Commission backs amendment to expand zoning‑violation fines and allow court‑ordered abatement

The Dinwiddie County Planning Commission voted to recommend amendment A‑25‑2, which revises the zoning ordinance penalties and violations section to align the county code with state code and to allow courts to order abatement of ongoing violations.

Planning staff explained the amendment was prompted by a recent court case revealing a conflict between the county ordinance and state law. The amendment retains a misdemeanor classification for zoning violations but replaces the prior fine language with an updated scale: a fine of not more than $1,000 for the initial offense; if the violation is uncorrected at conviction the court may order abatement and subsequent failures within a consecutive 10‑day period are punishable by fines up to $1,500 and then up to $2,000 for additional 10‑day periods, language intended to mirror the referenced state code.

Staff said the change "puts us in line with the state code" and will permit judges to order violators to abate or remedy violations in compliance with the zoning ordinance. The commission opened and closed the public hearing with no public comments and voted to recommend A‑25‑2 to the Board of Supervisors by recorded voice and unanimous consent.

The recommendation sends the revised Section 22‑19 (Penalties and Violations) to the Board for final adoption; staff noted the change gives courts explicit authority to order abatement when violations remain uncorrected at the time of conviction.