimulation or titillation of patrons.

Adult Day Care Center means any facility that is either operated for profit or that desires licensure and that provides supplementary care and protection during only a part of the day to four or more aged, infirm or disabled adults who reside elsewhere, except (i) a facility or portion of a facility licensed by the State Board of Health or the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services, and (ii) the home or residence of an individual who cares for only persons related to him by blood or marriage. Included in this definition are any two or more places, establishments or institutions owned, operated or controlled by a single entity and providing such supplementary care and protection to a combined total of four or more aged, infirm or disabled adults.

Adult Entertainment means dancing, modeling or other live performances if the performers' performance is characterized by an emphasis on specified anatomical areas or specified sexual activities, or is intended for the sexual stimulation or titillation of patrons. Also includes the showing of films, motion pictures, video cassettes, slides, photographic reproductions, virtual reality devices, internet sites or files transmitted over the internet, or other media that are characterized by their emphasis on matter depicting, describing or relating to specified sexual activities or specified anatomical areas or is intended for the sexual stimulation or titillation of patrons.

Adult Merchandise means magazines, books, other periodicals, videotapes, movies, photographs, slides, CDROMs, DVD-ROMs, virtual reality devices or other media that are characterized by their emphasis on matter depicting, describing or relating to specific sexual activities or specified anatomical areas or are intended for the sexual stimulation or titillation of patrons. Also includes toys, novelties, instruments, devices or paraphernalia either designed as representations of human genital organs or female breasts, or designed or marketed primarily for use to stimulate human genital organs, and lingerie or leather goods marketed or presented in a context to suggest their use for sadomasochistic practices.

Adult Mini-Motion Picture Theater means as enclosed building with a capacity of less than 50 persons used for presenting material for observation by patrons distinguished or characterized by an emphasis on matter depicting, describing or relating to specified sexual activities or specified anatomical areas.

Adult Motion Picture Theater means an enclosed building with a capacity of 50 or more persons used for presenting material for observation by patrons distinguished or characterized by an emphasis on matter depicting, describing or relating to specified sexual activities or specified anatomical areas.

Adult Store means an establishment having adult merchandise as a substantial or significant portion of its stock-in-trade.

Aggrieved Person means a person (natural and corporate entities) who has a substantial grievance and an immediate, financial and substantial interest in the matter at issue that is different from that suffered by the public generally. A person shall not be considered aggrieved solely due to any personal financial hardship anticipated as a result of business competition associated with a proposed use. Furthermore, an aggrieved person includes the following:

• The owner, lessee, or contract purchaser of the subject property; and
• The owner, lessee, or contract purchaser of property adjacent to the subject property.

Agricultural Farmstand means a structure and/or area used for the seasonal retail sale of agricultural goods and merchandise primarily produced by the operator on the site or on property controlled by the operator.

Agritourism means any activity carried out on a farm or ranch that allows members of the general public, for recreational, entertainment, or educational purposes, to view or enjoy rural activities, including farming, wineries, ranching, horseback riding, historical, cultural, harvest-your-own activities, or natural activities and attractions. An activity is an agritourism activity whether or not the participant paid to participate in the activity.

Airport means an area of land or water used for the landing and taking off of aircraft, and that is open to the public for use. This includes appurtenant areas used for airport buildings or other facilities or rights-of-way and buildings and facilities located on the same property. (Note: Airports are governed by the Federal Aviation Administration [FAA] and National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems [NPIAS].) 

Airstrip, Private means an improved or unimproved landing area used by pilots to land, park, take off, unload, load and taxi all types and styles of aircraft.  A private airstrip is not open to the public for use. (Note: Airports are governed by the Federal Aviation Administration [FAA].)

Alley means public right-of-way or a private easement designed to serve primarily as access to the side or rear of properties. Additionally, an alley may be used for drainage and utility easements and/or other improvements.

Alternative Financial Institution means a use that charges a percentage fee to provide a loan or cash a check, which is registered with the State Corporation Commission pursuant to the Code of Virginia. This term includes, but is not limited to, deferred deposit transaction (payday) lender, non-bank or credit union secondary market lender, consumer finance institution as defined, cash advance, check casher, pawnbroker and motor vehicle (auto) title lenders. This term does not include any state or federally chartered bank, credit union, mortgage lender, savings and loan association, industrial loan company, or non-profit financial institution.

Amenity Space means land within a development or project designed, developed and maintained for the use and enjoyment of residents, visitors, and/or the general public.  

Amenity Space, Strategic (SAS) means a portion of the amenity space requirement that provides a centralized or other strategic location within the project that has good pedestrian access and conveniently serves the majority of the development. SAS should provide the community residents with an opportunity for high quality aesthetic and/or active outdoor amenities.  

Amphitheater means an outdoor venue that has tiers of spectator seating rising around a field or court, intended primarily for use in viewing musical, theatrical, sporting, or similar entertainment events and specifically designed as a place of assembly.

Animal Run, Indoor means an animal run that is located entirely within a building or structure that is enclosed by walls on all sides.

Animal Run, Outdoor means an animal run located outside of an enclosed building or structure larger than 150 square feet, characterized by a distinct ground surface (such as stone, turf, or concrete), and secured by fencing. Outdoor Animal Runs are typically narrow rectangular enclosures located against the side of a structure or perimeter fence line.

NAICS Code 3116 and its subsectors.

Animal Shelter means a facility operating for the purpose of clinical care, finding permanent adoptive homes for animals, as well as for impounding or sheltering seized, stray, homeless, abandoned, unwanted, or surrendered animals.

Apparel Manufacturing means industries ​​​​​​with two distinct manufacturing processes: (1) cut and sew (i.e., purchasing fabric and cutting and sewing to make a garment), and (2) the manufacture of garments in establishments that first knit fabric and then cut and sew the fabric into a garment. The Apparel Manufacturing subsector includes a diverse range of establishments manufacturing full lines of ready-to-wear apparel and custom apparel: apparel contractors, performing cutting or sewing operations on materials owned by others; jobbers performing entrepreneurial functions involved in apparel manufacture; and tailors, manufacturing custom garments for individual clients are all included. Knitting, when done alone, is classified as a Textile Mill, but when knitting is combined with the production of complete garments, the activity is classified in Apparel Manufacturing.

NAICS code 315 and its subsectors. 

Appurtenant or Accessory Structures means, for floodplain management purposes (Sec. 19.2-27), a non-residential structure which is on the same parcel of property as the principal structure and the use of which is incidental to the use of the principal structure.  Accessory structures are not to exceed 600 square feet.

Aquatic Bench means the bench provided beneath the permanent pool and extending around the perimeter of a retention basin. The bench is normally vegetated with emergent plants and is designed to augment pollutant removal and enhance safety.

Artisan Food and Beverage Production means on-site production of food and non-alcoholic beverage products, involving small batch processing. Typical uses include coffee roasting, ice cream, bakery, candy, and other food items. This use may include accessory on-site sales and consumption of items.

Artisan Studio Workshop means on-site, indoor production and sale of works of art, handicrafts, or goods by hand manufacturing, involving the use of hand tools and small-scale, light mechanical equipment. These workshops may be very small-scale manufacturing uses that have minimal negative external impacts on surrounding properties. Instruction may be accessory to the workshop use.

Asphalt/Concrete Plant means the production of concrete that uses a manufacturing process involving the mixing of a number of aggregates, sand, water, cement, and/or other components; and the manufacturing of asphalt-type roofing materials, asphalt and tar paving mixtures, paving block made of asphalt and various compositions of asphalt or tar with other materials, and the recycling of old asphalt into asphalt-type material. This use also includes the stockpiling of bulk materials required for the process and the storage of the required equipment used in the operation.  

Asphalt or Concrete Staging Plant means an area where asphalt, concrete, and construction equipment and materials are temporarily stored for purposes of constructing roads and streets.  

Assisted Living Facility (ALF) means any congregate residential setting that provides or coordinates personal and health care services, 24-hour supervision, and assistance (scheduled and unscheduled) for the maintenance or care of adults who are aged, infirmed, or disabled and who are cared for in a primarily residential setting. This use does not include a Group Care Facility, Institutional Care, or Nursing Home.  (Reference: Code of Virginia § 63.2-100.)

Automobile means a motorized vehicle designed primarily to transport passengers and/or light cargo on its own structure. The term automobile shall include, but not be limited to, passenger car, pickup truck, van, and motorcycle, but shall not include a motor vehicle, heavy equipment, or tractor trailer.

Automobile Consignment means a person or establishment whose primary business is the selling of automobiles as an agent for the owner of the vehicle, in return for any form of compensation.

Automobile Repair means the general repair, oil/fluid changing, maintenance, rebuilding, or reconditioning of automobiles including body, engine, transmission, and frame work. It does not include stripping vehicles for parts, sale of used auto parts, or storage of inoperable vehicles.

Automobile Sales, Rental, and Leasing means the use of any land and/or building for the display and retail sale, rental, or leasing of automobiles.

Awning means a permanent roof-like structure covered with a flexible material which provides protection from rain or sun, or is used as an architectural accent.

Backwater means the base flood elevation of water resulting from a flow-retarding influence from a dam or other construction, such as a road, embankment, bridge or culvert.

Basement means a portion of a building where the majority of the wall area between the floor and the ceiling is below ground. For floodplain management purposes (Sec. 19.2-27), any area of the building having its floor sub-grade (below ground level) on all sides. 

Battery Manufacturing means ​​​​​establishments primarily engaged in manufacturing primary and storage batteries. 

NAICS code 335910.

Bed and Breakfast Inn means any place that provides four or fewer rooms for rent for lodging purposes, is occupied by the owner or caretaker while guests are present, and that offers at least one meal per day (which may or not be breakfast) to each person to whom overnight lodging is provided.  A bed and breakfast inn does not include a short-term rental, as defined.

Best Management Practice (BMP) means a practice that is determined by a state or designated area-wide planning agency, or Director of Environmental Engineering, to be the most effective, practical means of preventing or reducing the amount of pollution generated by nonpoint-sources to a level compatible with water quality goals. A BMP includes, but is not limited to, detention or retention basins.

Beverage Manufacturing means industries that manufacture beverages. This ​​​​​​includes three types of establishments: (1) those that manufacture nonalcoholic beverages; (2) those that manufacture alcoholic beverages through the fermentation process; and (3) those that produce distilled alcoholic beverages. Ice manufacturing, while not a beverage, is included with nonalcoholic beverage manufacturing because it uses the same production process as water purification.                               

In the case of activities related to the manufacture of beverages, the structure follows the defined production processes. Brandy, a distilled beverage, is not placed under distillery product manufacturing, but rather under winery product manufacturing since the production process used in the manufacturing of alcoholic grape-based beverages produces both wines (fermented beverage) and brandies (distilled beverage).

NAICS code 3121 and its subsectors.

Bikeway means an improvement specifically designed and designated to accommodate bicycle travel whether within a road, shared use path, trail, or other approved facility. A bikeway may include, or be a part of, facilities which also serve pedestrian or other modes of non-motorized transportation. The term bikeway includes associated safety measures such as, but not limited to, signage and road crossings, as well as provisions for maintenance of the facilities.

Block means a set of adjacent lots or parcels bounded by roads, or by a combination of roads and public parks, cemeteries, railroad rights-of-way, shorelines of waterways, or boundary lines of the County.

Boat means a vehicular portable structure, with or without a deck and with or without power, designed for transportation on water.

Boathouse means a structure designed exclusively for the storage of boats and which is not at any time used for human habitation, and which is anchored or fixed to any shoreline within the limits of the County.

Brewery/Distillery/Winery/Meadery means a facility for the production and/or packaging of alcoholic beverages (including beer, liquor, wine, or mead) for distribution, retail, or wholesale, on or off premises. A Brewery/Distillery/Winery/Meadery produces at least 15,000 barrels of alcoholic beverages per year, may include a lounge, restaurant, taproom, or tavern as an accessory use, and may host food trucks and events.

Brewery/Distillery/Winery, Farm means a Farm Brewery, Farm Distillery, or Farm Winery.

Brewery, Farm means a farm licensed as a limited brewery in accordance with the Code of Virginia. Greenhouses, hothouses or plant nurseries are permitted for the purpose of starting seedlings to be planted for farm use, but not for direct sale. On premise sale, tasting, or consumption of beer produced or raised on the tract, and sale of beer-related items incidental to the sale of beer is permitted. Construction of a stand or shelter for the sale of such goods is also permitted.

Distillery, Farm means a farm licensed as a limited distillery in accordance with the Code of Virginia. Greenhouses, hothouses or plant nurseries are permitted for the purpose of starting seedlings to be planted for farm use, but not for direct sale. On premise sale, tasting, or consumption of alcoholic beverages, other than wine or beer, produced or raised on the tract, and sale of alcoholic-related items, other than the wine or beer, incidental to the sale of such alcoholic beverages is permitted. Construction of a stand or shelter for the sale of such goods is also permitted.

Winery, Farm means:

• an establishment:
  • located on a farm in the Commonwealth on land zoned agricultural with a producing vineyard, orchard, or similar growing area and with facilities for fermenting and bottling wine on the premises where the owner or lessee manufactures wine that contains not more than 21% alcohol by volume or
  • located in the Commonwealth on land zoned agricultural with a producing vineyard, orchard, or similar growing area or agreements for purchasing grapes or other fruits from agricultural growers within the Commonwealth, and with facilities for fermenting and bottling wine on the premises where the owner or lessee manufactures wine that contains not more than 21% alcohol by volume or
• an accredited public or private institution of higher education, provided that:
  • no wine manufactured by the institution shall be sold,
  • the wine manufactured by the institution shall be used solely for research and educational purposes,
  • the wine manufactured by the institution shall be stored on the premises of such farm winery that shall be separate and apart from all other facilities of the institution, and
  • such farm winery is operated in strict conformance with the requirements of this clause and Board of Directors of the Virginia Alcoholic Beverage Control Authority regulations.

As used in this definition, the terms "owner" and "lessee" shall include a cooperative formed by an association of individuals for the purpose of manufacturing wine. In the event that such cooperative is licensed as a farm winery, the term "farm" as used in this definition includes all of the land owned or leased by the individual members of the cooperative as long as such land is located in the Commonwealth.

For purposes of this definition, "land zoned agricultural" means (1) land zoned as an agricultural district or classification or (2) land otherwise permitted by a locality for farm winery use.

For purposes of this definition, "land zoned agricultural" does not include land zoned "residential conservation." Except for the limitation on land zoned "residential conservation," nothing in the definition of "land zoned agricultural" shall otherwise limit or affect local zoning authority. (Title 4.1. Alcoholic Beverage and Cannabis Control » Subtitle I. Alcoholic Beverage Control Act » Chapter 1. Definitions and General Provisions » § 4.1-100

Buffer means a designated area of existing or proposed vegetation, berms, fences, or walls intended to address at least one of the following: 

• Provide open space between streets, properties, and certain uses;
• Preserve existing vegetation or provide for vegetation;
• Provide transition and separation between different land uses and sensitive environmental, topographic or historic features;
• Reduce noise and glare;
• Maintain privacy; or
• Control vehicular access. 

