The purpose of this article is to establish the zoning districts of the City, both base and overlay, and to provide the general rules for the regulation of each district. The established districts provide densities that are appropriate for the context of a built environment and establish a building form relating to the public realm. The districts reflect Roanoke's character in the region as an urban community with a compact development pattern and effective street grid.

In order to carry out the purposes of this chapter, the City of Roanoke shall be divided into zoning districts as established below:

(a)

Base districts. The following base zoning districts are hereby established:

(1)

Residential zoning districts:

RA Agricultural District
R-12 Residential District
R-7 Residential District
R-5 Residential District
R-3 Residential District
RM-1 Residential District
RM-2 Residential District
RMF Residential District

(2)

Multiple purpose zoning districts:

MX Mixed Use District
CN Commercial-Neighborhood District
CG Commercial-General District
CLS Commercial-Large Site District
D Downtown District
IN Institutional District
ROS Recreation and Open Space District
UF Urban Flex District
UC Urban Center District

(3)

Industrial zoning districts:

Light Industrial District (I-1)
Heavy Industrial District (I-2)
Airport Development District (AD)

(4)

Planned unit development districts:

Mixed Use Planned Unit Development District (MXPUD)
Institutional Planned Unit Development District (INPUD)
Industrial Planned Unit Development District (IPUD)

(b)

Overlay zoning districts. The following overlay zoning districts are hereby established:

Historic Downtown Overlay District (H-1)
Historic Neighborhood Overlay District (H-2)
Neighborhood Design Overlay District (ND)
Floodplain Overlay District (F)
Airport Navigation Overlay District (AN)
River and Creek Corridors Overlay District (RCC)
Comprehensive Sign Overlay District

(Ord. No. 38424, § 1, 4-20-09; Ord. No. 39122, § 1, 5-16-11; Ord. No. 42902, § 1, 3-18-24; Ord. No. 43049, § 1, 9-16-24)

The boundaries of the zoning districts established in Section 36.2-201 shall be as shown upon the Official Zoning Map as set forth in Article 1 of this chapter.

In addition to the regulations for specific zoning districts set forth in Article 3 of this chapter, development standards applicable to all zoning districts, unless otherwise provided, are set forth in Article 6, and supplemental regulations applicable to particular uses or building types, within one (1) or more districts, are set forth in Article 4.

(a)

Applicability. Pursuant to Section 15.2-2280, Code of Virginia (1950), as amended, Article 3 of this chapter regulates the use of all land and structures for commercial, industrial, residential, and other categories of land uses.

(b)

Permitted uses.

(1)

The permitted uses, as of right and by special exception, for each base zoning district are set forth in table format in Article 3 referred to in this chapter as "Use Tables".

(2)

Uses permitted as of right or by special exception shall be subject to all provisions of this chapter.

(c)

Interpretation of use tables.

(1)

In the case of mixed uses, the regulation for each use, as provided in Article 3, shall apply to that portion of the building or land so used unless otherwise provided.

(2)

If a use is specifically identified in the Use Tables, while a more general use category is also listed, the regulations and applicability of the specifically identified use shall govern.

(3)

For a use not identified in the Use Tables, the Zoning Administrator may determine that such use is substantially the same as another use otherwise permitted in the Use Tables. Such decision of the Zoning Administrator shall be recorded in writing.

(Ord. No. 39122, § 1, 5-16-11)

(a)

Applicability.

(1)

Each section of Article 3 establishes minimum and maximum standards for the size, height, area, and bulk of structures, the areas and dimensions of land and air space to be occupied by structures and uses, and yards and other open spaces to be left unoccupied by uses and structures, pursuant to Section 15.2-2280, Code of Virginia (1950), as amended.

(2)

Supplemental regulations (Article 4) that contain certain dimensional requirements shall supersede the dimensional requirement of the applicable zoning district as set forth in Article 3 or this section.

(3)

In addition to the dimensional regulations set forth in Article 3 for each zoning district, dimensional regulations shall be further defined as set forth in Section 36.2-205(b) through (k).

