Planning Commission and Board of Zoning Appeals Member Duties
The James City County Planning Commission is composed of 7 members, one member from each of the County’s magisterial districts (Powhatan, Roberts, Stonehouse, Jamestown, Berkeley) and two members at-large. Members are appointed by the Board of Supervisors to 4 year terms. The Commission’s primary purpose is to serve as an advisory body to the Board of Supervisors to promote the orderly development of James City County and its environs.
The Planning Commission is responsible for the preparation and submission for approval to the Board of Supervisors of the County’s Comprehensive Plan. This document contains the plan for the physical development of James City County and includes policy statements on growth, economic development, public facilities, parks and recreation, environment, transportation, community character, housing and land use. The Comprehensive Plan is updated every 5 years and involves wide public participation.
The Planning Commission conducts public hearings and makes recommendations to the Board of Supervisors on developmental cases requiring rezoning of land and special use permits. Uses designated special use are conditional uses which may or may not be appropriate in a particular location depending on the nature of the proposed use, its relation to surrounding land use, its impact on traffic conditions and potential environmental effects. Under the subdivision regulations, the Commission has responsibility for approving or denying both preliminary and final plats. Guidelines to carry out that responsibility are provided by design standards set out in the regulations and the Comprehensive Plan. The Commission also reviews and recommends changes to the Board of Supervisors of zoning and subdivision regulations.
The Planning Commission is responsible for the preparation and submission to the Board of Supervisors of the County’s annual Capital Improvement Program which identifies and ranks capital spending projects over the ensuing 5-year period.
Board of Zoning Appeals Duties
The James City County's Board of Zoning Appeals (BZA) is a 5-member quasi-judicial body appointed by the local circuit court to serve 5-year terms. The Board conducts public hearings to consider requests for variances to the County’s Zoning Ordinance, as well as appeals of decisions made by the Zoning Administrator.
The Board must find that the strict application of the Zoning Ordinance would produce undue hardship to grant a variance, and may impose conditions regarding issues such as the location, character and other features of a proposed structure when granting a variance. Any decision made by the Board may be appealed to the James City County Circuit Court within thirty days.
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