Louisa City Zoning Code

The developer shall prepare, or cause to be prepared, a site plan of the proposed development along with other materials or information necessary to fully describe the project/development design.

Upon determination of the impact of a proposed use change or development, a landscape plan may be required to be submitted along with the site plan as part of overall development review. The landscape plan shall be prepared according to Article XIII, Landscaping Standards. A landscape plan shall be required for a proposed new principal building or use, a proposed change to a higher intensity use, and proposed use and/or building expansion. Landscaping plans shall not be required for existing or proposed single-family or two-family dwellings.

The site plan and related information shall be submitted to the Administrator. The plan shall be accompanied by an application of such form and content as may be prescribed by the Administrator.

The Zoning Administrator shall review the plan for compliance with this chapter and other applicable Town regulations, including Chapter 143, Subdivision of Land, and the Comprehensive Plan. The Zoning Administrator shall, during the process of review, call for opinions or decisions, either verbal or written, from other departments in considering details of any submitted plan. Those departments consulted shall include, but not be limited to, the Town Public Works Department and Virginia Department of Transportation.

The Zoning Administrator shall act upon the site plan and related material as submitted by the developer, or as modified by the review process, within 20 working days of receipt of the most recent version of the plan and, if approved, shall certify its approval and state the conditions of such approval, if any, or if not approved shall indicate its disapproval and the reasons therefor.

In the event the developer should disagree with the decision of the Administrator, he shall, within 30 days of the decision, request a hearing of the matter before the Board of Zoning Appeals. The hearing shall be placed on the agenda of the next regularly scheduled meeting of the Board of Zoning Appeals. The Board of Zoning Appeals may, upon hearing the request, confirm or reverse the decision of the Administrator or require such additional information as needed. The Board of Zoning Appeals shall reach a decision within 60 days of the filing of a request for a hearing.

The developer shall submit, along with the application for approval, seven copies of the proposed site plan, prepared, stamped and endorsed by a registered engineer, surveyor, architect, landscape architect, or other persons duly licensed by the Commonwealth of Virginia as such, and containing the following information:

The site plan shall be of a form and size suitable for review, drawn to scale, with all dimensions showing accurately the size and location of all proposed construction and improvements.

All features and elements of the site plan required by this article shall in all respects conform to all applicable provisions and standards of the Code of Virginia (1950), as amended, and the Code of the Town of Louisa.

All improvements required by this article shall be built to, or exceed, the minimum specifications of the Town of Louisa and shall be installed by and at the expense of the developer except when provided for in this or other ordinances.

The width and nature of easements and rights-of-way shall be as determined in conference with representatives of the Virginia Department of Transportation.

Fire hydrants and water distribution systems shall be provided by the developer in accordance with standards of the Public Works Department when applicable.

When required by this article, a percentage of the gross acreage within multifamily developments shall be dedicated to recreation and/or open space. No such area shall be designated as recreation or open space which exceeds a maximum grade of 4%.

Provisions for storm surface drainage shall be in accordance with the design standards of the Public Works Department, indicating location, size, types and grades of all sewers, drainage structures, ditches, either existing or proposed, and connection to existing drainage systems. Disposition of storm or natural waters, both on and off the site, shall be provided in such a manner as not to have a detrimental effect on the property of others or the public right-of-way.

Traffic control, signalization, turn lanes, bypass lanes and other improvements required to be made to public streets, alleys, and rights-of-way shall be provided when, based upon traffic studies, public safety considerations would require such measures.

All entrances to public rights-of-way and location thereof shall be in accordance with the standards of the Virginia Department of Transportation.

When a site plan is submitted which has a gross building area of greater than 20,000 square feet, or occupies a land area of three acres or greater, then the plan shall also require the approval of the Planning Commission in addition to the approval of the Zoning Administrator.

The Planning Commission shall, during the process of considering and acting upon site plans, take into consideration the public health, safety and welfare, the comfort and convenience of the public in general and of the immediate and surrounding neighborhood, and may prescribe conditions designed to achieve the expressed intent of this and all other Town ordinances.

In the event the developer should disagree with the decision of the Planning Commission, he shall, within 30 days of the decision, request a hearing of the matter before the Louisa Town Council. The hearing shall be placed on the agenda of the next regularly scheduled meeting of Town Council. The Council may, upon hearing the request, confirm or reverse the decision of the Planning Commission or require such information as needed. Town Council shall reach a decision within 60 days of the filing of a request for a hearing.