Nelson County launches two‑year rewrite of zoning and subdivision ordinances

Chris Musso, a consultant with the Berkeley Group, told the Nelson County Board of Supervisors and Planning Commission on Feb. 26 that the county is beginning a two‑year effort to rewrite its zoning and subdivision ordinances, with the drafting phase followed by public open houses and formal hearings in winter 2025–2026. The project team has completed an initial diagnostic (posted at nelson2042.com) and held focused community engagement including five focus groups and two in‑person workshops.

Musso said the draft reorganizes the ordinance to improve readability and alignment with the Code of Virginia, grouping provisions into a new table of contents and labeling Articles such as general provisions, administration, permits and nonconformities. "You can never have too many definitions," Musso said when asked about adding a local definition for terms such as a ‘‘condition.’’ He said Code of Virginia definitions are used where applicable and local definitions will be added where the county needs clarity.

On administration, the draft consolidates…