Buffer Area means, for the purpose of Chesapeake Bay Preservation Areas, an area of natural or established vegetation managed to protect other components of a Resource Protection Area and state waters from significant degradation due to land disturbances.

Building means a structure, including a manufactured home, having a roof supported by columns or walls built for the support, shelter or enclosure of persons, animals, chattels or property of any kind. The word building does not include a tent or temporary manufactured home. The word building includes structure.

Building, Elevated means, for purposes of the floodplain management ordinance (Sec. 19.2-27), a non-basement building built to have the lowest floor elevated above the ground level by means of solid foundation perimeter walls, pilings, or columns (posts and piers).

Building Envelope means the area of the lot or parcel which is in compliance with the building site standards as specified in the Code.

Building Height means the vertical distance of the average grade to either the:

• Highest point of the coping of a flat roof; or
• Deck line of a mansard roof; or
• Highest point of the highest gable of a pitch or hip roof.

The measurement does not include any roof mounted solar or mechanical equipment.

Building Coverage means the area of lot occupied by any principal and accessory buildings.

Building Setback Line, Front means the line within a lot that defines the front building envelope limits. This line is the greater of the following distances:

• Minimum front yard building setback of the district; or
• Setback as designated on a recorded plat; or
• Location where the lot achieves the minimum lot width requirement.

Business or Vocational School means a school that offers preponderant instruction in the technical, commercial, or trade skills and meets state requirements for such a facility, such as real estate schools, business colleges, electronics schools, automotive and aircraft technician schools, and similar establishments.

Business Services means the provision of professional support services to other businesses (i.e. printing, reproduction, computer assistance, office machine repair, and similar operations).

Campground means a primarily outdoor facility for short-term (no more than 15 days) overnight recreational use, including customary accessory structures and uses, with sleeping accommodations in temporary facilities such as tents, tent cabins, yurts or similar rustic enclosures, and recreational vehicles. A campground may include permanent facilities with overnight accommodations for caretakers or other employees, agents, or authorized volunteers responsible for maintaining and operating the campground and associated areas. A campground may include bathroom and showering facilities, recreation facilities, a camp store selling basic necessities, etc. as accessory uses.   

Canopy, Drive-Through means a permanent roof structure made of rigid materials providing protection from rain or sun to a drive-through activity.

Canopy Tree means a tree that typically reaches 35 feet in height or taller when mature.

Camp Stay means the use of land for temporary or short-term camping in a recreational vehicle provided by the patron(s) outside of a designated campground as otherwise defined. The type of recreational vehicle used for this purpose is limited to a motor home, pickup camper attached to a pickup truck, or a pop-up camper or travel trailer attached to a tow vehicle. Any recreational vehicle for this purpose must have self-contained water and wastewater. 

Car Wash or Auto Detailing means a commercial building or portion thereof containing facilities for washing automobiles, using production-line methods with a chain conveyor, blower, steam cleaning device or other mechanical devices and may include some hand labor. This activity may also include automated or semi-automated methods for washing, cleaning, polishing, or waxing of automobiles.

• Self-service car wash means a car wash where equipment and/or facilities are provided for the self-service cleaning and/or washing of automobiles solely by the customer.
• Full-service car wash means a car wash where equipment and/or facilities and employees are providing fully automated exterior and interior washing and cleaning service for automobiles.
• Automatic exterior drive thru car wash means a self-service car wash where only exterior cleaning and/or washing services are provided on a drive thru or roll over basis by the customer in which power driven or steam cleaning machinery is used to clean and/or wash automobiles.

Catering Service or Facility means an establishment providing the processing, assembly and packaging of food into servings typically designed for consumption off-premises. These facilities may include commercial or on-site kitchens and may be used in an accessory manner for teaching, instructing, or other related indoor activities that utilize the on-site catering service.

Cemetery means a place or church burial ground, used or designated for the interment of the deceased. This definition includes mausoleums and columbaria but does not include a family graveyard.  This does not include a religious institution with a columbarium on the same lot, which is considered accessory to the religious institution.

Mausoleum means a structure or building substantially exposed above ground intended to be used for the entombment of remains of a deceased person(s).

Columbarium means a structure or building substantially exposed above ground intended to be used for the inurnment of the cremated remains of a deceased person(s).

Check Cashing, Incidental means the cashing of checks, drafts or money orders for compensation, as accessory to a permitted use other than check cashing primary use.

Chemical Manufacturing means the transformation of organic and inorganic raw materials by a chemical process and the formulation of products. This subsector distinguishes the production of basic chemicals that comprise the first industry group from the production of intermediate and end products produced by further processing of basic chemicals that make up the remaining industry groups.

NAICS code 325 and its subsectors, except Pharmaceutical and Medicine Manufacturing, NAICS code 3254.

Chesapeake Bay Preservation Area means the area consisting of a Resource Protection Area (RPA) and a Resource Management Area (RMA), collectively.

Child Day Care Center means a facility, other than a family day care home, operated for the purpose of providing care, protection and guidance to one or more children separated from their parents or guardian during a part of the day.

Circuit Court means the Chesterfield County Circuit Court.

Circuit Court Clerk means the clerk of the Chesterfield County Circuit Court.

Club or Lodge means a building or other facility owned or operated for a social, educational, or recreational purpose, including auxiliaries, but not primarily for profit or to render a service that is customarily conducted as a business.

College, University, Seminary, and Other Institutions of Higher Education means educational institutions offering advanced instruction in any academic field beyond the secondary level. This term does not include trade schools or business colleges.

Commercial Amusement, Indoor means the provision of entertainment or performances to the general public for a fee, or a permanent event space, and that is wholly enclosed in a building, including but not limited to sports activities, bowling alley, laser tag, billiard parlor or pool hall. Accessory activities may include food or beverage service.

Commercial Amusement, Outdoor means the provision of entertainment to the general public for a fee, or a permanent event space, where any portion of the activity takes place outside of a building, including but not limited to a golf driving range, indoor/outdoor commercial golf facility, archery range, miniature golf course, go-kart track, amusement rides, or paint ball. This use does not include a Stadium or Arena or a Golf Course, or any use classified as a Special Event.  Accessory activities may include food or beverage service or music or live performances.

Commercial Contractors/Services means an establishment or activity that supplies materials and labor to fulfill work at a remote site and that work is typically a building trade, service or activity associated with construction or maintenance. Trade services may include construction, plumbing, electrical, heating and air-conditioning, landscaping, well drilling, and similar services. This use may include accessory retail and office uses for the operation of the contracting business but does not include outdoor storage or fleet vehicle parking.

Commercial Contractors/Services, with Outside Storage and/or Fleet Parking means an establishment or activity that supplies materials and labor to fulfill work at a remote site and that work is typically a building trade, service or activity associated with construction or maintenance. Trade services may include construction, plumbing, electrical, heating and air-conditioning, landscaping, well drilling, and similar services. This use may include accessory retail and office uses for the operation of the contracting business and outside storage and parking for three or more commercial motor vehicles associated with the business. 

Commercial Stables means a building where equine animals are sheltered, fed, or kept for hire.

Commercial Vehicle Parking means the permanent storage of a vehicle (automobile or motor) used for commercial purposes.

Communication, Small Cell means a wireless facility attached to an existing structure that meets both of the following standards:

• Each antenna is located inside an enclosure of, or the antenna and all its exposed elements could fit within an imaginary enclosure of, no more than six cubic feet; and
• Excluding electric meter, concealment, telecommunications demarcation boxes, back-up power systems, grounding equipment, power transfer switches, cut-off switches, and vertical cable runs for the connection of power and other services, all other equipment associated with the facility does not exceed 28 cubic feet, or such higher limit as may be established by the Federal Communications Commission.

[Reference: Code of Virginia § 15.2-2316.3]

Small Cell Deployments
Small cell deployments complement towers and poles to add coverage and capacity.

Small Cell Deployments
Small cell deployments complement towers and poles to add coverage and capacity.

Small Cell Deployments
Small cell deployments complement towers and poles to add coverage and capacity.

Small Cell Deployments
Small cell deployments complement towers and poles to add coverage and capacity.

Community Care Facility means a non-government facility maintained and used as a place of business conducted by persons or entities engaged in offering services such as but not limited to on-site group counseling, shower and/or storage facilities, and food distribution including meal services, but where no overnight care for patients or clients is given.

Community Garden shall mean a use in which land is managed by a public or nonprofit organization or group of individuals used to grow plants and harvest food or ornamental crops for donation or for use by those cultivating the land. Community gardens may be organized by the operating agency or group into individual areas for cultivation by one or more persons or may be farmed collectively by members of the group and may include common areas maintained and used by group members. Community gardens shall not include the husbandry of animals.

Complete Application means an application containing all required application information, including applicable fees.

Comprehensive Plan means the adopted Comprehensive Plan of the County pursuant to the Code of Virginia.

Computer and Electronic Product Manufacturing means establishments that manufacture computers, computer peripherals, communications equipment, and similar electronic products, and establishments that manufacture components for such products. he design and use of integrated circuits and the application of highly specialized miniaturization technologies are common elements in the production technologies of the computer and electronic subsector.

NAICS code 334 and its subsectors. 

Concentrated Animal Feeding Operation (CAFO) means an animal feeding operation that is defined as a "Large CAFO" or as a "Medium CAFO," or that is designated as a "Medium CAFO" or a "Small CAFO." Any CAFO may be designated as a CAFO in accordance with the provisions of 40 CFR 122.23 (April 14, 2003).

• Large CAFO. An AFO is defined as a Large CAFO if it stables or confines as many as or more than the numbers of animals specified in any of the following categories:
  • 700 mature dairy cattle, whether milked or dry;
  • 1,000 veal calves;
  • 1,000 cattle other than mature dairy cows or veal calves. Cattle includes but is not limited to heifers, steers, bulls, and cow-calf pairs;
  • 2,500 swine each weighing 55 pounds or more;
  • 10,000 swine each weighing less than 55 pounds;
  • 500 horses;
  • 10,000 sheep or lambs;
  • 55,000 turkeys;
  • 30,000 laying hens or broilers, if the CAFO uses a liquid manure handling system;
  • 125,000 chickens (other than laying hens), if the CAFO uses other than a liquid manure handling system;
  • 82,000 laying hens, if the CAFO uses other than a liquid manure handling system;
  • 30,000 ducks, if the CAFO uses other than a liquid manure handling system; or
  • 5,000 ducks, if the CAFO uses a liquid manure handling system.
• Medium CAFO. The term "Medium CAFO" includes any AFO that has the type and number of animals found within any of the ranges below and that has been defined or designated as a CAFO. An AFO is defined as a Medium CAFO if:
  • The type and number of animals it stables or confines falls within any of the following ranges:
    • 200 to 699 mature dairy cattle (whether milked or dry cows);
    • 300 to 999 veal calves;
    • 300 to 999 cattle other than mature dairy cows or veal calves. Cattle includes but is not limited to heifers, steers, bulls, and cow-calf pairs;
    • 750 to 2,499 swine (each weighing 55 pounds or more);
    • 3,000 to 9,999 swine (each weighing less than 55 pounds);
    • 150 to 499 horses;
    • 3,000 to 9,999 sheep or lambs;
    • 16,500 to 54,999 turkeys;
    • 9,000 to 29,999 laying hens or broilers, if the CAFO uses a liquid manure handling system;
    • 37,500 to 124,999 chickens (other than laying hens), if the CAFO uses other than a liquid manure handling system;
    • 25,000 to 81,999 laying hens, if the CAFO uses other than a liquid manure handling system;
    • 10,000 to 29,999 ducks, if the CAFO uses other than a liquid manure handling system; or
    • 1,500 to 4,999 ducks, if the CAFO uses a liquid manure handling system; and
  • Either one of the following conditions are met:
    • Pollutants are discharged into surface waters of the state through a man-made ditch, flushing system, or other similar man-made device; or
    • Pollutants are discharged directly into surface waters of the state that originate outside of and pass over, across, or through the facility or otherwise come into direct contact with the animals confined in the operation.
    • The term "man-made" means constructed by man and used for the purpose of transporting wastes.
• Small CAFO. A CAFO that is designated as a CAFO and is not a Medium CAFO.

Conditional Use means a use that may be permitted in a district by the Board of Supervisors with or without conditions based upon the guidelines for acting on conditional uses.

Conference Center means a facility used for service organizations, business and professional conferences, and seminars or sporting events.

Construction Trailer or Unit means a temporary structure used for office or storage purposes, only in conjunction with the construction of a project. It is not used for residential occupancy.

Consumer and Repair Services means businesses engaged in the servicing of common household or light commercial goods in which the service is typically conducted on-site rather than at the end-users’ location. Examples include dry cleaning or laundry services; household cleaning services; photocopying services, and parcel packing/mailing services (excluding industrial). All activity is enclosed within a building.

Continuing Care Retirement Community (CCRC) means an integrated development that offers persons over 55 years of age a full continuum of housing options and assistance, ranging from fully independent dwelling units to assistance with personal care in assisted living facilities, to long-term skilled nursing care in a nursing home. The residential opportunities may include dwelling units, living units, and lodging units, as well as nursing home beds. Services provided may range from food services, health and beauty services, recreational and social opportunities, to skilled nursing care and medical services.

Convenience Store means a building used primarily for the retail sale of packaged and pre-prepared foods, beverages, beer, wine, tobacco products, household products, and sundry items. As distinguished from a supermarket and larger retailers, the convenience store carries limited lines and quantities of food and sundries intended to meet minimal and most basic daily and stop-gap needs of nearby or passing consumers, and generally does not carry fresh meats, vegetables, and other perishable items. 

Copy means display on a sign surface in permanent electronic or removable letter, graphic, or numeric form. Copy includes any associated background distinguishable from the sign, structure, or building.

Corner Entrance means a chamfered building entry that faces the intersection of two streets.

Correctional Facility means a publicly or privately operated facility housing persons awaiting trial or persons serving a sentence imposed by a court of law.

County means Chesterfield County, Virginia.

Courtyard means a contiguous open area that is surrounded on at least three sides by building walls with entryways and sidewalks.

Crematorium means a room or space containing furnaces for the reduction of deceased bodies to ashes by incineration.

Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) means the proper design and effective use of the built environment can contribute to a reduction in the incidence and fear of crime and an improvement in the quality of life. CPTED principles include the following elements:

• Natural Surveillance: Maximize visibility through the strategic placement of physical features, activities, and people to dissuade illegitimate/criminal behaviors.
• Natural Access Control: Guide pedestrian and vehicular movement and help deny access to criminal targets through the judicious placement of entrances, exits, sidewalks, fencing, landscaping, and lighting.
• Territorial Reinforcement: Delineate private space from semi-public and public space and enhance proprietorship through the use of elements such as signage, fences, walls, pavement treatments, landscaping, and art.
• Maintenance: Enhance physical safety, express ownership, and use spaces for their intended purpose through regular upkeep that prevents disorder.
• Activity Support: Plan and program spaces to encourage legitimate users and activities, enhance natural surveillance, and increase social comfort.

Cul-de-sac means the terminus of a street that provides for the safe and convenient reversal of traffic movement.

