PLANNING DIVISION

The Planning Division performs current and future planning functions for the County. Current planning includes review of Subdivision Plats, Site Plans, and applications for Rezonings and Conditional Use Permits as well as implementation of the Comprehensive Plan through code updates. Future planning includes updating the Comprehensive Plan in accordance with state code requirements, transportation planning in conjunction with VDOT and regional Planning District Commissions, and coordinating the Planning Commission's role within the development of the County's Capital Improvements Plan.

Planning Division staff includes the Director of Planning and Zoning, who also serves as the Subdivision Agent, as well as staff Planners. This division also serves as staff to the Planning Commission, reviewing applications prior to the Commission's review, researching potential amendments to the Subdivision and Zoning Ordinances for the Commission's consideration, and preparing materials for the Commission's meetings. The Planning Division performs advisory roles related to building code, economic development, environmentally-sensitive features, housing, and public utilities, among other topics.

Comprehensive Plan

The Code of Virginia requires that each locality's Planning Commission prepares and Board of Supervisors adopts a Comprehensive Plan. The Plan acts as a general, long-range guide concerning the overall growth and development of the County for local decision-makers. The County implements its Comprehensive Plan through amendments to the County Code, land use decisions, and funding local and regional projects in partnership with state agencies, regional Planning District Commissions, Economic Development Authorities, and other entities. The Commission must review this document every five years to determine what revisions or updates, if any, are necessary.

Comprehensive Planning Process

The planning process begins by analyzing the current Comprehensive Plan and assessing the current status of the County. At the same time, public input is sought to identify community issues and develop implementation strategies that will be incorporated into the Comprehensive Plan. Public input can be received through various means, including hearings, citizen task forces, committees, advisory groups, and surveys. The Planning Commission, with the help of staff from the Planning Division, will then prepare the Comprehensive Plan for a Public Hearing. Once the Commission has held a Public Hearing and determined that the Plan is ready, they will forward the document to the Board of Supervisors for their review. The Board will hold an additional Public Hearing and either decide to adopt the Plan or return it to the Commission for further revisions. The adopted Comprehensive Plan will act to guide in decision-making by the Board of Supervisors, Planning Commission, and Planning and Zoning staff.

Local Planning History

Gloucester County has adopted three Comprehensive Plans to date, with the first Plan adopted in 1974 and updated in 1980. Following rapid growth within the County, a subsequent Plan was adopted in 1991, which was updated numerous times to include multiple Special Area Plans and other detailed information required by revisions to the state code requirements. The County adopted its current Comprehensive Plan in 2016, which included public input, guidance from the Board of Supervisors and Planning Commission, and recommendations from the County's two Sub-Area Plans. Additional details on the County's Sub-Area Plans and Special Area Plans can be found under Community Planning Initiatives.

2016 Comprehensive Plan

The County's current Comprehensive Plan was adopted by the Board of Supervisors in 2016 following an extensive planning process. This document includes chapters on Economic Development, Transportation, Natural Resources, and Housing, among others. Most chapters describe the current status of the County and list Goals, Objectives, and Implementation Strategies. In 2022, Appendix J to the Comprehensive Plan was adopted by the Board of Supervisors in order to establish evaluation criteria for “public service corporations” and “public utilities”. These criteria were developed for the Planning Commission to use during reviews under Section 15.2-2232 of the Code of Virginia and fall under three categories: criteria for zoning district and/or future land use types, general criteria for all uses, and criteria for specific uses. The Comprehensive Plan can be downloaded from the link below or viewed within this page (this is a large file and may take long to download).

Download the 2016 Gloucester County Comprehensive Plan (PDF) and Appendix J (Public Service Corporations & Public Utilities Criteria) (PDF).

Community Planning Initiatives

In addition to the Comprehensive Plan, the County has completed multiple Sub-Area Plans as well as Other Planning Initiatives. Sub-Area Plans are focused planning efforts aimed to guide the timing and nature of growth and development in a defined area within the County whereas Other Planning Initiatives are centered around one or more planning topics, such as Economic Development, Transportation, and Recreation. These Plans are utilized by staff, the Planning Commission, and the Board of Supervisors and are incorporated into the Comprehensive Plan to guide the decision-making process for the County's future and pursue funding for enhancements and improvements within the County.

