Suffolk City Zoning Code#

SEC. 31-401 — PURPOSE#

The City is hereby zoned and divided into districts. The purpose of establishing these districts is:

(a) To promote the health, safety or general welfare of the public.

(b) To provide for adequate light, air, convenience of access, and safety from fire, flood, crime and other dangers;

(d) To facilitate the creation of a convenient, attractive and harmonious community;

(e) To facilitate the provision of adequate police and fire protection, disaster evacuation, civil defense, transportation, water, sewerage, flood protection, schools, parks, forests, playgrounds, recreational facilities, airports and other public requirements;

(f) To protect against destruction of or encroachment upon historic areas;

(g) To protect against the overcrowding of land, undue density of population in relation to the community facilities existing or available, obstruction of light and air, danger and congestion in travel and transportation, or loss of life, health, or property from fire, flood, panic or other dangers;

(h) To encourage economic development activities that provide desirable employment and enlarge the tax base;

(i) To provide for the preservation of agricultural and forestal lands and other lands of significance for the protection of the natural environment;

(j) To protect approach slopes and other safety areas of licensed airports, including United States government and military air facilities;

(k) To promote the creation and preservation of affordable housing suitable for meeting the current and future needs of the City as well as a reasonable proportion of the current and future needs of the planning district within which the locality is situated;

(l) To provide reasonable protection against encroachment upon military bases, military installations, and military airports and their adjacent safety areas, excluding armories operated by the Virginia National Guard;

(m) To provide reasonable modifications in accordance with the Americans with Disability Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. § 12131 et seq.) or state and federal fair housing laws, as applicable; and

(n) To include reasonable provisions, not inconsistent with applicable state water quality standards, to protect surface water and ground water as defined in Code of Virginia, § 62.1-255.

(Ord. No. 18-O-092, § 2(Exh. B), 8-15-2018)