Tangier City Zoning Code

3-1. Title. This district shall be known and referenced as the “Waterfront Commercial District” of the Town of Tangier, Virginia.

3-2. Statement of Intent. This district is intended to provide for the conduct of a variety of commercial activities and services related to the seafood and tourism industries. In addition, recreational use of the harbor is allowed. All uses should be on a scale compatible with the adjacent residential uses. This area is represented by C-W on page three of the Tangier Zoning Ordinance and as Commercial, Waterfront on the Future Land Use Map in the Tangier Town Plan.

3-3. Principal Permitted Uses and Structures. The following uses shall be permitted by right.

A. All uses permitted in R-M.

B. Seafood Packing and Processing Plants, including crab shedding operations.

C. Welding Shops.

D. Boat Yards, Boat Repair.

E. Restaurants.

F. Launch Ramps.

G. Retail Sales and Service Stores.

H.       Public Utilities: poles, distribution lines, distribution transformers, pipes, meters and other facilities necessary for the provision and maintenance of public utilities, including water and sewage facilities.

I.        Drainage, erosion and flood control devices.

3-4. Special Exceptions. The following uses shall be permitted in Waterfront Commercial District (C-W), subject to all other requirements of this ordinance, only upon the obtaining of a Special Exception permit from the Town Council.

A.       Professional and business offices.

2. Bed and Breakfast operations.

3. Residential apartments above stores.

D.       Boarding houses.

3-5. Minimum Lot Area. None, except for those uses permitted in R-M. The area regulations in R-M shall apply to R-M uses.

3-6. Setback Regulations.  The following are the yard regulations for C-W:

A.       C-W uses which use a side or rear yard must have a minimum side yard of five (5) feet and a minimum rear yard of five (5) feet.

B.        C-W uses that are adjacent to a residential district must have a minimum side yard of 10 feet and a minimum rear yard of 20 feet.

3-7. Height Regulations. Buildings may be erected up to 35 feet and two and one-half (2 1/2) stories in height except that:

A.       Public utility structures, church spires, belfries, cupolas, monuments, water towers, chimneys, flues, flag poles, residential television antennae and residential radio aerials are exempt. Parapet walls may be up to four (4) feet above the height of the building on which the walls rest.

B.        Accessory buildings shall be limited to two (2) stories in height.

3-8. Access. Each main building shall front on a street or 12 foot minimum width access easement.