Gloucester County's Sub-Area Plans have focused on the County's two village areas: the Gloucester Court House Village Area and the Gloucester Point/Hayes Village Area.  Two Sub-Area Plans have been conducted for the Gloucester Court House Village Area in partnership with the Main Street Preservation Trust and one Plan was completed for the Gloucester Point/Hayes Village Area. These Plans have assisted County staff in securing funding for pedestrian enhancement projects along Route 17 and other secondary roads, among other improvements within the County, and is being utilized to guide the County's Zoning Ordinance Update initiative.

Other Planning Initiatives have been performed to address a variety of issues, including floodplains, housing, and alternative transportation. Many of these Plans were completed with the assistance of other County departments, regional Planning District Commissions, and local nonprofits and other organizations. As these are more focused in scope, Other Planning Initiatives are integrated into the respective chapters of the Comprehensive Plan and help to formulate the goals, objectives, and implementation strategies found within the Plan.

Sub-Area Plans

Transportation Planning Initiatives

Other Planning Initiatives

Rezoning

A rezoning, sometimes referred to as a “zoning amendment,” is a change in zoning district or conditions of use (including density) for a property or properties, as detailed in Sections 14-1 through 14-10 of the Zoning Ordinance. When a rezoning application requests to reduce the density or intensity of uses on a property (regardless whether the zoning district is proposes to be changed), this is often referred to as a “downzoning.” Conversely, when a rezoning application requests to increase the density or intensity of uses on a property (regardless whether the zoning district is proposes to be changed), this is often referred to as an “upzoning.” A rezoning application should only be approved if the Board of Supervisors finds that it supports the public health, safety, and welfare. Rezoning applications that propose a relatively small property to be reclassified to a zoning district different from all adjacent properties, does not support the public health, safety, and welfare of the overall community, and is not consistent with the adopted Comprehensive Plan could be considered an unlawful “spot zoning.”

Rezoning applications may be accompanied by proffers, which are conditions of use voluntarily offered by the rezoning applicant that apply to the property (or properties) to be rezoned and are associated with the rezoning request. Proffers continue into perpetuity (run with the land) regardless of property ownership transfer and, therefore, continue to apply to the property (or properties) even if an amendment to the Zoning Ordinance or enactment of a new Zoning Ordinance results in a change in the regulations associated with the underlying zoning district. Modifications to proffers associated with a rezoning application are often referred to as a “proffer amendment.” However, proffer amendments are considered rezonings since they change the regulations applicable to a piece of property and, therefore, proceed through the same process. Public Hearings may be waived for proffer amendments that do not change the density or conditions of use. However, the Planning Commission must recommend the waiver of the Public Hearing and the Board must approve the waiver along with the proffer amendment.

Process

Prior to applying for a Rezoning, interested parties must meet with Planning and Zoning staff for a mandatory Pre-Application Meeting to discuss the perceived impacts of the proposed use and Comprehensive Plan guidance for the property the use is proposed on. During this meeting, staff works to identify any challenges that may arise from the application and provides direction and resources for how the applicant may seek to address any perceived challenges.

Following the Pre-Application Meeting, a Rezoning Application (with the accompanying $1,200 plus $10 per acre or fraction thereof fee) can be submitted to the Department of Planning and Zoning for review by staff, the Planning Commission, and the Board of Supervisors. Staff from the County, the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT), and other applicable agencies will review the application and, following this review, Planning and Zoning staff will prepare a Staff Report to be presented to the Planning Commission at a Public Hearing.

Within 100 days of the first Commission meeting following staff’s referral of a complete application to the Planning Commission, a Public Hearing before this body will be scheduled, a legal noticed placed in the local paper for two consecutive weeks prior to the meeting, and all adjoining property owners will be notified by mail not less than five days prior to the meeting. During this Public Hearing, staff will present the application to the Commission with their summarized analysis and recommendation, the applicant can speak before the Commission, and the public has the opportunity to comment on the application. Although the Planning Commission may discuss the application during their Public Hearing, the Commission acts as an advisory body to the Board of Supervisors and will make a recommendation for approval, approval with modifications, or denial of the application to the Board with any additional recommendations, if necessary.

Once the Board of Supervisors has received the Planning Commission’s recommendation, a Public Hearing before this body will be scheduled. A legal notice will be placed in the local paper for two consecutive weeks, but the adjoining property owners are not directly notified of this Public Hearing. Similar to the Planning Commission’s Public Hearing, staff will present the application to the Board with their summarized analysis and recommendation along with the Planning Commission’s recommendation, the applicant can speak before the Board, and the public has the opportunity to comment on the application. At this Public Hearing or a subsequent meeting (but within one year from the filing date of the application), the Board will decide to approve or deny the application.

