DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
PLANS/POLICIES/ORDINANCES
Comprehensive Plan
The Comprehensive Plan is Albemarle County's most important document regarding growth, development and change. It establishes government policy to help guide public and private activities as they relate to land use and resource utilization. It is the basis for land development regulations and decisions (rezonings, special use permits), capital improvements (public projects such as schools, parks, libraries), transportation, environmental and historic resource protection initiatives, new county programs and decisions on the distribution of county budget dollars to a multitude of programs and agencies.
Zoning Ordinance
This ordinance is intended to improve public health, safety, convenience and welfare of citizens of Albemarle County, Virginia, and to plan for the future development of communities to the end that transportation systems be carefully planned; that new community centers be developed with adequate highway, utility, health, educational and recreational facilities; that the needs of agriculture, industry and business be recognized in future growth; that residential areas be provided with healthy surroundings for family life; that agricultural and forestal land be preserved; and that the growth of the community be consonant with the efficient and economical use of public funds.
Subdivision Ordinance
These guidelines are in place to improve the public health, safety, convenience and welfare of the citizens of the county by assuring the orderly division of land and its development.
Water Protection
These guidelines serve to protect the health, safety and general welfare of the citizens of the county and the Commonwealth of Virginia and to prevent water from being rendered dangerous to the health of persons living in the county, and is supported by the findings of watershed studies that have been conducted.
Wireless Policy
In December 2000, Albemarle County adopted a Personal Wireless Service Facilities Policy as a component of the Comprehensive Plan. The Policy is not an ordinance; it provides guidance in the review of applications for Wireless Facilities. Revisions to the County's Zoning Ordinance have been completed as recommended in the Policy.
Land Use Handbook
The Albemarle County Land Use Law Handbook was created to be used by County officials as a resource for dealing with land use issues and is published online as a convenience to citizens. The Handbook is for informational purposes only.
Design Standards Manual
The minimum requirements, recommended criteria/practices, and procedures for development in the County of Albemarle to guide applicants through the design, submission, construction and acceptance of development projects and to provide the appropriate references to agencies involved in the process.
Road Naming/Property Numbering
In order to provide for more efficient delivery of emergency and other services and to provide for uniformity in road naming and assignment of property numbers, there is hereby established a system for naming roads and numbering properties within the county.
