(A)

The following rules for general construction of language shall apply to this ordinance:

The specific shall control the general.

The word "person" includes a "firm, association, organization, partnership, trust, company," as well as an "individual."

Any words pertaining to gender shall be interchangeable. The word "he" shall mean "she," and "she" shall mean "he."

The words "used" or "occupied" include the words "intended, designed, or arranged to be used or occupied."

The word "lot" includes the words "plot" or "parcel."

The present tense includes the future tense; the singular number includes the plural; the plural number includes the singular.

The word "shall" is mandatory; the word "may" or "should" is permissive.

All public officials, bodies, and agencies referred to in this ordinance are those of Roanoke County, Virginia, unless otherwise specifically indicated.

(B)

Where terms are not defined, they shall have their ordinarily accepted meaning, or such as the context may imply.

(C)

For the purposes of this ordinance, the words and phrases listed below in this section shall have the meanings described below.

Above ground level (AGL): When referring to a support structure or tower, the distance measured from ground level at the base of the structure to an object or point on the structure such as an antenna, lightning rod or the top of the structure or tower.

Accessory building or structure: A building or structure detached from a principal building on the same lot and customarily incidental and subordinate to the principal building or use. Where an accessory building or structure is attached to the principal building in a substantial manner, as by a wall or roof, such accessory building shall be considered a part of the principal building. Accessory structures shall not exceed 600 square feet in special flood hazard areas.

Accessory use: A use of land or a building or structure or portion thereof customarily incidental and subordinate to the principal use of the land or building or structure and located on the same lot with such principal use.

Act of God: A natural event, not preventable by any human agency, such as flood, storms, or lightning. Forces of nature that no one have control over, and therefore cannot be held accountable.

Addition: An extension or increase in floor area or height of a building or structure.

Alley: An open way that affords a service (i.e. garbage collection, delivery, mail) means of access to an abutting property, which allows homeowner or property owner use/access, but is not maintained by any local, state or federal government.

Alteration: Any change or rearrangement in the supporting members of an existing building, such as bearing walls, columns, beams, girders or interior partitions, or any enlargement or reduction of a building or structure, whether horizontally or vertically, or the moving of a building or a structure from one location to another.

Anemometer: An instrument for measuring wind force and velocity.

Antenna: Any exterior apparatus designed for telephonic, radio, or television communications through the sending and/or receiving of electromagnetic waves. Antenna types include, but are not limited to, omni-directional "whip" antenna, directional panel antenna, parabolic antenna and other ancillary antenna designs. An antenna does not include the tower or other support structure to which it is attached.

Attached sign: Any sign that is affixed directly to a wall, roof, canopy, awning, marquee, mansard wall, parapet wall, or porch of a building, and whose face is parallel to the building element to which it is attached. Attached signs have only one face visible from a public right-of-way.

Awning: A shelter constructed of rigid or nonrigid materials on a supporting framework, either freestanding, or projecting from and supported by an exterior wall of a building.

Awning sign: A type of attached sign painted on, printed on, or otherwise affixed to the surface of an awning.

Balloon test: A technique utilizing a balloon to demonstrate the height of a proposed support structure or tower.

Banner: A temporary sign of flexible materials affixed to a framework or flat surface.

Base flood: The flood having a one percent chance of being equaled or exceeded in any given year.

Base flood elevation (BFE): The water surface elevation of the base flood, that is, the flood level that has a one (1) percent or greater chance of occurrence in any given year. The water surface elevation of the base flood in relation to the datum specified on the community's Flood Insurance Rate Map. For the purpose of this ordinance, the base flood is the one (1) percent annual chance flood.

Basement: Any area of the building having its floor sub-grade (below ground level) on all sides.

Berm: A mound of earth designed to perform the function of a buffer, especially when used in conjunction with landscape plantings between adjacent parcels.

Best management practices: A practice or combination of practices that is determined by the appropriate state agencies 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. The Virginia Best Management Practices Handbooks are available from the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality, Division of Water.

Bioretention planting island: A planting island designed to collect stormwater via curb cuts and gradually remove pollutants from the water through the natural processes of the plants located within the island. Treated water is then naturally allowed to infiltrate into the surrounding soil, or is collected by an underdrain system and discharged to the stormwater system.

Board: The term board shall refer to the Board of Supervisors of Roanoke County, Virginia, unless otherwise specifically indicated.

Board of zoning appeals (BZA): The term board of zoning appeals will refer to the Roanoke County Board of Zoning Appeals. This board is appointed to review appeals made by individuals with regard to decisions of the zoning administrator, and in special flood hazard areas the decisions of the floodplain administrator, in the interpretation of this ordinance. In addition, the BZA is responsible for granting variances from local zoning regulations.

Buffer, riparian: A natural vegetated area left undisturbed or an established vegetated area, adjacent to the bank of a watercourse, through which stormwater runoff flows in a diffuse manner so that the runoff does not become channelized and which provides for infiltration of the runoff and filtering out sediment and other nonpoint source pollutants from runoff before it reaches a watercourse.

Buffer yard: A yard improved with screening and landscaping materials required between abutting zoning districts of differing intensities or between adjoining land uses for the purpose of decreasing the adverse impact of differing uses and districts.

Building: Any structure having a roof supported by columns or walls and intended for the shelter, housing or enclosure of any individual, animal, activity, process, equipment, goods or materials of any kind.

Building coverage: That portion of a lot, which when viewed from directly above, would be covered by any building or structure. For the purposes of this definition, lot shall include contiguous lots of the same ownership within a single zoning district which are to be used, developed or built upon as a unit.

Building, height of: The vertical distance measured from the average adjoining grade on all sides of the building or structure to: In the case of flat roofs, the level of the highest point of the roof or top of the building or structure; in the case of a mansard roof the deck line; and in the case of pitched roofs, including hipped and gambrel roofs, the mean level between the eaves and the highest point of the roof. (For exemptions, see section 30-100-2.)

Building line: The line, parallel to the street right-of-way, that passes through the point of the principal building nearest the street right-of-way, or in the case of the rear building line, furthest from the street right-of-way.

Campsite: A designated plot of ground within a campground intended or used for the exclusive occupancy by a tent, recreational vehicle, or a vacation cottage.

Carport: A space outside a single-family or two-family dwelling, and contiguous thereto, wholly or partially covered by a roof but without side enclosure(s), used for the shelter of motor vehicles.

Cellar: A story having more than one-half (0.5) of its height below average adjoining grade on all sides of the building or structure.

Certificate of zoning compliance: For the purposes of this ordinance, official certification that premises conform to all applicable provisions of the zoning ordinance and may be lawfully used or occupied.

Change of use: Any use which substantially differs from a previous use of a building, structure or property.

Channel: A natural or artificial watercourse with a definite bed and banks that conducts continuously or periodically flowing water.

Cluster subdivision: An alternative means of subdividing land that concentrates building density in specific areas to allow the remaining land to be reserved for the preservation of environmentally-sensitive features and open space.

Colocate: To locate with another user on an existing structure such as a tower, power, phone or light pole; water tank or standpipe, building or steeple, billboard sign or similar structure.

Commercial delivery: The delivery of goods, products, materials, or other items associated with a home occupation by any means other than that which would normally deliver to a residential neighborhood (i.e., U. S. Postal Service, UPS, Federal Express, etc.).

Commercial vehicle: Truck or commercial vehicle with, or designed to have, more than two (2) rear wheels. These provisions shall not apply to pickup body type trucks, or to vehicles essential for an agricultural use associated with the premises.

Commission: The term commission shall mean the Planning Commission of Roanoke County, Virginia.

Conditional letter of map revision (CLOMR): 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 (FIRM) or Flood Insurance Study (FIS).

Condominium: A building or group of buildings, created pursuant to Virginia Condominium Act of 1974, section 55-79.39 et seq., Code of Virginia (1950) as amended, in which units are owned individually, and the structure, common areas and facilities are owned by all the owners on a proportional, undivided basis.

Conservation areas: Areas within the 100-year floodplain, slopes greater than twenty-five (25) percent, lands within designated view sheds and greenway corridors shown on the greenway conceptual plan. Conservation areas include, but are not limited to the following: Healthy woodlands, locations of species listed as endangered, threatened or of special concern, historic structures and sites, riparian zones outside the FEMA study area and productive agricultural and forested lands.

Crown coverage: The amount of ground area covered by tree crowns looking from above the trees.

County: Shall mean Roanoke County, Virginia.

Data center: 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. Such facility may also include air handlers, power generators, water cooling and storage facilities, utility substations, and other associated utility infrastructure to support sustained operations at a data center.

Deck: A structure, without a roof, directly adjacent to a principal building which has an average elevation of thirty (30) inches or greater from finished grade. A deck may be constructed of any materials.

Dedication: The transfer of private property to public ownership upon written acceptance.

Development: Any manmade change to improved or unimproved real estate including, but not limited to, buildings or other structures, temporary structures, mining, dredging, filling, grading, paving, excavation or drilling operations or other land-disturbing activities, or permanent or temporary storage of equipment or materials.

