[HISTORY: Adopted by the Board of County Commissioners of
Charles County 8-31-1992 by Ord. No. 92-62[1]. Amendments noted where applicable.]
GENERAL REFERENCES
Attachment 1 - Fig IV1 Table of Permissible UsesTrailers and trailer parks — See Ch. 130.
Zoning Map — See Ch. 145.
Planning Commission — See Ch. 200.
Agricultural Preservation Districts — See Ch. 215.
Building construction — See Ch. 224.
Farming — See Ch. 235.
Fees — See Ch. 236.
Flood damage control — See Ch. 238.
Impact fees — See Ch. 249.
Land use — See Ch. 252.
Mobile homes and mobile home courts — See Ch. 257.
Stormwater management — See Ch. 274.
Subdivision regulations — See Ch. 278.
Forest conservation — See Ch. 298.
Attachment 2 - Fig V1 to V2 Max Res Densities
Attachment 3 - Fig VI1 to VI7 Sch Zoning Regs
Attachment 4 - Fig VII1 to VII5A Planned Dev Zones
Attachment 5 - Fig X1 Road Corridor Buff Req
Attachment 6 - Fig XIV1 to XIV3 Req for Cluster Dev
Attachment 7 - Fig XIX1 Max Sign Size
Attachment 8 - Parking Occ Rate Table
Attachment 9 - Table Off-Street Parking
Attachment 10 - Bufferyards bet Adj Zones
Attachment 11 - App A Info Req Apps Master Plan
Attachment 12 - App B Specs Driveway Ent
Attachment 13 - App C Specs Street Design
Attachment 14 - App D Specs Parking Area Surf
Attachment 15 - App E Guide for Landscaping
Attachment 16 - App F End and Cert Major Sub Plats
Attachment 17 - App G Model Certif and Forms
Attachment 18 - App H Guide for Noise Levels
Attachment 19 - App I Sup Design Criteria
Attachment 20 - App J Road Inventory Form
Attachment 21 - App K Plot Ag Sign Prog
Attachment 22 - App L Buffer Mod Areas
Attachment 23 - App M Shore Erosion Protect Meas
Attachment 24 - App N Above Mean High Water
Attachment 25 - App O Management Guidelines[1]
Editor's Note: This ordinance also repealed former Ch. 295,
Zoning, adopted 3-30-1992 by Res. No. 92-25.
Article I Introduction
§ 297-1 Purpose.
§ 297-2 Statutory authority.
§ 297-3 Applicability.
§ 297-4 Violations and penalties.
§ 297-5 Zoning Map.
§ 297-6 Compliance required.
§ 297-7 Severability.
§ 297-8 Conflicting regulations.
§ 297-9 Rules of construction.
§ 297-10 through § 297-20. (Reserved)
Article II General Provisions
§ 297-21 Interpretation of zone boundaries.
§ 297-22 Lots divided by zoning boundary lines.
§ 297-23 Amendments to the Official Zoning Map.
§ 297-24 Computation of time.
§ 297-25 General lot requirements.
§ 297-26 General yard requirements.
§ 297-27 Exceptions and modifications to minimum height requirements.
§ 297-28 Visibility at intersecting roads.
§ 297-29 Accessory uses and structures.
§ 297-30 Temporary uses.
§ 297-31 Smoke standards.
§ 297-32 Noise.
§ 297-33 Air pollution standards.
§ 297-34 Disposal of liquid wastes.
§ 297-35 Electrical disturbance or interference.
§ 297-36 Hazardous materials storage near railroad tracks.
§ 297-37 Change in use.
§ 297-38 Transportation element of Comprehensive Plan.
§ 297-39 Expiration of home occupation and cottage industry permits.
§ 297-40 Scenic and/or historic roads.
§ 297-41 through § 297-48. (Reserved)
Article III Definitions and Interpretations
§ 297-49 Word usage; definitions.
§ 297-50 through § 297-60. (Reserved)
Article IV Permissible Uses
§ 297-61 Use of designations P, PC and SE in Table of Permissible Uses.
§ 297-62 Permissible uses and specific exclusions.
§ 297-63 Table of Permissible Uses.
§ 297-64 through § 297-74. (Reserved)
Article V Residential Density
§ 297-75 Residential density.
§ 297-76 through § 297-86. (Reserved)
Article VI Base Zone Regulations
§ 297-87 AC Agricultural Conservation Zone.
§ 297-88 Rural zones.
§ 297-89 Village zones.
§ 297-90 Development district residential zones.
§ 297-91 Commercial zones.
§ 297-92 Industrial zones.
§ 297-93 Planned Unit Development (PUD) Zone.
§ 297-94 Waterfront Planned Community (WPC) Zone.
§ 297-95 Core Mixed-Use Zones.
§ 297-96 Utility transmission lines.
§ 297-97 Activity center zones.
§ 297-98 through § 297-100. (Reserved)
Article VII Planned Development Zone Regulations
§ 297-101 Objectives.
§ 297-102 General regulations.