Forms for the Pre-Application Meeting and Rezoning Application can be found under Forms & Policies. Comprehensive Plan guidance for rezoning of property within the County can be found under the Comprehensive Plan section.

Additional Procedures for Special Districts

The Manufactured Home District (MH-1) and Planned Unit Development District (PUD-1) contain additional procedures for rezoning requests for these districts. These procedures include both development standards, such as density, streets, and buffering, as well as process requirements, such as Preliminary/Master Plan review. Additional procedures for the MH-1 District can be found within Article 7 of the Zoning Ordinance. Additional procedures for the PUD-1 District can be found within Article 8 of the Zoning Ordinance.

Conditional Use Permit

The Conditional Use Permit (CUP), sometimes referred to as a "Special Use Permit (SUP)," is a type of use approved for a property by the Board of Supervisors (BOS) with conditions of use accompanying the permitted use. As stated in Section 14-23 of the Zoning Ordinance, the CUP is intended "to provide for certain uses which, because of their unique characteristics or potential impacts on adjacent land uses, are not generally permitted in certain zoning districts as a matter of right, but which may, under the right set of circumstances and conditions, be acceptable in certain specific locations." Furthermore, due to the unique characteristics of the use and/or property, each application is unique and, therefore, conditions applied to identical uses on different properties may be similar in nature, but with slight differences in the specifics of the conditions. In addition, the BOS may determine that additional conditions are necessary to mitigate the impacts of a proposed use and impose these conditions during their review process. In some circumstances, no set of conditions are sufficient to grant approval and, therefore, the BOS may deny these applications.

Process

Prior to applying for a Conditional Use Permit, interested parties must meet with Planning and Zoning staff for a mandatory Pre-Application Meeting to discuss the perceived impacts of the proposed use, Comprehensive Plan guidance for the property the use is proposed on, and discussion of any potential associated conditions.

Following the Pre-Application Meeting, a CUP Application (with the accompanying $1,000 fee) can be submitted to the Department of Planning and Zoning for review by staff, the Planning Commission, and the Board of Supervisors. Staff from the County, the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT), and other applicable agencies will review the application and, following this review, Planning and Zoning staff will prepare a Staff Report to be presented to the Planning Commission at a Public Hearing similar to the process held for a rezoning application.

Within 100 days of staff’s referral of a complete application to the Planning Commission, a Public Hearing before this body will be scheduled, a legal noticed placed in the local paper for two consecutive weeks prior to the meeting, and all adjoining property owners will be notified by mail not less than five days prior to the meeting. During this Public Hearing, staff will present the application to the Commission with their summarized analysis and recommendation, the applicant can speak before the Commission, and the public has the opportunity to comment on the application. The Planning Commission may discuss the application and recommend conditions during their Public Hearing, the Commission acts as an advisory body to the Board of Supervisors and will make a recommendation for approval, approval with modifications, or denial of the application to the Board with any additional recommendations, if necessary.

Once the Board of Supervisors has received the Planning Commission’s recommendation, a Public Hearing before this body will be scheduled and a legal notice will be placed in the local paper for two consecutive weeks, but the adjoining property owners are not directly notified of this Public Hearing. Similar to the Planning Commission’s Public Hearing, staff will present the application to the Board with their summarized analysis and recommendation along with the Planning Commission’s recommendation, the applicant can speak before the Board, and the public has the opportunity to comment on the application. At this Public Hearing or a subsequent meeting (but within one year from the filing date of the application), the Board will decide to approve or deny the application. For CUP approval, the applicant must demonstrate that the application satisfies the approval criteria specified within Section 14-23(d) of the Zoning Ordinance. In addition, the Board may impose any additional conditions or limitations necessary to protect the public interest, safety, and welfare.

If approved by a Conditional Use Permit, the use must be established within one year of the date of approval. Minor amendments to an approved CUP application may be reviewed by the Zoning Administrator if the amendment proposes a change in on-site location in size or intensity of less than five percent or a five percent or less increase or decrease in either lot coverage or floor area. All other amendments are considered major amendments and are reviewed by the Planning Commission and Board of Supervisors with Public Hearings before each body, as specified in Section 14-23(k) of the Zoning Ordinance.