Disaster: Any (i) manmade disaster including any condition following an attack by any enemy or foreign nation upon the United States resulting in substantial damage of property or injury to persons in the United States and may be by use of bombs, missiles, shell fire, nuclear, radiological, chemical, or biological means or other weapons or by overt paramilitary actions; terrorism, foreign and domestic; also any industrial, nuclear, or transportation accident, explosion, conflagration, power failure resource shortage, or other condition such as sabotage, oils spills, and other injurious environmental contaminations that threaten or cause damage to property, human suffering, hardship, or loss of life; and (ii) any natural disaster including any hurricane, tornado, storm, flood, high water, wind-driven water, tidal wave, earthquake, drought, fire, communicable disease of public health threat, or other natural catastrophe resulting in damage, hardship, suffering, or possible loss of life.

Driveway: A private roadway providing access for vehicles to a parking space, garage, dwelling, or other structure.

Dwelling unit: A room or group of rooms connected together containing cooking, bathroom and sleeping facilities constituting a separate, independent housekeeping unit, physically separated from any other dwelling unit in the same structure.

Elevated building: 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).

Encroachment: The advance or infringement of uses, plant growth, fill, excavation, buildings, permanent structures or development into a floodplain, which may impede or alter the flow capacity of a floodplain.

Establishment: Any business, enterprise or other land use permitted by this ordinance.

Existing construction: For the purpose of the flood insurance program, structures for which the "start of construction" commenced before the effective date of the FIRM for that location, or before October 17, 1978, for FIRMs effective before that date. "Existing construction" may also be referred to as "existing structures" and "pre-FIRM."

Family: One (1) or more persons related by blood, marriage, or adoption, or under approved foster care, or a group of not more than five (5) persons (including servants) living together as a single housekeeping unit.

Filling operations: Any depositing or stockpiling of earth materials that disturb two thousand five hundred (2,500) square feet in area or three hundred (300) cubic yards in volume.

Flood or flooding:

(1)

A general or temporary condition of partial or complete inundation of normally dry land areas from:

(a)

The overflow of inland or tidal waters;

(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 in paragraph (1)(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.

(2)

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 as defined in paragraph 1(a) of this definition.

Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM): An official map of a community, on which the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has delineated both the special hazard areas and the risk premium zones applicable to the community. A FIRM that has been made available digitally is called a Digital Flood Insurance Rate Map (DFIRM).

Flood Insurance Study (FIS): A report by FEMA that examines, evaluates and determines flood hazards and, if appropriate, corresponding water surface elevations, or an examination, evaluation and determination of mudflow and/or flood-related erosion hazards.

Floodplain administrator: The floodplain administrator of Roanoke County, Virginia. The floodplain administrator shall be responsible for administering the floodplain regulations on behalf of the county.

Floodplain or flood-prone area: Any land area susceptible to being inundated by water from any source.

Floodproofing: Any combination of structural and non-structural 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: 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 within the community.

Floor area, finished: The sum of the horizontal areas of a building which is intended for human habitation and use and which has a floor to ceiling height of six and one-half (6.5) feet or greater. Areas excluded from the finished floor area would include unfinished basements and attics, storage and utility rooms, and garages.

Floor area, gross: The sum of the horizontal areas of the several stories of a building, measured from the exterior faces of exterior walls, or in the case of a common wall separating two (2) buildings, from the centerline of such common wall. Gross floor area shall exclude interior parking and loading spaces, and airspaces above atriums.

Freeboard: A factor of safety usually expressed in feet above a flood level for purposes of floodplain management. "Freeboard" tends to compensate for the many unknown factors that could contribute to flood heights greater than the height calculated for a selected size flood and floodway conditions, such as wave action, bridge openings, and the hydrological effect of urbanization in the watershed.

Freestanding sign: A sign which is supported by structures or supports, and is permanently affixed to the ground, and is independent of any support from any building.

Frontage width: (See Lot, frontage.)

Garage, private: A building for the private use of the owner or occupant of a principal building situated on the same lot as the principal building for the storage of motor vehicles. No facilities for mechanical service or repair of a commercial nature shall be permitted in a private garage.

Glare: The effect produced by brightness sufficient to cause annoyance, discomfort, or loss in visual performance and visibility.

Ground cover: Low growing plants, which are generally horizontal in nature, used to cover the ground to prevent erosion and weeds.

Highest adjacent grade: The highest natural elevation of the ground surface prior to construction next to the proposed walls of a structure.

Historic structure: Any structure that is 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; 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; 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, individually listed on a local inventory of historic places in communities with historic preservation programs that have been certified either by an approved state program as determined by the secretary of the interior; or, directly by the Secretary of the Interior in states without approved programs.

Household pet: Animals that are kept for personal use or enjoyment within the home. Household pet shall include but is not limited to dogs, cats, birds, and rodents.

Hydrologic and hydraulic engineering analysis: Analyses 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.

Identification sign: A permanent sign displaying only the name of a subdivision, multi-family housing project, shopping center, industrial park, office park, church, school, public or quasi-public facility or similar use type.

Illegal signs: A sign erected without a required permit or which otherwise does not comply with any provisions of this ordinance.

Illuminated sign: Any sign with an artificial light source incorporated internally or externally for the purpose of illuminating the sign.

Industrialized building: A combination of one or more sections or modules, subject to state regulations and including the necessary electrical, plumbing, heating, ventilating, and other service systems, manufactured off-site and transported to the point of use for installation or erection, with or without specified components, to comprise a finished building. i.e. modular homes.

Intermittent stream: A stream channel or reach of a stream channel that carries surface water runoff flow for only part of the year, typically during winter and spring when the channel bottom is below the groundwater table and which flow may be heavily supplemented by stormwater runoff.

Jurisdictional wetland: An area that is inundated or saturated by surface water or groundwater at a frequency and duration sufficient to support a prevalence of vegetation typically adapted for life in saturated soil conditions, commonly known as hydrophytic vegetation.

Land disturbing activity: Any land change which may result in soil erosion from water or wind and the movement of sediments into state waters or onto lands in the commonwealth, including, but not limited to, clearing, grading, excavating, transporting and filling of land. Activities exempted under the definition of a land disturbing activity in the Erosion and Sediment Control Ordinance shall likewise be exempted from the requirements of section 30-75.

Landscaped median: Planting areas which generally run the length of parking aisles in a parking area.

Landscaping: The improvement of the appearance of an area by the planting of trees, grass, shrubs, or other plant materials, or by the alteration of the contours of the ground.

Letter of map amendment (LOMA): An amendment based on technical data showing that a property was incorrectly included in a designated special flood hazard area. A LOMA amends the current effective Flood Insurance Rate Map and establishes that a land as defined by metes and bounds or structure is not located in a special flood hazard area.

Letters of map change (LOMC): A letter of map change is an official FEMA determination, by letter, that amends or revises an effective Flood Insurance Rate Map or Flood Insurance Study. Letters of map change include letter of map amendment (LOMA), letter of map revision (LOMR), and conditional letter of map revision (CLOMR).

Letter of map revision (LOMR): A revision based on technical data that may show changes to flood zones, flood elevations, floodplain and floodway delineations, and planimetric features. A letter of map revision based on fill (LOMR-F) is 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 community's floodplain management regulations.

Lighting plan: A plan showing the location, height above grade, type of illumination, type of fixture, the source lumens, and the luminous area for each source of light proposed.

Loading space, off-street: Space for bulk pick-ups and deliveries, scaled to delivery vehicles expected to be used, and accessible to such vehicles when required off-street parking spaces are filled.

Lot: A parcel of land intended to be separately owned, developed, or otherwise used as a unit, established by plat, subdivisions or as otherwise permitted by law.

Lot, conservation: A lot that has been dedicated to a land trust, homeowners, condominium, or similar association, government agency or other entity through an easement or other transfer of ownership, and set aside in perpetuity as open space in a cluster subdivision.

Lot, corner: A lot located at the intersection of two (2) or more streets or where lot lines or right-of-way lines, or the extension thereof, intersect at less than one hundred thirty-five (135) degrees.

Lot coverage: That portion of a lot, which when viewed from directly above, would be covered by any building or structure, parking and loading areas and other surface which is impermeable or substantially impervious to stormwater. Gravel parking areas shall be considered impervious. For the purposes of this definition, lot shall include contiguous lots of the same ownership within a single zoning district which are to be used, developed or built upon as a unit.

Lot, depth of: The average horizontal distance between front and rear lot lines. The average shall consist of the horizontal distances of the side lot lines and the distance of a line connecting the midpoints of the front and rear lot lines.

Lot, double frontage: A lot, other than a corner lot, which has frontage on more than one (1) street other than an alley. Double frontage lots may be referred to as through lots.

Lot, frontage: The horizontal distance between the side lot lines measured at the point where the side lot lines intersect the street right-of-way. All sides of a lot which abuts a street shall be considered frontage. On curvilinear streets the arc between the side lot lines shall be considered the lot frontage.

Lot, interior: A lot, other than a corner lot, which has only one (1) frontage on a street other than an alley.

Lot, irregular: A lot of such a shape or configuration that technically meets the area, frontage and width to depth requirements of this ordinance but meets these requirements by incorporating unusual elongations, angles, or curvilinear lines unrelated to topography or other natural land feature.

Lot, pipestem: A "panhandle" or "flag" shaped lot with its widest point set back from the road at the rear of another lot (called the pipe), and having a thin strip of land connecting to the road to provide legal access and frontage (called the stem). Pipestem lots are also referred to as panhandle lots or flag lots.

Lot, width of: The average horizontal distance between side lot lines. The average shall consist of the straight line horizontal distances of the front and rear lot lines and the distance of a line connecting the midpoints of the side lot lines.