Cutlery and Handtool Manufacturing means establishments primarily engaged in one or more of the following: 

1. A.
   Manufacturing metal kitchen cookware (except by casting (e.g., cast iron skillets) or stamped without further fabrication), utensils, and/or nonprecious and precious plated metal cutlery and flatware;
2. B.
   Manufacturing saw blades, all types (including those for power sawing machines); and
3. C.
   Manufacturing nonpowered handtools and edge tools.

NAICS Code 3322 and its subsectors.

Data Center means a facility used primarily for the storage, management, processing, and transmission of digital data, which houses computer and/or network equipment, systems, servers, appliances and other associated components related to digital data operations. A facility may also include air handlers, power generators, water cooling and storage facilities, utility substations, and other associated utility infrastructure to support the operations.

Day means a calendar day, unless otherwise specified in this Chapter.

Day Care, Family (Adult) means a dwelling unit in which the provider resides which is used to provide a variety of health, social, and related support services in a protective setting during part of the day for no more than three adults who reside elsewhere.

Day Care, Family (Child) means a dwelling unit in which the provider resides which is used to provide care, protection, and guidance for up to 12 children, exclusive of the provider's own children and any children who reside in the home, and compensation is received for the care of one or more children. 

Day Labor Facility means any facility at which job seekers wait on site to be hired by the day or by short-term job by third parties. Job seekers generally must be present to obtain work, are often immediately transported to a job site, and typically return to the facility for payment. Related support services may be offered to job seekers while they wait on site.

Density means the number of dwelling units within the bounds of the entirety of the property being zoned or developed.

Detention Basin means a stormwater management facility which temporarily impounds run-off and discharges it through a hydraulic outlet structure to a downstream conveyance system. Such facilities are often dry between storms and therefore may be referred to as dry ponds.

Development means a tract of land developed, or proposed to be developed, as a unit under single ownership or unified control which is to be used for any business or industrial purpose or is to contain more than one residential dwelling unit. For purposes of the floodplain management ordinance (Sec. 19.2-27), the term “development” means any manmade change to improved or unimproved real estate, including, but not limited to, buildings or other structures, mining, dredging, filling, grading, paving, excavation or drilling operations or storage of equipment or materials.

Director of Planning means the Director of Planning or their designee. 

Discarded Material Storage means the use of the open area of any lot, other than a properly zoned junkyard, for depositing or storing discarded material, including but not limited to scrap metals or other scrap material; used or scrap building, plumbing, electrical and heating material; discarded household appliances, furnishings and fixtures; dismantled or demolished motor vehicles; or other machinery or parts thereof.

Display, Outside means an area outside of an enclosed building used for the display of goods for sale.

Distribution Center means a facility for the receipt, transfer, storage, handling, sorting, distribution, wholesaling, and dispatching of goods, materials, products, and equipment transported elsewhere. These establishments commonly utilize a warehouse, sometimes specialized with refrigeration or air conditioning, and may include the accessory uses of order processing, package handling, cross-dock, storage or parking of trucks awaiting cargo, as well as facilities for the light servicing of trucks.

District means a portion of the County within which certain uniform regulations and requirements or various combinations apply under the provisions of this Chapter.

Dog Keeping, Personal means the keeping of four or more dogs, more than four months old, for private use.

Donation Bin means a receptacle designed to allow the general public to donate unwanted but reusable items for purposes of reuse.

Donation Center means any lot, building, or structure used solely for the collection and indoor storage of food, clothing, furniture, housewares, small electrical appliances, household textiles, toys, and other small household items for reuse. Retail sales of items may occur as accessory.

Drive-Through (including "or "drive-through service" or "drive-through sales") means an establishment so developed that its sales or services are provided to serve patrons while in an automobile. Drive-throughs typically include a drive-through window and travel lane adjacent to the window, and may also include a menu board.

Driveway means a private access from a public or private street to a property.

Dwelling or Dwelling Unit means a building, or portion thereof, which provides complete independent permanent facilities for living, equipped with a food preparation area and with provisions for sanitation and  is designed for or used exclusively as living quarters by one family. A dwelling unit does not include a tent, travel trailer, room in a hotel or motel, or a temporary family health care unit.  

Dwelling, Duplex means a building with two attached dwelling units that are located on a single lot that is designed or arranged to be occupied by two families living independently. 

Dwelling, Accessory means a dwelling unit that is subordinate to the principal dwelling on the same lot as the principal dwelling, but is a complete, independent dwelling and with provisions for sanitation and sleeping. An accessory dwelling may be located interior to the principal dwelling, attached to the principal dwelling, or detached from the principal dwelling.

Dwelling, Live/Work Unit means a commercial use with a dwelling unit reserved for a resident and/or their family associated with the use.

Dwelling, Mansion Style Multi-Family means a detached residential building with multiple units that has the appearance of a medium to large single-family home.

Dwelling, Multi-family means the use of a lot for three or more dwelling units, each for occupancy by one family. This includes a condominium ownership regime.

Dwelling, Single-Family Detached means a building designed as a single dwelling unit for use and occupancy by one family.

Dwelling, Townhouse means at least two single-family attached dwellings on individual lots designed to be sold as individual units on each lot. Individual units shall be separated by party walls, extending from basement to roof, without doors, windows or other provisions for human passage or visibility.

Easement means a grant of rights by a property owner to another individual, group, or governmental unit to make a specified use of a portion of real property.

Electrical Equipment, Appliance, and Component Manufacturing means establishments that manufacture products that generate, distribute and use electrical power.

1. A.

   Electric Lighting Equipment Manufacturing establishments produce electric lamp bulbs, lighting fixtures, and parts.

2. B.

   Household Appliance Manufacturing establishments make both small and major electrical appliances and parts.

3. C.

   Electrical Equipment Manufacturing establishments make goods, such as electric motors, generators, transformers, and switchgear apparatus.

4. D.

   Other Electrical Equipment and Component Manufacturing establishments make devices for transmitting electricity (e.g., insulated wire), and wiring devices (e.g., electrical outlets, fuse boxes, and light switches).

NACIS code 335 and its subsectors, not to include Battery Manufacturing (NAICS code 335910). 

Electric Power Wind Energy System (WES) means a system accessory to another principal use on the same lot, consisting of a wind turbine, tower, and associated control or conversion electronics, which is used primarily to reduce on site consumption of utility power. Excess power generated by the WES and not presently needed for on-site consumption may be used by the utility (i.e. net metering).

Electric Vehicle Charging Station means an electric component assembly or cluster of component assemblies designed specifically to charge batteries within an electric vehicle by permitting the transfer of electric energy to a battery or other storage device in an electric vehicle.

Electroplating, Plating, Polishing, Anodizing, and Coloring means establishments primarily engaged in electroplating, plating, anodizing, coloring, buffing, polishing, cleaning, and sandblasting metals and metal products for the trade. Included in this industry are establishments that perform these processes on other materials, such as plastics, in addition to metals.

NAICS code 332813. 

Elevation, Base Flood means the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) designated 1% annual chance water surface elevation. The water surface elevation of the base flood in relation to the datum specified on the County’s flood insurance rate map. The 100-year flood or 1% annual chance flood.

Elevation Certificate means, for purposes of the Floodplain Management Ordinance (Sec. 19.2-27), a document prepared in accordance with FEMA regulations which is used to provide the elevation information necessary to: ensure compliance with the County’s Floodplain Management Ordinance, determine the proper flood insurance premium rate, and support a request for a letter of map amendment and certain letters of map revision.

Encroachment means for purposes of the Floodplain Management Ordinance (Sec. 19.2-27), the advance or infringement of uses, fill, excavation, buildings, permanent structures or development into a floodplain which may impede or alter the flow capacity of a floodplain. For the purposes of buildings and structures, an encroachment is an allowable breech of the setback line for various features as depicted in the Dimensional Standards Section 19.2-37 of this Chapter.

Energy Storage Facility means a utility-scale establishment with equipment or devices that are capable of absorbing energy, storing it for a period of time, and redelivering that energy after it has been stored.

Engineer means an engineer licensed by the Commonwealth of Virginia.

Environmental Feature means any wetland, waters of the United States, resource protection area (RPA), floodplain, riparian corridor management area, or stormwater management best management practice (SWM/BMP).

Environmental Site Assessment means, for the purposes of Chesapeake Bay regulations, a written evaluation of a site by a qualified expert for the purpose of boundary adjustments to determine the existence of any one of the features of a resource management area, as identified in Chesapeake Bay Preservation Areas Overlay District, or to delineate wetlands to establish a resource protection area.

Event Center means a facility used for weddings, anniversaries, birthdays, showers, reunions, recitals, dances, and ethnic or religious celebrations, etc. The use may include facilities for eating and recreation to serve the venue only.

Existing Structure means, for the purposes of the insurance program for floodplain management purposes (Sec. 19.2-27), structures for which the “start of construction” commenced before the effective date of the Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM) or before January 1, 1975, for FIRMs effective before that date. “Existing construction” may also be referred to as “existing structures” and “pre-FIRM.”

Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing means establishments that transform metal into intermediate or end products (other than machinery, computers and electronics, and metal furniture), or treat metals and metal formed products fabricated elsewhere. Important fabricated metal processes are forging, stamping, bending, forming, and machining, used to shape individual pieces of metal; and other processes, such as welding and assembling, used to join separate parts together. Establishments in this subsector may use one of these processes or a combination of these processes.

NAICS code 332 and its subsectors.

Not to include: 

Cutlery and Handtool Manufacturing (NAICS code 3322);

Hardware Manufacturing (NAICS code 3325);

Spring and Wire Product Manufacturing (NAICS code 3326);

Machine Shop; Turned Product; and Screw, Nut, and Bolt Manufacturing (NAICS code 3327); or

Electroplating, Plating, Polishing, Anodizing, and Coloring (NAICS code 332813).

Family means one or more persons living together as a single housekeeping unit and includes any of the following:

• One person;
• Two or more persons related by blood, marriage, adoption or guardianship plus any domestic servants, foster children, living together as a single nonprofit housekeeping unit in a dwelling unit;
• A group of not more than four persons not related by blood, marriage, adoption or guardianship living together as a single nonprofit housekeeping unit in a dwelling or dwelling unit; or
• Residential care home (Code of Virginia Sec 15.2-229)].

Family Graveyard means a place or burial ground in which no lots are sold to the public and in which interments are restricted to a group of persons related to each other by blood or marriage.

Family Health Care Unit means a transportable residential unit used for a caregiver’s provision of residence and care for a mentally or physically impaired person who is certified by a licensed medical physician as requiring assistance with two or more activities of daily living as defined by the Code of Virginia. The unit shall comply with applicable provisions of the Industrialized Building Safety Law and the Uniform Statewide Building Code.

Family Subdivision means  a single division of land to create lots or parcels for the purpose of a sale or gift to a member of the immediate family including their spouse for joint title of the property owner, including a partition of property owned by immediate family members. An immediate family member is defined as any person who is a natural or legally defined offspring, stepchild, spouse, sibling, grandchild, grandparent, or parent of the owner.

Farm means a tract of land used for raising agricultural or forestal products or tract of land on which is kept one or more cows, sheep, goats, horses, chickens, other fowl, rabbits, other farm animals, or other small, domesticated livestock. Greenhouses, hothouses or plant nurseries are permitted for the purpose of starting seedlings to be planted for farm use, but not for direct sale. On-site sale of products produced or raised on the tract is permitted to include the construction of a an Agricultural Farmstand. A farm shall not include commercial plant nurseries, commercial greenhouses, commercial hatcheries, confined animal feeding operation (CAFO), or other commercial retail or agriculture-related industrial use. A farm does not include a farm winery, brewery, or distillery.

Farm Stay means an establishment, on a working farm that is actively engaged in agricultural production, where patrons participate in farming, ranching, and riding activities, and secure lodging for which the proprietors are compensated. It may contain up to four rented guestrooms and accommodations for dining. This does not include an arrangement where someone performs farm labor in exchange for lodging. 

Farmers’ Market means a public market at which farmers and other vendors sell produce items such as food, homemade crafts, beverages, and other items customarily sold in this setting directly to consumers and may also have mobile vendors and entertainment.  

Fascia means a flat horizontal band located at the base of a pitched roof, between architectural moldings near or at the top of a wall, extending out from a building wall as a separate wall panel, or as the outside edge of a canopy, which provides a visible location to mount signage.

Federal Insurance Administrator means a person who administers the National Flood Insurance Program of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

Fence or Wall, Decorative means an open or solid fence or wall which compliments the principal use and enhances the visual character of the site.

Financial Institution means any bank, trust company, savings institution, industrial loan association, consumer finance company, or credit union authorized by statute to provide retail banking services, mortgage lending, and similar financial services to individuals and businesses. This classification also includes automated teller machines (ATM) located within a fully enclosed space or building, or along an exterior building wall intended to serve walk-up customers only. This use does not include Alternative Financial Institutions (AFI).  (Reference: Code of Virginia § 6.2-100)

Finished Area means the finished area is the floor area of any room or space in a building to which a finish material has been applied to the floors, walls, and/or ceiling, and is suitable for occupancy.

Flag Lot  See Lot.

Flag, Noncommercial means a sign consisting of a piece of cloth or other flexible material that is decorative or that does not display a commercial message. 

Flagpole means a freestanding structure used for the sole purpose of displaying flags.

Flea Market means the offering of goods, wares or merchandise such as hobby crafts, antiques, art works, new or secondhand articles, or any combination thereof inside or outside of an enclosed building for sale. Garage or yard sales, including sales conducted by nonprofit organizations that are exempt from federal taxes by the Internal Revenue Service, are excluded from this definition.

Fleet Terminal means a central facility for the distribution, storage, loading and repair of fleet vehicles, with or without associated dispatch services and offices. This definition includes uses such as medical transport services; courier, delivery, and express services; cleaning services; security services; limousine services; armored car services; and taxi services. An inherent characteristic of this use is the parking of operable vehicles which is considered a primary facet of the use.

Flood or Flooding means a general or temporary condition of partial or complete inundation of normally dry land areas from: (a) the overflow of inland or tidal waters or (b) the unusual and rapid accumulation or runoff of surface waters from any source or (c) mudflows which are proximately caused by flooding as defined by clause (b) of this definition and are akin to a river of liquid and flowing mud on the surfaces of normally dry land areas, as when earth is carried by a current of water and deposited along the path of the current. The terms flood or flooding also include the collapse or subsidence of land along the shore of a lake or other body of water as a result of erosion, or undermining caused by waves or currents of water exceeding anticipated cyclical levels or suddenly caused by an unusually high water level in a natural body of water, accompanied by a severe storm, or by an unanticipated force of nature such as flash flood or an abnormal tidal surge, or by some similarly unusual and unforeseeable event which results in flooding from the overflow of inland or tidal waters.

Flood, Base means a flood having a 1% chance of being equaled or exceeded in any given year. Also known as a 100-year flood.

Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM) means an official map of the County on which the Federal Insurance Administrator has delineated the special hazard areas applicable to the County. A FIRM that has been made available digitally is called a digital flood insurance rate map (DFIRM). 

