Harrisonburg council approves 5-foot setback for accessory buildings on through lots in UR district

HARRISONBURG, Va. — Harrisonburg City Council on Tuesday approved an amendment to the city zoning ordinance that reduces the required setback for accessory buildings on through lots in the Urban Residential (UR) district to 5 feet.

Adam Fletcher, director of community development, told council the amendment would change subsection d of section 10.3.1.14 of the zoning ordinance to allow accessory structures on through lots (parcels with public street frontage on two sides) to be placed closer to the public right-of-way than current rules allow. Fletcher said the change would be narrowly targeted, affecting roughly 49 parcels in and adjacent to downtown.

The amendment followed disagreement between the applicant and staff over how close accessory structures should be allowed to sit. The applicant had proposed a 5-foot setback; staff recommended increasing that to 10 feet to reduce potential conflicts with sight distance, driveway maneuverability and utilities. Fletcher said the UR district’s standard…