Lot of record: A lot whose existence, location, and dimensions have been legally recorded or registered in a deed or on a plat in the Clerk's Office of the Circuit Court of Roanoke County.

Low impact development: A land planning and engineering design approach to managing stormwater runoff emphasizing conservation and use of on-site natural features to protect water quality.

Lowest adjacent grade: The lowest natural elevation of the ground surface next to the walls of a structure.

Lowest floor: 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 Federal Code 44 CFR § 60.3.

Mass transit: Transportation by a conveyance that provides regular and continuing general or special transportation to the public, but not including school buses, charter or sightseeing service.

Micro-wireless facility: A small cell facility that is not larger in dimension than twenty-four (24) inches in length, fifteen (15) inches in width, and twelve (12) inches in height and that has an exterior antenna, if any, not longer than eleven (11) inches.

Minor sign: A permanent wall mounted or freestanding sign not exceeding three (3) square feet in area, not exceeding four (4) feet in height, and not illuminated.

Mixed use: A development that provides multiple compatible uses in close proximity to one another. And/or a land use pattern that seeks to increase concentrations of population and employment in well-defined areas with a mix of diverse and compatible land uses.

Monument sign: A freestanding sign directly affixed to a structure built on-grade in which the sign and the structure are an integral part of one another.

Net floor area: The gross floor area of a building excluding hallways, stairwells, utility rooms, and other areas not meant for habitation or public service. For the purpose of this chapter, net floor area shall equal seventy-five (75) percent of the gross floor area.

Net metering: A program offered by a utility company that allows customers with eligible renewable energy systems to offset a portion of the electric energy provided by the utility.

New construction: For the purposes of determining insurance rates, structures for which the "start of construction" commenced on or after the effective date of an initial FIRM for that location, or after October 17, 1978, whichever is later, and includes any subsequent improvements to such structures. For floodplain management purposes, new construction means structures for which the start of construction commenced on or after the effective date of a floodplain management regulation adopted by a community and includes any subsequent improvements to such structures.

Nonconforming building: Any building the size, dimensions or location of which was lawful when erected or altered, but which fails to conform to the current standards and regulations due to the adoption, revision or amendment of this ordinance.

Nonconforming lot: A lot, the area, dimensions or location of which was lawful at the time the lot was created, but which fails to conform to the current standards and regulations due to the adoption, revision or amendment of this ordinance.

Nonconforming use: A use or activity which was lawful when originally established, but which fails to conform to the current standards and regulations due to the adoption, revision or amendment of this ordinance.

Not-for-profit: An organization or activity which has obtained nontaxable status from the U.S. Internal Revenue Service.

Off-premises sign: Any sign which directs attention to a message, or business, commodity, activity, service or product not conducted, sold, or offered upon the premises where the sign is located. These signs may also be known as location signs, billboards, outdoor advertising signs, or general advertising signs.

Off-street parking area: Space provided for vehicular parking outside the dedicated street right-of-way.

On-premises sign: Any sign which directs attention to a business, commodity, activity, service or product conducted, sold, or offered upon the premises where the sign is located.

Open space: Any parcel or area of land or water essentially unimproved prior to the cluster request and set aside, dedicated or reserved for common use or enjoyment of the residents of the development. "Open space" may include, but is not limited to, recreation centers, swimming pools, tennis and basketball courts, community gardens and similar facilities.

Open space, common: Land within or related to a development, not individually owned or dedicated for public use, which is intended for the common use or enjoyment of the residents of the development and may include such complementary structures as are necessary and appropriate. Open space may include, recreation centers, swimming pools, tennis and basketball courts, community gardens and similar facilities.

Outdoor storage: The keeping, in other than a building, of any goods, materials, or merchandise on the same parcel for more than twenty-four (24) consecutive hours.

Overlay district: A district established by this ordinance to prescribe special regulations to be applied to a site in combination with the underlying or base district.

Parking area: An area provided for the temporary parking of operable motor vehicles and bicycles, including any related aisles, parking spaces, ingress and egress lanes, turning and maneuvering areas, private garages, incorporated landscaped areas, and similar features meeting the requirements established by section 30-91 but not including any part of a public right-of-way or public street.

Parking, off-street: Spaces on premises rather than on the street for the temporary parking of one or more operable motor vehicles and bicycles conforming to the parking area standards of section 30-91.

Parking, shared: When parking spaces are shared among different structures or uses or among mixed uses, and can include properties with different owners.

Parking structure: A structure, or portion thereof, composed of one (1) or more levels or floors used for the temporary parking of operable motor vehicles and which may include other permitted uses. A parking structure may be totally below grade (as in an underground parking garage) or either partially or totally above grade with those levels being either open or enclosed. For purposes of this definition, a parking structure includes a building for a standalone parking facility use or a structure for parking which is accessory to a permitted principal use.

Pasture: An area covered with grass or other plants used or suitable for grazing by horses or ponies.

Patio: A level surfaced area directly adjacent to a principal building which has an average elevation of not more than thirty (30) inches from finished grade, and without walls or a roof. A patio may be constructed of any materials.

Perennial stream: A stream channel or reach of a stream channel that carries surface water runoff year round, and that has a channel bottom that is located below the groundwater table for most of the year.

Planned residential subdivision: A development, other than a manufactured home subdivision, constructed on a tract of at least five (5) acres, planned and developed as an integral residential neighborhood unit. The subdivision shall consist of five (5) or more lots of five (5) acres or less, each lot designed and intended for the placement of a residential dwelling.

Planting island: Planting areas located within parking areas. These islands can also be designed as bioretention planting islands.

Planting strip: A landscaped area typically located between parking areas and adjacent right-of-way intended to screen parking areas from the right-of-way.

Political campaign sign: A sign relating to the election of a person to public office, or a political party, or a matter to be voted upon at an election called by a duly constituted public body.

Porch: A roofed open area, which may be glazed or screened, usually attached to or part of and with direct access to or from, a building.

Portable sign: A self-supported sign that is designed to be moved easily, and is not permanently affixed to the ground, including, but not limited to, step stake signs, portable changeable message cabinets and sandwich signs.

Post-FIRM structures: A structure for which construction or substantial improvement occurred on or after the effective date of the initial FIRM for that location, or on or after October 17, 1978.

Pre-FIRM structures: A structure for which construction or substantial improvement occurred before the effective date of the initial FIRM for that location, or before October 17, 1978.

Principal building or structure: A building or structure in which the primary use of the lot on which the building is located is conducted.

Principal use: The main use of land or structures as distinguished from a secondary or accessory use.

Processing or manufacturing: The process and converting of raw, unfinished materials or products, into articles of substances of different character, or for a different purpose.

Projecting sign: A sign that is affixed directly to a wall, roof, canopy, awning, marquee, mansard wall, parapet wall, or porch of a building, and whose face is roughly perpendicular to the building element to which it is attached.

Property resource map: A map utilized in the cluster subdivision process that depicts the primary and secondary conservation areas of the subject property.

Public: Unless otherwise specifically indicated, public shall mean anything owned, operated, provided and/or maintained by a local, state, or federal government.

Public art: Items expressing creative skill or imagination in a visual form, such as painting or sculpture, which are intended to beautify or provide aesthetic influences to public areas which are visible from the public realm.

Public water and sewer systems: A water or sewer system owned and operated by: (1) a municipality or county; or, (2) a private individual or a corporation approved and properly licensed by the state corporation commission prior to the adoption date of this ordinance; and meeting the requirements of the state health department and/or Virginia Department of Environmental Quality.

Public well: A well that has fifteen (15) or more connections or twenty-five (25) or more people on one (1) well.

Rated nameplate capacity: The maximum rated output of electric power production equipment specified by the manufacturer.

Recreational vehicle: A vehicle, built on a single chassis and measuring four hundred (400) square feet or less at the largest horizontal projection, which can be towed, hauled or driven, designed and used as temporary living accommodations for recreational, camping or travel uses only. Recreational vehicles shall include travel trailers, pick-up campers, motor homes, tent trailers or similar devices used for temporary mobile housing, boats and personal watercraft.

Repetitive loss structure: A building covered by a contract for flood insurance that has incurred flood-related damages on two (2) occasions in a 10-year period, in which the cost of the repair, on the average, equaled or exceeded twenty-five (25) percent 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.

Replacement value: The cost of restoring a damaged structure to its original condition. Replacement value shall include reasonable estimates of the cost of materials and labor, and shall be compared with the current cost of materials and labor of the entire structure to determine the percentage of the cost of improvements.

Residential chicken keeping: The keeping of female chickens (hens) in non-agriculturally zoned areas as an accessory use to a single-family residence subject to the standards set out in chapter 5, Animals and Fowl, section 5-38, Standards for residential chicken keeping.

Right-of-way: A legally established area or strip of land, either public or private, on which an irrevocable right of passage has been recorded, and which is occupied or intended to be occupied by a street, utility service, water main, sanitary or storm sewer main, or other similar use.

Riparian zone: The area adjacent to rivers and streams with a variety of plant and animal species relative to nearby uplands.

Row: An alignment of landscaping where plants are spaced so that they will touch at maturity.

Roof sign: A sign attached to a building, wall, or the roof of a building in which the sign height exceeds the highest point of the building.

Screening: A method of visually shielding or obscuring one abutting or nearby structure or use from another by fencing, walls, berms or densely planted vegetation. Screening is intended to substantially, but not necessarily totally obscure visual impacts between adjoining uses.