Flood Insurance Study (FIS) means the examination, evaluation and determination of flood hazards and, if appropriate, corresponding water surface elevations, or an examination, evaluation and determination of mudflow and/or flood-related erosion hazards.

Flood, 100-Year See flood, base.

Floodplain or Flood-Prone Area means land area susceptible to being inundated by water from any source. Floodplain management: operation of an overall program of corrective and preventive measures for reducing flood damage, including, but not limited to, emergency preparedness plans, flood control works, and floodplain management regulations.

Floodplain Management means operation of an overall program of corrective and preventive measures for reducing flood damage, including, but not limited to, emergency preparedness plans, flood control works, and floodplain management regulations.

Floodproofing means any combination of structural and nonstructural additions, changes or adjustments to structures which reduce or eliminate flood damage to real estate or improved real property, water and sanitary facilities, structures, and their contents.

Floodway means the channel of a river or other watercourse and the adjacent land areas that must be reserved in order to discharge the base flood without cumulatively increasing the water surface elevation more than one foot at any point. Some of these areas are shown on the County's flood insurance rate map (FIRM).

Floodway Fringe means the area of the floodplain that can be completely obstructed without increasing the water surface elevation of the base flood by more than one foot at any point. Some of these areas are shown on the County's flood insurance rate map (FIRM).

Floor, Lowest means, for purposes of the floodplain ordinance (Sec. 19.2-27), the lowest floor of the lowest enclosed area (including basement). An unfinished or flood-resistant enclosure, usable solely for parking of vehicles, building access, or storage in an area other than a basement area, is not considered a building’s lowest floor, provided, that such enclosure is not built so as to render the structure in violation of the applicable non-elevation design requirements of Code of Federal Regulations, 44 CFR § 60.3.

Food Manufacturing means establishments that transform livestock and agricultural products into products for intermediate or final consumption. The industry groups are distinguished by the raw materials (generally of animal or vegetable origin) processed into food products. The food products manufactured in these establishments are typically sold to wholesalers or retailers for distribution to consumers, but establishments primarily engaged in retailing bakery and candy products made on the premises not for immediate consumption are included.

NAICS code 311 and its subsectors, except for Animal Slaughtering and Processing, NAICS code 3116 and Seafood Product Preparation and Packaging, NAICS code 3117.

Forebay, Sediment means a stormwater design feature that employs a small settling area near the inlet of a retention basin which is used to settle out incoming sediments and which enhances sediment removal for maintenance purposes.

Fortune Teller means any person or establishment engaged in the occupation of occult sciences, including a fortune teller, palmist, astrologist, numerologist, clairvoyant, craniologist, phrenologist, card reader, spiritual reader, tea leaf reader, prophet, psychic or advisor or who in any other manner claims or pretends to tell fortunes or claims or pretends to disclose mental faculties of individuals for any form of compensation. Nothing contained herein shall be construed to apply to a person pretending to act as a fortune teller in a properly licensed theater as part of any show or exhibition presented therein or as part of any play, exhibition, fair or show presented or offered in aide of any benevolent, charitable or educational purpose.

Frontage means the continuous length of the property line of a lot measured along a single road, against which the land abuts. Access easements shall not be considered frontage.

Frontage Buildout means the percentage of a parcel or lot's frontage that is occupied by the building facade or amenity space.

Fueling Facility means a standalone facility selling vehicle fuels and/or electricity for electric vehicles. A small, staffed kiosk may be present.

Fuel Storage and Distribution means uses engaged in the wholesale sales, bulk storage, and distribution of fuel or other vehicle fluids.

Funeral Home or Mortuary means an establishment where deceased are prepared for burial and funeral services may be conducted.

Furniture and Related Product Manufacturing means establishments that make furniture and related articles, such as mattresses, window blinds, cabinets, and fixtures. The processes used in the manufacture of furniture include the cutting, bending, molding, laminating, and assembly of such materials as wood, metal, glass, plastics, and rattan.

NAICS code 337 and its subsectors. 

Garage or Yard Sales means a sale of personal property owned by the seller and usual to a household. The term yard sale includes garage sale, lawn sale, attic sale, rummage sale, or any similar casual sale of tangible property.

Gas Station means a convenience store that includes fuel sales as an accessory use on the same lot. A car wash or auto detailing facility may be included as an accessory use.

GIS means geographic information system operated by the County.

Golf Course means a recreation facility, other than a miniature golf course, for the playing of golf at which there may be a clubhouse including restrooms and locker rooms. A golf course may provide additional services customarily furnished such as a driving range, putting green(s), swimming, outdoor recreation, and related retail sales that may include a restaurant.

Government Building or Facility means any building, structure or area held, used, or controlled exclusively for public purposes by any governmental entity, without reference to the ownership of the building or of the realty upon which it is situated. This includes any County, municipal, state, or federal office, courthouse, registry office, employment office, fire station, parking lot, police station, post office, public school, public safety facility, public utility facility, or other public facility used by local or other governmental entities. This does not include parks, transfer stations, or landfills. Drive-through facilities may be a part of these uses.

Grade means the average of the finished ground level measured at the center of all walls of a building. Where walls are parallel to, and within five feet of, a sidewalk, the grade (ground level) may be measured at the sidewalk.

Grocery Store means a retail establishment where most of the floor area is devoted to the sale of perishable, processed, and prepackaged food products for home preparation and consumption, which typically also offers other home care and personal care products, and which are substantially larger and carry a broader range of merchandise than convenience stores.

Gross Floor Area or "GFA" means the sum of the horizontal areas (floors) in all stories of a building or buildings, measured from the exterior surfaces of the exterior walls. If there is a common wall separating two buildings, GFA is measured from the centerline of the common wall. GFA includes the total floor area of all buildings situated on a zoning lot, unless the applicable regulation specifies only the principal or accessory building. GFA does not include exterior balconies, enclosed attached outside storage areas, mezzanines, enclosed porches, and attached carports and garages. 

Group Care Facility means an adult or child caring institution or facility, other than a residential care home, post-correctional facility, recovery residence, or hospital, designed to provide resident services to individuals with mental illness, intellectual disabilities, or developmental disabilities or who are aged, infirm, chronically ill, incurably afflicted, children in need of services, or children separated from their parents or guardian. Group care facilities provide rehabilitation or personal services to those individuals.

Gun Range, Indoor means a facility designed or used for shooting at targets with rifles, pistols, or shotguns that is completely enclosed within a building or structure. This does not include a gun range maintained or operated by the government which is not available to the general public.  

Gun Range, Outdoor means a facility designed or used for shooting at targets with rifles, pistols, or shotguns where shooting occurs outside of a building or structure, or in a partially enclosed structure. This does not include general hunting and unstructured and nonrecurring discharging of firearms on private property with the property owner’s permission. This does not include a gun range maintained or operated by the government which is not available to the general public.

Halfway House means an adult or child caring institution or facility established, operated or used by the Virginia Department of Corrections or the Federal Bureau of Prisons for the temporary care of adults on probation or parole, or for the temporary training, confinement or detention of children.

Hardware Manufacturing means establishments primarily engaged in manufacturing metal hardware, such as metal hinges, metal handles, keys, and locks (except coin- or card-operated, time locks).

NAICS Code 3325 and subsectors

Hazardous Waste Facility means a facility for the storage, collection, processing, treatment, recycling, recovery, or disposal of waste that is classified as "hazardous waste" under state or federal law.  This includes a pharmaceutical manufacturing facility that stores hazardous waste. 

Health and Fitness Club means an indoor facility where gymnastics, sports training, general exercise, and related accessory activities are performed for the purpose of physical fitness. This use may also include outdoor facilities such as tennis, basketball or volleyball courts, swimming pools and spas, and other such uses.

Heavy Equipment means vehicles used for earth moving, farming, and heavy construction such as, but not limited to, dump trucks, bulldozers, backhoes, excavators, cranes, combines, or tractors.

Heavy Equipment Sales, Service and Repair means the retail, wholesale, or rental of heavy equipment, along with service or maintenance.

Heliport means a structural surface which is used for the landing and take-off of helicopters.

Highly Erodible Soils means soils (excluding vegetation) with an erodibility index (EI) from sheet and rill erosion equal to or greater than eight. The erodibility index for any soil is defined as the product of the formula RKLS/T, where K is the soil susceptibility to water erosion in the surface layer; R is the rainfall and runoff; LS is the combined effects of slope length and steepness; and T is the soil loss tolerance.

Highly Permeable Soils means soils with a given potential to transmit water through the soil profile. Highly permeable soils are identified as any soil having a permeability equal to or greater than six inches of water movement per hour in any part of the soil profile to a depth of 72 inches (permeability groups "rapid" and "very rapid") as found in the "National Soil Survey Handbook" of November 1996 in the "Field Office Technical Guide" of the U.S. Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service.

Historic Structures means, for floodplain management purposes (Sec. 19.2-27), any structure that is:

1. A.
   Listed individually in the National Register of Historic Places (a listing maintained by the Department of Interior) or preliminarily determined by the Secretary of the Interior as meeting the requirements for individual listing on the National Register;
2. B.
   Certified or preliminarily determined by the Secretary of the Interior as contributing to the historical significance of a registered historic district or a district preliminarily determined by the Secretary to qualify as a registered historic district;
3. C.
   Individually listed on a state inventory of historic places in states with historic preservation programs which have been approved by the Secretary of the Interior; or
4. D.
   Individually listed on a local inventory of historic places in communities with historic preservation programs that have been certified either:

   1. 1.
      By an approved state program as determined by the Secretary of the Interior; or
   2. 2.
      Directly by the Secretary of the Interior in states without approved programs.

Home Occupation means any activity carried out for profit or gain by occupants conducted as an accessory use in the resident's dwelling unit or accessory structure.  

Hospital means an institution operating 24 hours a day providing primary health services, medical, surgical, or emergency care to persons, primarily in-patients, suffering from illness, disease, injury, deformity and other abnormal physical or mental conditions. A hospital may include, as an integral part of the institution, related facilities such as laboratories, out-patient facilities or training facilities.  A hospital does not include stand-alone institutional care, medication assisted treatment (MAT), or drug recovery centers.

Hotel means a building or buildings, that provide(s) five or more individual rooms or suites of rooms for transient occupancy by the general public for compensation on an overnight basis. Each room or suite has a private bathroom and access from a common internal hallway. A hotel includes on-premises facilities for reservations, daily cleaning service, and on-site management at all times. Hotels may include accessory uses such as a restaurant and lounge, meeting rooms and/or conference space, fitness center, spa, entertainment, special events, and recreational facilities. The term hotel does not include motel.

HUD Manufactured Housing Code means the regulations promulgated by the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development pursuant to federal law, the National Manufactured Home Construction and Safety Standards Act.  Also known as the "Manufactured Home Construction and Safety Standards" or "HUD Code." 

Hydrologic and Hydraulic Engineering Analysis means analysis performed by a licensed professional engineer, in accordance with standard engineering practices that are accepted by the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation and FEMA, used to determine the base flood, other frequency floods, flood elevations, floodway information and boundaries, and flood profiles.

Impervious Cover means a surface composed of any material that significantly impedes or prevents natural infiltration of water into the soil. Impervious surfaces include, but are not limited to, roofs, buildings, roads, parking areas and any concrete, asphalt, or compacted gravel surface.

Infill means, for purpose of Chesapeake Bay Preservation Areas, utilization of vacant land in previously developed areas.

Institutional Care means facilities that provide living, sleeping, and sanitation accommodations in coordination with the provision of social, rehabilitative and/or medical services in a protective living environment for persons residing voluntarily or by court placement; including, but not limited to, hospice care facilities, residential substance abuse treatment facilities, or residential treatment facilities for the mentally ill.

Junkyard means a use of more than 200 cubic feet of the open area of any lot or parcel of land for depositing, sorting, refining, baling, dismantling or storing junk, including, but not limited to: scrap metals or other scrap material; used or scrap building, plumbing, electrical and heating material; discarded household appliances, furnishings and fixtures; dismantled or demolished motor vehicles or other machinery or parts thereof; or one or more motor vehicles that are inoperable and economically impractical to make operative. The term junkyard shall not include a motor vehicle tow lot, or any of the things recited herein which are incidental and accessory to any agricultural or industrial use. This term includes a salvage yard. Retail sales of on-site materials may occur.

Kennel, Commercial means a facility where dogs, cats, or other domestic pets are kept for boarding, breeding, care, sale, training, renting, showing, or other commercial purposes.

This does not include keeping of less than four dogs as a home occupation.

Kiosk means staffed or unstaffed vending from self-contained structure of a permanent or semi-permanent nature.

Laboratory means a facility for research, testing, or investigation of a medical or scientific nature, but not for the production or sales of a product.

Landfill, Solid Waste  means a disposal facility for solid waste so located, designed, and operated that it does not pose a substantial present or potential hazard to human health or the environment, including pollution of air, land, surface water, or ground water.  (Reference: Code of Virginia § 10.1-1400)

Landfill, Construction/Demolition/Debris (CDD Landfill) means a land burial facility engineered, constructed and operated to contain and isolate construction waste, demolition waste, debris waste, split tires, and white goods or combinations of the above solid wastes.

Laundry and Dry Cleaning Plant means a larger scale facility where clothing and other textiles are cleaned for commercial customers. The items are typically brought in from off-site locations and returned.

Leather and Allied Product Manufacturing means establishments that fabricate leather into products for final consumption. This subsector also includes the manufacture of similar products from other materials, including products (except apparel) made from "leather substitutes," such as rubber, plastics, or textiles. Rubber footwear, textile luggage, and plastics purses or wallets are examples of "leather substitute" products included in this subsector.  

NAICS code 316 and its subsectors.

Does not include Leather and Hide Tanning and Finishing (NAICS code 3161). 

Leather and Hide Tanning and Finishing means establishments primarily engaged in one or more of the following: (1) tanning, currying, and finishing hides and skins; (2) having others process hides and skins on a contract basis; and (3) dyeing or dressing furs.

NAICS code 316110.

Letter of Map Amendment (LOMA) means an amendment based on technical data showing that certain property was incorrectly included in a designated special flood hazard area. A LOMA amends the current effective flood insurance rate map and establishes that the property or structure is not located in a special flood hazard area.

Letter of Map Change (LOMC) means an official FEMA determination, by letter, which amends or revises an effective flood insurance rate map or flood insurance study. Letters of map change include a letter of map amendment, letter of map revision, and conditional letter of map revision.

Letter of Map Revision (LOMR) means a revision based on technical data that may show changes to flood zones, flood elevations, floodplain and floodway delineations, and planimetric features.

Letter of Map Revision Based on Fill (LOMR-F) means a determination that a structure or parcel of land has been elevated by fill above the base flood elevation and is, therefore, no longer exposed to flooding associated with the base flood. In order to qualify for this determination, the fill must have been permitted and placed in accordance with the County’s floodplain management regulations.

Letter of Map Revision, Conditional or Conditional Letter of Map Revision (CLOMR) means a formal review and comment as to whether a proposed flood protection project or other project complies with the minimum National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) requirements for such projects with respect to delineation of special flood hazard areas. A CLOMR does not revise the effective flood insurance rate map or flood insurance study.

