Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Land Use topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
ZOTAC weighs lot-size changes, major-subdivision limits and PDR research; staff to draft ordinance options
Summary
A county zoning-ordinance text-amendment committee recommended several options — most members declined large immediate lot-size increases, the committee favored removing major subdivisions from agricultural by-right rules or limiting parent-tract splits, and members urged study of purchase-of-development-rights and adequate-facility assessments.
The King George County zoning-ordinance text amendment committee (ZOTAC) presented final recommendations to the Board of Supervisors on May 20, outlining a set of options staff should draft into ordinance language for review by the planning commission.
Kelly LaDuke, county planner who staffed the committee, said members declined the originally proposed large lot-size increases (A-1 from 10 to 50 acres; A-2 from 2 to 20; A-3 from 1 to 10). She said committee members generally felt the proposed changes were too drastic and wanted more time to assess the new 2024 ordinance implementation.
The committee supported three core approaches for staff to draft and evaluate: require rezonings (rather than by-right major subdivisions) for large multi-lot developments in agricultural districts; restrict major subdivisions so that parent tracts cannot be split into more than a small fixed number of lots; and require lots in major subdivisions to access the development via internal roads rather than multiple direct driveways to primary or secondary streets. The committee also recommended researching a purchase-of-development-rights (PDR) program and possible funding mechanisms to preserve farmland.
County attorney commentary, delivered during the meeting, warned that the Chesterfield County court case cited by staff could constrain how the county writes cut‑limits for parent tracts and that changing minimum lot sizes is the most legally certain option. "The one way that I know you can do that is to change the minimum lot size in the AG district," the attorney said; he cautioned some approaches could invite legal challenge and recommended careful drafting.
Supervisor questions focused on grandfathering, family subdivisions, and how changes could affect long-term owners and small-family transfers. Committee members and staff emphasized that family-subdivision rules were not being targeted for elimination: the committee recommended leaving family-subdivision requirements in place. Several members proposed an adequacy study to measure school, road and other public-service impacts and to provide a basis for policy.
LaDuke said staff will prepare draft ordinance language and a planning-commission review schedule. The board did not adopt ordinance changes at the meeting; members asked staff to return with draft text, legal review, and an estimated cost for any proposed adequate-facilities or PDR studies.