Service area, urban and rural: Those areas designated in the county comprehensive plan, as amended, as either the urban service area or the rural service area.

Setback: The minimum distance by which any building or structure must be separated from a street right-of-way or lot line.

Severe repetitive loss structure: 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 four (4) or more separate claims payments have been made under flood insurance coverage with the amount of each such claim exceeding five thousand dollars ($5,000.00), and with the cumulative amount of such claims payments exceeding twenty thousand dollars ($20,000.00); or (ii) For which at least two (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.

Shadow flicker: The visible flicker effect that occurs when rotating turbine blades cast shadows on the ground and nearby structures, causing the repeating pattern of light and shadow.

Shallow flooding area: A special flood hazard area with base flood depths from one (1) to three (3) feet where a clearly defined channel does not exist, where the path of flooding is unpredictable and indeterminate, and where velocity flow may be evident. Such flooding is characterized by ponding or sheet flow.

Shopping center: A group of commercial establishments planned, constructed and managed as a total entity with shared access, customer and employee parking provided on-site, provision of goods delivery separated from customer access, aesthetic considerations and protection from the elements.

Shoreline: The shoreline shall be the boundary line between a body of water and the land. This line shall consist of the sloping margin of, or the ground bordering, a stream and serving to confine the water to the natural channel during the normal course of flow. It is best marked where a distinct channel has been eroded to the valley floor or where there is a cessation of land vegetation.

Sign: Any object, device, display, or structure, or part thereof, visible from a public right-of-way open to use by the general public which is designed and used to attract attention to an institution, organization, business, product, service, event, or location by any means involving words, letters, figures, design, symbol, fixtures, logos, colors, illumination, or projected images. The term does not include public art, architectural elements incorporated into the style or function of a building, or flags of any nation, state, or other geopolitical entity. The term "sign" also does not include the display of merchandise for sale on the site of the display.

Sign face: The portion of a sign structure bearing the message.

Sign height: The vertical distance measured from grade to the highest portion of the sign or sign structure.

Sign setback: The minimum distance required between any property line and any portion of a sign or sign structure.

Sign structure: The supports, uprights, bracing or framework of any structure exhibiting a sign, be it single faced, double faced, v-type or otherwise.

Small cell facility: A wireless facility that meets both of the following qualifications: (i) each antenna is located inside an enclosure of no more than six (6) cubic feet in volume, or, in the case of an antenna that has exposed elements, the antenna and all of its exposed elements could fit within an imaginary enclosure of no more than six (6) cubic feet and (ii) all other wireless equipment associated with the facility has a cumulative volume of not more than twenty-eight (28) cubic feet, or such higher limit as is established by the Federal Communications Commission. The following types of associated equipment are not included in the calculation of equipment volume: 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.

Solar collector: Any device used to collect direct sunlight for use in the heating or cooling of a structure, domestic hot water, swimming pool or for the generation of electricity.

Solar energy: Refers to radiant energy (direct, diffuse, and reflected) received from the sun.

Solar energy system: Any solar collector or other solar energy device along with its ancillary equipment whose primary purpose is to provide for the collection, storage, and distribution of solar energy for space heating, space cooling, electric generation or water heating.

Special flood hazard area: The land in the floodplain subject to a one percent or greater chance of being flooded in any given year as determined in section 30-74-8 of this ordinance.

Special use: A use with operating and/or physical characteristics different from those uses permitted by right in a given zoning district which may, nonetheless, be compatible with those by right uses under special conditions and with adequate public review. Special uses are allowed only at the discretion and approval of the board of supervisors, following review and recommendation by the planning commission in accordance with section 30-19.

Start of construction: For other than new construction and substantial improvement, 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 was within one hundred eighty (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 streets 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.

Stealth design: Any broadcasting tower that is designed so that all of its structural components including associated antennas are camouflaged, disguised or otherwise hidden for the purpose of making the tower and antennas unnoticeable to the casual observer, or otherwise unrecognizable as a broadcasting tower.

Stoop: A platform, without a roof, located at the entrance of a building with sufficient area to facilitate the ingress and egress to the building.

Stormwater management facility: A device that controls stormwater runoff and changes the characteristics of that runoff including, but not limited to, the quantity and quality, the period of release or the velocity of flow.

Story: That portion of a building included between the surface of any floor and the floor next above it, or if there is not a floor above it, then the space between the floor and the ceiling above it.

Street: An area of travel used for the purpose of access and conveying vehicular traffic. It may also serve in part as a way for pedestrian or bicycle traffic. Also known as highway, avenue, boulevard, road, lane, alley, or any public way.

Street, private: A vehicular way owned, operated, provided and maintained by an individual, developer, homeowners association or any other entity other than a local, state or federal government.

Street, public: A vehicular way owned, operated, provided and maintained by a local, state or federal government. The term "street" shall also include any suffixes used in the county's E-911 maintenance list.

Structure: Anything that is constructed or erected with a fixed location on the ground, or attached to something having a fixed location on the ground, including, but not limited to, buildings, signs, manufactured homes and swimming pools. Walls and fences shall not be deemed structures except as otherwise specifically provided in this ordinance. For floodplain management purposes, a walled and roofed building, including a gas or liquid storage tank, that is principally above ground, as well as a manufactured home.

Substantial damage. Damage of any origin sustained by a structure whereby the cost of restoring the structure to its before damaged condition would equal or exceed fifty (50) percent of the market value of the structure before the damage occurred. It also means flood-related damages sustained by a structure on two (2) occasions in a 10-year period, in which the cost of repair, on average, equals or exceeds twenty-five (25) percent of the market value of the structure at the time of each such flood event.

Substantial improvement. Any reconstruction, rehabilitation, addition, or other improvement of a structure, the cost of which equals or exceeds fifty (50) percent of the market value of the structure before the start of construction of the improvement. This term includes structures which have incurred repetitive loss or substantial damage regardless of the actual repair work performed. The term does not, however, include:

(1)

Any project for 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 which are the minimum necessary to assure safe living conditions; or

(2)

Any alteration of a historic structure provided that the alteration will not preclude the structure's continued designation as a historic structure; or

(3)

Historic structures undergoing repair or rehabilitation that would constitute a substantial improvement as defined above, must comply with all ordinance requirements that do not preclude the structure's continued designation as a historic structure. Documentation that a specific ordinance requirement will cause removal of the structure from the National Register of Historic Places or the state inventory of historic places must be obtained from the Secretary of the Interior or the state historic preservation officer. Any exemption from ordinance requirements will be the minimum necessary to preserve the historic character and design of the structure.

Suspended sign: A sign that is suspended from a wall, roof, canopy, awning, marquee, mansard wall, parapet wall, or porch of a building by means of brackets, hooks or chains, and the like, and whose face is roughly perpendicular or parallel to the building element to which it is attached.

Temporary construction yard: A temporary use of land, either on-site or off-site, for the construction and/or development activity for public infrastructure projects, including, but not limited to, water and sewer line extensions and repairs, public road improvements, power and telecommunications installation and repairs, and all other facilities and services that are open to the general public as determined by the zoning administrator. Temporary construction yards may include the storing of equipment and materials which are needed for the construction or development of a public infrastructure project. This definition does not include temporary construction yards associated with projects regulated by the Virginia State Corporation Commission and/or the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.

Temporary family health care structure: A transportable residential structure, providing an environment facilitating a caregiver's provision of care for a mentally or physically impaired person, that: (i) is primarily assembled at a location other than its site of installation, (ii) is limited to one (1) occupant who shall be the mentally or physically impaired person, (iii) has no more than three hundred (300) gross square feet, and (iv) complies with applicable provisions of the Industrialized Building Safety Law and the Uniform Statewide Building Code.

Temporary portable storage containers: A purpose-built, fully enclosed, box-like container with or without signage on one (1) or more of its outer surfaces that is designed for temporary storage of household goods and/or equipment. Such containers are uniquely designed for ease of loading to and from a transport vehicle.

Temporary sign: A sign constructed of cloth, canvas, vinyl, paper, plywood, fabric, or other lightweight material not well suited to provide a durable substrate or, if made of some other material, is neither permanently installed in the ground nor permanently affixed to a building or structure which is permanently installed in the ground.

Temporary use: A use that is established for a fixed period of time with the intent to discontinue such use upon the expiration of such time; and does not involve the construction or alteration of any permanent structure. Temporary uses may include but are not limited to Christmas tree sales, indoor and outdoor art, craft shows, plant shows, other similar exhibits and sales and other uses as approved by the zoning administrator.

Trail: A bicycle and pedestrian path separated from motorized vehicular traffic by an open space, barrier or curb. Trails may be within the highway right-of-way or within an independent right-of-way, such as on an abandoned railroad bed or along a stream valley park. They are typically surfaced in asphalt or concrete, but may have hard-packed/all weather gravel or dirt surfaces as well.

Tree, deciduous: A tree which loses all of its leaves at some time during the year.

Tree, evergreen: A tree which retains some or all of its leaves throughout the year.

Turf grass: Grasses that, when regularly mowed, form a dense growth of leaf blades suitable for a lawn or recreation areas.

Underground structure: A structure that is entirely or the majority of the structure is below grade.

Undeveloped land: Land in its natural state before development.

Variance: In the application of a zoning ordinance, a reasonable deviation from those provisions regulating the shape, size, or area of a lot or parcel of land or the size, height, area, bulk, or location of a building or structure when the strict application of the ordinance would unreasonably restrict the utilization of the property, and such need for a variance would not be shared generally by other properties, and provided such variance is not contrary to the purpose of the ordinance. It shall not include a change in use, which change shall be accomplished by a rezoning or by a conditional zoning.

