The R-3 general residential district is composed of certain quiet, low-density, medium-density, and high density residential uses plus certain open areas where similar development appears likely to occur. The regulations for this district are designed to stabilize and protect the essential characteristics of the district, to promote and encourage a suitable environment for family life where there are children and to generally prohibit activities of a commercial nature. To these ends, development is limited to relatively low concentration, and permitted uses are limited to primarily single-family dwellings plus accessory uses and certain multiple-family dwelling uses. This district is not completely residential as it includes public and semipublic, institutional and other related uses.

(Code 1988, § 17-131; Ord. No. O-13-01 (01-14-2014), § 1, 1-14-2014; Ord. No. O-13-04, § 1, 1-14-2014; Ord. No. O-22-01, § 5, 1-2-2022)

In the R-3 general residential district, structures to be erected or land to be used shall be for one or more of the following uses:

(1)

Single-family dwellings.

(2)

Multiple-family dwellings.

(3)

Tourist homes.

(4)

Schools.

(5)

Churches.

(6)

Rest homes.

(7)

General hospitals with a conditional use permit.

(8)

Clubs and lodges with a conditional use permit.

(9)

Parks and playgrounds.

(10)

Home occupations:

a.

Office.

b.

Home occupation child care.

(11)

Offstreet parking as required by this chapter.

(12)

Public utilities such as poles, lines, distribution, transformers, pipes, meters and other facilities necessary for the provision and maintenance of public utilities, including water and sewer facilities, in accordance with a conditional use permit and with other provisions contained in this chapter.

(13)

Church bulletin boards and identification signs.

(14)

Directional signs.

(15)

Home occupation signs.

(16)

Maintaining horses, mules, donkeys and ponies as defined in 90-1035.

(17)

Maintaining poultry and bees as defined in 90-1035.1.

(18)

Animal boarding place, private, on parcels of more than one acre in size.

(Code 1988, § 17-132; Ord. No. O-02-012, 10-22-2002; Ord. No. O-17-04, § 1, 4-25-2017; Ord. No. O-13-01 (01-14-2014), § 1, 1-14-2014; Ord. No. O-13-04, § 1, 1-14-2014; Ord. No. O-22-37, § 11, 12-13-2022)

The following uses and structures are permitted by special exception in the R-3 general residential district:

(1)

Removal of topsoil, in accordance with the requirements of section 54-6.

(2)

Tree stump landfills. Stumps and other natural vegetation may be buried in designated areas, provided:

a.

A surveyed plat of the landfilling site so designated is recorded in the clerk of the circuit court's office;

b.

All county erosion control and reclamation ordinances are adhered to; and

c.

Such other conditions as required by the board that are deemed appropriate.

(3)

Adult communities are permitted subject to the following conditions:

a.

The minimum gross site acreage shall be 50 acres.

b.

The project will be served by public sewer and water.

c.

The development will be an age-restricted community. At least one of the purchasers must be 55 years old or older.

d.

A mixture of single-family detached lots and attached homes will be provided.

e.

Each single-family detached lot shall have a minimum of 7,000 square feet and 70 feet of lot width.

f.

Attached units shall be side to side. No more than four units may be attached in a single structure.

g.

A homeowners' association shall be created, which will own and operate all of the common elements of the development.

h.

Due to the special nature of adult communities, the following exceptions to existing provisions are permitted, provided all of the conditions in this subsection are met:

1.

With approval from the board of supervisors the roads within the development need not be accepted into the state system or may be restricted from public access so long as provision is made for their maintenance by the homeowners' association. All such roads shall be constructed to VDOT standards and shall have curb and gutter. The minimum road width shall be 30 feet from face of curb to face of curb.

2.

Lots do not have to have frontage on a public road.

3.

Attached homes may have individual lots which are not subject to the lot provisions otherwise applicable to lots for detached homes, or may be sold as condominium units.

(4)

Family day care home (large).

(5)

Home professional and trade offices.

(6)

Home occupation in an accessory building.

(Code 1988, § 17-133; Ord. No. O-02-012, 10-22-2002; Ord. No. O-13-10 (06-11-2013), § 2, 6-11-2013)

(1)

Animal boarding place, private, on parcels of one acre or less in size.

(Ord. No. O-12-37, § 1, 11-27-2012; Ord. No. O-22-37, § 12, 12-13-2022)

(a)

For lots in an R-3 general residential district containing or intended to contain a single permitted use served by public water and sewage disposal, the minimum lot area shall be 10,000 square feet.

