Shenandoah County Unincorporated
City Zoning Code
City Zoning Code
ARTICLE XIV
Site Plan Review
§ 165-97 Uses requiring site plan approval.
A.
For the purpose of assuring good arrangement, appearance and harmony with the surrounding uses and compliance with the objectives of the Shenandoah County Comprehensive Plan, site plans for certain uses shall be submitted to and reviewed by the Zoning Administrator and by the Planning Commission before a zoning permit shall be issued.
[Amended 9-26-2023 by Ord. No. 2023-05]
B.
Site plans shall be required for the following uses:
(1)
Mobile home parks.
(2)
Shopping centers.
(3)
Multiple-family dwellings (apartments).
(4)
Townhouses.
(5)
Schools, churches and other public buildings.
(6)
Offices and/or industrial parks.
(7)
Hotels and motels.
(8)
New and expansion of existing business and industrial buildings, if the building is to contain a floor area of more than 5,000 square feet. Unless required for a specific use separately listed in § 165-97B this subsection shall not be construed to require a site plan for the by right use of an existing building which exceeds 5,000 square feet provided that there is no expansion to the existing footprint of the existing building.
[Amended 9-26-2023 by Ord. No. 2023-05]
(9)
Hospitals, nursing homes, convalescent homes.
(10)
Cluster housing development.
[Amended 7-7-1987]
(11)
Motor vehicle impoundment lot.
[Amended 11-11-1987]
(12)
Retail greenhouse and nursery operations.
[Amended 9-10-1991]
(13)
Telecommunications towers.
[Added 5-23-2000 by Ord. No. 00-6]
(14)
Self-service storage facilities.
[Added 11-27-2001 by Ord. No. 01-8]
(15)
Corporate training centers.
[Added 11-25-2003 by Ord. No. 2003-7]
(16)
Country inns.
[Added 11-25-2003 by Ord. No. 2003-7]
(17)
Rural resorts.
[Added 11-25-2003 by Ord. No. 2003-7]
(18)
Large-scale energy facility.
[Added 5-25-2010 by Ord. No. 2010-05; 4-25-2023 by Ord. No. 2023-01]
§ 165-98 Preliminary site plans.
[Amended 9-26-2023 by Ord. No. 2023-05]
A.
The site plans shall be clearly drawn to a scale of not more one inch equals 200 feet on paper at least 11 inches by 17 inches and shall show the following with sufficiently accurate dimensions and construction specifications to support the issuance of a zoning permit:
(1)
The proposed title of the project and the name of the engineer, architect or landscape architect and the developer.
(2)
The North point, scale and date.
(3)
Existing zoning and zoning district boundaries, including overlay zoning districts and special use permits, on the property and immediately surrounding properties.
(4)
Present use of the property and all abutting properties.
(5)
The boundaries of the properties involved, County or municipal boundaries, the general location of all existing easements and property lines, existing streets, buildings or waterways, major tree masses, sinkholes, wetlands, caves, springs, waterbodies, critical slopes, ridgelines, and other physical features in or adjoining the project.
(6)
Topography of the project area with contour intervals of two feet or less, unless waived by the Administrator as clearly unnecessary to a review of the project or proposal.
(7)
The approximate location and sizes of sanitary and storm sewers, water mains, culverts and other underground structures, existing and planned, in or near the project. Other provisions for the disposition of stormwater shall also be shown where necessary.
(8)
Proposed changes in zoning, if any.
(9)
The general location and character of construction of proposed streets, alleys, driveways, sidewalks, bike routes, curb cuts, entrances and exits, automobile and bicycle parking facilities, loading areas (including number of parking and loading spaces), outdoor lighting systems, storm and sanitary sewer facilities, parks, and any other public spaces and infrastructure including those set forth in the Shenandoah County Comprehensive Plan.
(10)
The general location of proposed lots, setback lines and easements and proposed reservations for parks, playgrounds, school sites and open spaces.
(11)
Location and character of all proposed buildings with respect to each other and to lot lines or major excavations and approximate height of main and accessory buildings. The location should be drawn to scale, but full dimensioning is not required on the preliminary plan.
(12)
General location, height and material of all fences, walls, planting screen and landscaping.
(13)
General location, character, size and height and orientation of proposed signs.
(14)
A tabulation of total number of acres in the project, and the percentage thereof proposed to be devoted to dwelling types, commercial uses, other uses, off-street parking, streets, parks, schools and other reservations.
(15)
A tabulation of the total number of dwelling units of various types in the project and the overall dwelling units per acre.
B.
The final site plan shall be considered approved unless the Zoning Administrator, when required, acts within 60 days from the date of submission of the site plan. The Zoning Administrator may establish additional requirements for site plans, and in special cases, may waive a particular requirement if, in their opinion, the inclusion of that requirement is not essential to a proper decision on the project.
§ 165-99 Procedure.
[Amended 4-11-1995; 9-26-2023 by Ord. No. 2023-05]
A.
Three hardcopies of the site plan and one digital copy shall be submitted to the Administrator. The Administrator shall circulate the plan to the relevant departments and agencies for written comments concerning whether the plan meets the requirements of the Shenandoah County Code, as well as any applicable state or federal laws or regulations.
B.
The Zoning Administrator will use the following standards upon review of site plans for approval or denial:
§ 165-100 Site plan termination or extension.
An approved final site plan shall expire and become null and void if no building permit has been obtained for the site within 12 months after approval.
§ 165-101 Amendments to approved site plan.
If it becomes necessary for an approved site plan to be changed, the Administrator shall at the applicant's request either administratively approve an amendment to the site plan; or, if the change is major, require that a new site plan be drawn and submitted to review and action in accordance with § 165-99.