§ 297-103 Master plan.
§ 297-104 Approval.
§ 297-105 Planned Residential Development (PRD) Zone.
§ 297-106 Mixed Use (MX) Zone.
§ 297-107 Planned Employment and Industrial Park (PEP) Zone.
§ 297-108 Planned Manufactured Home Park (PMH) Zone.
§ 297-109 Design guidelines and requirements.
§ 297-110 Transit Oriented Development (TOD) Zone.
§ 297-111 through § 297-114. (Reserved)
Article VIII (Reserved)
§ 297-115 through § 297-125. (Reserved)
Article IX Critical Area Zone (Overlay Zone)
§ 297-126 Purpose; statutory authority.
§ 297-127 Applicability.
§ 297-128 Definitions of terms applicable to Critical Area Zone.
§ 297-129 Official Critical Area Zone Maps and zone designations.
§ 297-130 Lots of record in Critical Area Zone; grandfather provisions.
§ 297-131 Critical Area Buffer regulations.
§ 297-132 Development standards.
§ 297-133 Site plans.
§ 297-134 Growth allocation (GA).
§ 297-135 Critical Area violations.
§ 297-136 Critical area administrative variance.
§ 297-137 Habitat protection areas and plans.
§ 297-138 through § 297-145. (Reserved)
Article X Highway Corridor (Overlay Zone)
§ 297-146 Purposes.
§ 297-147 Establishment of zones.
§ 297-148 Affected development.
§ 297-149 Architectural standards.
§ 297-150 Access standards.
§ 297-151 Road buffer standards.
§ 297-152 Retention of natural buffers along road rights-of-way.
§ 297-153 Exemptions from buffer standards.
§ 297-154 Permitted activity in road buffer before and after development.
§ 297-155 through § 297-166. (Reserved)
Article XI Resource Protection Zone (RPZ) (Overlay Zone)
§ 297-167 Purpose.
§ 297-168 Scope.
§ 297-169 Application.
§ 297-170 Resource Protection Zone delineation.
§ 297-171 Minimum stream Buffer widths.
§ 297-172 Buffer adjustments for adjacent nontidal wetlands, one-hundred-year floodplains and steep slopes.
§ 297-173 Use restrictions.
§ 297-174 Permitted uses.
§ 297-175 Open space credit.
§ 297-176 Extension of RPZ.
§ 297-177 Adjustment of zone.
§ 297-178 Plans and plats information.
§ 297-179 Construction staking.
§ 297-180 Enforcement.
§ 297-181 Performance bond.
§ 297-182 RPZ variance provisions.
§ 297-183 through § 297-192. (Reserved)
Article XII Airport (Overlay Zone)
§ 297-193 through § 297-209. (Reserved)
Article XIII Minimum Standards for Special Exceptions and Uses Permitted With Conditions
§ 297-210 General provisions.
§ 297-211 Alphabetical listing.
§ 297-212 Uses corresponding with Table of Permissible Uses.
§ 297-213 through § 297-218. (Reserved)
Article XIV Cluster Development
§ 297-219 Purpose.
§ 297-220 General requirements.
§ 297-221 Residential dwelling types.
§ 297-222 Design requirements.
§ 297-223 Cluster open space.
§ 297-224 Review procedures for cluster developments.
§ 297-225 Required findings.
§ 297-226 (Reserved)
§ 297-227 Amendment of approved cluster developments.
§ 297-228 Cluster development requirement charts.
§ 297-229 through § 297-239. (Reserved)
Article XV Moderately Priced Dwellings
§ 297-240 Intent.
§ 297-241 Applicability.
§ 297-242 Requirements.
§ 297-243 Density bonus.
§ 297-244 through § 297-254. (Reserved)
Article XVI Adequate Public Facilities Requirements
§ 297-255 Purpose.
§ 297-256 Adequate public facilities required.
§ 297-257 Roads.
§ 297-258 Schools.
§ 297-259 Sewerage system.
§ 297-260 Water supply system.
§ 297-261 Fire suppression for rural areas.
§ 297-262 Stormwater management facilities.
§ 297-263 Adequate public facilities study.
§ 297-264 Mitigation.
§ 297-265 Bonding or surety.
§ 297-266 Standards, criteria and procedures for adequate public facilities studies.
§ 297-267 through § 297-276. (Reserved)
Article XVII Transferable Development Rights (TDRs) in Designated Agricultural Land Preservation Districts
§ 297-277 Introduction.
§ 297-278 Definitions.
§ 297-279 TDR sending areas; properties assigned transferable development rights.
§ 297-280 Ability to transfer development rights.
§ 297-281 Certificate of development options or rights.
§ 297-282 Instrument of transfer.
§ 297-283 Effect of transfer.
§ 297-284 TDR receiving area; use of transferable development rights.
§ 297-285 Approval of development using transferable development rights.
§ 297-286 Final approval of use.
§ 297-287 through § 297-296. (Reserved)
Article XVIII Site Design
§ 297-297 Purpose.