Forms for the Pre-Application Meeting and CUP Application can be found under Forms & Policies. Comprehensive Plan guidance for properties within the County and uses subject to a Conditional Use Permit can be found under the Comprehensive Plan section.

Subdivision Information

Although Gloucester did not have a Zoning Ordinance until 1984, the County has been reviewing the division of land since 1966. As Gloucester has grown from a primarily rural county to more of a suburban community, standards for development and the division of land have changed to reflect the increased population and higher density of growth. The Subdivision Ordinance was established to provide standards and procedures for development as part of a long range plan to guide and facilitate the orderly, beneficial growth of the community. The current Subdivision Ordinance was adopted December 1999.

Planning Staff Role

The Planning Director is also the Subdivision Agent for the County. The Planning staff reviews applications such as family transfers, boundary line adjustments, and major and minor subdivisions, for compliance with the Subdivision Ordinance and other applicable county land development ordinances. In addition to staff review, preliminary plats for major subdivisions (four or more lots or a subdivision with a new road) require review and approval by the Planning Commission.

Transportation Planning

The Planning Department works closely with the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) and the Board of Supervisors on transportation planning within the County. Staff works with VDOT on individual development proposals and provides recommendations to the Board of Supervisors for priorities for the six-year plan for transportation projects. To view all recently completed, in progress, and programed projects included in the state’s Six Year Improvement Plan (SYIP) as well as the County's Secondary Six Year Plan (SSYP) click on the County’s Transportation Projects Map.  The map does not include maintenance projects which are entirely under the purview of VDOT. The Planning Department has assumed the County’s role in the process of VDOT’s acceptance of rural additions into the secondary road system.

Gloucester County is a member of the Hampton Roads Transportation Planning Organization (HRTPO) based on its location of the urban fringe of the Hampton Roads Metropolitan Area. The HRTPO is charged with allocating federal funding for transportation and highways and is comprised of elected officials representing the localities within the TPO. Staff serves on the Hampton Roads Planning District Commission’s Transportation Technical Advisory Committee (HRTTAC) and several other committees involved in regional transportation plans.

Interested in walking and biking around Gloucester? View the final Urban Development Areas Multimodal Transportation Study (PDF). The County’s Transportation Planning Advisory Committee (TPAC) will be using the findings of the study to further prioritize routes that serve schools, residential areas, and link all our key destinations together and to other trails in the region. The design information in this study will enable the county to more effectively apply for funding to implement alternative transportation projects desired by the community. The County previously acquired funding to implement a portion of the prioritized Roaring Springs Road trail and perform a bike/pedestrian feasibility study along Ware House Road. These projects will begin soon. If you have any questions regarding the plan and/or are interested in learning more, please contact Carol Rizzio (Senior Comprehensive Planner) or Anne Ducey-Ortiz (Director of Planning, Zoning, and Environmental Programs) at 804-693-1224.

Local Transportation Planning Resources

Regional Transportation Planning Resources

Demographics

The U.S. Census Bureau and University of Virginia’s Weldon Cooper Center produces and provides population, economic, and housing data (among other types) for Gloucester County through the decennial census and annual American Community Survey performed by the Census Bureau and other studies generated by the Weldon Cooper Center. Upon the release of the decennial census data, the Planning Division provides technical support to the County’s Redistricting Committee, which is required by State law to redraw magisterial districts and precincts in a manner that provides proportional representation. New district lines are adjusted based on changes in the County’s population reflected in the new decennial census data.

Population and Housing

  • 2010 Census

    • Population: 36,858

    • Housing Units: 15,852

  • 2020 Census

    • Population: 38,711

    • Housing Units: 17,049

Source: U.S. Census Bureau

Staff monitors the release of decennial census data, annual American Community Survey estimates, and other studies to evaluate current and future demographic and socioeconomic statistics and trends. The Planning Division utilizes this data for research purposes when amending local ordinances, reviewing rezoning and Conditional Use Permit applications, advising the Planning Commission and Board of Supervisors, and consulting with other local, state, and federal resources as well as nonprofit organizations, private businesses, and individual citizens. Furthermore, state code requires the Comprehensive Plan to be updated every five years. Any new data, including that related to population, demographics, economics, and housing (among others), is incorporated into the revised Comprehensive Plan.

Various organizations produce community/locality profiles for Gloucester County, which details population, economic, education, and other characteristics. Below are community profiles available for Gloucester County and the surrounding region: