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Smyth County planning panel recommends adoption of rewritten Subdivision Ordinance amid public objections
Summary
After public objections and legal review at a July joint hearing, the Smyth County Planning Commission voted to recommend that the Board of Supervisors adopt an extensively rewritten Subdivision Ordinance that restructures approval steps, tightens mandatory requirements, and clarifies private-road and family-subdivision rules.
The Smyth County Planning Commission recommended that the Board of Supervisors adopt a comprehensive rewrite of the county’s Subdivision Ordinance after a joint public hearing on July 24, 2014.
The proposed ordinance reorganizes the code into seven articles, adds mandatory requirements drawn from Virginia Code §15.2-2241 (including a 10 percent construction-cost estimate requirement and a six-month filing limit for final plats with a possible one-year extension), clarifies private-right-of-way and private-road language, and expands the definition of “immediate family” for family subdivisions to include step-children, aunts, uncles, nieces and nephews.
At the hearing, long-serving commissioner Charles Wassum and resident Earl McClure registered objections and submitted a written handout outlining specific concerns, including perceived overreach in some definitions and procedural changes. County Attorney Michelle Clayton told the panel the draft had been reviewed by outside counsel and that she believed it complied with state law. After debate, the Planning Commission voted 5–2 to recommend adoption; commissioners Pugh, Harris, Doyle, Sparks and Venable voted in favor, while Wassum and Davidson opposed the recommendation.
The revisions also specify technical requirements (for example, private right-of-ways must be shown by a certified surveyor; plats require signatures from water/sewer purveyors and the 911 Coordinator) and clarify that private roads will not be maintained by the state or county and may not guarantee mail delivery or school-bus service.
Supporters said the rewrite modernizes the county’s regulations and aligns local practice with statutory requirements; opponents said several provisions merit further review. The Board of Supervisors will consider the ordinance for final adoption in a future meeting.
Questions and appeals about the specific provisions were raised during the hearing; the Planning Commission’s recommendation does not itself change local law until the Board takes final action.
