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Supervisors adopt multiple county-code changes on street naming, blights and stormwater rules
Summary
Bedford supervisors adopted several code amendments clarifying which departments administer street naming and signage, updating procedures for derelict and blighted structures, and adding stormwater and environmental enforcement provisions including penalties and a prepayment option similar to zoning fines.
The Bedford County Board of Supervisors on Sept. 9 adopted a package of amendments to the county code covering street naming and signage administration, derelict and blighted-structure enforcement, and environmental/stormwater provisions.
Planning staff told the board the proposed changes clarify that the Department of Information Technology will be the designated agency for administering provisions of the street-naming article while the Division of Planning will order new or replacement street signs. The amendments also specify that petitions to change or approve street names must be submitted to the county attorney’s office.
On derelict and blighted structures, staff said the code language was updated to reflect recent changes in the Code of Virginia. The revisions add statutory references and provide the county with enforcement options to recoup costs or apply penalties to property owners who do not remedy blighted properties after notification.
Staff also presented amendments to county code chapter 7 (environmental code) to add requirements tied to stormwater permitting. Those changes include adding an agricultural-affidavit requirement (at the administrator’s discretion) for qualifying disturbances that would otherwise be exempt from stormwater permitting; establishing a stormwater management facility inspection-frequency table for recorded maintenance agreements; requiring development to reach final grade and demonstrate adequate stabilization prior to issuance of a certificate of occupancy (with a possible temporary CO in limited weather or extenuating circumstances); and clarifying enforcement procedures, including stop-work orders and a seven-day correction window for certain violations. The staff said the stormwater and related penalties language is modeled on guidance from the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality and is intended to ensure compliance with state requirements.
Jordan, the planning presenter, said staff consulted with Information Technology on overlapping geographic-information-system needs while drafting the street-naming amendment. Jordan also explained the environmental amendments and noted one drafting error in the packet that would be corrected (changing a word from "shall" to "may" in the temporary certificate-of-occupancy provision).
Board members moved and seconded adoption of the ordinances. Roll-call votes recorded the measures as adopted. The changes add administrative clarity on street naming, expand enforcement options for blighted properties, and strengthen stormwater permitting and enforcement language, including a penalties section with a prepayment option similar to the recently adopted zoning penalty change.
