The Village Center District is intended to provide
a central area for frequent shopping, service, and office and entertainment
establishments to service the needs of the entire community, while
maintaining the basic character of the area in which they are located.
The uses permitted in this district should be of such character as
to provide for residential living areas, comparative shopping needs,
service and repair needs, specialized commercial activities and those
establishments which cater primarily to pedestrian traffic. The location
of such areas should be such that stores and commercial activities
can be grouped together in an attractive and convenient manner. It
is essential that areas for this district have excellent accessibility
on various types of thoroughfares that service the community and surrounding
area.
No building or structure may be erected or used
and no land may be used or occupied except for one or more of the
following principal uses:
A. Parks and other recreation areas of a nonprofit nature.
B. Single-family detached dwellings.
[Amended 1-8-2019 by Ord.
No. 2018-10]
C. Houses of worship.
[Amended 1-8-2019 by Ord.
No. 2018-10]
D. Private and public schools.
[Amended 1-8-2019 by Ord.
No. 2018-10]
E. Single-family attached dwellings. (For townhouse standards, see §
165-56.)
[Amended 1-8-2019 by Ord.
No. 2018-10]
F. Multifamily dwellings.
[Amended 1-8-2019 by Ord.
No. 2018-10]
G. Public buildings and facilities.
I. Clubrooms, club grounds, meeting halls.
J. General merchandise, variety or department stores,
retail.
L. Apparel and accessories, retail.
M. Furniture, home furnishing and equipment, retail.
N. Paint, glass, wallpaper and hardware, retail.
O. Heating, plumbing and electrical equipment, retail.
P. Finance, insurance and real estate services.
Q. Personal services, laundry, barber, beautician, funeral.
R. Business services, advertising, employment, consulting.
S. Professional services, medical, dental, legal, engineering.
U. Private and commercial schools, dance, business, day
care, trade.
V. Recreational beekeeping, provided that:
[Added 4-10-2012 by Ord.
No. 2012-04]
(1) Hives may only be placed or situated on a side yard or a rear yard,
shall be at least 25 feet from the nearest property line and shall
be at least 50 feet from the nearest primary structure which is located
on an adjacent or adjoining property.
(2) A source of water, either natural or artificial, shall be located
on the property where the hive or hives are located. The water source
or combination of water sources shall have a surface area of at least
10 square feet and shall be at least 10 feet from the nearest property
line.
(3) For property lots of 9,000 square feet to 22,000 square feet, a maximum
of two hives are permitted, and one additional hive is permitted for
each additional 22,000 square feet of lot size.
W. Recreational keeping of agricultural animals, provided that:
(1) For property lots of 9,000 square feet to 22,000 square feet, a maximum
of five chickens are permitted, or a combination of four chickens
and one other agricultural animal. One additional agricultural animal
shall be permitted to be kept for each additional 22,000 square feet
of lot size.
(2) There shall be no age restrictions on keeping of agricultural animals other than as proscribed in Subsection
W(1).
(4) No person shall slaughter any agricultural animals on the premises.
(5) All chickens with clipped wings shall be confined at all times within
a fully enclosed rear yard with fences or walls at least four feet
in height. For all other instances where agricultural animals are
kept, they must be confined at all times in fully enclosed rear yards
with fences or walls six feet in height.
[Amended 1-8-2019 by Ord.
No. 2018-10]
(6) Furthermore, all chickens shall additionally be provided an enclosed accessory building which may be in the form of a coop. Before utilizing a coop for chickens, the owner of the chickens shall comply with all state and/or county regulations related to the raising of chickens as provided in §
51-10.
(a)
No pen or coop may be closer than 25 feet to any property line,
and it shall be at least 50 feet from the nearest primary structure
which is located on an adjacent or adjoining property.
(b)
Each pen or coop must be kept clean, free of all odors and materials
that can attract rodents.
(c)
Electrical connections to a coop shall require a Town zoning
certificate and meet Frederick County permit requirements, as applicable.
(d)
Animal waste shall be composted or removed from the premises on a regular basis, to comply with Chapter
85 of the Town Code.
The Board of Appeals may authorize the following principal uses as special exceptions in accordance with §
165-87:
A. Other repair services, small electrical appliances,
upholstery, jewelry.
C. Public utility structures and buildings.
D. Rooming houses, residential conversions.
E. Convalescent or nursing homes.
F. Eating and drinking establishments, restaurants, etc.
G. Contract construction services.
J. Assembly of electronic apparatus.
[Amended 4-11-2017 by Ord. No. 2017-04]
Permitted accessory uses are accessory buildings
and uses customarily incidental to any principal use or authorized
special exception uses in the VC District and include:
C. Private swimming pools as regulated in §
165-18.
D. Utility sheds or buildings.
[Amended 4-11-2017 by Ord. No. 2017-04]
For all uses in the VC District, the following
requirements shall be met:
A. Processes and equipment employed and goods processed or
sold shall be limited to those which are not objectionable by reason
of public nuisance as determined by the Town or appropriate regulating
authority.
B. Parking and loading space as required in §§
165-14 and
165-15 must be complied with, unless reduced by the Planning Commission during site plan review.
[Amended 4-11-2017 by Ord. No. 2017-04]
No new structure built after April 2, 2002,
in the VC District shall exceed 2 1/2 stories or 40 feet in height.
[Amended 4-11-2017 by Ord. No. 2017-04]
Minimum lot area and width requirements shall
be determined by the Planning Commission. For all new structures built
after April 2, 2002, in the VC District, the minimum yard areas shall
be as follows:
[Amended 10-11-2005; 4-11-2017 by Ord. No. 2017-04]
Whenever any new use is to be established within
the VC District after April 2, 2002, a site improvement plan of development
must be submitted to the Planning Commission and approved by it. At
a minimum, said site improvement plan shall conform to the site plan
checklist, as provided by the Town, for such submission. The site
improvement plan shall illustrate how the proposed use conforms to
all specifications and requirements of the district.
A. Site plan format. The site plan shall comply with the plan requirements of Chapter
130, Subdivision and Land Development.
B. Site plan fee. A fee shall be paid by the applicant
for each site plan when submitted to the Planning Commission to partially
defray the costs of examination and consideration of the site plan
in accordance with these regulations. Such fees shall be established,
from time to time, by the Town Council upon the recommendation of
the Planning Commission. The fee schedule shall be maintained on file
in the office of the Town Clerk.