DRRC 08-27-15 Meeting AgendaCOUNTY of FREDERICK
Department of Planning and Development
540/ 665-5651
Fax: 540/ 665-6395
MEMORANDUM
To: Development Review and Regulations Committee
From: Candice E. Perkins, AICP, Senior Planner
Subject: August Meeting and Agenda
Date: August 19, 2015
The Frederick County Development Review and Regulations Committee (DRRC) will be meeting
on Thursday, August 27, 2015 at 7:00 p.m. in the first floor conference room (purple room) of
the County Administration Building, 107 North Kent Street, Winchester, Virginia. The DRRC will
discuss the following agenda items:
AGENDA
1) Setbacks from Agricultural and Forestal Districts. Discussion on amendments to the
Zoning Ordinance to revise the setbacks from parcels within Agricultural and Forestal
Districts in the RA (Rural Areas) District.
2) Supplementary Use Regulations – Setback Extensions. Discussion on amendments to
the Zoning Ordinance to remove the R5 setback extensions within the supplementary
use regulations section of the ordinance.
Please contact this office if you will not be able to attend the meeting. Thank you.
Access to this building is limited during the evening hours. Therefore, it will be necessary to
enter the building through the rear door of the four-story wing. I would encourage
committee members and interested citizens to park in the County parking lot located behind
the new addition or in the joint Judicial Center parking lot and follow the sidewalk to the back
door of the four-story wing.
CEP/pd
Attachments
Item #1: Setbacks from Agricultural and Forestal Districts
During the 2015-2020 Agricultural and Forestal District update, concern was presented over the
inclusions of parcels less than five (5) acres into the districts due to their impacts on adjacent
parcels that were not in the agricultural districts. The concern was that placement of these parcels
of less than five (5) acres in size into the Agricultural District did not clearly further agriculture
pursuits and interests, and often contained residences, yet the resulting 200-foot setback placed
greater restrictions on their adjacent neighbors. Essentially, someone with a two (2) acre parcel
could control development activity on their two (2) acres as well as their neighbor’s two (2) acres
(when the 200-ft setback was applied).
The Board of Supervisors held a public hearing for the inclusion of these parcels less than 5 acres
into the agricultural districts at their August 12, 2015 meeting. At that meeting they deferred
action on accepting or denying the inclusion of many of these parcels and directed staff to draft an
ordinance amendment that would allow the inclusion of the parcels without impacting adjacent
parcels.
Staff has drafted an amendment to the RA (Rural Areas) District setbacks to address this issue; the
proposed amendment includes the following:
• Utilizes the RA setback requirement based on adjoining parcel size previously
adopted in 2007.
• Includes setbacks for parcels that abut agricultural district, based on the size of the
parcel within the adopted agricultural district.
• Parcels within an agricultural district that are 6 acres or less would require a 50’
setback and parcels over 6 acres would require the 200’ setback.
The attached document shows the existing ordinance with the proposed changes (with
strikethroughs for text eliminated and bold italic for text added). This Planning Commission
discussed this item at their August 19, 2015 meeting. All comments from the Planning Commission
and the DRRC will be forwarded to the Board of Supervisors.
Attachment: 1. Zoning Ordinance - Proposed Revisions
2
Attachment 1
Original language
Draft revisions
ARTICLE IV
AGRICULTURAL AND RESIDENTIAL DISTRICTS
Part 401 – RA Rural Areas District
§ 165-401.07 Setback requirements.
The following setback requirements shall apply to all parcels within the RA Rural Areas Zoning District:
A. Setbacks for all lots other than rural preservation lots shall be as set out below.
[Amended 2-28-2007; 4-27-2011]
(1) Front setbacks. The front setback for any principal or accessory use or structure located on a
traditional five-acre lot shall be 60 feet from the property line or right-of-way of the street,
road or ingress/egress easement.
(2) Side or rear setbacks. The minimum side or rear setback for any principal use or structure shall
be determined by the primary use of the adjoining parcel as follows:
Adjoining Parcel Size Setback (Side and Rear) (feet)
6 acres or less 50
More than 6 acres 100
Agricultural and Forestal District, 6
acres or less
50
Agricultural and Forestal District,
more than 6 acres
200
Orchard (regardless of parcel size) 200
Item #2: Extensions in to Setbacks (R5 District)
In 2011 the RP setbacks and dimensional requirements were revised to include setbacks for
unroofed decks and structures. With that revision, the allowance for extensions into the setback
within the supplementary use regulations was changed to eliminate the RP and R4 Districts. Since
the RP dimensional requirements also apply to the R5 District, the R5 should also have been
removed from the supplementary use regulations extension provision (leaving only the RA and
MH1).
Staff has prepared a minor revision to remove the R5 from the supplementary use regulation
setback extension to ensure that R5 developments (Lake Holliday, Lake Frederick, Shawneeland,
and Mountain Falls) all utilize the RP deck and stoop setback extension as intended.
Staff would like to discuss with the DRRC the current Ordinance requirements and the proposed
revisions.
Attachment: 1. Zoning Ordinance - Proposed Revisions
3
Attachment 1
Original language
Draft revisions
Article II
SUPPLEMENTARY USE REGULATIONS; PARKING; BUFFERS; AND REGULATIONS FOR SPECIFIC USES
Part 201 – Supplementary Use Regulations
§ 165-201.02 Setback requirements.
F. Extensions into setback yards. The following features may extend into setback yards as described:
(1) Air conditioners and similar equipment. Air conditioners, heat pumps and similar mechanical
equipment that are attached to the primary structure may extend three feet into any side or
rear yard area but shall not be closer than five feet to any lot line.
(2) Architectural and structural features. Cornices, canopies, awnings, eaves, gutters or other similar
overhanging features which are least eight feet above the grade may extend three feet into any
required yard setback area. Chimneys, sills, headers, belt courses and similar structural features
may extend three feet into required yard setback areas.
(3) Porches and related features. In the RA and MH1, and R5 Zoning Districts, balconies, porches,
stoops, decks, bay windows, steps and stairways which comprise less than 1/3 of the length
of the wall of the primary structure may extend three feet into a required setback yard. In
no case shall such features be closer than five feet to a lot line.