InformationDepartment Staff Information
Sandra Benson
Director of Planning & Zoning
757-678-0443 Option 6 or ext. 547
Melissa Kellam
Zoning Administrator
757-678-0443 Option 3 or ext. 544
Pete Stith
Long Range Planner
757-678-0443 Option 4 or ext. 545
Kay Downing
Administrative Assistant
757-678-0443 Option 2 or ext. 543
Nyoka Hall
Building - Zoning Technician
757-678-0443 Option 1 or ext. 542
Katrina Hickman
Zoning Inspector
757-678-0443 Option 5 or ext. 546
Department of Planning & Zoning
PO Box 538
16404 Courthouse Road
Eastville, VA 23347
Hours of Operation
9 AM - 5 PM
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Northampton County
Zoning
Zoning Administration Division administers, maintains, and enforces the County's Zoning Ordinance and related regulations to assure that property is developed and used in accordance with the Zoning Ordinance.
Planning and Zoning Fees
Planning & Zoning Fees Effective 7/14/10
Public Notice
The Northampton County Planning Commission will meet on Tuesday, January 3, 2012, at 7:00 p.m. in the Board Chambers located at 16404 Courthouse Road in Eastville, Va., for the purpose of conducting public hearings on the following matters.
A. Special Use Permit 2011-10: Timothy & Jeanine Wivell have applied for a minor special use permit to operate a small-scale oyster shucking and grading business with on-premise sales in an existing 400 square-foot structure located at 19444 Nu Lane. The property, zoned H Hamlet District, contains 6.37 acres of land located in the Cobb Station area and is described as being Tax Map 76, double circle 7, parcel L.
B. Zoning Text Amendment 2012-01: The Northampton County Board of Supervisors intends to amend the Northampton County Code, Chapter 154 Zoning Code, by revising the following sections: §154.003 Definitions, revisions to the definitions of Coastal Primary Sand Dune and Construction Footprint; §154.040 Zoning Clearance, to delete (B) (1) Zoning clearance required; §154.043 Amendments, to delete (2) (c) providing for a quarterly application schedule; §154.126 General Regulations for Residential Districts, revision to correct conflict with height restrictions in Appendix B; §154.141 General Modifications to Yard Regulations, addition of structures and installations for which setbacks may be modified; §154.142 Front Setback/Yard Regulations, addition of language to clarify an abbreviation; §154.145 Height and Bulk Regulations, revision to correct conflict with height restrictions in Appendix B and to eliminate the maximum area for a widow’s walk; §154.146 Accessory Buildings and Fences, clarification of fence placement; §154.164 Chesapeake/Atlantic Preservation District (CAP), addition of language in General performance standards for development and redevelopment to allow for yard area; §154.191 District Sign Regulations, to allow business signage in the Agriculture/Rural Business District; §154.207 Cooperative Parking, to allow administrative approval of reduction of spaces for combined usage; §154.209 Parking Area Design, to refer to controlling sections of illumination and landscaping requirements; §154.246 Nonconforming Uses, Lots or Buildings, to reformat; Appendix A-Use Regulations, to eliminate references to the county Wetlands Ordinance and to eliminate in Category 4, Community Service Uses, as a county-regulated use item 13 Mass/community subsurface drainfield, on site; and by deleting §154.067 Minimum Separation Distances: Subsurface Absorption Systems and Wells.
C. Zoning Text Amendment 2012-02: The Northampton County Planning Commission intends to amend the Northampton County Code, Chapter 154 Zoning Code, by adding to §154.190 Signs, in Section (C) (2) a new item to be known as (q) Off-site Business Way Finding Signs and by adding to §154.191 (A) a new item (11) and to §154.191 (B) a new item (13), both to be known as Off-site Town Business Directory Sign.
The Northampton County Board of Supervisors will also conduct public hearings on the above matters on Tuesday, January 10, 2012, at 7:00 p.m. in the Board Chambers as well.
The applications will be on file and open to public inspection in the office of the Clerk of the Board of Supervisors and in the Department of Planning & Zoning located at 16404 Courthouse Road, Eastville, Va. Anyone wishing to comment on the above items is invited to attend the meetings and make their comments known.
Handicapped assistance available: Please telephone (757) 678-0440, extension516 at least 48 hours in advance.
Sign Ordinance Proposed Amendments
Public Notice
Northampton County Adopts regulations for Wind Energy Facilities, Wind Energy Test Facilities, and Wind Turbines, Large- and Utility-Scale
On September 26, 2011, the Northampton County Board of Supervisors adopted zoning regulations and standards to allow wind energy test facilities and large-scale wind energy projects to be developed in certain zoning districts in the county through the special use permitting process. Click here to access the adopted provisions.
Zoning Ordinance and Zoning Map Amendments and Text
Revised zoning regulations, including an amended zoning map, were effective Oct. 21, 2009.The links below access the adopted zoning map and text. A notice will be posted when the County Code is updated in the American Legal Publishing website.
2009 Adopted Zoning Map (3.5MB)
2009 Revised Zoning Regulations
Properties zoned to an Existing Subdivision district as of October 21, 2009, are subject to the use and dimensional regulations set forth in the Zoning Ordinance adopted December 28, 2000, as amended, for the district associated with the Existing Subdivision designation. For example, properties currently zoned Existing Subdivision-Agricultural-1 (ES-A-1) have Existing Subdivision as the primary district and Agricultural-1 as the secondary district. The use and dimensional regulations for properties in this district are those set out for the Agricultural-1 (A-1) District in the ordinance entitled "Northampton County Zoning Ordinance effective December 28, 2000 (as amended). Similarly, parcels zoned ES-RV-RR are subject to the use and dimensional regulations for the former Rural Village-Rural Residential District, and so on for the various Existing Subdivision districts."
Northampton County Zoning Ordinance effective December 28, 2000 (as amended)
Major Services
- Prepares Zoning Ordinance Amendments.
- Prepares responses to requests for Zoning Ordinance interpretations and zoning compliance certifications.
- Prepares and coordinates the distribution of Zoning Ordinance supplements.
- Provides general information on the Zoning Ordinance and Zoning Map
- Reviews Building Permit applications for compliance with the Zoning Ordinance
- Reviews and approves sign permits.
- Investigates complaints of alleged violations of the Zoning Ordinance and seeks remedial action as necessary.
Staff and Contact Information
Melissa Kellam - Zoning Administrator
mkellam@co.northampton.va.us
Kay Downing - Administrative Assistant
kdowning@co.northampton.va.us
Nyoka Hall - Zoning Technician
nhall@co.northampton.va.us
Katrina Hickman - Zoning Inspector
khickman@co.northampton.va.us
Department of Planning & Zoning
PO Box 538
16404 Courthouse Road
Eastville, VA 23347
Phone: 757-678-0443
Hours of Operation
9 AM - 5 PM
Board of Zoning Appeals
The Northampton County Board of Zoning Appeals is a 5 member Board appointed by the Virginia Circuit Court Judge. Each member serves a 4-year term.
The Board of Zoning Appeals is responsible for interpreting the provisions of the Zoning Code when necessary and for hearing and deciding upon appeals regarding the administration of the Zoning Code. The Board also reviews and makes decisions on requests for special exceptions as specified by the Zoning Code and has the authority to hear and decide applications for variances from the terms of the Zoning Code.
Click here for a Variance and Appeal Application
Click here for a list of scheduled meetings and meeting minutes.