[Amended 6-23-2005; at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I)]
For the purpose of this chapter, the area of Amelia County, Virginia, is hereby divided into the following districts:
A-5
Agricultural
RP-5
Rural Preservation
RR-3
Rural Residential
R-10
Rural Preservation
R-5
Residential
R-3
Residential
ER-1
Existing Residential
R-1
Residential
R-2
Residential
R-MHP
Mobile Home Park
MHS
Mobile Home Subdivision
B-1
Business
B-2
Shopping Center
M-1
Industrial
M-2
Industrial
FP
Floodplain Overlay
360 Overlay
US Route 360 Overlay
Buildings or structures shall be started, reconstructed, enlarged or altered only after a zoning permit has been obtained from the Zoning Administrator. Each application for a zoning permit shall be accompanied by two copies of a scale drawing. The drawing shall show the size and shape of the parcel of land on which the proposed building is to be constructed, the nature of the proposed use of the building or land, and the location of such building or use with respect to the property lines of said parcel of land and to the right-of-way of any street or highway adjoining said parcel of land. Any other information which the Zoning Administrator may deem necessary for consideration of the application may be required. If the proposed building or use is in conformity with the provisions of this chapter, a permit shall be issued to the applicant by the Administrator. One copy of the drawing shall be returned to the applicant with the permit.
[Amended 5-20-1998; at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I)]
Buildings structurally altered or erected may be occupied or changed in use only after a certificate of occupancy has been issued by the Building Official. Such a permit shall state that the building, or the proposed use, complies with the provisions of this chapter. A similar certificate shall be issued for the purpose of maintaining, renewing, changing, or extending a nonconforming use. A certificate of occupancy, either for the whole or a part of a building, shall be applied for simultaneously with the application for a zoning permit. The certificate of occupancy shall be issued within 10 days after the erection or structural alteration of such building or part thereof has been completed in conformity with the provisions of this chapter.
[Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I)]
If, in any district established under this chapter, a use is not specifically permitted and an application is made by a property owner or owners to the Zoning Administrator for such use, the Administrator shall refer the application to the Planning Commission which shall make its recommendation to the governing body within 90 days. If the recommendation of the Planning Commission is approved by the governing body, this chapter shall be amended to list the use as a permitted use in the district, henceforth. Both the Planning Commission and the governing body shall hold a public hearing after advertising in accordance with § 15.2-2204, Code of Virginia 1950, as amended.
Wherever there shall be plans in existence, approved by either the Virginia Department of Transportation or by the governing body, for the widening of any street or highway, the Planning Commission may recommend additional front yard setbacks for any new construction or for any structures altered or remodeled adjacent to the future planned right-of-way in order to preserve and protect the right-of-way for such proposed street or highway widening.
[Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I)]
There shall be provided at the time of erection of any main building, or at the time any main building is enlarged or structurally altered and converted to another use, adequate minimum off-street parking spaces as follows:
Use
Number of Spaces
Dwellings
One-family
1 per dwelling unit
Two-family
1.5 per dwelling unit
Multifamily
1 per dwelling unit
Mobile homes in mobile home parks
1 per dwelling unit
Mobile homes on lots in subdivisions or in agricultural zoned areas
1 per dwelling unit
Tourist court, motel, motor hotel, motor lodge or hotel
1 per employee plus 1 per sleeping room or suite
Rooming house, boardinghouse or lodging house or bed-and-breakfast
1 per sleeping room
Theaters, churches, auditoriums and other places of public assembly
1 per 5 seats or bench seating spaces (seats in main auditorium)
Hospital
1 per patient bed
Sanitarium, convalescent home, home for the aged, or similar institution
1 per 5 patient beds
Funeral home
1 per 50 square feet of floor area excluding storage and work areas; 30 spaces minimum
Medical offices or clinics
1 per 200 square feet floor area; 3 spaces minimum
Bowling alley
3 per lane
Nursery, preschool, kindergarten, day care
