WORK PRODUCTS
Module One of Warrenton’s Zoning Ordinance (May 2026)
Module One of Warrenton’s Zoning Ordinance was released to the public on May 6, 2026. A public comment questionnaire is currently open. Module One includes revisions to the Town’s zoning districts, uses and use specific standards, general provisions, and rules of measurement, construction, and interpretation and definitions.
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General Provisions (Article 1)
General provisions include certain rules that apply to the entire Zoning Ordinance. This section establishes a clear basis for authority for Warrenton to adopt, administer, and enforce zoning regulations. These standards are largely carried forward from the current Zoning Ordinance and aligned, where necessary, with state law. General provisions play an important role in the user-friendly nature of the updated Zoning Ordinance by clearly stating the applicability of the Ordinance, its purpose and intent, and how the new Ordinance interacts with other laws, covenants, or decrees, as well as the Town’s current Zoning Ordinance.
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Zoning Districts (Article 2)
Zoning districts establish the standards for the various zoning districts and govern the types of development and uses allowed in different parts of Warrenton.
All of Warrenton’s current zoning districts are carried forward, except for the planned unit development district. Instead, two new planned unit development districts are established. These new districts include a standard Planned Development district, providing flexibility for larger, phased developments, and a Planned Development – Traditional Neighborhood Design (TND) district, that replaces the TND development option in the current Zoning Ordinance by offering a specific planned development district for traditional neighborhood style development. Five new character area overlay districts are also established to implement the recommendations in Plan Warrenton 2040. These overlay districts establish additional standards to support walkable, high-quality development in the Urban Development Areas identified by the Town. A map showing the character area overlay districts, as identified in the comprehensive plan, is available here.
Warrenton's new zoning district lineup is laid out in a single location in the Zoning Ordinance with a new attractive layout that presents information in clear tables and includes new illustrations. For more information, please review Theme 2: Update the Zoning District and Use Regulations of the Code Assessment.
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Uses and Use Specific Standards (Article 3)
Use regulations establish where specific uses are allowed or not allowed in Warrenton. For some uses, additional standards apply to limit a use's impacts on surrounding properties.
The use regulations in Warrenton’s updated Zoning Ordinance are organized into principal, accessory, and temporary uses and use specific standards in one location. The existing uses in Warrenton’s current Zoning Ordinance are modernized and defined, with each use being clearly established and any necessary use specific standards included. Particular attention is paid to accessory and temporary uses. Additionally, new uses, such as missing middle housing types, are added to support the Town’s long-term goals and vision. These new uses are clearly defined and use specific standards, where needed, are established. Finally, a new section for interpretation of unlisted uses is established.
For more information on the changes to the list of uses and use-specific standards, please review Theme 2: Update the Zoning District and Use Regulations and Theme 4: Allow More Opportunities for Attainable and Affordable Housing of the Code Assessment.
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Rules of Measurement, Construction, and Interpretation and Definitions (Article 9)
Rules of measurement, construction, and interpretation and definitions are crucial elements of a user-friendly Zoning Ordinance. These sections guide the community to a mutual understanding of how the standards in the Zoning Ordinance function. This section in Warrenton’s updated Zoning Ordinance builds on the rules established in the Town’s current Zoning Ordinance.
Code Assessment Public Draft (January 2025)
The Code Assessment was released to the public on January 16, 2025. A public forum will be held on Tuesday, January 28, 2025 at 6:30 pm. Please take the Code Assessment survey to give feedback on the analysis and recommendations in the Code Assessment. The survey will be open until February 7.
The recommendations in the Code Assessment are organized around four key themes:
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Create a User-Friendly Zoning Ordinance. The Code Assessment suggests that the updated Zoning Ordinance be better organized and use clear language, include graphics and photos that illustrate zoning principles, and streamline and clarify the language that governs the submission, review, and decisions on development applications such as rezonings and special use permits.
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Update the Zoning District and Use Regulations. To better meet the town’s land use goals, the Code Assessment recommends revisions to the existing zoning districts that direct growth into the “Character Districts” established in Plan Warrenton 2040, the town’s comprehensive plan, while preserving the character of the town and its existing neighborhoods. In addition, improvements to the layout and presentation of the zoning districts and use regulations are suggested.
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Update Development Standards. Updates to development standards such as off-street parking and loading, landscaping and transitional buffers, lighting, and open space are suggested to improve the quality of development in the town. In addition, a proposed set of neighborhood compatibility standards would improve compatibility between single-family neighborhoods and adjacent commercial development.
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Allow More Opportunities for Attainable and Affordable Housing. Plan Warrenton 2040 calls for more “equitable, attainable housing opportunities across residents of all ages, incomes, and abilities” by authorizing a wider range of housing types, including duplexes, triplexes, bungalow courts, and courtyard apartments. The Code Assessment recommends allowing these types of housing types within the character districts, which Plan Warrenton 2040 identifies as the areas in town where such housing types would be appropriate.