Lancaster planning commission forwards capital priorities and multiple zoning updates to supervisors

The Lancaster County Planning Commission on March 2026 voted to forward several items to the Lancaster County Board of Supervisors, including the commission’s ranked FY27–31 capital improvement requests and multiple zoning‑code amendments intended to ensure compliance with recent state guidance and model ordinances.

The commission heard a presentation from County Administrator Don Gil on the capital improvement budget update and discussion of department requests before considering the commission’s averaged rankings. Don Gil told commissioners the panel must prioritize requests and forward its recommendation so the board can meet its April budget calendar. Commissioners resolved several ties in their averaged rankings (notably prioritizing elementary-school air‑handler replacements over a sheriff’s office transport van) and voted to forward the list with a favorable recommendation; the motion carried with one voiced opposition.

Commissioners also reviewed and unanimously moved forward a package of land‑use updates. Planning staff (Miss Hall) presented a proposed amendment to Part One, Article 14‑4 of the Lancaster County Land Development Code to incorporate required appeal‑notice language under Virginia Code §15.2‑2311 so that written zoning violation notices and orders specify appeal rights, applicable appeal fees and where to obtain additional filing information. Miss Hall said the change followed guidance from County Attorney Jim Cornwell and was advertised as required; no public comments were received during the commission hearing.

The commission likewise forwarded proposed resiliency updates to the county’s Chesapeake Bay preservation ordinance (Part 4). Staff explained the state provided a model ordinance and that for parcels over one acre the county will use the state’s runoff reduction method rather than the prior single impervious‑coverage threshold. Commissioners accepted the staff recommendation and voted to send the CBPA amendments to the board with a favorable recommendation and a finding of good zoning practice.

The commission moved to create a Legacy Residential District (LR‑2) to address parcels that remain technically zoned under the repealed R2 (residential apartment) article. Staff said the legacy district would apply only to parcels already zoned R2, add street‑design rules to meet VDOT standards (including minimum right‑of‑way widths intended to address fire access), and clarify permitted uses for property owners and real estate transactions. Commissioners reviewed a written public comment from a resident of the High Banks subdivision asking that hosted short‑term rentals be excluded; staff advised, based on previous state guidance and the county attorney’s input, that hosted short‑term rentals should remain permitted at this time. The commission forwarded the LR‑2 creation and a companion amendment to Article One (a definition of “legacy zoning district”) to the board with favorable recommendations.

Votes at a glance: the commission forwarded (1) the FY27–31 capital‑project rankings; (2) the Article 14‑4 amendment to comply with Va. Code §15.2‑2311; (3) the CBPA resiliency updates (Part 4); (4) the LR‑2 legacy residential district; and (5) the companion Article One definition. Each item was forwarded with a favorable recommendation and a finding of good zoning practice where requested; motions were carried by voice vote (record shows at least one voiced opposition during some motions but no roll‑call tallies were provided in the transcript).

Why it matters: the zoning‑code changes implement a state‑mandated appeals notice and align local CBPA language with recent state resiliency guidance, which affects permitting and notification procedures. The LR‑2 legacy district addresses administrative and market uncertainty for parcels left in an obsolete R2 classification and adds street‑design provisions intended to improve emergency access.

Next steps: the Board of Supervisors will review the commission’s forwarded recommendations in upcoming meetings and hold any required public hearings before any ordinance adoptions or code amendments become effective.