Lot means a single recorded partitioned land area set off by metes and bounds and occupied, or intended to be occupied, by a principal building or buildings and accessory buildings and uses, together with such open spaces as are required under this Chapter and having not less than the minimum area required by this Chapter for a lot in the district in which it is situated and fronting on a road except as otherwise permitted. This includes a plot, parcel, or premises.

Lot Area means an area of a horizontal plane bounded by the front, side, and rear lot lines, but not including any area occupied by the waters of a lake or river. 

Lot, Corner means a lot situated at the intersection of two roads that generally has an adjacent interior angle not greater than 135 degrees.

Flag Lot means a lot which has a narrow appendage (flagpole) providing the required street frontage and through which access is provided to an enlarged portion of the lot.

Lot, Interior means a lot other than a corner lot.

Lot, Through means a lot having a pair of opposite lot lines along two, more or less parallel, roads and which is not a corner lot. Except for a lot in a residential or residential townhouse district which has a buffer along a road, both road lines shall be front lot lines.

Lot Depth means the shortest horizontal distance between front and rear lines of a lot measured perpendicular to the road.

Lot Width means the horizontal distance between the side lines of a lot measured along the minimum front yard building setback line. If the width required by the district is not met at the minimum front yard setback line, then the width shall by met by increasing the front yard setback to a line where the minimum width for the district is achieved. Lot width shall be measured between the side lines at generally equal angles created by the intersection of the setback line and each side line.

Figure 19.2-86.1 Lot Types

Figure 19.2-86.1 Lot Types

Figure 19.2-86.1 Lot Types

Figure 19.2-86.1 Lot Types

Lot Area See Lot. 

Lot, Corner See Lot. 

Lot, Interior See Lot. 

Lot, Through See Lot.

Lot Depth See Lot.

Lot of Record means a lot shown on a subdivision plat recorded in the Circuit Court Clerk's Office.

Lot Subdivision means a "lot subdivision" as defined in the Subdivision Ordinance in effect before the effective date of this Chapter. This definition is identical to the definition of "Major Subdivision" in Chapter 17.1.

Lot Width See Lot.

Lot, Zoning means a tract of land, located within a single block, which at the time of filing for a building permit, or if no building permit is required, at the time of filing for a certificate of occupancy, is designated by its owner or developer as a tract all of which is to be used, developed or built on as a unit under single ownership. A zoning lot may or may not conform to a lot of record.

Low Impact Development (LID) means a design strategy with the goal of maintaining or replicating the predevelopment hydrologic regime through the use of design techniques to create a functionally equivalent hydrologic site design. Hydrologic functions of storage, infiltration and groundwater recharge, as well as the volume and frequency of discharges are maintained through the use of integrated and distributed micro-scale stormwater retention and detention areas, reduction of impervious surfaces, and the lengthening of runoff flow paths and flow time. Other strategies include the preservation/protection of environmentally sensitive site features such as riparian buffers, wetlands, steep slopes, valuable (mature) trees, floodplains, woodlands, and highly permeable soils.

Lumber Yard means an area used for the storage, distribution and sale of finished or rough-cut lumber and lumber products. This definition does not include retail sales uses that sell lumber as accessory to other items.

Machine Shops; Turned Product; and Screw, Nut, and Bolt Manufacturing means establishments primarily engaged in one of the following: (1) operating machine shops primarily engaged in machining metal and plastic parts and parts of other composite materials on a job or order basis; (2) machining precision turned products; or (3) manufacturing metal bolts, nuts, screws, rivets, and other industrial fasteners.

NAICS code 3327 and its subsectors. 

Machinery Manufacturing means establishments that create end products that apply mechanical force, for example, the application of gears and levers, to perform work. Some important processes for the manufacture of machinery are forging, stamping, bending, forming, and machining that are used to shape individual pieces of metal. Processes, such as welding and assembling are used to join separate parts together. Although these processes are similar to those used in metal fabricating establishments, machinery manufacturing is different because it typically employs multiple metal forming processes in manufacturing the various parts of the machine.

NAICS code 333 and its subsectors. 

Manufactured Home means a structure constructed to federal standards (see National Manufactured Housing Construction and Safety Standards Act of 1974, 42 U.S.C. 5401-5426), transportable in one or more sections, which, in the traveling mode, is eight feet or more in width and is 40 feet or more in length, or when erected on site, is 320 or more square feet, and which is built on a permanent chassis and designed to be used as a dwelling with or without a permanent foundation when connected to the required utilities, and includes the plumbing, heating, air conditioning, and electrical systems contained therein.  [See Code of Virginia § 36-85.16.]  A manufactured home shall bear the certification label (also known as a HUD tag) required by the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development, or a Letter of Label Verification if the original certification label is missing.   [Reference: 24 C.F.R. § 3280.11; see HUD Certification Labels (HUD Tags) web page.]

For floodplain management purposes (Sec. 19.2-27), a structure, transportable in one or more sections, which is built on a permanent chassis and is designed for use with or without a permanent foundation when connected to the required utilities. For floodplain management purposes the term “manufactured home” also includes park trailers, travel trailers, and other similar vehicles placed on a site for greater than 180 consecutive days.

Manufactured Home Park means a parcel of land under single or common ownership upon which two or more manufactured homes are located on a continual, nonrecreational basis together with any structure, equipment, road, or facility intended for use incidental to the occupancy of the manufactured homes. "Manufactured home park" does not include a premises used solely for storage or display of uninhabited manufactured homes.  [Reference: Manufactured Home Lot Rental Act, Code of Virginia § 55.1-1300. Note: a manufactured home park offers spaces or lots or sale.  A development where spaces or lots with manufactured homes are offered for sale is considered a manufactured home subdivision.]

Manufactured Home Subdivision means a subdivision designed solely for two or more manufactured homes and where individual manufactured homes are located on individual lots of record. A manufactured home subdivision is approved in accordance with the Subdivision Ordinance.

Manufactured Home Temporary means a manufactured home which is not permitted by right in the zoning district in which its located but is allowed with a special exception subject to subsection F.3 of Sec. 19.2-28. 

Manufacturing means an establishment engaged in the mechanical or chemical transformation of materials or substances into new products including the assembling of component parts, the manufacturing of products, and the blending of materials, such as lubricating oils, plastics, resins, or liquors.

Marina means a boat basin, pier, dock, or wharf, restricted to recreational or emergency marine craft of all types, with facilities for one or more of the following: berthing, launching and securing such craft, and permitting minimum incidental provision for refueling and emergency servicing, as well as the incidental sale of boats and also land (out-of-water) storage.

Massage Clinic means an establishment where a massage therapist certified by the Commonwealth of Virginia gives a client a massage.

Mature Tree means a canopy tree with a diameter at breast height (DBH) of 12 inches or greater or an understory tree with a DBH of four inches or greater.

Medical Clinic or Office means a facility where diagnostic testing, surgical and medical procedures, and other professional services concerning the personal physical or mental health of humans are administered on solely an outpatient basis by medical doctors, chiropractors, osteopaths, optometrists, dentists, physician assistants, nurse practitioners or other medical professionals that may lawfully practice in the state.   This use provides less intense services than a hospital and patients typically do not stay more than 24 hours.

Medication Assisted Treatment means a facility providing outpatient treatment of substances use disorders with the use of FDA-approved medications, along with appropriate counseling, behavioral therapy, and other therapeutic techniques. 

Microbrewery/Microdistillery/Microwinery/Micromeadery means an establishment that is primarily a brewery/distillery/winery/meadery which produces no more than 15,000 barrels of alcoholic beverages per year, and may include a lounge, restaurant, taproom or tavern as an accessory use, and may host food trucks.

Mini-Storage Warehouse  see Self-Storage.

Mining/Quarrying means the removal of rock, slate, gravel, sand, topsoil or other natural minerals or materials from the earth by excavating, stripping, leveling, digging or boring, or any other such process. 

Miscellaneous Manufacturing  means manufacturing that is not otherwise enumerated. 

Establishments in the Miscellaneous Manufacturing subsector make a wide range of products that cannot readily be classified in specific NAICS subsectors in manufacturing. Processes used by these establishments vary significantly, both among and within industries. 

NAICS code 339 and its subsectors.

Mobile Food Vending means the selling or offering to sell non-alcoholic beverages or food prepared, cooked, wrapped, packaged, processed, or portioned on- or off-site for service, sale, or distribution from a motorized or otherwise mobile unit, trailer, truck, or cart that is readily movable.  Also referred to as "mobile food vendor," "food trailer," or "food truck."

Model Home and Model Home Sales Center means any residential dwelling unit used for demonstration or sales purposes during the construction phase of a residential development, which structure is open to the public for inspection, and not occupied as a dwelling unit until all other units are sold. 

Motel means a building or buildings, that provide(s) five or more individual rooms or suites of rooms for transient occupancy by the general public for compensation on an overnight basis. Each room or suite has a private bathroom and access from the exterior of the building. A motel includes on-premise facilities for reservations, daily cleaning service, and on-site management at all times. Motels may include accessory uses such as a restaurant and lounge, meeting rooms and/or conference space, fitness center, spa, entertainment, special events, and recreational facilities. The term "motel" does not include "hotel."

Motorcycle, go-cart, all-terrain vehicle or similar type vehicle operation, non-commercial means the private use of these types of vehicles for personal recreation.

Motor Vehicle means a motorized vehicle, other than an automobile, heavy equipment, or tractor trailer, which is primarily designed to transport passengers and cargo on its own structure. The term motor vehicle shall include, but not be limited to, a bus, a box truck, and stake truck.

Motor Vehicle Sales, Repair, Rental, and Leasing means the use of land and/or buildings for the display and retail sale, consignment, repair, rental and/or leasing of motor vehicles.

Motor Vehicle Storage Lot means a lot used for the temporary storage of motor vehicles, heavy equipment and automobiles. This use does not include a junkyard, a motor vehicle tow lot or a commercial parking lot or structure.

Motor Vehicle Tow Lot means use of a lot for the temporary storage of damaged, disabled, inoperative or impounded motor vehicles, automobiles or machinery. Temporary storage shall be limited to a maximum of 30 days per vehicle unless the vehicle has been abandoned by its owner. Abandoned vehicles may remain on the lot a maximum of 90 days. Maximum storage times shall be extended up to six months if the owner submits certification that legal obligations preclude removal of such vehicles. The term motor vehicle tow lot shall not include vehicle or machinery storage accessory to a motor vehicle sales, service, repair or rental use, motor vehicle service station, body shop, or similar use.

Multimedia Production means a facility for the staging and recording of video or audio productions such as, but not limited to music, commercials, programs, broadcasting, and motion pictures.

Museum/Gallery means an establishment engaged in the sale, loan, or display of works of art; or a building having public significance by reason of its architecture or former use or occupancy; or a building serving as a repository for a collection of natural, scientific, or literary curiosities or objects of interest, or works of art, and arranged, intended, and designed to be used by members of the public for viewing, with or without an admission charge, and which include as an accessory use the sale of goods to the public.

Nature-Based Solution means an approach that reduces the impacts of sea-level rise, flooding and storm events through the use of environmental processes and natural systems.

Neighborhood Clubhouse and Recreation Facility means a community operated building, room, or facility used for social or recreational activities and operated for the initial exclusive use of a residential subdivision or development. This may include playgrounds, dog parks, swimming pools, tennis courts, boating clubs, country clubs and similar facilities, but does not include a golf course.

New Construction means, for floodplain management purposes, structures for which the start of construction commenced on, or after, the effective start date of this floodplain management ordinance and includes any subsequent improvements to such structures. Any construction started after effective date of the county’s first floodplain management ordinance adopted by the county and before the effective start date of this floodplain management ordinance is subject to the ordinance in effect at the time the permit was issued, provided the start of construction was within 180 days of permit issuance.

Nightclub or Lounge means a "nightclub" as defined by Sec. 6-1 of the County Code.  [Note: this definition states: "any commercial establishment which serves alcoholic beverages and has live entertainment and dancing by the public. Live entertainment shall mean entertainment provided by live artists including, but not limited to, musical performances, disk jockeys, public speaking, dramatic performances, dancers or comedy."]

Nonmetallic Mineral Product Manufacturing means the ​​​​​​transformation of mined or quarried nonmetallic minerals, such as sand, gravel, stone, clay, and refractory materials, into products for intermediate or final consumption. Processes used include grinding, mixing, cutting, shaping, and honing. Heat often is used in the process and chemicals are frequently mixed to change the composition, purity, and chemical properties for the intended product. 

NAICS code 327 and its subsectors.

Nontidal Wetlands means those wetlands other than tidal wetlands that are inundated or saturated by surface or ground water at a frequency and duration sufficient to support, and that under normal circumstances do support, a prevalence of vegetation typically adapted for life in saturated soil conditions, as defined by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency pursuant to § 404 of the federal Clean Water Act in 33 CFR 328.3b.

Nursing Home means any facility or any identifiable component of any licensed facility in which the primary function is the provision, on a continuing basis, of nursing services and health-related services for the treatment and inpatient care of two or more nonrelated individuals, including facilities known by varying nomenclature or designation such as convalescent homes, skilled nursing facilities or skilled care facilities, intermediate care facilities, extended care facilities and nursing or nursing care facilities. [Reference: Code of Virginia § 32.1-123. (Definitions-Hospital and Nursing Home Licensure and Inspection)].

Off-Site Betting Facility means a facility that streams sporting events for the purposes of betting on such events.

Office means a room or group of rooms used for activities generally focusing on business, professional, or financial services. This definition includes professional offices; professional services; co-working; clinics; travel agencies; sales or manufacturer's representatives; professional, civic, social, fraternal, political, or religious organizations; labor unions; employment agencies; real estate brokers; and similar uses. This term shall not include veterinary clinics, day labor facilities, medical offices, and personal services. This use does not include warehousing.

Open Space means, unless otherwise specified, any area not occupied by a building, structure, drive or parking area. For residential development, open space includes any area not contained in individually owned lots or public roads. Open space is inclusive of, but may exceed, amenity space and strategic amenity space, as defined.

Outdoor Dining means any outdoor eating area or similar food service accessory to a restaurant or business providing food and/or drink.

Outdoor display means an area outside of an enclosed building used for the display of goods for sale. 

Outdoor Sales means the sale of merchandise typically stored and displayed outside of an enclosed building due to their size and characteristics, excluding uses enumerated elsewhere.

Outside Storage see "Storage, Outside."

Outparcel means a site for a freestanding building or use along the road frontage of a shopping center.

Owner means any person, group of persons, firm(s), corporation(s), or any other legal entity having legal title to the land that is seeking to subdivide land under this Chapter.

Paper Manufacturing means establishments that make pulp, paper, or converted paper products. There are essentially three activities. The manufacturing of pulp involves separating the cellulose fibers from other impurities in wood or used paper. The manufacturing of paper involves matting these fibers into a sheet. Converted paper products are made from paper and other materials by various cutting and shaping techniques and include coating and laminating activities.

NAICS code 322 and its subsectors.  

Parapet Wall means a wall that extends above the top of a flat roof.