Vegetative buffer: Perennial vegetation established or left undisturbed adjacent to the shoreline of a watercourse intended to filter out sediment and other nonpoint source pollutants from runoff before it reaches a watercourse.

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

Wind energy: Power generated by converting the mechanical energy of wind into electrical energy through use of a wind generator.

Wind energy conversion system: An electric generating device, the main purpose of which is to convert the kinetic energy available in the wind to mechanical energy, consisting of one (1) or more wind turbines, a tower, associated control or conversion electronics and other accessory structures and buildings, including substations, electrical infrastructure, transmission on lines and other appurtenant structures and facilities.

Wind energy system, micro (building integrated): A building-mounted wind energy conversion system that has a manufacturer's rating of ten (10) kilowatts (kW) or less.

Wind energy tower: The structure on which the wind turbine is mounted.

Wind monitoring or temporary meteorological tower: A temporary tower equipped with devices to measure wind speeds and direction; used to determine how much wind power a site can be expected to generate.

Wind turbine: A wind energy conversion device that converts wind energy into electricity through use of a wind turbine generator; typically having one (1), two (2) or three (3) blades, nacelle, rotor, generator, controller and associated mechanical and electrical conversion components mounted on top of a tower.

Windmill: A machine designed to convert the energy of the wind into more useful forms of energy, such as grinding, pumping, etc., using rotating blades driven by the force of the wind to turn mechanical equipment to do physical work, without producing energy.

Yard: A required open space on a lot, unoccupied and unobstructed from the ground upward, unless otherwise provided by this ordinance.

Yard, front: A yard between the building line and the street right-of-way extending across the full width of the lot. (For additional provisions and exemptions, see section 30-100-2.)

Yard, rear: A yard between the rear line of the building and the rear line of the lot extending the full width of the lot. (For additional provisions and exemptions, see section 30-100-2.)

Yard, side: A yard between the side line of the building and the side line of the lot extending from the front lot line to the rear lot line. (For additional provisions and exemptions, see section 30-100-2.)

Zoning administrator: The Zoning Administrator of Roanoke County, Virginia, or an authorized agent thereof, also referred to in this ordinance as the administrator.

(Ord. No. 42694-12, § 5, 4-26-94; Ord. No. 102594-10, § 1, 10-25-94; Ord. No. 121394-12, § 1, 12-13-94; Ord. No. 62795-10, § 6-27-95; Ord. No. 92695-18, § 1, 9-26-95; Ord. No. 102798-12, §1, 10-27-98; Ord. No. 042799-11, §§ 1a., c., f., 4-27-99; Ord. No. 042500-9, § I, 4-25-00; Ord. No. 092303-8, § 1, 9-23-03; Ord. No. 042208-16, § 1, 4-22-08; Ord. No. 052609-22, § 1, 5-26-09; Ord. No. 030811-1, § 1, 3-8-11; Ord. No. 052411-9, § 1, 5-24-11; Ord. No. 111213-15, § 1, 11-12-13; Ord. No. 062816-4, § 1, 6-28-16; Ord. No. 031219-6, 3-12-19; Ord. No. 090820-14, § 1, 9-8-20; Ord. No. 020921-8, § 1, 2-9-21; Ord. No. 072721-8, § 1, 7-27-21; Ord. No. 062723-3, § 1, 6-27-23; Ord. No. 072225-9, § 1, 7-22-25)

Editor's note— Ord. No. 111213-15, § 1, adopted November 12, 2013, amended the Code by, in effect, repealing former § 30-29, and adding new §§ 30-29-1—30-29-7. The new sections contain the definitions found in former § 30-29. Former § 30-29 derived from Ord. No. 122005-11, adopted December 20, 2005; Ord. No. 042208-16, adopted April 22, 2008; Ord. No. 052411-9, adopted May 24, 2011; Ord. No. 091311-7, adopted September 13, 2011; and Ord. No. 082812-7, adopted August 28, 2012.

Agriculture: The use of land for the production of food and fiber, including farming, dairying, pasturage, agriculture, horticulture, viticulture, and animal and poultry husbandry. A garden and residential chicken keeping, accessory to a residence, shall not be considered agriculture.

Agritourism: 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, 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.

Commercial feedlots: A site where animals are stabled or confined and fed or maintained for a total of forty-five (45) days or more in any twelve-month period, and where the number of animals so confined include more than three hundred (300) slaughter or feeder cattle, two hundred (200) mature dairy cattle, seven hundred fifty (750) swine, one hundred fifty (150) horses, or thirty thousand (30,000) laying hens or broilers, or any other site designated by the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality, Division of Water, as a "concentrated or intensified animal feeding operation" pursuant to the Permit Regulations for Virginia Pollution Discharge Elimination System and Virginia Pollution Abatement Permit Programs.

Farm brewery: An establishment located on one or more lots in Roanoke County licensed as a limited brewery under Code of Virginia § 4.1-208.

Farm distillery: An establishment located on one or more lots in Roanoke County to which a limited distiller's license is issued under Code of Virginia § 4.1-206.

Farm employee housing: A dwelling located on a farm for the purpose of housing an employee of that farm operation and his/her family. Also included in this use type would be multi-family dwelling(s) for seasonal employees in connection with an orchard or other agricultural use which relies on seasonal employees who must be housed.

Farm winery: An establishment located on one or more lots in Roanoke County licensed as a farm winery under Code of Virginia § 4.1-207.

Forestry operations: The use of land for the raising and harvesting of timber, pulp woods and other forestry products for commercial purposes, including the temporary operation of a sawmill and/or chipper to process the timber cut from that parcel or contiguous parcels. Excluded from this definition shall be the cutting of timber associated with land development approved by the county, which shall be considered accessory to the development of the property.

Stable, private: The keeping, breeding, or raising of horses or ponies exclusively for the personal use and enjoyment of the owner or occupant of the property or the riding of horses or ponies by the owner or occupant of the property and their guests.

Stable, commercial: The boarding, breeding or raising of horses or ponies not owned by the owner or occupant of the property or riding of horses by other than the owner or occupant of the property and their non-paying guests. Included in this definition are riding academies.

Wayside stand: An establishment for the seasonal retail sale of agricultural goods and merchandise primarily produced by the operator on the site, or on nearby property. Agricultural goods produced on other properties owned or leased by the operator may also be allowed provided a majority of the produce comes from land surrounding the wayside stand. This use type shall include agricultural products picked by the consumer.

(Ord. No. 111213-15, § 1, 11-12-13; Ord. No. 082818-8, § 1, 8-28-18)

Accessory apartment: A second dwelling unit located within a detached single-family dwelling or an accessory building which is clearly incidental and subordinate to the main dwelling unit.

Alternative discharging sewage systems: Any device or system which results in a point source surface discharge of treated sewage which is installed as a replacement system for a pre-existing individual single family dwelling with flows less than or equal to one thousand (1,000) gallons per day on a yearly average. These systems are regulated by the Virginia Department of Health under a general Virginia Pollution Discharge Elimination System (VPDES) permit issued by the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality, Division of Water. Systems which exceed one thousand (1,000) gallons shall be prohibited and shall not be considered a utility service, major as described in this ordinance.

Home beauty/barber salon: Incidental use of a residential dwelling for hair styling or barbering, and other small-scale salon services. These services may include, but are not limited to, tanning, manicures or pedicures, temporary hair removal, massages, and other minor beauty and salon services as approved by the zoning administrator.

Home occupation: An accessory use of a dwelling unit for gainful employment involving the production, provision, or sale of goods and/or services.

Type I: A home occupation of an intensity suitable for the more densely established residential areas typically found in the urban service areas of the county.

Type II: A home occupation of an intensity suitable for agricultural and rural areas of the county.

Manufactured home: A structure subject to federal regulation, which is transportable in one (1) or more sections: is eight (8) body feet or more in width and forty (40) body feet or more in length in the traveling mode, or is three hundred twenty (320) or more square feet when erected on site; is built on a permanent chassis; is designed to be used as a single-family dwelling, with or without a permanent foundation, when connected to the required utilities; and includes the plumbing, heating, air conditioning, and electrical systems contained in the structure. For floodplain management purposes also included are park trailers, travel trailers, and other similar vehicles placed on a site for greater than one hundred eighty (180) consecutive days.

Manufactured home, accessory: A manufactured home that is subordinate to a single family dwelling on a single lot.

Manufactured home, emergency: A manufactured home used temporarily for the period of reconstruction or replacement of an uninhabitable dwelling lost or destroyed by fire, flood, or other act of nature, or used temporarily as housing relief to victims of a federally declared disaster.

Manufactured home subdivision: A five-acre or larger community of manufactured home dwellings with lots that are subdivided for individual ownership.

Manufactured home park: A five-acre or larger tract of land intended to accommodate a manufactured home community of multiple spaces for lease or condominium ownership. A manufactured home park is also referred to as a mobile home park.

Multi-family dwelling: A building or portion thereof which contains three (3) or more dwelling units for permanent occupancy, regardless of the method of ownership. Included in the use type would be garden apartments, low and high rise apartments, apartments for elderly housing and condominiums.

Multiple dog permit: The keeping, raising, showing or training of four (4) or more dogs over four (4) months of age for personal enjoyment of the owner or occupants of the property.

