[1-3-2023 by Ord. No.
2023.01.03]
(a)
Zoning districts established. In order to regulate and restrict
the location and use of buildings and land for trade, industry, residence
and other purposes in accordance with the objectives of the Comprehensive
Plan, to regulate and restrict the location, height and size of buildings
hereafter erected or structurally altered, the size of yards and other
open spaces and the density of population, the following zoning districts
are hereby established:
(b)
Special purpose zoning districts. The intent and character of these districts are unique compared to the primary zoning districts supplied in Article IV. These districts contain additional standards and design requirements not found in the primary zoning districts. Special purpose zoning districts provide standards for specific districts in the Town of Abingdon and are established as follows:
(c)
Overlay districts. Overlay districts apply additional standards
to the development of land in the Town of Abingdon. These district
standards exist as overlays to the existing underlying zoning districts
and, as such, the provisions for the overlay districts do not replace,
but shall serve as a supplement to, the underlying district provisions.
The overlay districts are established as follows:
[1-3-2023 by Ord. No.
2023.01.03]
(a)
Special purpose zoning districts.
(1)
Old and Historic. This district should maintain appropriate
character and design through utilization of historic guidelines and
review of development by a Historic Preservation Review Board. The
purpose of the Old and Historic (OH) District, in accordance with
Code of Virginia, § 15.2-2306, is to:
a.
Preserve the unique cultural heritage represented by the original
section of the Town of Abingdon and the site of Black's Fort and the
Town's historic resources for future generations; and
b.
Promote historic resources for economic development and financial
stability, preserve historic resources for educational purposes, and
promote quality of life and a sense of place for Town residents.
(2)
Planned Technology District. The purpose of the Planned Technology
Development (PTD) District is for high technology manufacturing and
industrial uses. Supporting accessory uses and facilities, including
offices, commercial establishments, and residential areas may also
be permitted. The PTD District is intended to be designed with a park-like
setting that complements surrounding land uses by means of appropriate
siting of buildings, controlled access points, attractive and harmonious
architecture, effective landscape buffering and common open space
with scenic view easements. The district is intended to provide flexibility
in design and site layout, allow latitude in combining different types
of uses within a single development, and provide the developer with
incentives to create an aesthetically pleasing, functional and environmentally
friendly planned development.
a.
In addition, the intent of the planned technology development
district is to provide certain industries that are clean and environmentally
efficient the opportunity to locate in an area of similar technologies
in what is generally known as a mixed-use park, developed under a
complete, comprehensive site plan. Standards are provided for landscaping,
buffering and open space to encourage high technology industries and
to ensure a park-like atmosphere. Important in determining the location
and size of a PTD are the accessibility of the location, the availability
of public utilities, public safety services and the suitability of
the topography for site and building development purposes.
(3)
Planned unit development. The purpose of the Planned Unit Development
(PUD) District is to encourage and permit variation in residential
developments by allowing deviation in lot size, bulk or type of dwelling,
density, lot coverage and open space from that required in any one
residential district. Supporting accessory uses and facilities, including
neighborhood-style, low-intensity businesses and mixed uses are also
permitted. This district encourages innovative and attractive design
in pedestrian-oriented environments, while allowing greater flexibility
in land use and design.
(b)
Overlay Districts.
(1)
Flood hazard overlay. The purpose of the Flood Hazard (FH) Overlay
District is to establish and identify those areas which should be
subject to special regulations on account of a greater probability
of flooding thereon. The purposes of establishing such areas are to
protect life and property; to reduce public costs for flood control,
rescue, and relief efforts; to protect recognizable ecological values;
to prevent the creation of health and safety hazards, disruption of
commerce and governmental services, the extraordinary and unnecessary
expenditure of public funds for flood protection and relief, the impairment
of the tax base; and to support and conform to the National Flood
Insurance Program.
(2)
Airport Safety Overlay. The Virginia Highlands Airport Safety
Overlay District is adopted pursuant to Code of Virginia, § 15.2-2294
et seq., as amended. The Zone consists of the airspace over and around
the Virginia Highlands Airport. The purpose of this Zone is to identify
and regulate obstructions within that airspace. In order to accomplish
the necessary controls for this area, the boundaries of this Overlay
District shall be concurrent with those of those specific geometric
standards as referred to in the Code of Virginia, § 15.2-2294
et seq., as amended. The intent of the Virginia Highlands Airport
Safety Overlay Zone is to prevent any obstruction that has the potential
for endangering the lives and property of the users of the Virginia
Highlands Airport and the residents of the Town of Abingdon, Virginia,
and to reduce the size of areas available for landing, take off and
maneuvering of aircraft, thus tending to destroy or impair the utility
of the airport and the public investment therein. It is declared in
the interest of the public health, safety, and general welfare that:
a.
The creation or establishment of obstructions that are hazards
to air navigation be prevented;
b.
The creation or establishment of an obstruction has the potential
for being a public nuisance and may injure the area served by the
Virginia Highlands Airport;
c.
The Town of Abingdon, Virginia, area derives economic development
and enhanced interstate commerce from Virginia Highlands Airport when
such airport and its surrounding vicinity is held strictly to the
highest possible safety standards; and
d.
The prevention of these obstructions should be accomplished,
to the fullest extent legally possible, by the exercise of the police
power without compensation.
(3)
Historic District Entrance Corridor Overlay District. The purpose
of the Historic District Entrance Corridor (EC) Overlay District,
in accordance with the Code of Virginia, § 15.2-2306, is
to:
a.
Achieve a balanced land use pattern that retains Abingdon's
small-town character while accommodating quality growth in a planned
manner;
b.
Insure that future business and employment centers do not adversely
affect or overburden the public facilities, environment or existing
Town character of Abingdon;
c.
Protect and enhance Abingdon's attractiveness;
d.
Protect Abingdon's scenic, historic, architectural, and cultural
resources;
e.
Support and stimulate development which is appropriate and complimentary
to the numerous properties of historic, architectural, and cultural
significance throughout the Town; and
f.
Protect and enhance the architectural and scenic character of
significant access routes to the Town's historic areas, promote orderly
and attractive development along these significant access routes,
and ensure that development within this district is compatible with
these resources through architectural control of development.