3 per classroom
Public library, museum, art gallery or other public building
1 per 300 square feet
Furniture or appliance store
1 per 300 square feet; 2 spaces minimum
Auto or boat sales and service
1 per 300 square feet; 5 spaces minimum
Office or office building
1 per 300 square feet of floor area; 5 spaces minimum
Restaurants
1 per 100 square feet of dining area
Retail store or personal service establishment and banks
1 per 200 square feet of floor area
Country club, golf club or private club
1 per 5 members or 1 for each 400 square feet of floor area whichever is greater
Amusement place, dance hall, skating rink, swimming pool or similar entertainment facility
1 per 100 square feet of floor area
General service or repair establishment
2 per employee on the premises
Automobile repair
1 per employee and 2 per bay (working station)
Animal hospital
1 per 400 square feet of floor area
Laundromat
1 per washing machine
Barbershop and beauty shop
2 plus 1 per station
Shopping center
1 per 200 square feet of rental floor area for shopping centers with less than 25,000 square feet
1 per 250 square feet of rental floor area for shopping centers with 25,000 or more square feet
Manufacturing or industrial establishment, research or testing laboratory, creamery, bottling plant, wholesale warehouse or similar establishment
1 per each employee on maximum working shift plus space for storage of trucks or other vehicles used in connection with business or industry
Any other commercial building not specifically listed above hereafter erected, converted or structurally altered
1 per each 200 square feet of business floor space in the building
A. 
Parking spaces, as required in the foregoing, shall be on the same lot with the main building, except that in the case of buildings other than dwellings, spaces may be located as far away as 600 feet, unless this presents a safety hazard. Every parcel of land hereafter used as a public parking area shall be surfaced with gravel, stone, asphalt or concrete. It shall have appropriate guards where needed as determined by the Zoning Administrator. Any lights used to illuminate said parking area shall be so arranged as to reflect the light away from adjoining premises. The Zoning Administrator shall require certification of safe operation where the location of such parking results in the crossing of major roads or highways by persons seeking access.
B. 
Parking spaces shall be at least 180 square feet with dimensions of either nine feet by 20 feet or 10 feet by 18 feet. Handicapped parking spaces shall conform to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requirements, 42, U.S.C. § 12101 et seq., as amended, of 13 feet by 19 feet. In parking lots, there shall be a minimum of one handicapped parking space for every 50 parking spaces. Distances between lanes of parking spaces shall be a minimum of 30 feet.
[Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I)]
Should review of any proposal submitted for any zoning district create reasonable doubt as to its compatibility with the general area for which it is proposed or should review clearly demonstrate adverse impact on the general area for which it is proposed, additional zoning requirements may be imposed. Additional requirements must be based as findings of adverse impact.
Unless otherwise provided for in a specific section of this chapter, only one dwelling unit shall be permitted on any single parcel of land.
Prior to a building permit being issued for a residential, commercial or industrial use not serviced by the Amelia County Sanitary System, the Health Department must locate a perk site and design a septic system with a 100% reserve drainfield to minimize future problems due to septic system failures.
A. 
Of the two sides of a corner lot, the front shall be deemed to be the shortest of the two sides fronting on streets.
B. 
The minimum side yard on the side facing the side street shall be 25 feet or more for both main and accessory buildings.
For purposes of these regulations, "major recreational equipment" is defined as including boats and boat trailers, travel trailers, pickup campers or coaches (designed to be mounted on automotive vehicles), motorized dwellings, tent trailers, and the like, and cases or boxes used for transporting equipment, whether occupied by such equipment or not. No such equipment shall be used for living, sleeping, or housekeeping purposes when parked or stored on a residential lot.
[Amended 12-17-2003]
In the A-5, RP-5, RR-3, R-5, R-3, R-2, R-1, R-MHP and MHS Districts a special exception permit shall be required for any permitted use that exceeds two permitted uses per parcel. School, churches, and libraries are exempt from this requirement.