Goochland County Unincorporated

Small cell facilities are permitted by right in all zoning districts subject to the following standards: The small cell facility is installed by a wireless services provider on an existing structure. The wireless services provider or wireless infrastructure provider has obtained permission from the owner of the existing structure to co-locate the small cell facility on the existing structure and to co-locate the associated transmission equipment on or proximate to the existing structure. A building permit is approved. Each of the facility's antennas are located inside an enclosure of no more than six cubic feet in volume, or, in the case of antennas that have exposed elements, the antennas and all of the facility's exposed elements could fit within an imaginary enclosure of no more than six cubic feet. All other wireless equipment associated with the facility have a cumulative volume of no more than 28 cubic feet, or a higher limit as if permitted by the Federal Communications Commission.

These regulations govern telecommunication facilities that exceed, as installed, 50 feet in height. Towers that are less than 50 feet high and meet all zoning requirements are deemed to be substantially in accordance with the comprehensive plan. To permit co-location, a tower should be designed and constructed to permit extensions to a maximum height of 199 feet, except as otherwise provided in an approved conditional use permit. Towers are required to be enclosed by security fencing not less than six feet high and equipped with an appropriate anti-climbing device. The standard buffer will consist of a landscaped strip at least four feet wide outside the perimeter of the facilities. Site access to monopole towers must be, at a minimum, a 12-foot wide gravel access road designed to support 75,000 pounds with four feet of clearance on either side. Lattice towers must have, at a minimum, a 20-foot wide gravel road designed to support 75,000 pounds. Any telecommunication facility that is not operated for a continuous period of 12 months is considered abandoned, and must be removed within 90 days of abandonment or a county notice requiring the removal.

Freestanding small wind turbines must be: a. Limited to 199 feet in height.

A conditional use permit is required for a freestanding small wind turbine system. Freestanding small wind turbines must be: Limited to 199 feet in height. The height will be measured from ground level to the highest point on the structure. Constructed as monopoles. Guy wires may be used, but not lattice structures. Set back at least 1½ times the height of the wind turbine from all property boundaries, overhead utility lines, and public rights-of-way. If guy wires are used, setback is measured from guy wires. Energy generated must be used primarily for onsite consumption. Small wind turbines cannot emit sound that is plainly audible beyond the closest property line, except during short-term events such as utility outages and/or severe windstorms. No signage, other than safety and warning signs, is permitted. Lighting is prohibited unless required by the Federal Aviation Administration. Any system that is not operated for a period of one year is considered abandoned and must be removed within 90 days of abandonment or notice from the county.

Facility is designed to serve only the property on which it is located. Facility may be located on the roof of a principal or accessory structure, on the side of those structures, or on the ground. Facility must comply with the setback and height requirements of the district for the building or structure on which it is mounted or attached. Ground-mounted facilities must comply with the individual zoning district's accessory structure setback and height requirements. Roof-mounted facilities cannot extend more than six feet above the roofline of the structure on which it is mounted. Solar energy facilities cannot be used to provide advertising or function as signs.

Ground-mounted facilities must be located no closer to a road than the principal building or use, meet all other principal building setbacks, and not exceed a height of 25 feet.

Facility is located on a property having a permitted principal use. Ground-mounted facilities must be located no closer to a road than the principal building or use, meet all other principal building setbacks, and not exceed a height of 25 feet. Ground-mounted solar equipment must be screened from view of roads and non-manufacturing districts, provided that the director of community development may approve alternative treatments where it is demonstrated that, due to buffers, terrain or other site-specific conditions, the visual impact of the facilities on adjacent properties or rights-of-way is sufficiently mitigated. Building-mounted equipment is required to comply with applicable building design standards, not exceed height requirements of the building upon which located, and in no case extend more than six feet above the building's roof or parapet. Noise generated by the facility cannot exceed the lesser of that permitted for the district or 60 dBA, as measured at property line with any adjacent property not part of facility. Decommissioning plan is required to be submitted for approval to the director of community development with the required plan of development. A solar facility, or any portion thereof, shall be considered abandoned when not utilized for the generation of electricity for a continuous period of six months.

