Williamsburg

Nothing in this article shall be construed to prevent the ordinary maintenance or repair of any exterior elements of any building, structure, sign or exterior architectural feature described in this article.

The city does not permit manufactured homes in any zoning district. The city does not permit recreational vehicles in any zoning district.

No structure or land shall hereafter be located, extended, converted, or structurally altered without full compliance with the terms of this article and other applicable regulations.

Notwithstanding any other provision of law, general or special, a variance shall be granted if the evidence shows that the strict application of the terms of the ordinance would unreasonably restrict the utilization of the property or that the granting of the variance would alleviate a hardship due to a physical condition relating to the property or improvements thereon at the time of the effective date of the ordinance, or alleviate a hardship by granting a reasonable modification to a property or improvements thereon requested by, or on behalf of, a person with a disability, and: (i) the property interest for which the variance is being requested was acquired in good faith and any hardship was not created by the applicant for the variance; (ii) the granting of the variance will not be of substantial detriment to adjacent property and nearby properties in the proximity of that geographical area; (iii) the condition or situation of the property concerned is not of so general or recurring a nature as to make reasonably practicable the formulation of a general regulation to be adopted as an amendment to the ordinance; (iv) the granting of the variance does not result in a use that is not otherwise permitted on such property or a change in the zoning classification of the property; and (v) the relief or remedy sought by the variance application is not available through the special exception process that is authorized in the ordinance pursuant to subsection 21-97(f) or the process for modification of a zoning ordinance pursuant to article II, division 3, Amendments, at the time of the filing of the variance application.

The zoning administrator shall have the authority... to grant an administrative variance to approve a reduction in yard requirements... The encroachment does not exceed one linear foot...

Until a regulatory floodway is designated, no new construction... shall be permitted... unless it is demonstrated that the cumulative effect... will not increase the water surface elevation of the base flood more than one foot... New construction or substantial improvement of any residential structure in Zones AE... shall have the lowest floor... elevated to or above the base flood level plus 18 inches.

For these areas, the base flood elevations and floodway information from federal, state, and other acceptable sources shall be used... When such base flood elevation data is utilized, the lowest floor shall be elevated to or above the base flood level plus 18 inches.

All uses, activities and development occurring within any floodplain district... shall be undertaken only upon the issuance of a zoning permit... New construction and substantial improvements shall be built according to this article and the VA USBC, and anchored to prevent flotation, collapse or lateral movement...

Variances shall be issued only after the board of zoning appeals has determined that the granting of such will not result in: (1) unacceptable or prohibited increases in flood heights; (2) additional threats to public safety; (3) extraordinary public expense; and will not: (a) create nuisances; (b) cause fraud or victimization of the public; or (c) conflict with local laws or ordinances.

The appeal shall be taken within 30 days after the decision appealed from by filing with the zoning administrator, and with the board, a notice of appeal specifying the grounds thereof.

In no event shall a written order, requirement, decision or determination made by the zoning administrator or other administrative officer be subject to change, modification or reversal by any zoning administrator or other administrative officer after 60 days have elapsed from the date of the written order, requirement, decision or determination where the person aggrieved has materially changed his position in good faith reliance on the action of the zoning administrator or other administrative officer unless it is proven that such written order, requirement, decision or determination was obtained through malfeasance of the zoning administrator or other administrative officer or through fraud.

The board shall fix a reasonable time for the hearing of an application or appeal, give public notice thereof as well as due notice to the parties in interest and decide the same within 90 days of the filing of the application or appeal.

No property being used as a residential rental property may also be used as a short-term rental. Only the property owner and his or her family, as defined in Section 21-2, may reside at the dwelling along with transient visitors.

Small inns shall be approved as a special use permit by the city council... No more than ten bedrooms in a small inn may be rented to visitors with a special use permit approved by the city council, with a minimum lot size of one acre (43,560 square feet).

A home occupation is an accessory use of a dwelling unit for gainful employment involving the manufacture, provision or sale of goods and/or services; and conducted in a dwelling unit or in an accessory building on the same lot as the dwelling unit by not more than two members of the family residing on the premises

A bay window which is not more than ten feet wide may extend three feet into a required front or rear yard.

Every building that is erected shall be located on a lot having its principal frontage on a public street; on a private street which existed prior to January 1, 1966, and which has been recorded in the clerk's office of the circuit court of the city and the County of James City; or on a private street which is shown on a subdivision plat for a planned development or townhouse development which has been duly approved by the city and which has been recorded in the aforesaid clerk's office.

Satellite dishes with a diameter of one meter (39.37 inches) or less shall be permitted by right.

Ground- and roof-mounted equipment shall be screened from view from a public street or other public place, from adjacent lots in a residential district, and from an adjacent lot containing a residential use

Fences or walls located in front yards shall not exceed four feet in height.