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Accomack supervisors adopt ordinance to waive building fees for affordable housing projects
Summary
The board adopted amendments to Chapter 18 of the Accomack County Code allowing fee waivers for eligible nonprofit or private developers undertaking construction, renovation or rehabilitation of affordable housing, citing state enabling authority and strategic county priorities.
The Accomack County Board of Supervisors approved proposed amendments to Chapter 18 of the county code to allow waivers of building permits and other county fees for projects that construct, substantially renovate, or rehabilitate affordable housing.
County Administrator Mike Mason summarized the draft ordinance, which cites enabling legislation in the Code of Virginia and ties to the board’s strategic priorities to incentivize affordable housing starts in the county. He said eligible applicants would be 501(c)(3) organizations with a primary purpose of providing affordable housing or private-sector entities pursuing affordable developments; applicants must demonstrate that fee relief would facilitate the affordable-housing project either before or after construction.
Mason acknowledged that estimating the revenue impact is difficult but said anticipated revenue loss would be immaterial based on past affordable-housing starts. After no public comment, the board moved and seconded a motion to adopt the amendments and approved it by voice vote.
The ordinance creates a local incentive pathway to reduce upfront permitting costs for targeted affordable-housing projects; eligibility criteria and documentation requirements will be determined through the ordinance language and implementing procedures.
