WORK PRODUCTS
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 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.