Local zoning ordinances may not impose standards or restrictions on manufactured homes that are more restrictive than those applied to site-built single-family homes.
That’s the gist of state legislation enacted earlier this year that is requiring localities to update their zoning regulations to be brought into compliance with state law. Jason Tyree, Rockbridge County’s zoning administrator, reported on this issue to the Planning Commission at its July 8 meeting.
As a result of the state legislation, Tyree reported, “Local zoning ordinances may not impose standards or restrictions on manufactured homes that are more restrictive than those applied to site-built single-family dwellings solely because the dwelling is a manufactured home. While localities retain the authority to regulate matters such as zoning district placement, setbacks, lot size, floodplain requirements, utility connections and compliance with the Virginia Uniform Statewide Building Code, provisions that impose additional design, dimensional, age-based or other requirements unique to manufactured homes must be reviewed for consistency with the new state law.”
Tyree said county staff “has completed a review of the [zoning] ordinance and identified sections that could be amended to ensure consistency with the requirements of the code of Virginia. Proposed amendments include the removal or revision of provisions that may impose standards on manufactured homes beyond those applicable to other single-family dwellings while retaining those provisions that remain under the county’s zoning authority.”
Revisions to the county ordinance under consideration, he continued, “[are] intended to bring the [the ordinance] into compliance with state law while preserving the county’s ability to regulate land use, public health and safety and the installation of manufactured homes in accordance with applicable state regulations.”
At Tyree’s behest, the Commission scheduled a public hearing for Aug. 12 on the proposed zoning text amendments