(b)

Dwellings permitted on a lot.

(1)

When using minimum lot area for each dwelling any fractional dwelling count shall be equal to zero dwelling units.

(2)

Any lands normally submerged under water shall not be included in computing the allowable number of dwelling units for any lot.

(c)

Lot area. Any lot, legally in existence at the time this chapter was adopted, which does not meet the minimum lot area or minimum lot frontage requirements of the district in which it is located, as set forth in Article 3 of this chapter, may be developed, subject to the use and other dimensional requirements of the applicable district.

(d)

Lot frontage.

(1)

Every building erected or moved shall be located on a lot that has frontage on an improved street.

(2)

Lots that existed prior to the adoption of this chapter that have no frontage on a public street may provide access from a private street that has been approved by the City Manager. No such lot may be further subdivided unless frontage on a street is provided consistent with the applicable zoning district regulation.

(3)

In all residential districts, the minimum lot frontage requirements for developments on culs-de-sac shall be measured along the line of the minimum front yard and such minimum frontage may be reduced to seventy-five (75) percent of the frontage required by the district, but in no case shall the frontage at the right-of-way line be less than thirty-five (35) feet.

(4)

In addition to the lot frontage required by the applicable zoning district, all structures shall be located on lots so as to comply with any adopted ordinances of the City relating to public service and fire protection.

(e)

Yards, generally.

(1)

Applicability: Yards shall be defined as set forth in Appendix A and applied as set forth in Article 2, except as may otherwise be provided in this chapter. Whenever more than one (1) principal building is located on a lot, the yards required by the applicable zoning district shall be established and maintained on the lot around the group of buildings. Buildings shall be separated by any distance prescribed by the fire prevention and protection regulations of Chapter 12 of this Code.

(2)

Permitted encroachments in yards: Yards shall be unoccupied and unobstructed as defined in Appendix A, except that encroachments thirty (30) inches or greater in height into yards shall be permitted as set forth in Table 205-1, provided the structure with which the encroachment is associated is conforming, or if the structure is nonconforming, provided the encroachment does not increase any nonconforming characteristic of the structure.

Table 205-1. Permitted Yard Encroachments

(f)

Front yards.

(1)

The depth of a front yard shall be measured at a right angle to the street line to the front building line of the building, excluding the front porch or any other encroachment into the front yard. In the case of a curved street line, the depth shall be measured on the radial line.

(2)

The required depth of the minimum and maximum front yards shall be established by the applicable zoning district regulations as set forth in Article 3.

(3)

In the residential districts, the maximum front yard requirements shall apply only to new principal structures. At least fifty (50) percent of the street facing building facade shall abut the line of the maximum front yard depth or shall lie between the lines of the minimum and maximum front yard depths.

(4)

Maximum front yard requirements in multiple purpose districts shall apply as specified in Table 205-2 below:

Table 205-2. Application of Maximum Front Yard
Requirements

(g)

Side yards. The required width of a side yard shall be measured at right angles to the adjacent side lot line.

(h)

Rear yards. The depth of a rear yard shall be measured at a right angle to the rear property line.

(i)

Yards—Corner lots and through lots.

(1)

Corner lots having two (2) street frontages shall provide yards as follows:

(A)

In a district where Section 36.2-313 applies, one (1) front yard shall be provided with the minimum and maximum depths determined by that section. The other front yard shall be subject only to a minimum required depth of one-half (½) the minimum front yard required by the district.

(B)

In the MX, CN, CG, D, IN, UF, and UC Districts, the primary front yard shall be established according to Section 36.2-319.

(C)

In all other districts, one (1) front yard shall be provided with the minimum and maximum depths of the district. The other front yard shall be subject only to a minimum required depth of one-half (½) the minimum front yard required by the district.

(D)

Any yards remaining after front yards have been provided shall be considered side yards.

