Zoning Ordinance Rewrite

Overview

• The Zoning Ordinance is the primary implementation tool for the 2019 Comprehensive Plan. 
• It contains an added level of specificity that is based on the community’s vision as expressed in the goals, policies and actions of the 2019 Comprehensive Plan.
• The rewrite project, which kicked off in September 2019, is expected to take approximately 24 months.
• The Zoning Ordinance Action Group will serve as a sounding board throughout the Zoning Ordinance Rewrite process.
• Input from the Board of Supervisors, advisory bodies, various departments and community and professional groups will also be factored into the final product.
• A number of Zoning Ordinance Amendments have been rolled into the rewrite project. 
• WSP USA Inc. has been awarded a contract to provide consulting services for the Zoning Ordinance rewrite.

Focus Areas

The main focus areas of the Zoning Ordinance Rewrite include:

• Implementation of the new comprehensive plan vision, including the Urban Policy Area, which involves new place types with densities, standards, building forms, and infrastructure that have yet to be realized in Loudoun County.
• Modernization: revising land uses and definitions to reflect the current marketplace, reevaluating parking ratios and calculations, update lot and building standards, and aligning how the County administers planned unit developments with modern practice.
• Consistency audit: analyzing existing standards and striving for consistency within the document and across zoning districts when feasible.
• Structure and flow: improving the document structure, making it user-friendly and clear.
• Opportunities and challenges: evaluating input from stakeholders about the current Zoning Ordinance and making improvements where appropriate.
• Legislation: incorporating changes based on new or revised provisions of the Code of Virginia, court cases, and best management practices promoted by the Virginia Association of Zoning Officials, Urban Land Institute and American Planning Association.