§ 297-298 General site design standards.
§ 297-299 Landscaping and tree planting standards.
§ 297-300 Lot coverage.
§ 297-301 Road and sidewalk requirements in subdivided and unsubdivided developments.
§ 297-302 Access standards for arterial roads.
§ 297-303 Utility ownership and easement rights.
§ 297-304 Utilities to be consistent with internal and external development.
§ 297-305 Lighting requirements.
§ 297-306 Lighting standards.
§ 297-307 Sites for and screening of dumpsters.
§ 297-308 Public transit accommodations.
§ 297-309 through § 297-318. (Reserved)
Article XIX Signs
§ 297-319 General provisions.
§ 297-320 Signs requiring neither permit nor payment of a fee.
§ 297-321 Prohibited signs.
§ 297-322 Signs requiring permit but no fee.
§ 297-323 Computations.
§ 297-324 Standards for specific types of signs.
§ 297-325 Event signs.
§ 297-326 Maintenance of signs and permits.
§ 297-327 Nonconforming signs.
§ 297-328 Real estate signs.
§ 297-329 through § 297-334. (Reserved)
Article XX Parking Facilities
§ 297-335 Number of parking spaces required.
§ 297-336 Parking space dimensions.
§ 297-337 Required widths of aisles and driveways.
§ 297-338 General design requirements.
§ 297-339 Parking area surfaces.
§ 297-340 Joint use of required parking spaces.
§ 297-341 Satellite parking.
§ 297-342 Special provisions for lots with existing buildings.
§ 297-343 Loading and unloading areas.
§ 297-344 Parking facilities for physically handicapped.
§ 297-345 through § 297-354. (Reserved)
Article XXI Landscaping of Parking Facilities
§ 297-355 Intent.
§ 297-356 Sites affected.
§ 297-357 General design requirements.
§ 297-358 Perimeter landscaping.
§ 297-359 Interior landscaping.
§ 297-360 through § 297-369. (Reserved)
Article XXII Screening and Trees
§ 297-370 Buffer yards.
§ 297-371 through § 297-381. (Reserved)
Article XXIII Buffer Yard Requirements
§ 297-382 Buffer yard standards.
§ 297-383 Plant material.
§ 297-384 Structures.
§ 297-385 Illustrations of buffer yard and buffer yard structures.
§ 297-386 through § 297-396. (Reserved)
Article XXIV Planning Commission
§ 297-397 Powers and duties.
§ 297-398 through § 297-408. (Reserved)
Article XXV Board of Appeals
§ 297-409 Powers and duties.
§ 297-410 Filing fees.
§ 297-411 Notice of hearing.
§ 297-412 Public hearing required.
§ 297-413 Written decision.
§ 297-414 Revisory powers.
§ 297-415 Special exceptions.
§ 297-416 Variances.
§ 297-417 Appeals.
§ 297-418 Expansion or extension of nonconforming uses.
§ 297-419 Appeals to County Commissioners.
§ 297-420 through § 297-428. (Reserved)
Article XXVI Zoning Officer
§ 297-429 Authority; powers and duties.
§ 297-430 Permits required.
§ 297-431 Applications for permits.
§ 297-432 Applications to be complete.
§ 297-433 Permit issuance.
§ 297-434 Permit violations.
§ 297-435 Inspection, supervision during installation.
§ 297-436 through § 297-446. (Reserved)
Article XXVII Amendments
§ 297-447 Text amendments.
§ 297-448 Local map amendments.
§ 297-449 Procedure for amending provisions or conditions established in granting local map amendment.
§ 297-450 through § 297-460. (Reserved)
Article XXVIII Nonconforming Uses
§ 297-461 Introduction.
§ 297-462 Determination of nonconforming situations.
§ 297-463 Developed nonconforming lots.
§ 297-464 Undeveloped nonconforming lots.
§ 297-465 Extension or enlargement of nonconforming situations.
§ 297-466 Repair; maintenance; reconstruction.
§ 297-467 Change in use of property where nonconforming situation exists.
§ 297-468 Abandonment and discontinuance of nonconforming situations.
§ 297-469 through § 297-479. (Reserved)
Article XXIX Transition Provisions
§ 297-480 Approved or pending zoning permits, site plans or building permits.
§ 297-481 Approved or pending preliminary plats.
§ 297-482 Board of Appeals approvals.
§ 297-483 Zoning in effect prior to effective date of this chapter.
§ 297-484 through § 297-496. (Reserved)
Article XXX Development Rights and Responsibilities Agreements
§ 297-497 Purpose.
§ 297-498 Authority.
§ 297-499 Applicability.
§ 297-500 Contents of development rights and responsibilities agreement.
§ 297-501 Referral to Planning Commission.
§ 297-502 Public hearing by County Commissioners.
§ 297-503 Amendment of agreements.
§ 297-504 Termination of agreements; suspension.
§ 297-505 Applicable laws, regulations and policies.
§ 297-506 through § 297-518. (Reserved)
Article XXXI Historic Preservation Commission