Residential human care facility: A building used as a family care home, foster home, or group home serving not more than eight (8) mentally retarded or other developmentally disabled persons, not related by blood or marriage, pursuant to section 15.2-2291 of the Code of Virginia, as amended. Excluded from this definition are drug or alcohol rehabilitation centers, half-way houses and similar uses.

Single family dwelling: A site built or modular building designed for or used exclusively as one (1) dwelling unit for permanent occupancy.

Attached: Two (2) single family dwellings sharing a common wall area, each on its own individual lot.

Detached: A single family dwelling which is surrounded by open space or yards on all sides, is located on its own individual lot, and which is not attached to any other dwelling by any means.

Townhouse: A grouping of three (3) or more attached single family dwellings in a row in which each unit has its own front and rear access to the outside, no unit is located over another unit, and each unit is separated from any other unit by one (1) or more common walls.

Two family dwelling: The use of an individual lot for two (2) dwelling units which share at least one (1) common wall, each occupied by one (1) family.

(Ord. No. 111213-15, § 1, 11-12-13; Ord. No. 090820-14, § 1, 9-8-20; Ord. No. 020921-8, § 1, 2-9-21; Ord. No. 062723-3, § 1, 6-27-23)

Administrative services: Governmental offices providing administrative, clerical or public contact services that deal directly with the citizen. Typical uses include federal, state, county, and city offices.

Adult care residences: An establishment that provides shelter and services which may include meals, housekeeping, and personal care assistance primarily for the elderly. Residents are able to maintain a semi-independent life style, not requiring the more extensive care of a nursing home. Residents will, at a minimum, need assistance with at least one (1) of the following: medication management, meal preparation, housekeeping, money management, or personal hygiene. At least one (1) nurse's aid is typically on duty, with medical staff is available when needed.

Camps: A use which primarily provides recreational opportunities of an outdoor nature on a daily or overnight basis. Included in this use type would be scout camps, religious camps, children's camps, wilderness camps, and similar uses which are not otherwise specifically described in this ordinance.

Cemetery: Land used or dedicated to the burial of the dead, including columbariums, crematoriums, mausoleums, necessary sales and maintenance facilities. Mortuaries shall be included when operated within the boundary of such cemetery.

Clubs: A use providing meeting, or social facilities for civic or social clubs, fraternal/sororal organization, and similar organizations and associations, primarily for use by members and guests. Recreational facilities, unless otherwise specifically cited in this section, may be provided for members and guests as an accessory use.

Community recreation: A recreational facility for use solely by the residents and guests of a particular residential development, planned unit development, or residential neighborhood, including indoor and outdoor facilities. These facilities are usually proposed or planned in association with development and are usually located within or adjacent to such development.

Correctional facilities: A public or privately operated use providing housing and care for individuals legally confined, designed to isolate those individuals from a surrounding community.

Crisis center: A facility providing temporary protective sanctuary for victims of crime or abuse including emergency housing during crisis intervention for individuals, such as victims of rape, child abuse, or physical beatings.

Cultural services: A library, museum, or similar public or quasi-public use displaying, preserving and exhibiting objects of community and cultural interest in one or more of the arts or sciences.

Day care center: Any facility operated for the purpose of providing care, protection and guidance to ten (10) or more individuals during only part of a twenty-four-hour day. This term includes nursery schools, preschools, day care centers for individuals, and other similar uses but excludes public and private educational facilities or any facility offering care to individuals for a full twenty-four-hour period.

Educational facilities, college/university: An educational institution authorized by the Commonwealth of Virginia to award associate, baccalaureate or higher degrees.

Educational facilities, primary/secondary: A public, private or parochial school offering instruction at the elementary, junior and/or senior high school levels in the branches of learning and study required to be taught in the public schools of the Commonwealth of Virginia.

Family day care home: A single family dwelling in which more than five (5) but less than thirteen (13) individuals, are received for care, protection and guidance during only part of a twenty-four-hour day. Individuals related by blood, legal adoption or marriage to the person who maintains the home shall not be counted toward this total. The care of five (5) or less individuals for portions of a day shall be considered as a home occupation.

Guidance services: A use providing counseling, guidance, recuperative, or similar services for persons requiring rehabilitation assistance as a result of mental illness, alcoholism, detention, drug addiction, or similar conditions for only part of a twenty-four-hour day.

Halfway house: An establishment providing residential accommodations and supervision to persons suffering from alcohol or drug addiction or other similar disorders, or to persons re-entering society after being released from a correctional facility or other institution. This use may also provide rehabilitation counseling or other similar services to such persons.

Life care facility: A residential facility primarily for the continuing care of the elderly, providing for transitional housing progressing from independent living in various dwelling units, with or without kitchen facilities, and culminating in nursing home type care where all related uses are located on the same lot. Such facility may include other services integral to the personal and therapeutic care of the residents.

Nursing home: A use providing bed care and in-patient services for persons requiring regular medical attention but excluding a facility providing surgical or emergency medical services and excluding a facility providing care for alcoholism, drug addiction, mental disease, or communicable disease. Nursing homes have doctors or licensed nurses on duty.

Park and ride facility: A publicly owned, short-term, parking facility for commuters.

Post office: Postal services directly available to the consumer operated by the United States Postal Service.

Public assembly: Facilities owned and operated by a public or quasi-public agency accommodating public assembly for sports, amusement, or entertainment purposes. Typical uses include auditoriums, sports stadiums, convention facilities, fairgrounds, and incidental sales and exhibition facilities.

Public maintenance and service facilities: A public facility supporting maintenance, repair, vehicular or equipment servicing, material storage, and similar activities including street or sewer yards, equipment services centers, and similar uses having characteristics of commercial services or contracting or industrial activities.

Public parks and recreational areas: Publicly-owned and operated parks, picnic areas, playgrounds, indoor or outdoor athletic facilities, game preserves and open spaces.

Religious assembly: A use located in a permanent building and providing regular organized religious worship and related incidental activities, except primary or secondary schools and day care facilities.

Safety services: Facilities for the conduct of safety and emergency services for the primary benefit of the public, whether publicly or privately owned and operated, including police and fire protection services and emergency medical and ambulance services.

Utility services, major: Services of a regional nature which normally entail the construction of new buildings or structures such as generating plants and sources, electrical switching facilities and stations or substations, community waste water treatment plants, and similar facilities. Included in this definition are also electric, gas, and other utility transmission lines of a regional nature which are not otherwise reviewed and approved by the Virginia State Corporation Commission.

Utility services, minor: Services which are necessary to support development within the immediate vicinity and involve only minor structures. Including in this use type are distribution lines and small facilities that are underground or overhead, such as transformers, relay and booster devices, stormwater management facilities and well, water and sewer pump stations. Also included are all major utility services which were in existence prior to the adoption of this ordinance.

(Ord. No. 111213-15, § 1, 11-12-13; Ord. No. 011023-4, § 1, 1-10-23)

Financial institutions: Provision of financial and banking services to consumers or clients. Walk-in and drive-in services to consumers are generally provided on site. Typical uses include banks, savings and loan associations, savings banks, credit unions, lending establishments and automatic teller machines (ATMs).

General office: Use of a site for business, professional, or administrative offices, excluding medical offices. Typical uses include real estate, insurance, management, travel, or other business offices; organization and association offices; or law, architectural, engineering, accounting or other professional offices.

Laboratories: Establishments primarily engaged in performing research or testing activities into technological matters. Typical uses include engineering and environmental laboratories, medical, optical, dental and forensic laboratories, x-ray services, and pharmaceutical laboratories only involved in research and development. Excluded are any laboratories which mass produce one (1) or more products directly for the consumer market.

Medical office: Use of a site for facilities which provide diagnoses, minor surgical care and outpatient care on a routine basis, but which does not provide overnight care or serve as a base for an ambulance service. Medical offices are operated by doctors, dentists, or similar practitioners licensed by the Commonwealth of Virginia.

(Ord. No. 111213-15, § 1, 11-12-13)

Adult business: Any adult bookstore, adult video store, adult model studio, adult motel, adult movie theater, adult nightclub, adult store, business providing adult entertainment, or any other establishment that regularly exploits an interest in matter relating to specified sexual activities or specified anatomical areas or regularly features live entertainment intended for the sexual stimulation or titillation of patrons, and as such terms are defined in chapter 13 of this Code.

Agricultural services: An establishment primarily engaged in providing services specifically for the agricultural community which is not directly associated with a farm operation. Included in this use type would be servicing of agricultural equipment, independent equipment operators, and other related agricultural services.

Antique shops: A place offering primarily antiques for sale. An antique for the purposes of this ordinance shall be a work of art, piece of furniture, decorative object, or the like, of or belonging to the past, at least thirty (30) years old.

Automobile dealership: The use of any building, land area or other premise for the display of new and/or used automobiles, trucks, vans, scooters, recreational vehicles or motorcycles for sale or rent, including any warranty repair work and other major and minor repair service conducted as an accessory use.

Automobile rental/leasing: Rental of automobiles and light trucks and vans, including incidental parking and servicing of vehicles for rent or lease. Typical uses include auto rental agencies and taxicab dispatch areas.

Automobile repair services, major: Repair of construction equipment, commercial trucks, agricultural implements and similar heavy equipment, including automobiles, where major engine and transmission repairs are conducted. This includes minor automobile repairs in conjunction with major automobile repairs. Typical uses include automobile and truck repair garages, transmission shops, radiator shops, body and fender shops, equipment service centers, machine shops, and similar uses where major repair activities are conducted.

