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Board adopts ordinance permitting local authority to reduce speed limits in business and residential districts
Summary
Nelson County adopted Ordinance O-2025-01 to add local authority for the county to reduce posted 25 mph speed limits to 20 or 15 mph in business or residential districts, subject to public hearing and written notice to the Commissioner of Highways.
The Nelson County Board of Supervisors on Jan. 14 adopted Ordinance O-2025-01, an amendment to Chapter 7 (Motor Vehicles and Traffic) of the Nelson County Code that grants the county local authority to reduce posted 25 mph speed limits to 20 or 15 mph in business or residential districts.
County staff said the ordinance implements authority described in Virginia Code §46.2-1300(A)(4) and §46.2-100 (definitions of business and residence districts). The ordinance creates a new Article 9 in Chapter 7 that allows the county to reduce speed limits following a local public hearing and by resolution of the board, and it requires at least 30 days’ written notice to the Commissioner of Highways before changing a posted limit; reduced or restored limits must be indicated by lawfully placed signs.
Board members asked whether a public hearing would be required for each location; staff confirmed that the proposed ordinance as drafted requires a public hearing and a board resolution before a specific speed change is implemented. With no public speakers for that item, the board moved and approved the ordinance.
Why it matters The ordinance gives Nelson County an explicit local mechanism to lower posted speeds in business and residential districts where the current posted limit is 25 mph. The change enables local consideration of lower limits for safety or traffic-calming purposes but preserves a public-hearing step and required notice to the Virginia Commissioner of Highways.
Votes at a glance - Ordinance O-2025-01 (amend Chapter 7, Motor Vehicles and Traffic): motion approved; recorded roll-call responses in the transcript include Doctor Lee — Yes; Mister Walter — Yes; Mister Barr — No; Mister Miller — Yes; outcome: approved.
What’s next County staff will publish required notices to the Commissioner of Highways when the board later identifies specific streets for speed reductions and will follow the sign-placement and public-notice provisions required by state law.