Parcel see Lot. 

Park means privately or publicly owned area of land, usually having active or passive recreational use such as, but not limited to, paths, playgrounds, sports fields/courts, or picnic areas. This excludes campgrounds. 

Park, linear means an active and/or passive outdoor area of linear design that provides or connects recreation, parks, or open space areas.

Parking means parking spaces, drives, driveways and stacking spaces, except where otherwise stated.

Parking Structure means a permanent structure and consists of one or more levels and is primarily dedicated to providing temporary parking of operable vehicles. This is commonly referred to a parking deck or garage. 

Parking Lot or Structure, Commercial means a lot or structure used for the purpose of temporary, daily, or overnight storage of automobiles for a fee, which is located on private property.

Pavement, Private means privately maintained pavement areas on private property including accesses and drives, alleys, parking and fire access roads within recorded open space or within easements held by a homeowners’ association or other entity. 

Pawn Shop means a person or establishment that lends or advances money or other items on the pledge and possession of personal property or other valuable items, other than securities or written or printed evidence of indebtedness, or who deals in the purchasing of personal property or other valuable things on condition of selling the same back to the seller at a stipulated price.

Pedestrian Accommodations means circulation system designed to be used primarily by people who walk.

Petroleum and Coal Products Manufacturing means the transformation of crude petroleum and coal into usable products. The dominant process is petroleum refining that involves the separation of crude petroleum into component products through such techniques as cracking and distillation. In addition, this subsector includes establishments that primarily further process refined petroleum and coal products and produce products, such as asphalt coatings and petroleum lubricating oils.

NAICS code 324 and its subsectors.

Pharmaceutical and Medicine Manufacturing means establishments primarily engaged in one or more of the following: (1) manufacturing biological and medicinal products; (2) processing (i.e., grading, grinding, and milling) botanical drugs and herbs; (3) isolating active medicinal principals from botanical drugs and herbs; and (4) manufacturing pharmaceutical products intended for internal and external consumption in such forms as ampoules, tablets, capsules, vials, ointments, powders, solutions, and suspensions.

NAICS code 3254 and its subsectors.

Plan of Development means, for Chesapeake Bay Preservation Areas, any process for site plan review in local zoning and land development regulations designed to ensure compliance with § 62.1-44.15:74 of the Act and this chapter, prior to issuance of a building permit.

Plan Review means the review of schematic or site plans; preliminary, final and construction plans or plats for subdivisions; and other plans required by this Chapter and Chapter 17.1.

Plan, Concept means a plan submitted at the time of zoning generally including the following items: building locations, general layout of streets, land bays (residential and nonresidential), uses, lots, major utility lines, known environmental features, buffers, approximate location of amenity spaces, and approximate locations of drainage facilities as specified in this Chapter.

Plan, Master Site means a plan submitted to the Planning Department for projects to be constructed in phases, with sufficient detail to ensure the design compatibility of future improvements, avoid design conflicts, and verify general compliance with this Chapter and other applicable code requirements.  Phasing information shall not be binding or unalterable. A master site plan shall neither be used to satisfy site plan requirements, nor vest rights to develop future phases until those phases have been included in an approved site plan.

Plan, Schematic means a plan depicting the general layout of streets, landbays (residential and nonresidential), major utility lines, and drainage facilities as specified in this Chapter.

Plant Nursery, Garden Center, or Greenhouse Commercial means premises for the retail sale of trees, shrubs, or plants in small quantities, not in bulk, to the general public, and may include the accessory sale of garden or landscape accessories, such as mulch, fertilizer, paver stones, soil, tools, landscape timbers, and other similar garden or landscape materials. This term shall include greenhouses and wholesale plant nurseries that include such retail sales.

Plant Nursery or Greenhouse, Wholesale means an establishment where the principal use is the growing of trees, shrubs, or plants for transplanting, for use as stocks for budding and grafting, or for growing and harvesting and accessory wholesaling. This term includes greenhouses, hydroponic farms, and general horticulture otherwise meeting the terms of this definition. 

Plastics Product Manufacturing means​​​​ processing new or spent (i.e. recycled) plastics resins into intermediate or final products, using such processes as compression molding; extrusion molding; injection molding; blow molding; and casting. Within most of these industries, the production process is such that a wide variety of products can be made. 

NAICS code 3261 and its subsectors.

This does not include Urethane and Other Foam Products Manufacturing (NAICS code 326150). 

Pollution, Nonpoint Source means pollution consisting of constituents such as sediment, nutrients and organic and toxic substances from diffuse sources, such as runoff from agriculture and urban land development and use.

Port means a facility for the docking, loading or unloading of ships, barges, or boats that transport freight or passengers. 

Portable Storage Unit or Container means a unit or container made of any material, commonly used for the temporary storage of non-hazardous materials or goods of any nature. This does not include shipping containers, containers used for the storage of materials or the hauling and disposal of construction debris on or from active construction project sites where such containers are necessary.

Postharvest Crop Activities means establishments engaged in performing services on crops subsequent to their harvest with the intent of preparing them for market or further processing.

NAICS code 115114.

Post-FIRM Structures means, for floodplain management purposes (Sec. 19.2-27), a structure for other development for which the “start of construction” occurred on or after the effective date of the initial Flood Insurance Rate Map. 

Power Generating Facility means a facility or area that generates electricity, heat, or steam for on-site use, or off-site distribution, but does not include a solar facility or electric power wind energy system.

Precious Metals Dealer means a person or establishment defined as a dealer in Chapter 15 of the County Code (Precious Metal Dealers), that is not accessory to a jewelry or coin store.

Pre-FIRM Structures means, for floodplain management purposes (Sec. 19.2-27), a structure or other development for which the “start of construction” occurred before the effective date of the initial Flood Insurance Rate Map.

Premises means a lot, parcel, tract or plot of land, together with all buildings and structures thereon.

Primary Metal Manufacturing means industries that smelt and/or refine ferrous and nonferrous metals from ore, pig or scrap, using electrometallurgical and other process metallurgical techniques. Establishments in this subsector also manufacture metal alloys and superalloys by introducing other chemical elements to pure metals. The output of smelting and refining, usually in ingot form, is used in rolling, drawing, and extruding operations to make sheet, strip, bar, rod, or wire, and in molten form to make castings and other basic metal products.

NAICS code 331 and its subsectors. 

Printing and Related Support Activities means industries that print products, such as newspapers, books, labels, business cards, stationery, business forms, and other materials, and perform support activities, such as data imaging, platemaking services, and bookbinding. The support activities included here are an integral part of the printing industry, and a product (a printing plate, a bound book, or a computer disk or file) that is an integral part of the printing industry is almost always provided by these operations. This does not include retail and personal service establishments.

NAICS code 323 and its subsectors. 

Private School means an establishment conducting regular academic instruction at kindergarten, elementary, middle, high, and/or secondary levels. 

Private Well is defined in Chapter 12, Article IV of the Code.

Property means any piece, tract, lot, parcel of land, or several of the same collected together for the purpose of subdividing or development.

Project means development that is planned, developed, or managed as a unit.

Public Address System means a device used for broadcast of messages or music outside which designed to be audible by more than one person.

Qualified Expert, Resource Management Area means a person who has performed at least three wetlands delineations that have been approved in writing, with documentation, by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. An individual who has not had three wetland delineations approved by the Corps may perform the delineation, but it shall be approved by the Corps prior to submission to the County.

Qualified Expert, Resource Protection Area means a person who is an engineer and a certified soil scientist or, at a minimum, a certified soil scientist. Certification may be obtained through a national or state certification program, or by a degree in soils science.

Railway Freight Station means an establishment that charges for the transport of goods, by railway from one place to another, designed for storing and handling of goods so transported or to be so transported.

Rear-Loaded A lot which has frontage on a street but has sole vehicular access from the rear of the lot either by alley, parking lot, or mews street.

Recorded Subdivision means a subdivision approved by the County in accordance with this Chapter and Chapter 17.1, which has been duly recorded by the Circuit Court Clerk.

Recovery Residence means a housing facility that is certified by the Virginia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services in accordance with regulations adopted by the State Board of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services and provides alcohol-free and illicit-drug-free housing to individuals with substance abuse disorders and individuals with co-occurring mental illnesses and substance abuse disorders that does not include clinical treatment services.

Also known as recovery housing, sober living facility, or sober home.

Recreational Substances includes any of the following:

• Any product made of tobacco including cigarettes, cigars, smokeless tobacco, and pipe tobacco.
• Any noncombustible product containing nicotine or vaping fluid that employs a heating element, power source, or other electronic chemical, or mechanical means, regardless of shape or size, that can be used to produce vapor from a solution or other form.
• Any product, including any raw materials from hemp that are used for or added to a food or beverage product that contains hemp and has completed all stages of processing needed for the product.
• Kratom, and any product including any raw materials from Kratom that are used for or added to a food or beverage product, that contains kratom and has completed all stages of processing needed for the product.
• Any pipe, vaporizer, other type of device, wrappings, or accessories associated with the consumption or inhalation of the abovementioned substances and materials.

Recreational Substances, Retail, Off-Site Use means any establishment, facility, or location whose business operation involves (i) the retail sale of Recreational Substances and (ii) includes Recreational Substances as 25% or more of its total inventory or 15% or more of its total display shelf area.

Recreational Equipment means trailered boats, boat trailers, house trailers, travel trailers, pick-up campers or coaches, ATVs, dirt bikes, go-karts, golf carts, electronic vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft, and trailers, cases or boxes used for transporting recreational equipment, whether occupied by such equipment or not. The term recreational equipment includes recreational vehicle.

Recreational vehicle means a vehicle which is:

1. A.
   Built on a single chassis;
2. B.
   400 square feet or less when measured at the largest horizontal projection;
3. C.
   Designed to be self-propelled or permanently towable by a light duty truck; and,
4. D.
   Designed primarily not for use as a permanent dwelling but as temporary living quarters for recreational camping, travel, or seasonal use.

Recreational Equipment and Trailer Parking means an area reserved and legally designated for the parking of recreational equipment or utility trailers.

Recreational Equipment Sales, Rental, and Repair means a facility and accessory storage areas where recreational equipment is sold or rented to consumers, or where recreational equipment is repaired.

Recycling Treatment and Processing Facility means a facility to receive recyclable material including scrap metal, where any method, technique, or process is utilized to separate, process, modify, convert, treat or otherwise prepare waste so that component materials or substances may be used or reused or sold to third parties for such purposes. The use or reuse of a solid waste may not be used in a manner that would constitute solid waste disposal. This use includes mulching and composting operations.

Redevelopment means the process of developing land that is, or has been, previously developed.

Refacing means the replacement of a sign face with a new face of equal size to that of the original that does not alter any other aspect of the sign.

Religious Institution means a use providing regular organized religious worship and related incidental activities, including childcare conducted by the religious institution where children are cared for during short periods of time during on site religious services or activities.  Accessory uses include convents, a residence for clergy or other staff, seasonal sales, garage sales, columbariums, and cemeteries. Private schools and child day care centers are defined and listed separately in the Principal Use Matrix (Sec. 19.2-29), and may require additional zoning approval depending upon the zoning district.

Repetitive Loss Structure means, for floodplain management purposes (Sec. 19.2-27), a building covered by a contract for flood insurance that has incurred flood-related damages on two occasions in a 10-year period, in which the cost of the repair, on the average, equaled or exceeded 25% of the market value of the structure at the time of each such flood event; and at the time of the second incidence of flood-related damage, the contract for flood insurance contains increased cost of compliance coverage.

Rescue Services, Private means the use of a property by a non-governmental agency for fire or emergency medical aid, including private ambulance services.

Research and Development means a facility or group of facilities that engage in research, synthesis, analysis, development of new products, materials, or processes, and related testing laboratories, including the fabrication, assembly, mixing and preparation of equipment and components incidental to those activities

Residential Care Home means an adult or child caring dwelling housing a maximum of eight individuals, exclusive of one or more resident counselors or other staff. Such facility shall either be licensed by the Virginia State Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services to provide residential services to individuals with mental illness, intellectual disability, or developmental disabilities, or by the Virginia State Department of Social Services to provide residential services to individuals who are aged, infirmed, or disabled. For the purposes of this Section, mental illness and developmental disability shall not include persons with substance use disorder who illegally use or are addicted to a controlled substance, as defined in the Code of Virginia.

Residential Lot A lot created for residential purposes, or occupied by a dwelling (other than a live-work dwelling or a dwelling in a mixed-use building).

Resort means a self-contained commercial establishment that includes at least five guest rooms and provides services such as food, drink, swimming, lodging, sports, entertainment, and shopping on the premises. The term resort may be used for a hotel property that provides an array of amenities, typically including entertainment and recreational activities. A resort may also include condominium complexes that are timeshares or owned fractionally or wholly owned.

Resource Management Area (RMA) means a component of the Chesapeake Bay Preservation Area (CBPA) that is not classified as a Resource Protection Area (RPA).The entire County has been designated as an RMA, except those areas specifically designated as RPA.

Resource Protection Area (RPA) means a component of the Chesapeake Bay Preservation Area (CBPA) comprised of lands adjacent to water bodies with perennial flow which have an intrinsic water quality value due to the ecological and biological processes they perform or are sensitive to impacts that may result in significant degradation to the quality of state waters.

Restaurant means any establishment which provides food or drink for consumption by patrons primarily on the premises (i.e. seating provided). This includes outdoor dining and carry-out options. This does not include drive-in or drive-through restaurants. 

Restaurant, Drive-In or Drive-Through means an establishment whose principal business is the sale of food, frozen dessert, or beverage items in a ready-to-consume state for on- or off-premise consumption and includes a drive-up window and queuing lane.

Retail Sales and Personal Services, General means a building, property, or activity where the principal use or purpose is the sale or lease of new or used goods, products, materials, or services directly to the consumer, not intended for resale.  This term includes:

• Establishments specializing in the sale of groceries and beverages, clothing, hardware, garden and yard equipment, sporting goods and equipment, household appliance and electronics, firearms, pharmaceuticals, pet supplies, antiques, jewelry, furniture, off-site alcoholic beverage sales, and motor vehicle accessories;
• Personal services establishments such as spas, tattoo studios, salons, barber shops, laundromats, pet grooming, and studios or gyms intended for art, music, dance, and exercise;
• Other uses of similar intensity and nature, as determined by the Director of Planning; and,
• Accessory uses such as offices, parking, storage of goods, and repair of goods for on-site sale.

Retail sales and personal services does not include flea markets.

Retail Sales, Large Scale means any retail sales and personal services, general use where a single commercial user on a single site has more than 50,000 square feet of total gross floor area.

Retention Basin means a stormwater management facility which temporarily impounds run-off and incorporates a permanent pond to remove pollutants. The treated stormwater is discharged through a hydraulic outlet structure to a downstream conveyance. These facilities may be referred to as wet ponds.

Right-of-Way means the property, or interest therein, acquired or dedicated for use as a road which is in or is designated to become, part of the state road system for public maintenance.