Automobile repair services, minor: Repair of automobiles, noncommercial trucks, motorcycles, motor homes, recreational vehicles, or boats, including the sale, installation, and servicing of equipment and parts. Typical uses include tire sales and installation, wheel and brake shops, oil and lubrication services and similar repair and service activities where minor repairs and routine maintenance are conducted.

Automobile parts/supply, retail: Retail sales of automobile parts and accessories. Typical uses include automobile parts and supply stores which offer new and factory rebuilt parts and accessories, and include establishments which offer minor automobile repair services.

Bed and breakfast: A dwelling in which not more than five (5) bedrooms are provided for overnight guests for compensation, on daily or weekly basis, with or without meals.

Bed and breakfast inn: A single family dwelling, or portion thereof, where short-term lodging is provided for compensation to transient guests only. The operator may or may not live on the premises. Meals may be provided to guests only. Up to fifteen (15) guest rooms may be provided.

Boarding house: A dwelling unit, or part thereof, in which lodging is provided by the owner or operator who resides on the premises to three (3) or more but less than fourteen (14) boarders. Included in this use type are rooming houses and tourist homes.

Business support services: Establishments or places of business engaged in the sale, rental or repair of office equipment, supplies and materials, or the provision of services used by office, professional and service establishments. Typical uses include office equipment and supply firms, small business machine repair shops, convenience printing and copying establishments, as well as temporary labor services.

Business or trade schools: A use providing education or training in business, commerce, language, or other similar activity or occupational pursuit, and not otherwise defined as an educational facility, either primary and secondary, or college and university, or as a home occupation.

Campgrounds: Facilities providing camping or parking areas and incidental services for travelers in recreational vehicles and/or tents.

Car wash: Washing and cleaning of vehicles. Typical uses include automatic conveyor machines and self-service car washes.

Commercial indoor amusement: Establishments which provide games of chance, skill or scoring as other than an incidental use of the premises. Games would include pinball and video machines, pool and billiard tables and other similar amusement or entertainment devices, whether or not they are coin-operated, and also card games, bingo, and off-track betting. Typical uses include game rooms, pool halls, video arcades, and bingo parlors.

Commercial indoor entertainment: Predominantly spectator uses conducted within an enclosed building. Typical uses include motion picture theaters, and concert or music halls.

Commercial indoor sports and recreation: Predominantly participant uses conducted within an enclosed building. Typical uses include bowling alleys, ice and roller skating rinks, indoor racquetball, swimming, and/or tennis facilities.

Commercial outdoor entertainment: Predominantly spectator uses conducted in open or partially enclosed or screened facilities. Typical uses include sports arenas, motor vehicle or animal racing facilities, and outdoor amusement parks.

Commercial outdoor sports and recreation: Predominantly participant uses conducted in open or partially enclosed or screened facilities. Typical uses include driving ranges, miniature golf, swimming pools, tennis courts, outdoor racquetball courts, motorized cart and motorcycle tracks, and motorized model airplane flying facilities.

Communications services: Establishments primarily engaged in the provision of broadcasting and other information relay services accomplished through the use of electronic and telephonic mechanisms. Excluded from this use type are facilities classified as major utility services or broadcasting towers. Typical uses include television studios, telecommunication service centers, telegraph service offices or film and sound recording facilities.

Construction sales and services: Establishments or places of business primarily engaged in retail or wholesale sale, from the premises, of materials used in the construction of buildings or other structures, but specifically excluding automobile or equipment supplies otherwise classified herein. Typical uses include building material stores and home supply establishments.

Consumer repair services: Establishments primarily engaged in the provision of repair services to individuals and households, rather than businesses, but excluding automotive and equipment repair use types. Typical uses include appliance repair shops, shoe repair, watch or jewelry repair shops, or repair of musical instruments.

Convenience store: Establishments primarily engaged in the provision of frequently or recurrently needed goods for household consumption, such as prepackaged or prepared food and beverages, and limited household supplies and hardware. This use may include fuel pumps and/or the selling of fuel for motor vehicles. Typical uses include neighborhood markets and country stores.

Country inn: A business which offers accommodations and dining in a rural area. Overnight lodging of up to thirty (30) rooms is available and a full-service restaurant may provide meals to guests and the general public.

Dance hall: Establishments in which more than ten (10) percent of the total floor area is designed or used as a dance floor, or where an admission fee is directly collected, or some other form of compensation is obtained for dancing.

Equipment sales and rental: Establishments primarily engaged in the sale or rental of tools, trucks, tractors, construction equipment, agricultural implements, and similar industrial equipment, and the rental of mobile homes. Included in this use type is the incidental storage, maintenance, and servicing of such equipment.

Fuel center: Any building, structure, or land used for the dispensing, sale or offering for sale at retail of any vehicle fuels, oils or accessories. This use can be a standalone business or accessory to another business.

Funeral services: Establishments engaged in undertaking services such as preparing the dead for burial, and arranging and managing funerals. Typical uses include mortuaries and crematories.

Garden center: Establishments or places of business primarily engaged in retail or wholesale (bulk) sale, from the premises, of trees, shrubs, seeds, fertilizers, pesticides, plants and plant materials primarily for agricultural, residential and commercial consumers. Such establishments typically sell products purchased from others, but may sell some material which they grow themselves. Typical uses include nurseries, plant stores and lawn and garden centers.

Gasoline station: Any place of business with fuel pumps and underground storage tanks which provides minor automobile repair and fuels and oil for motor vehicles.

Golf course: A tract of land for playing golf, improved with tees, greens, fairways, hazards, and which may include clubhouses and shelters. Included would be executive or par three golf courses. Specifically excluded would be independent driving ranges and any miniature golf course.

Hospital: A facility providing medical, psychiatric, or surgical service for sick or injured persons primarily on an in-patient basis and including ancillary facilities for outpatient and emergency treatment diagnostic services, training, research, administration, and services to patients, employees, or visitors.

Hotel/motel/motor lodge: A building or group of attached or detached buildings containing lodging units intended primarily for rental or lease to transients by the day, week or month. Such uses generally provide additional services such as daily maid service, restaurants, meeting rooms and/or recreation facilities.

Kennel, commercial: The boarding, breeding, raising, grooming or training of two (2) or more dogs, cats, or other household pets of any age not owned by the owner or occupant of the premises for commercial gain.

Laundry: Establishments primarily engaged in the provision of laundering, cleaning or dyeing services other than those classified as personal services. Typical uses include bulk laundry and cleaning plants, diaper services, or linen supply services.

Manufactured home sales: Establishments primarily engaged in the display, retail sale, rental, and minor repair of new and used manufactured homes, parts, and equipment.

Marina: A facility situated on a river which provides launching and secure moorings for water-borne craft and may also provide watercraft rental, supplies, fuel and marine repair services.

Mini-warehouse: A building designed to provide rental storage space in cubicles where each cubicle has a maximum floor area of four hundred (400) square feet. Each cubicle shall be enclosed by walls and ceiling and have a separate entrance for the loading and unloading of stored goods.

Outpatient mental health and substance abuse center: Establishments with medical staff providing outpatient services related to the diagnosis and treatment of mental health disorders, alcohol, and other substance abuse. These establishments may provide counseling and/or refer patients to more extensive treatment programs, if necessary. Included in this use type are outpatient alcohol treatment centers, outpatient detoxification centers, outpatient drug and substance abuse centers, and outpatient mental health centers.

Pawn shop: A use engaged in the loaning of money on the security of property pledged in the keeping of the pawnbroker and the incidental sale of such property.

Personal improvement services: Establishments primarily engaged in the provision of informational, instructional, personal improvements and similar services. Typical uses include driving schools, health or physical fitness studios and centers, reducing salons, dance studios, handicraft and hobby instruction.

Personal services: Establishments or places of business engaged in the provision of frequently or recurrently needed services of a personal nature. Typical uses include beauty and barber shops; massage studios; grooming of pets; seamstresses, tailors, or shoe repairs; florists; and laundromats and dry cleaning stations serving individuals and households.

Recreational vehicle sales and service: Retail sales of recreational vehicles and boats, including service and storage of vehicles and parts and related accessories.

Restaurant, drive-in or fast food: An establishment primarily engaged in the preparation of food and beverages, for either take-out, delivery or table service, served at a counter, a drive-up or drive through service facility or by curb service. Typical uses include drive-in or fast food restaurants or coffee shops.

Restaurant, general: An establishment engaged in the preparation and consumption of food and beverages and characterized primarily by table service to customers in non-disposable containers. Typical uses include cafeterias, dinner theatres, taverns, brewpubs, and cafes.

Retail sales: Sale or rental with incidental service of commonly used goods and merchandise for personal or household use but excludes those classified more specifically by these use type classifications.

Short-term rental: The provision of a room or space that is suitable or intended for occupancy for dwelling, sleeping, or lodging purposes, for a period of fewer than thirty (30) consecutive days, in exchange for a charge for the occupancy. This use does not include existing uses defined in this ordinance including bed and breakfast, bed and breakfast inn, boarding house, country inn, and hotel/motel/motor lodge.

Special events facility: A place, structure, or other facility used for the assembly of or intention of attracting people for cultural, ceremonial, celebratory purposes or civic clubs for which there is a leasing fee. Such assembly includes, but is not limited to, anniversary and birthday celebrations, reunions, weddings, and receptions. Music concerts or festivals as a primary use shall be considered an outdoor gathering.