Uses and structures permitted by right in the A-1 and A-2 districts may locate on a public or private road except that public assembly uses or uses that are open to the public must abut and have a principal point of vehicular access directly on a state-maintained road or a private road that is not shared by other properties or uses. Any structure or use existing prior to July 1, 2016 is exempt from Article 29, and may be enlarged upon, expanded, or extended on the same lot as the exempted structure or use. If the above standards cannot be met in those zoning districts that allow public assembly uses, the use may be allowed through a conditional use permit.

General standards for uses listed in this article apply to the use regardless of the zoning district in which it is located. Use is only permitted if allowed by the zoning district. These standards, in substantially similar form, would become conditions if the use is allowed pursuant to a conditional use permit.

Unless the POD administrator grants an exemption, businesses required to have more than 10 parking spaces must construct driveways and off-street parking areas with one or more of the following materials: bituminous surface treatment, bituminous concrete, concrete or equivalent paving material. Businesses required to have 10 or fewer parking spaces may provide a gravel surface, except that all required handicapped parking spaces must be paved in accordance with the standards set out above.

Multi-family developments with more than 82 dwelling units must have a minimum of two separate, permanent points of access onto public roads.

If more than one acre of land disturbance is proposed, an approved Virginia stormwater management permit is required.

Prior to issuance of a building permit for any structure, the following access improvements must be installed... The subdivision entrance road, for a distance of 50 feet from the existing edge of pavement... By the earlier of issuance of building permits for 80% of the lots on the plan of development, or 18 months from the recordation of the underlying final plat, the developer must complete all required improvements... the second entrance, turn lanes and associated road improvements must be fully installed before the earlier of (a) issuance of the 50th building permit or (b) if phased plans, before the total number of issued building permits in the subdivision exceeds 49.

The minor plan of development is applicable to uses that are required to submit a plan of development, but meet all the following requirements: ... (3) Proposed development does not disturb an area greater than 10,000 square feet. ... D. Required improvements: For uses that are deemed to require one to 25 parking spaces, parking areas may be gravel. For uses that are deemed to require 26 or greater parking spaces, driving and required parking areas must be covered with one or more of the following materials: bituminous surface treatment, bituminous concrete, concrete, or equivalent paving material. No landscape plan is required.

For uses that are deemed to require one to 25 parking spaces, no improvements to drive or parking areas are required. For uses that are deemed to require greater than 25 spaces, driving and required parking areas must be covered with one or more of the following materials: gravel, bituminous surface treatment, bituminous concrete, concrete, or equivalent paving material. No landscape plan is required.

The rural plan of development is applicable to uses that are required to submit a plan of development, but can meet all the following requirements: (1) Property is zoned agricultural, general (A-1) or agricultural, limited (A-2). ... (6) Property disturbance or changes to land use/cover are no greater than one acre. ... D. Required improvements: For uses that are deemed to require one to 25 parking spaces, no improvements to drive or parking areas are required. For uses that are deemed to require greater than 25 spaces, driving and required parking areas must be covered with one or more of the following materials: gravel, bituminous surface treatment, bituminous concrete, concrete, or equivalent paving material. No landscape plan is required.

It is unlawful for any person to construct, erect, or substantially alter any building or structure, or develop, change, or improve land for which a plan of development is required except in accordance with an approved plan of development.

When any main building is constructed, enlarged, or structurally altered and converted to another use, adequate minimum off-street parking spaces must be provided as follows: [table]

Unless otherwise provided in this chapter, all roads, public or private, are required to have right-of-way widths that are the greater of 50 feet or the ultimate right-of-way.

A design speed of 10 mph and 24-foot roadway width to accommodate two-way travel aisles