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County staff propose clearer 'fairground' definition and new 'rural resort center' use with 15-acre minimum
Summary
Planning staff presented two text amendments: a staff-drafted definition of "fairground" to clarify permitted activities and require festival permits, and an applicant-driven proposal for a 'rural resort center' use in the agricultural district with a 15-acre minimum, density controls and restrictions on permanent restaurants under 30 acres.
Planning staff briefed the Warren County Board on two zoning text amendments scheduled for public hearing: a staff-generated definition of "fairground" and an applicant-driven "rural resort center" use.
On the fairground amendment, staff (Speaker 11) said the county currently lacks a definition and that confusion over allowable activities — fairs, festivals, circuses, concerts, rodeos, flea markets, auctions, RV camping, motorsports and related accessory uses — led to inconsistent interpretation. The proposal would list permissible activities and clarify that festival permits and other existing permitting requirements still apply. Staff said the county's current fairground is allowed by conditional-use permit (CUP) in the commercial district and that the change would remove a by-right "non-commercial fairground" allowance in the agricultural district, treating fairgrounds uniformly by CUP.
Supervisors asked whether uses listed in the fairground definition would be allowed on other property types; staff replied that many events remain permitted as accessory uses on commercial campgrounds, rural-event facilities or community centers and that the definition is intended to capture existing fairground uses rather than expand permissions. Several supervisors urged tightening language around "private and community events" to avoid inadvertently requiring CUPs for small community fundraisers.
On the rural resort center amendment, staff said the proposal establishes a new hospitality/recreation use in the agricultural district for properties meeting a 15-acre minimum (staff noted comparable minimums: 10 acres for campgrounds and 20 acres for rural events facilities). The supplementary regulations would require state-road frontage, VDOT entrance approval, a 100-foot setback from neighboring property lines, parking and annual compliance reviews; lodging-unit density limits would allow up to 25 units for 15–30 acre parcels and up to 50 units for parcels 30 acres and larger, with 20 feet separation between units. Staff said the 15-acre threshold reflects the applicant—s intended 18-acre parcel; planning commission comments prompted additional restrictions on permanent restaurants for parcels under 30 acres.
Staff asked supervisors to consider the amendments prior to the public hearing; no vote was taken at the work session.