Studio, fine arts: A building, or portion thereof, used as a place of work by a sculptor, artist, or photographer.

Surplus sales: Businesses engaged in the sale of used or new items, involving regular or periodic outdoor display of merchandise for sale. Typical uses include flea markets and factory outlets, or discount businesses with outdoor display.

Truck stop: An establishment containing a mixture of uses which cater to the traveling public and in particular motor freight operators. A truck stop might include such uses as fuel pumps, restaurants, overnight accommodations, retail sales related to the motor freight industry, and similar uses.

Veterinary hospital/clinic: Any establishment rendering surgical and medical treatment of animals. Boarding of animals shall only be conducted indoors, on a short term basis, and shall only be incidental to such hospital/clinic use, unless also authorized and approved as a commercial kennel.

(Ord. No. 111213-15, § 1, 11-12-13; Ord. No. 092215-9, § 1, 9-22-15; Ord. No. 062816-4, § 1, 6-28-16; Ord. No. 020921-8, § 1, 2-9-21; Ord. No. 062723-3, § 1, 6-27-23)

Asphalt plant: An establishment engaged in manufacturing or mixing of paving materials derived from asphaltic mixtures or tar.

Composting: Process by which animal wastes and plant discards are combined and manipulated to produce a soil additive/nutrient. Composting does not include the processing of municipal waste.

Construction yards: Establishments housing facilities of businesses primarily engaged in construction activities, including outside storage of materials and equipment. Typical uses are building contractor's yards.

Custom manufacturing: Establishments primarily engaged in the on-site production of goods by hand manufacturing, within enclosed structures, involving the use of hand tools, or the use of mechanical equipment commonly associated with residential or commercial uses, or a single kiln.

Industry, Type I: Enterprises engaged in the processing, manufacturing, compounding, assembly, packaging, treatment or fabrication of materials and products, from processed or previously manufactured materials. Included would be the assembly of electrical appliances, electrical components, components used for energy, biotechnology or automotive uses, data centers, bottling and printing plants, and the manufacturing of paint, oils, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, bakery goods, dairy products, perfumes, fruit, vegetable, food and tobacco products, solvents and other chemical production of items made of stone, glass, metal or concrete. This definition includes the further processing of meat products and the manufacturing, compounding, processing, packing or treatment of articles (of sizes less than four hundred (400) cubic feet) of merchandise of raw, secondary or partially completed materials.

Industry, Type II: Enterprises in which goods are generally mass produced from raw materials on a large scale through use of an assembly line or similar process, usually for sale to wholesalers or other industrial or manufacturing uses. Included in this use type are industries involved in processing and/or refining raw materials such as chemicals, rubber, wood or wood pulp, forging, casting, melting, refining, extruding, rolling, drawing, and/or alloying ferrous metals, and the production of large durable goods such as automobiles, manufactured homes, or other motor vehicles.

Industry, Type III: An establishment which has the potential to be dangerous or extremely obnoxious. Included are those in which explosives are stored, petroleum is refined, natural and liquid gas and other petroleum derivatives are stored and/or distributed in bulk, radioactive materials are compounded, pesticides and certain acids are manufactured, and hazardous waste is treated or stored as the establishment's principal activity.

Landfill, construction debris: The use of land for the legal disposal of construction and demolition wastes consisting of lumber, wire, sheetrock, broken brick, shingles, glass, pipes, concrete, and metals and plastic associated with construction and wastes from land clearing operations consisting of stumps, wood, brush, and leaves.

Landfill, rubble: The use of land for the legal disposal of only inert waste. Inert waste is physically, chemically and biologically stable from further degradation and considered to be nonreactive, and includes rubble, concrete, broken bricks, and block.

Landfill, sanitary: The use of land for the legal disposal of municipal solid waste derived from households, business and institutional establishments, including garbage, trash, and rubbish, and from industrial establishments, other than hazardous wastes as described by the Virginia Hazardous Waste Regulations.

Railroad facilities: Railroad yards, equipment servicing facilities, and terminal facilities.

Recycling centers and stations: A receptacle or facility used for the collection and storage of recyclable materials designed and labeled for citizens to voluntarily take source separated materials for recycling.

Resource extraction: A use involving on-site extraction of surface or subsurface mineral products or natural resources. Typical uses are quarries, borrow pits, sand and gravel operation, mining, and soil mining. Specifically excluded from this use type shall be grading and removal of dirt associated with an approved site plan or subdivision, or excavations associated with, and for the improvement of, a bona fide agricultural use.

Scrap and salvage services: Places of business primarily engaged in the storage, sale, dismantling or other processing of uses or waste materials which are not intended for reuse in their original forms. Typical uses include towing services, paper and metal salvage yards, automotive wrecking yards, junk yards, used tire storage yards, or retail and/or wholesale sales of used automobile parts and supplies.

Slaughterhouse: A place where livestock is slaughtered and may be cut, packaged and/or processed.

Transfer station: Any storage or collection facility which is operated as a relay point for municipal solid waste which ultimately is to be transferred to a landfill.

Transportation terminal: A facility for loading, unloading and interchange of passengers, baggage and incidental freight or package express between modes of ground or water transportation, including bus terminals, railroad stations, marinas and public transit facilities.

Truck terminal: A facility for the receipt, transfer, short term storage, and dispatching of goods transported by truck. Included in the use type would be express and other mail and package distribution facilities, including such facilities operated by the U.S. Post Office.

Warehousing and distribution: Uses including storage, warehousing and dispatching of goods within enclosed structures, or outdoors. Typical uses include wholesale distributors, storage warehouses, moving/storage firms.

(Ord. No. 111213-15, § 1, 11-12-13; Ord. No. 072721-8, § 1, 7-27-21; Ord. No. 062723-3, § 1, 6-27-23)

Amateur radio tower: A structure on which an antenna is installed for the purpose of transmitting and receiving amateur radio signals erected and operated by an amateur radio operator licensed by the FCC.

Aviation facilities, general: Landing fields, aircraft parking and service facilities, and related facilities for operation, service, fueling, repair, storage, charter, sales, and rental of aircraft, and including activities directly associated with the operation and maintenance of airport facilities and the provision of safety and security.

Aviation facilities, private: Any area of land used or intended for the landing and taking-off of aircraft for personal use of the tenant or owner of the site, not available for public use or commercial operations. Aircraft includes helicopters, all fixed-wing planes and gliders, but not hang gliders.

Broadcasting tower: A structure on which an antenna or dish is installed for the transmission, broadcasting or receiving of radio, television, radar, or microwaves, and similar types of devices. Excluded from this definition are amateur radio towers and wireless communication facilities, which are described separately.

Outdoor gathering: Any temporary organized gathering expected to attract five hundred (500) or more people at one time in open spaces outside an enclosed structure. Included in this use type would be music festivals, church revivals, carnivals and fairs, and similar transient amusement and recreational activities not otherwise listed in this section. Such activities held in public parks, university campuses or on public school property shall not be included within this use type.

Parking facility: A principal use of a site for surface parking or a parking structure unrelated to a specific use which provides one (1) or more parking spaces together with driveways, aisles, turning and maneuvering areas, incorporated landscaped areas, and similar features meeting the requirements established by this ordinance. This use shall not include a parking structure accessory to a permitted principal use, such as a private garage in a residential or agricultural district.

Shooting range, outdoor: The use of land for archery and the discharging of firearms for the purposes of target practice, skeet and trap shooting, mock war games, or temporary competitions, such as a turkey shoot. Excluded from this use type shall be general hunting, and unstructured and nonrecurring discharging of firearms on private property with the property owner's permission.

Wind energy system, large: A wind energy conversion system consisting of one (1) or more wind turbines, towers and associated control or conversion electronics, having a rated nameplate capacity of not more than nine hundred ninety-nine (999) kilowatts (kW). For purposes of non-residential net metering, Virginia Code § 56-594B limits the electrical generating facility to a capacity of not more than five hundred (500) kilowatts (kW).

Wind energy system, small: A wind energy conversion system consisting of a single wind turbine, a tower, and associated control or conversion electronics, having a rated nameplate capacity of not more than fifty (50) kilowatts (kW) for residential uses and not more than one hundred (100) kilowatts (kW) for other uses. For the purpose of residential net metering, Virginia Code § 56-594B limits the electrical generating facility to a capacity of not more than ten (10) kilowatts (kW).

Wind energy system, utility: A wind energy conversion system consisting of more than one (1) wind turbine, towers and associated control or conversion electronics, having a rated nameplate capacity of one (1) megawatt (MW) or greater.

Wireless communication facility (WCF): All infrastructure and equipment including, but not limited to, antenna support structures, antennas, transmission cables, equipment shelters, equipment cabinets, utility pedestals, ground equipment, fencing, signage and other ancillary equipment associated with the transmission or reception of wireless communications.

Class 1—Wireless communication facilities with a height less than or equal to eighty (80) feet above ground level (AGL).

Class 2—Wireless communication facilities with a height greater than eighty (80) feet but less than or equal to one hundred twenty (120) feet above ground level (AGL).

Class 3—Wireless communication facilities with a height greater than one hundred twenty (120) feet but less than or equal to one hundred ninety-nine (199) feet above ground level (AGL).

(Ord. No. 111213-15, § 1, 11-12-13; Ord. No. 072225-9, § 1, 7-22-25)