(b)

For lots containing or intended to contain a single permitted use served by public water systems, but having individual sewage disposal, the minimum lot area shall be 12,000 square feet.

(c)

For lots containing or intended to contain a single permitted use served by individual water and sewage disposal systems, the minimum lot area shall be 20,000 square feet.

(d)

For lots containing or intended to contain more than a single permitted use served by public water and sewage disposal systems, the minimum lot area shall be:

(1)

For two units, 12,000 square feet or more.

(2)

For three units, 14,000 square feet or more.

(3)

For each additional unit above three, 1,000 square feet.

(e)

For lots containing or intended to contain more than a single permitted use served by public water systems but having individual sewage disposal systems, the minimum lot area shall be:

(1)

For two units, 16,000 square feet or more;

(2)

For three units, 18,000 square feet or more; and

(3)

For each additional unit above three, 1,000 square feet.

(f)

For lots containing or intended to contain more than a single permitted use served by individual water and sewage disposal systems, the minimum lot area shall be:

(1)

For two units, 22,000 square feet or more;

(2)

For three units, 24,000 square feet or more; and

(3)

For each additional unit above three, 1,000 square feet.

(g)

For permitted uses utilizing individual sewage disposal systems, the required area for any such use shall be approved by the health official. The administrator may require a greater area if considered necessary by the health official.

(Code 1988, § 17-134)

Structures in an R-3 general residential district shall be located 35 feet or more from any street right-of-way which is 50 feet or greater in width or 60 feet or more from the centerline of any street right-of-way less than 50 feet in width. Signs advertising the sale or rental of property may be erected up to the property line. This shall be known as the setback line.

(Code 1988, § 17-135)

(a)

For permitted uses in an R-3 general residential district served by both public water and public sewerage, the minimum lot width at the setback line shall be 75 feet or more, and for each additional permitted use there shall be at least ten feet of additional lot width at the setback line.

(b)

For permitted uses served by individual water and sewage disposal systems, the minimum lot width at the setback line shall be 100 feet or more, and for each additional permitted use there shall be at least ten feet of additional lot width at the setback line.

(Code 1988, § 17-136)

(a)

Side. The minimum side yard in an R-3 general residential district for each main structure shall be ten feet, and the total width of the two required side yards shall be 25 feet or more.

(b)

Rear. Each main structure shall have a rear yard of 25 feet or more.

(Code 1988, § 17-137)

Buildings in an R-3 general residential district may be erected up to 35 feet in height from grade, except that:

(1)

The height limit for dwellings may be increased up to ten feet and up to three stories, provided that there are two side yards for each permitted use, each of which is ten feet or more, plus one foot or more of side yard for each additional foot of building height over 35 feet.

(2)

A public or semipublic building such as a school, church, library or hospital may be erected to a height of 60 feet from grade, provided that the required front, side and rear yards shall be increased one foot for each foot in height over 35 feet.

(3)

Church spires, belfries, cupolas, monuments, water towers, chimneys, flues, flagpoles, television antennae and radio aerials are exempt. Parapet walls may be up to four feet above the height of the building on which the walls rest.

(4)

No accessory building which is within ten feet of any party lot line shall be more than one story high. All accessory buildings shall be less than the main building in height.

(Code 1988, § 17-138)

(a)

Of the two sides of a corner lot in an R-3 general residential district, the front shall be deemed to be the shortest of the two sides fronting on streets.

(b)

The side yard on the side facing the side street shall be 25 feet or more for both main and accessory buildings.

(c)

For subdivisions platted after July 1, 1965, each corner lot shall have a minimum width at the setback line of 100 feet or more.

(Code 1988, § 17-139)

(a)

In the R-3 general residential district, accessory uses and structures are permitted as defined. No accessory structure may be closer than five feet to any property line.

(b)

The following are considered accessory uses with the R-3 general residential district, but are subject to the noted provisions:

(1)

Roof- or ground-mounted small solar energy facility or large-scale solar energy facility as defined by section 90-1, provided that the solar facility only generates energy for that structure.

(2)

Accessory buildings; however, garages or other accessory structures, such as carports, porches, and stoops, attached to the main building, shall be considered part of the main building.

(Ord. No. O-17-04, § 1, 4-25-2017)