(2)

Corner lots having more than two (2) street frontages shall provide a front yard for each frontage:

(A)

In a district where Section 36.2-313 applies, two (2) front yards shall be provided with the minimum and maximum depths determined by that section. Any other front yards shall be subject only to a minimum required depth of one-half (½) the minimum front yard required by the district.

(B)

In the MX, CN, CG, D, IN, UF, and UC Districts, two (2) maximum yards shall be established according to Section 36.2-319.

(C)

In all other districts, two (2) front yards shall be provided with the minimum and maximum depths of the district. Any other front yards shall be subject only to a minimum required depth of one-half (½) the minimum front yard required by the district.

(D)

Any yards remaining after front yards have been provided shall be considered side yards.

(3)

Through lots shall provide a front yard for each frontage:

(A)

In a district where Section 36.2-313 applies, one (1) front yard shall be provided with the minimum and maximum depths determined by that section. The other front yard shall be subject to only the minimum front yard depth required by the district.

(B)

In the MX, CN, CG, D, IN, UF, and UC Districts, the primary front yard shall be established according to Section 36.2-319 and shall be provided with the minimum and maximum depths of the district or as determined by Section 36.2-313, as applicable. The other front yard shall be subject to only the minimum front yard depth required by the district.

(C)

In all other districts, one (1) front yard shall be provided with the minimum and maximum depths of the district. The other front yard shall be subject only to the minimum front yard required by the district.

(D)

Any yards remaining after front yards have been provided shall be considered side yards.

(4)

In the case of any corner lot not referenced in subsections (1) through (3) above, where maximum front yards are established by this chapter, such maximum front yard requirements shall apply to only one (1) of the front yards, except where Section 36.2-319 applies.

(j)

Height.

(1)

Applicability: The maximum height regulations set forth in Article 3 for each base zoning district shall apply to principal and accessory buildings. This chapter contains other applicable height standards for signs (Article 6) and fences, walls, and certain other structures set forth in the supplemental regulations of Article 4.

(2)

Exemptions:

(A)

In all zoning districts, except for properties in the Airport Navigation Overlay District (AN), the maximum height regulations set forth in Article 3 shall not apply to any of the following parts or appurtenances of a building not intended for human occupancy:

(i)

Church spires, belfries, cupolas, chimneys, smokestacks, flagpoles, attached whip antennas less than eight (8) feet in length, and similar structures;

(ii)

Elevator penthouses, towers, solar energy systems, and mechanical or electrical equipment except satellite dishes, located on a roof provided that such features shall be erected only to the height necessary to accomplish the purpose they are intended to serve and the total area covered by such features shall not exceed twenty (20) percent of the horizontal area of the roof on which they are located; and

(iii)

Parapet walls or cornices, without windows, which do not exceed the maximum height requirement for the district in which they are located by more than four (4) feet.

(B)

In all zoning districts, except for properties in the Heavy Industrial District (I-2), the maximum height regulations set forth for each base zoning district shall not apply to wireless telecommunications facilities, stealth wireless telecommunications facilities, and broadcasting towers, subject to the provisions of Section 36.2-432.

(C)

In all zoning districts, the maximum height regulations set forth in each base zoning district shall not apply to any wind turbine, such structures being subject to the height limitations provisions of Section 36.2-403(m).

(Ord. No. 37633, § 2, 11-20-06; Ord. No. 37795, § 1, 5-21-07; Ord. No. 37984, § 2, 12-17-07; Ord. No. 38237, § 1, 9-15-08; Ord. No. 38423, § 1, 4-20-09; Ord. No. 38424, § 1, 4-20-09; Ord. No. 39122, § 1, 5-16-11; Ord. No. 39495, § 1, 9-4-12; Ord. No. 40088, § 1, 10-20-14; Ord. No. 40710, § 1, 12-5-16; Ord. No. 41173, § 1, 6-18-18; Ord. No. 41370, § 1, 1-22-19; Ord. No. 41817, § 1, 7-20-20; Ord. No. 42902, § 1, 3-18-24; Ord. No. 43049, § 1, 9-16-24)