TROUTVILLE – During a recent Town Council meeting, members learned this town’s zoning codes haven’t been updated in more than 10 years.
But that could change. Council member Dean Paderick suggested the town’s Planning Commission start revising its thin-zoning ordinances, as it doesn’t address the changes witnessed in residential and business trends.
The idea came about after a large number of people requested a special exemption permitted for businesses and residential property after not finding regulations in the town’s zoning ordinances. Paderick said a number of residents and businesses are taking a “lets-go-ahead-and-see-what-happens” approach.
The zoning code “needs to cover the changes [in building usage] so people don’t need to ask for a special permission permit,” he said.
Currently, the town has three residential zonings: R1, R2, and R3, which address new homes, single homes and duplex/apartments. Paderick said as the residential codes stand now, there is no zoning for subdivisions. “Before we had water and sewer, we didn’t have the ability to have subdivisions, but now we do. We need to address that in our zoning codes,” he said, adding the town doesn’t have regulations on operating an Airbnb or recreation vehicles on property lots.
“We don’t have anything in our code – the county said that is something we need to address,” he said of Airbnbs. A search of the company’s website Monday morning found five Airbnb rentals in Troutville.
Paderick said business zoning codes will also be examined. Now, there are B1 and B2 for businesses, but neither address the trend of multiple-use buildings, such as operating a business downstairs, while living in an apartment upstairs, running a business out of a house or remote working.
Additionally, Paderick said, Troutville also needs to visit its current sign ordinance. “Our sign ordinance is pretty basic,” he said.
Paderick, who is on the Planning commission, estimated it’s going to take four to six months of twice a month meetings to update the zoning code. The six-member commission last reviewed the code in 2011 and made no changes at the time.
After the commission revamps the zoning ordinances, it’s reviewed by the town’s attorney, then the county reviews the revisions. The changes are then presented during a public hearing, followed by council adoption.
