Shenandoah County officials are weighing a zoning code change that would loosen land-use regulations in the county's villages and hamlets, aiming to jumpstart revitalization and cut through red tape in some of its most historic, and most tangled, rural communities.
The proposal, developed by county planning staff, would create a new set of development standards tailored to properties in designated villages and hamlets, many of which were built long before modern zoning rules took effect. It's a response to growing tension between current code requirements and the realities of aging, nonconforming parcels in places like Forestville, Quicksburg and Fisher's Hill.
County officials say the change is about more than simplifying regulations; it's also an effort to preserve the rural character that has long defined Shenandoah County.
"I just had a conversation with my dad, who is 96 years old," Supervisor Tim Taylor said during a Planning Commission meeting Thursday night "He was raised in Strasburg Junction -- separate from Strasburg. It was a hamlet. It had a store."
"These hamlets back in the day -- there was a store, a church. That whole concept of little communities, it's great to strive for. We used to be there, but times changed. The junction lost their store. To me, it's circular -- we're trying to come back to it. Someone runs a coffee shop and someone lives upstairs above it. Johnson's Grocery -- they had the grocery underneath and someone lived upstairs. We hate to see them close."
The proposal was prompted in part by the Foltz family, who own a multi-structure parcel east of Heishman's Funeral Service on Route 11 in Bowman's Crossing outside Edinburg. The property includes an old hotel, a store, several rental houses and a primary residence. Following the recent passing of the family matriarch, the heirs are looking to divide the land between two siblings. But under the current B-2 (business) zoning, doing so is virtually impossible without multiple variances, special use permits or even a countywide text amendment.
For example, in order to allow single-family homes on the parcel, the family would need a text amendment that applies to all B-2 properties in the county -- a non-starter, officials said.
"The point is that hamlets and villages are already unique unto themselves," Planning Director Lemuel Hancock said. "Creating code specific to one, we should look at it as applicable for all."
Planning staff noted that while the Foltz case is the most complex, similar challenges have arisen throughout the county's historic rural settlements, communities often built with small lots, mixed uses and layouts incompatible with modern suburban zoning.
"Our intention is to get out of the way," Hancock said.
Rather than create a new zoning district, the draft proposal would establish an overlay or exemption applying only to parcels located within the village and hamlet boundaries identified in the county's 2045 comprehensive plan.
The changes would eliminate minimum lot sizes, allow zero-foot setbacks and reduce frontage requirements to 30 feet, mimicking the organic development patterns seen in older communities. Mixed uses, such as storefronts with apartments above them, would be allowed by right. Shared drain fields would also be permitted with a special use permit. Property owners could choose to use the new code or remain under existing zoning.
Staff said that basic review processes, including health department approval for septic systems, would remain in place.
While officials broadly agreed on the need to address nonconforming properties, some questioned how far the changes should go. Planning Commission member Todd Steiner said whatever complications the current code presents, county officials are typically sympathetic and willing to work with property owners.
"This is what they chose to do in the 1970s when they created the zoning code," Steiner said. "They created this situation. Now we're creating another jurisdiction, a mini-code, and that's a worrisome thing to me."
Some commissioners warned the overlay could create conflict between neighboring landowners by effectively establishing a new class of properties governed by different rules. Commissioner Tommy Miller pushed back, arguing that while the overlay may technically add regulation, it will reduce bureaucracy for affected residents.
Supervisor Dennis Morris agreed, saying current regulations have "handcuffed" villages and hamlets.
Miller, though, did share a worry expressed by multiple commissioners that while the suggested overlay may be ideal for existing properties, it might remove essential guardrails for new developments.
Commissioner Mark Dotson suggested the proposal should be split in two: one path for resolving legacy property issues, and another to guide future development more deliberately.
"We're trying to thread a really small needle," Dotson said. "The goal is admirable, but maybe no setbacks whatsoever isn't the best answer for new construction."
If the proposal moves forward, it could be introduced as a zoning code amendment as early as September. Planners said they're open to alternatives, including scrapping the overlay in favor of creating a new zoning district, a more controlled process that would require individual rezoning applications.
"We're happy to look into it and continue to make it something that is applicable," Hancock said.
55-and-over restriction removed
The Shenandoah County planners also voted unanimously Thursday to recommend eliminating a 55-and-over age restriction in the Creek Valley Estates subdivision near Mount Jackson.
The restriction, in place since the subdivision's approval in 2005, required that 80% of homes be occupied by someone age 55 or older. But the original developer was foreclosed on shortly after approval, and subsequent lot sales failed to disclose the age restriction or other proffers, leading to widespread confusion among current owners.
Zoning Administrator Brenna Menefee said the county had no mechanism in place to track compliance and that no active homeowners association exists to enforce the rule. Removing the proffer would eliminate the county's legal obligation to verify residents' ages, which could otherwise complicate future zoning approvals.
Property owners, including local attorney Keith Richards, said they were unaware of the restriction until recently and asked the commission to remove it.
"There is no HOA. It's sort of a nightmare," Richards said.
The commission's vote to remove the proffer will now go to the Board of Supervisors for final approval. All other proffers, including transportation and utility requirements, would remain in effect.