A town hall was held regarding the ongoing overhaul of Orange County’s zoning ordinance.
Earlier this spring, the Orange County Board of Supervisors passed a resolution to overhaul and amend the county’s zoning ordinance. The Berkley Group was retained to assist in the work with anticipated completion taking approximately 12-18 months. As part of the process, individual zoning districts are being discussed and worked on. Little has been released in terms of a draft proposal aside from the draft technology zoning district which aims to regulate data centers. A public hearing on that district is scheduled for next month.
Approximately 80 people attended the town hall meeting last week to learn more about the zoning ordinance rewrite, largely focusing on the idea to split the current agricultural zoning into three–A1, A2 and Rural Residential. Town hall organizers Tony Wilson and Kent Higginbotham said the new zones could increase minimum lot sizes to 10 acres or more and limit the number of divisions one can make on their property. District 3 Supervisor Keith Marshall and District 4 Supervisor Crystal Hale attended to answer questions, but the town hall was not county-sanctioned.
Hale said the purpose of the meeting was to hear concerns and questions, but more importantly to educate residents that the rewrite was being discussed and worked on.
“This is a process that is in full swing,” she said. “My opinion is there will be some winners and some losers. The more we can mitigate this the better it will be.”
Marshall agreed, stating the meeting was a way to increase public input in the process.
“Agricultural zoning comprises about 90% of the county,” he said. “How we allow ourselves to take that resource and develop it for Orange County in the future is what this is about. Where do you want the direction of Orange County to go?”
Neither could offer much in the way of an actual proposal or draft with Hale stating the board hadn’t “gotten that far into the weeds on the discussion.” A page on the county website contains links to previous work sessions on the matter, https://orangecountyva.gov/1181/ZTA-25-01-Zoning-Ordinance-Overhaul.
Residents expressed frustration that there was a lack of a defined proposal and voiced concerns over the possible idea of increasing minimum lot sizes from 2 acres to 10 acres, stating it would affect what they could do with their property. Bill Renaud said he had recently purchased a piece of property and paid market value, knowing the 9.5 acre parcel could be divided three times under current zoning laws.
“I paid for that,” he said. “Now you’re taking that whole opportunity away from me and my family and the ability to generate that revenue.”
When asked her position, Hale said personally she’s not in favor of large minimum lot sizes, noting studies show 10 or 20 acre lots do more to deplete farmland than protect it. She said she wants to preserve farmland and property rights.
Phil Mahoney of Gordonsville said a lot of county residents wouldn’t be able to afford 10 acre lots. Billy Coates agreed, saying land is a farmer’s retirement plan.
Kevin Pasarello who owns a farm near Gordonsville and Barboursville said the county needs some zoning regulations to prevent unrestricted growth from occurring across the county with an increased drain on resources such as schools.
“When someone puts up a house it costs $14,000 to educate a child and there’s no way you’re paying $14,000 in real estate taxes,” he said. “The overriding sentiment to mitigate by-right subdivisions of farmland in Orange County is in the economic interest of everybody.”
Hale encouraged residents to keep an eye on the zoning ordinance work and said there was “pressure on the board to get this done.”
“The train is moving forward,” she said.