Road means, unless otherwise specified, a public right-of-way that provides vehicular access to properties, or provides for through traffic. Unless otherwise specified, a road shall be deemed the total length and width of the strip of land dedicated or designed for public travel, including such improvements required to become part of the Virginia Department of Transportation system. Road includes those designated as an arterial, collector, residential collector, highway, parkway, street, avenue, road, boulevard, lane, place, cul-de-sac or any other public way. 

For the purposes of Chesapeake Bay regulations, publicly owned roads designed and constructed in accordance with water quality protection criteria at least as stringent as requirements applicable to the Virginia Department of Transportation, including regulations promulgated pursuant to the Erosion and Sediment Control Law of the Code of Virginia and the Virginia Stormwater Management Act of the Code of Virginia. This definition includes those roads where the Virginia Department of Transportation exercises direct supervision over the design or construction activities, or both, and cases where secondary roads are constructed or maintained, or both, by a local government in accordance with the standards of that local government.

Road, Center Line means the center line of a road as established by the County Department of Transportation or the Virginia Department of Transportation. If no center line has been established, the center line of a road shall be a line lying midway between the side lines of the right-of-way.

Road, Collector means the roads shown or defined as collector roads in the Comprehensive Plan Collector roads shown in the Comprehensive Plan do not include residential collector roads.

Road, Internal means a public or private road for the sole purpose of providing access within a multi-family, commercial, or employment project and does not connect to development outside of the project.  

Road, Limited Access means the roads shown or defined as limited access roads in the Comprehensive Plan.

Road, Local means a road of limited continuity used primarily for access to abutting properties and serving local needs.

Road, Major Arterial means one of two classifications of major arterials based upon their function and right-of-way width. The term major arterial includes the term arterial. These roads are defined or shown in the Comprehensive Plan.

Road, Residential Collector means a road which is projected to carry average daily traffic volume of 1,500 vehicles per day or greater, unless otherwise approved in accordance with the Subdivision Ordinance (Chapter 17.1). 

Road, Special-Access means, except, where approved through the subdivision process in TR, CC, EC, EG, and WD districts, a road which primarily accommodates vehicular movement in a designated area between commercial and/or industrial developments thereby minimizing the necessity for movement to occur on other roads and/or arterials, and limiting the number of access points to other roads and/or arterials. Such road does not normally accommodate through traffic movements but rather facilitates traffic movement between uses, and such road shall not be used to access single-family dwellings. Such road shall be a public right-of-way.

Roofline means the top edge of a roof or building parapet, whichever is higher, excluding any mansards, cupolas, pylons, chimneys or minor projections.

Rubber Product Manufacturing means industries that are primarily engaged in processing natural, synthetic, or reclaimed rubber materials into intermediate or final products using processes, such as vulcanizing, cementing, molding, extruding, and lathe-cutting.

NAICS code 3262 and its subsectors.

Safety Bench means a level, or almost level, area designed to enhance safety and located at the toe of the slope of the retention basin immediately landward of a permanent pool.

Sawmills and Wood Preservation means industries primarily engaged in one or more of the following: (1) sawing dimension lumber, boards, beams, timber, poles, ties, shingles, shakes, siding, and wood chips from logs or bolts; (2) sawing round wood poles, pilings, and posts and treating them with preservatives; and (3) treating wood sawed, planed, or shaped in other establishments with creosote or other preservatives to prevent decay and to protect against fire and insects. Sawmills may plane the rough lumber that they make with a planing machine to achieve smoothness and uniformity of size.

NAICS code 32111 and its subsectors.

Screening means a vertical barrier designed to block visual or noise impacts.

Seafood Product Preparation and Packaging means establishments primarily engaged in one or more of the following: (1) canning seafood (including soup); (2) smoking, salting, and drying seafood; (3) eviscerating fresh fish by removing heads, fins, scales, bones, and entrails; (4) shucking and packing fresh shellfish; (5) processing marine fats and oils; and (6) freezing seafood.  

NAICS code 3117 and its subsectors.

Seasonal Sales means any activity involving the outdoor sale of seasonal related products such as the sale of pumpkins, Christmas trees, and other seasonal goods or merchandise.

Self-Storage means a controlled-access and fenced compound that contains one or more buildings and/or varying sizes of individual, compartmentalized, and controlled-access stalls, with defined storage space or units rented to and accessible to the public for the storage of household and personal property, recreational vehicles, and/or boats.

Setbacks means a series of lines established on a lot or parcel based upon the minimum applicable yard requirements set forth in this Chapter, or otherwise set forth in the Code, within which no structure may be constructed.

Example of setbacks for single-family lots

Example of setbacks for townhome lots

Example of setbacks for sites in non-residential and mixed-use districts

Example of setbacks for sites in non-residential and mixed-use districts with internal roads

Severe Repetitive Loss Structure means, for floodplain management purposes (Sec. 19.2-27), a structure that: (a) Is covered under a contract for flood insurance made available under the NFIP; and (b) Has incurred flood related damage - (i) For which 4 or more separate claims payments have been made under flood insurance coverage with the amount of each such claim exceeding $5,000, and with the cumulative amount of such claims payments exceeding $20,000; or (ii) For which at least 2 separate claims payments have been made under such coverage, with the cumulative amount of such claims exceeding the market value of the insured structure. 

Shared Use Path means a form of infrastructure separated from vehicle traffic that supports multiple modes of transportation such as bicycles, wheelchairs, and pedestrians.

Shipping Container means a receptacle, vessel, or similar device designed and constructed to hold and protect goods during transport via road, water, air, or rail.

Shopping Center means a development that contains three or more commercial establishments. Such developments typically include accessory and supporting uses and common amenity space designed, planned, and constructed on an integrated and coordinated basis.

Short-Term Rental means the provision of a dwelling unit or portion of a dwelling unit that is suitable or intended for occupancy for lodging purposes, for a period of fewer than 30 consecutive days, in exchange for a charge for the occupancy. A short-term rental does not include a bed and breakfast inn, farm stay, or camp stay, as defined.

Sidewalk means a pedestrian access route generally constructed of concrete or asphalt that is located within the public right-of-way or a private easement to ensure maintenance.

Sign means display of figures or copy visible to the public for the purpose of making anything known or attracting attention. The term sign includes the sign face, sign structure and flags, but excludes architectural features that do not include or imply a message.

Sign Box means a structure that encloses the sign face and other components.

Sign, Building Mounted means a permanently attached sign, erected or painted on the outside wall, roof, window, or door of a building. Building mounted signs do not include freestanding signs.

Sign, Changeable Copy means a sign upon which copy can be changed or altered. Changeable copy signs include the following:

• Manual: Sign with copy that can be changed or altered by manual means.
• Electronic: Sign with copy that can be changed or altered on a fixed display surface composed of electrically illuminated or mechanically driven changeable segments. Electronic signs include the following:
  • Fixed message electronic. Sign with copy designed or preprogrammed to solely provide static monochromatic numeric display. For the purposes of this definition the following symbols that indicate the unit of the numbers displayed are permitted: $ for dollar, % for percent, ¢ for cent and ° for degree.
  • Computer controlled variable message electronic (EMC). Sign with copy that can be changed or altered by means of computer-driven electronic impulses, excluding fixed message electronic signs.

Sign, Cladded Pole means a freestanding sign supported by a pole or other structure which is fully enclosed within a nonstructural covering complying with sign design standards. For a cladded pole sign, except for outdoor advertising signs, the cladded base shall fully extend from ground to sign face and have a width of a minimum of 1/3 of the sign face.

Sign, Freestanding means a sign supported by a fence, wall, upright structural members or braces that are on, or in, the ground. Freestanding signs do not include signs attached to a building.

Sign, Illuminated means a sign with an artificial internal or external light source that illuminates the sign.

Sign Modernization Area (SMA) means a designated area in which outdoor advertising signs are permitted in accordance with the Chapter.

Sign, Monument means a freestanding sign supported by either a decorative foundation which is at least as wide as the sign face, or by two or more decorative columns above a minimum two foot high decorative foundation where the aggregate width of the columns is equal to, or greater than, 40% of the width of the sign itself.

Sign, New Outdoor Advertising means an existing outdoor advertising signs that, in conformance with this Chapter, are expanded, rebuilt or converted to EMC, or outdoor advertising signs that are permitted to be built in designated Sign Modernization Areas.

Sign, Outdoor Advertising means a sign or structure used as an outdoor display for the purpose of making anything known, when the matter advertised or displayed is not related to the premises where such sign is located. Outdoor advertising signs do not include the off-site signs specifically permitted in this Chapter.

Sign, Permanent means a sign attached to the ground or a structure, intended to exist for the life of the structure or use, and which cannot be easily removed. 

Sign, Projecting means a sign, attached to a building wall, projecting at an angle and extending more than 18 inches from the building wall face.

Sign, Sidewalk means a temporary sign having an A-frame structure that is located in pedestrian area adjacent to an eligible use.

Sign Structure means an assembly of materials used to support a sign, including the exterior form and finishes that define sign copy area.

Sign, Temporary means a sign, not permanently affixed to the ground or a structure, designed or constructed such that it can be readily removed or relocated.

Sign, Under Canopy means a sign mounted perpendicular to a building face located under, and attached to, the building wall or ceiling of a building mounted canopy.

Sign, Window means a sign attached to a door or window that is legible from the exterior of the building.

Silvicultural Activities means forest management activities, including the harvesting of timber, the construction of roads and trails for forest management purposes, and the preparation of property for reforestation that are conducted in accordance with the silvicultural best management practices developed and enforced by the State Forester pursuant to § 10.1-1105 of the Code of Virginia and are located on property defined as real estate devoted to forest use under § 58.1-3230 of the Code of Virginia.

Site means an area or tract of land that contains multiple buildings that are subject to a schematic plan, site plan, or subdivision plat, or that is otherwise developed on a coordinated basis with common facilities.

Skill Game means an electronic, computerized, or mechanical contrivance, terminal, machine, or other device that requires the insertion of a coin, currency, ticket, token, or similar object to operate, activate, or play a game, the outcome of which is determined by any element of skill of the player and that may deliver or entitle the person playing or operating the device to receive cash or cash equivalents, gift cards, vouchers, billets, tickets, tokens, or electronic credits to be exchanged for cash or cash equivalents whether the payoff is made automatically from the device or manually.

Skill game" includes:

1. A.
   a device that contains a meter or measurement device that records the number of free games or portions of games that are rewarded and
2. B.
   a device designed or adapted to enable a person using the device to increase the chances of winning free games or portions of games by paying more than the amount that is ordinarily required to play the game.

Skill game does not include any amusement device, as defined in Code of Virginia § 18.2-334.6.

Soils, Highly Erodible means soils (excluding vegetation) with an erodibility index (EI) from sheet and rill erosion equal to or greater than eight. The erodibility index for any soil is defined as the product of the formula RKLS/T, where R is the rainfall and runoff K is the soil susceptibility to water erosion in the surface layer, LS is the combined effects of slope length and steepness, and T is the soil loss tolerance.

Soils, Highly Permeable means soils with a given potential to transmit water through the soil profile. Highly permeable soils are those having a permeability equal to, or greater than, six inches of water movement per hour in any part of the soil profile to a depth of 72 inches (permeability groups rapid and very rapid) as found in the National Soils Handbook of November 1996 in the Field Office Technical Guide of the U.S. Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service.

Solar Energy Facility, Utility Scale means a facility that utilizes photovoltaic (PV) materials and technology for the wholesale generation and distribution of electricity from sunlight. On-site components may include solar panels and other accessory components to include, but not be limited to, transformers, transmission lines, and other improvements necessary to support the power generation, collection and transmission. This does not include an energy storage facility.

Solar Energy Facility, Limited means a system that utilizes sunlight to produce heat, electricity or both to serve the thermal or electricity needs of the property on which it is located. Excess power generated by the facility and not presently needed for on-site consumption may be used by the utility (i.e. net metering).

Special Event, Carnival, Festival, Concert - Limited means a private or semi-private special event to provide entertainment or cultural awareness. Examples include carnivals, festivals, concerts, dances, fairs, circuses, or similar events assembled for entertainment or cultural purposes. Permits for these uses are obtained through the County Attorney's office. 

Special Exception means a use that may be permitted by the Board of Zoning Appeals under certain conditions.

Specified Anatomical Areas means less than completely and opaquely covered human genitals, pubic region, buttock, female breast below a point immediately above the top of the areola, or human male genitals in a discernibly turgid state, even if completely and opaquely covered.

Specified Sexual Activities means human genitals in a state of sexual stimulation or arousal; acts or simulation of human masturbation, sexual intercourse or sodomy; and/or fondling or other erotic touching of human genitals, pubic region, buttock or female breast.

Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA) means land in the floodplain subject to a 1% or greater chance of being flooded in any given year.

Spring and Wire Product Manufacturing means establishments primarily engaged in:

1. A.
   Manufacturing steel springs by forming, such as cutting, bending, and heat winding, metal rod or strip stock, and/or 
2. B.
   Manufacturing wire springs and fabricated wire products from wire drawn elsewhere (except for watch and clock springs).

NAICS Code 3326 and its subsectors.

Stacking Spaces mean the queuing area for motorists who remain in their vehicles awaiting service at a drive-in or drive-through facility, or to discharge or pick up passengers at other facilities.

Stadium or Arena means an open, partially enclosed, or fully enclosed facility used or intended to be used primarily for spectator sports, racing, entertainment events, expositions, and other public gatherings.

Start of Construction means, for purposes of the floodplain management ordinance (Sec. 19.2-27), and for other than new construction and substantial improvement under the Coastal Barriers Resource Act (P.L. – 97-348), start of construction means the date the building permit was issued, provided the actual start of construction, repair, reconstruction, rehabilitation, addition, placement, substantial improvement or other improvement occurs within 180 days of the permit date. The actual start means either the first placement of permanent construction of a structure on a site, such as the pouring of slab or footings, the installation of piles, the construction of columns, or any work beyond the stage of excavation; or the placement of a manufactured home on a foundation. Permanent construction does not include land preparation, such as clearing, grading and filling; nor does it include the installation of roads and/or walkways; nor does it include excavation for a basement, footings, piers, or foundations or the erection of temporary forms; nor does it include the installation on the property of accessory buildings, such as garages or sheds not occupied as dwelling units or not part of the main structure. For a substantial improvement, the actual start of the construction means the first alteration of any wall, ceiling, floor, or other structural part of a building, whether or not that alteration affects the external dimensions of the building.

Steep Slope means land area which rises or falls at a rate of 20 feet or more per 100 feet as measured in the horizontal plane.

Stepback means the horizontal distance a building façade is set back from the building façade immediately below it. 

Storage, Outside means the placement of materials, merchandise, stock, supplies, shipping containers, mobile storage containers, machines, equipment, or manufacturing materials that are kept exterior to a building.

Storm Surge means the resulting temporary rise in sea level due to the action of wind stress on the water surface and low atmospheric pressure created during storms which can cause coastal flooding. Surge is the difference from expected tide level. Storm tide is the total water level. The Category 3 National Hurricane Center Storm Surge Risk Map shall be used for Resiliency Assessments. 

Stormwater Management means measures taken to mitigate the impact of stormwater on the hydrologic cycle resulting from changes to the landscape which occur when land is developed.

