Board approves rezoning for North Star Church to allow future expansion with proffered limits

Montgomery County, Va. — The Montgomery County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously May 12 to rezone roughly 10 acres used by North Star Church from Agricultural A‑1 to Community Business with proffered conditions intended to limit new by‑right commercial uses if the property ever leaves church ownership.

The change matters because Agricultural A‑1 zoning limits impervious surface to 30 percent of a lot and building coverage to 20 percent, while Community Business allows up to 75 percent impervious surface and 40 percent building coverage; the applicant says the rezoning will allow future, church‑run expansion that is not possible under current zoning.

Bree, a county planning staff member, described the site just outside Blacksburg on Price's Fork Road and summarized the request and proffers. She told the board, "In community business, it would be increased to 75," referring to the impervious surface cap under the Community Business district. Bree said the site's detached office and an overflow gravel parking lot added in 2023 are already in place and that any future change in use or additional impervious area would require a site plan and county review of parking, landscaping and stormwater; VDOT reviewed the rezoning and took no exception.

Steve Simonis of Balzer & Associates, the applicant’s consultant, told the board the request is largely planning work to enable future decisions: the church bought the property in 2014, opened in 2021 and added overflow parking in 2023; he said the church had no immediate capital project planned and that any expansion would require stormwater recalculation and county approvals. Brian Lindamood, who identified himself as leading North Star Church's strategy team, said, "We do not currently have any projects in any stage of development...This is simply a proactive measure on our part to posture the church to be responsive so that any project we would propose would be fully compliant with county code and process."

Planning staff noted churches are a permitted use in all county zones and that if a future owner converted the property to a non‑church use the proffers would limit certain by‑right uses; staff also noted churches are not required to provide perimeter landscape buffering under the county ordinance but parking areas are subject to landscaping rules. The planning commission recommended approval 5–2 (with one abstention and one absence). Some commissioners and nearby residents had expressed concern about parking proximity to the West Hill subdivision and the higher impervious surface allowed under Community Business; supervisors urged the applicant to consider buffering if the church pursues expansion.

Board action: After discussion the board moved and passed the rezoning on a roll‑call vote, 7–0.

What's next: Rezoning approval allows the church to pursue future site plans or expansion projects, each of which will require separate review for stormwater control, VDOT access, parking, and landscaping as required by county code.