An ordinance regulating and restricting the use of buildings, structures, and land, and providing for the administration, enforcement and amendment thereof in the City of Covington, Virginia, and for said purpose of dividing the city into districts. This ordinance shall be known and cited as the "Zoning Ordinance of the City of Covington, Virginia."

Whereas, by act of the General Assembly of Virginia as provided in Code of Virginia, title 15.2, chapter 22, article 7 (Code of Virginia, § 15.2-2280 et seq.), and amendments thereto, the governing body of any city may, by ordinance, classify territory under its jurisdiction or any substantial portion thereof into districts of such number, shape and size as it may deem best suited to carry out the purposes of the article, and in each district it may regulate, restrict, permit, prohibit, and determine the following:

(2-1)

The use of land, buildings, structures, and other premises for agricultural, business, industrial, floodplain, and other specific uses;

(2-2)

The size, height, area, bulk, location, erection, construction, reconstruction, alteration, repair, maintenance, razing or removal of structures;

(2-3)

The areas and dimensions of land, water, and air space to be occupied by buildings, structures and uses, and of courts, yards, and other open space to be left unoccupied by uses and structures, including variations in the sizes of lots based on whether a public or community water supply or sewer system is available and used; or

(2-4)

The excavation or mining of soil or other natural resources.

(Ord. No. O-20-14, 6-14-2022)

Be it therefore ordained by the Covington City Council upon the recommendation of the Covington City Planning Commission, and having given due notice of public hearings on the proposed zoning ordinance and having held such hearings, that the zoning regulations and districts herein set forth are for the purpose of promoting and improving the public health, safety, convenience or welfare and to plan for the future development of the city and of further accomplishing the objectives of Code of Virginia, § 15.2-2200, as amended, and therefore, the following is hereby known as the "Zoning Ordinance of Covington, Virginia," together with the accompanying official zoning map.

This ordinance has been designed to:

(3-1)

Provide for adequate light, air, convenience of access, and safety from fire, flood and other dangers;

(3-2)

Reduce or prevent congestion in the public streets;

(3-3)

Facilitate the creation of a convenient, attractive and harmonious community;

(3-4)

Facilitate the provision of adequate police and fire protection, disaster evacuation, civil defense, transportation, water, flood protection, schools, parks, playgrounds, forests, recreational facilities, airports and other public requirements;

(3-5)

Protect against one or more of the following: Overcrowding of land, undue density of population in relation to the community facilities existing or available, obstruction of light or air, danger and congestion in travel and transportation, or loss of life, health or property from fire, flood, panic or other dangers; and

(3-6)

Encourage economic development activities that provide desirable employment and enlarge the tax base.

(Ord. No. O-20-14, 6-14-2022)

This zoning ordinance and map has been drawn with reasonable consideration for the existing use and character of property; and the existing land use plan, the suitability of property for various uses, the trends of growth or change, the current and future requirements of the city as to land for various purposes as determined by population and economic studies and other studies; the transportation requirements of the city; the housing, schools, parks, playgrounds, recreation areas, and other public services; for the conservation of natural resources, and the preservation of floodplains, and for the conservation of properties and their values and the encouragement of the most appropriate use of land throughout Covington.