Street See "Road".

Story means that portion of a building, other than a basement, extending from the surface of any floor to the surface of the above floor, or, if there is no floor above, then the portion of a building extending from the floor to the ceiling above it.

Street, Loop means a local street that has two points of intersection onto a street. The minimum depth of a loop street shall be not less than three times the required right-of-way width as measured from the adjacent right-of-way line of the through street to the inside right-of-way line of the loop or similar location if the loop is totally contained within the right-of-way.

Street, Mews means a street which meets the minimum geometric design criterion for incorporation into the VDOT/state road system for public maintenance. Such street provides road frontage for residential lots which have their fronts on or have their main entrances facing a park, amenity space or other open space. Such street is utilized for the rear-loading of lots where alleys are not permitted.

Structural Alteration means any change requiring a building permit, in the supporting members of a building or structure, including bearing walls, columns, beams, girders or similar parts of a building or structure, or any substantial change in the roof of a building.

Structure means anything constructed or erected which has a permanent location on the ground or which is attached to something having a permanent location on the ground. For purposes of the floodplain management ordinance (Sec. 19.2-27), a walled and roofed building, including a gas or liquid storage tank, that is principally above ground, as well as a manufactured home.

Stub Street means a street which is shown on a subdivision plat to terminate at adjacent property to provide access for future development.

Subdivision means the division of any property.

Substantial Damage means, for the purposes of the floodplain management regulations (Sec. 19.2-27), damage of any origin sustained by a structure whereby the cost of restoring the structure to its before-damaged condition would equal, or exceed, 50% of the market value of the structure before the damage occurred.

Substantial Improvement means, for the purposes of the floodplain management (Sec. 19.2-27) and Chesapeake Bay (Sec. 19.2-26) regulations, any reconstruction, rehabilitation, addition or other improvement to a structure, the cost of which equals or exceeds 50% of the market value of the structure before the start of construction of the improvement. This term includes structures which have incurred substantial damage, regardless of the actual repair work performed. The term does not, however, include either: 1) Any project, or improvement of a structure, to correct existing violations of state or local health, sanitary or safety code specifications which have been identified by the local code enforcement official, and which are the minimum necessary to assure safe living conditions; 2) or Any alteration of a historic structure that will not preclude the structure's continued designation as a historic structure.

Surveyor means a certified licensed land surveyor authorized under the laws of the Commonwealth of Virginia.

Telecommunication Tower means a mast, pole, monopole, guyed tower, lattice tower, freestanding tower, or other structure designed and primarily used to support antennas. A ground- or building-mounted mast less than 10’ feet tall and six inches in diameter supporting a single antenna shall not be considered a telecommunications tower.

Temporary Turnaround means the terminus of a street, which provides for the safe and convenient reversal of traffic movement, but is intended to be removed when the street is extended.

Textile Mill means industries ​​​​​that transform a basic fiber (natural or synthetic) into a product, such as yarn or fabric that is further manufactured into usable items, such as apparel, sheets, towels, and textile bags for individual or industrial consumption. The further manufacturing may be performed in the same establishment and classified in this subsector, or it may be performed at a separate establishment and be classified elsewhere in the Manufacturing sector. The main processes in this subsector include preparation and spinning of fiber, knitting or weaving of fabric, and the finishing of the textile. The NAICS structure follows and captures this process flow. Major industries in this flow, such as preparation of fibers, weaving of fabric, knitting of fabric, and fiber and fabric finishing, are uniquely identified. Texturizing, throwing, twisting, and winding of yarn contain aspects of both fiber preparation and fiber finishing and are classified with preparation of fibers rather than with finishing of fibers.

NAICS code 313 and its subsectors. 

Textile Product Mill means establishments that make textile products (except apparel). With a few exceptions, processes used in these industries are generally cut and sew (i.e., purchasing fabric and cutting and sewing to make non-apparel textile products, such as sheets and towels).

NAICS code 314 and its subsectors.

Theater means an indoor facility with a permanent stage or screen for the presentation of live or recorded entertainment and which contains an audience viewing hall or room with fixed seats.

Theater, Drive-In means an open-air theater where the performance is viewed by all, or part, of the audience from automobiles.

Tidal Shore or Shore means land contiguous to a tidal body of water between the mean low-water level and the mean high-water level.

Tidal Wetlands means vegetated and non-vegetated wetlands as defined by the Code of Virginia.

Tiny Home means a dwelling unit of 400 square feet or less that is factory or site-built on a permanent foundation in accordance with Appendix Q to the 2018 International Building Code, and codified as Appendix Q to the 2018 Virginia Residential Code [Reference: 13 VAC 5-63-210.R (Virginia Uniform Statewide Building Code, Chapter 3 Use and occupancy classification)].  In the absence of a permanent foundation, a tiny home is considered a recreational vehicle. 

Tobacco Manufacturing means establishments primarily engaged in (1) stemming and redrying tobacco and/or (2) manufacturing cigarettes or other tobacco products.

NAICS code 312230. 

Tow Truck means any vehicle, automobile, heavy equipment, or tractor trailer that tows or hauls vehicles.

Tractor Trailer means a truck with a cab, equipped with a coupling device to pull trailers, tankers, or semi-trailers. The term tractor trailer shall include the truck with a cab and if connected, a trailer, tanker, or semi-trailer. The term tractor trailer shall include, but not be limited to, tractor truck and semi-trailer.

Truck Trailer Parking and Storage means an area designated for parking or storage of tractor trailers, motor vehicles, heavy equipment, or any other commercial vehicle.

Tractor Trailer Sales, Repair, Rental and Leasing means a facility and accessory storage areas where tractor trailers are sold to consumers, or where tractor trailers or heavy equipment are repaired for consumers.

Transfer Station means a place for the collection of waste and recyclable materials for transfer to a landfill or recycling facility.

Transit Station or Terminal means a passenger terminal at which different modes of ground or rail transportation stop periodically to pick up or discharge passengers.

Transitional Housing means temporary housing linked to supportive services that are offered for less than 24 months, to facilitate movement to permanent housing for persons with low incomes who may have one or more disabilities.  This may include, among other populations, adults, emancipated minors, families with children, elderly persons, young adults aging out of the foster care system, individuals exiting from institutional settings, veterans, or homeless people. 

Transportation Equipment Manufacturing means establishments that produce equipment for transporting people and goods. Transportation equipment is a type of machinery. An entire subsector is devoted to this activity because of the significance of its economic size in all three North American countries. Establishments in this subsector utilize production processes similar to those of other machinery manufacturing establishments - bending, forming, welding, machining, and assembling metal or plastic parts into components and finished products. However, the assembly of components and subassemblies and their further assembly into finished vehicles tends to be a more common production process in this subsector than in the Machinery Manufacturing subsector.

NAICS code 336 and its subsectors. 

Truck Stop means a facility which dispenses fuel primarily to tractor trailers. Accessory uses such as washing, light mechanical maintenance, and storage of tractor trailers and other commercial vehicles may occur.  A truck stop may also include overnight parking, retail uses, and restaurants as accessory uses.

Understory Tree means a tree that typically reaches 12 to 35 feet in height when mature.

Unfinished Area means an enclosed area that is used for the parking of vehicles, building access, or storage purposes and that does not meet the definition of finished area. 

Urban Development Area means that for the purposes of Code of Virginia § 15.2-2223.1, the following zoning districts are considered urban development areas for purposes of the access management and street design requirements of this Chapter: SU (Semi-Urban Neighborhood), UR (Urban Residential), CC (Corridor Commercial) Option 2, and MU (Mixed-Use Center).

Urethane and Other Foam Product Manufacturing means establishments primarily engaged in manufacturing plastics foam products (except polystyrene). 

NAICS code 326150. 

Use means a purpose for which land, or a building or structure is designed, arranged or intended, or for which it is occupied or maintained.

Use, Nonconforming means the lawful use of land, buildings, structures and premises existing on the effective date of this Chapter which does not conform to the applicable provisions of this Chapter.

Use, Permitted means a use which may be lawfully established in a particular district or districts provided it conforms to all requirements and regulations of such district.

Use, Principal means the primary use of land, buildings, or structures as distinguished from a subordinate or accessory use.

Utility Service Building or Facility means any private structure used in the providing of electricity, gas, steam, communications, water, or wastewater. This does not include telecommunications towers, power generation facilities, or transfer stations.  

Utility Substation means a hub or distribution facility for any physically connected private utility systems such as electricity, gas, cable/fiber optic communications, and telephone, including facilities that transform electric voltage or natural gas pressure to the level supplied to the distribution system, but not including any facility that occupies less than 16 square feet of ground area and is less than eight feet in height. This shall include a switching station.

Utility Trailer Sales, Repair, Rental, and Leasing means a facility that sells or leases new or used trailers or other similar unmotorized transportation vehicles. The facility may maintain an inventory of the trailers for sale or lease on site and may provide on-site facilities for the repair and service of the trailers.

Variance means an exception granted by the Board of Zoning Appeals to allow a reasonable deviation from those provisions of this Ordinance regulating the shape, size or area of a lot, or the size, height, area, bulk or location of a building or structure, when the strict application of the ordinance would unreasonably restrict the use of the property, the need for the variance is not shared generally by other properties, and the variance is not contrary to the purpose of this Chapter. 

For purposes of floodplain management regulations (Sec. 19.2-27), a variance means a grant of relief by Chesterfield County from the terms of a floodplain management regulation.

Vegetated Buffer means a permanent strip of dense perennial vegetation established parallel to the contours of and perpendicular to the dominant slope of the field for the purposes of slowing water runoff, enhancing water infiltration, and minimizing the risk of any potential nutrients or pollutants from leaving the field and reaching surface waters.

Vertical Takeoff Landing Aircraft (VTOL) means aircraft capable of vertical or near-vertical takeoff and landings.

Vertiport means any identifiable ground or elevated structure, including any building or facilities on the same lot, used for the landing and takeoff of tiltrotor aircraft and rotorcraft, not to include helicopters.  

Veterinary Clinic/Hospital means any facility specializing in giving clinical, temporary, and emergency services of a medical or surgical nature to animals, especially domestic animals, and licensed by state law to provide such facilities and services.  A veterinary clinic or hospital may include an animal crematorium as an accessory use.

Violation means, for purposes of the floodplain management ordinance (Sec. 19.2-27), the failure of a structure or other development to be fully compliant with the County’s floodplain management regulations. A structure or other development without the elevation certificate, other certifications, or other evidence of compliance required in the Floodplain Management Ordinance is presumed to be in violation until such time as the necessary documentation is provided.

Vista means, for the purposes of Chesapeake Bay regulations, an area that can be selectively thinned to provide a view of an aesthetic feature.

Water Body with Perennial Flow means a body of water that flows in a natural or man-made channel year-round during a year of normal precipitation. This includes, but is not limited to, streams, estuaries, and tidal embayments, and may include drainage ditches or channels constructed in wetlands or from former natural drainage ways which convey perennial flow. Lakes and ponds through which a perennial stream flows are a part of the perennial stream. Generally, the water table is located above the streambed for most of the year and groundwater is the primary sources for stream flow.

Warehouse means a building used primarily for the storage of goods and materials for later use or resale. This definition does not include self-storage or distribution center.

Watercourse means a lake, river, creek, stream, wash, channel or other topographic feature on or over which waters flow at least periodically. Watercourse includes specifically designated areas in which substantial flood damage may occur.

Water-Dependent Facility means development of land that cannot exist outside of a resource protection area and must be located on the shoreline because of the intrinsic nature of its operation. These facilities include, but are not limited to: ports; intake and outfall structures of power plants, water treatment plants, wastewater treatment plants, and storm sewers; marinas and other boat docking structures; natural beaches and other water-oriented recreation areas; and fisheries or other marine resources facilities.

Waterways, Navigable means creeks, streams or rivers which are subject to tidal influences.

Weeds, Noxious means weeds that are difficult to control effectively such as but not limited to Johnson grass, kudzu, and multi-flora rose. 

Wetlands mean areas that are inundated or saturated by surface or groundwater at a frequency and duration sufficient to support, and under normal circumstances do support, a prevalence of vegetation typically adapted for life in saturated soil conditions and over which the Commonwealth of Virginia or the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers exercises jurisdiction. Wetlands typically include swamps, marshes, bogs, and similar areas.

Wetlands, Non-Tidal mean wetlands, other than tidal wetlands, that are inundated or saturated by surface water or groundwater at a frequency and duration sufficient to support, and that under normal circumstances do support, a prevalence of vegetation typically adapted for life in saturated soil conditions, as defined by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency pursuant to section 404 of the federal Clean Water Act in 33 CFR 328.3b.

Wholesale Trade means a use primarily engaged in selling merchandise to retailers; to industrial, commercial, institutional, farm or professional business users; or to other wholesalers; or acting as agents or brokers in buying merchandise for or selling merchandise to such persons or companies. Functions frequently performed by wholesale establishments include maintaining inventories of goods; physically assembling, sorting and grading goods in large lots; delivery; and refrigeration.

Wood Products Manufacturing means establishments that manufacture wood products, such as lumber, plywood, veneers, wood containers, wood flooring, wood trusses, manufactured homes (i.e., mobile homes), and prefabricated wood buildings. The production processes of the Wood Product Manufacturing subsector include sawing, planing, shaping, laminating, and assembling of wood products starting from logs that are cut into bolts, or lumber that then may be further cut, or shaped by lathes or other shaping tools. The lumber or other transformed wood shapes may also be subsequently planed or smoothed, and assembled into finished products, such as wood containers. The Wood Product Manufacturing subsector includes establishments that make wood products from logs and bolts that are sawed and shaped, and establishments that purchase sawed lumber and make wood products. With the exception of sawmills and wood preservation establishments, the establishments are grouped into industries mainly based on the specific products manufactured.

NAICS code 321 and its subsectors.

Not to include Sawmills and Wood Preservation (NAICS code 3211). 

Yard means open space at grade between a building or structure and the adjoining lot line unoccupied and unobstructed by any portion of a building or structure from the ground upward.

Yard, Corner Side means the yard of a corner lot extending across the side of the lot between the right-of-way and the nearest line of the main building, from the front building line to the rear property line. The longer lot frontage shall be considered the corner side yard.

Yard, Front means the yard extending across the front of a lot between the front lot line and the nearest line of the main building. 

Yard, Interior Side means the yard lying between the side lot line of the lot and the nearest line of the side of the main building, and extending from the front yard to the rear yard.

Yard, Rear means the yard extending across the rear of a lot between the rear line of the lot and the nearest line of the main building, excluding the corner side yard on a corner lot.

Yard, Corner Side See Yard.

Yard, Front See Yard. 

Yard, Interior Side See Yard.

Yard, Rear See Yard.

Zoning Approval means a conditional use, conditional zoning, variance, administrative modification, special exception, substantial accord, manufactured home permit, conditional use planned development (CUPD), zoning deviation (ZD), and rezoning which has received approval from the appropriate authorizing body.

Zoning Condition means a condition of a zoning approval.

Zoning Map means a map that shows how land is divided into zoning districts for specific uses. It is maintained by the Planning Department in an electronic format.