This chapter shall be known and may be cited as the "Zoning
Ordinance of Mathews County, Virginia."
This chapter is adopted pursuant to the authority provided by
Title 15.1, Chapter 11, Article 8, § 15.1-486 through § 15.1-498
of the Code of Virginia, 1950, as amended.
This chapter has been designed for the purpose of promoting
the health, safety, or general welfare of the public and further accomplishing
the objectives of Section 15.1-427 of the Code of Virginia, 1950,
as amended, by:
A.
Providing for adequate light, air, convenience of access, and safety
from fire, flood, and other dangers;
B.
Reducing or preventing congestion in the public streets;
C.
Facilitating the creation of a convenient, attractive, and harmonious
community;
D.
Expediting the provision of adequate police and fire protection,
disaster evacuation, civil defense, transportation, water, sewerage,
schools, parks, forests, playgrounds, recreational facilities, and
other public requirements;
E.
Protecting against one or more of the following: overcrowding of
land, undue density of population in relation to the community facilities
existing or available, obstruction of light and air, danger and congestion
in travel and transportation, or loss of life, health, or property
from fire, flood, panic, or other dangers;
F.
Encouraging economic development activities that provide desirable
employment and enlarge the tax base; and
G.
Regulating, restricting, permitting, prohibiting, and determining:
(1)
The use of land, buildings, structures, and other premises for
agricultural, commercial, industrial, residential, and other specific
uses;
(2)
The size, height, area, bulk, location, erection, construction,
reconstruction, alteration, repair, maintenance, razing, or removal
of structures;
(3)
The areas and dimensions of land, water, and air space to be
occupied by building, structures, and uses, and of courts, yards,
and other open spaces to be left unoccupied by uses and structures,
including variations in the size of lots based on whether a public
or community water supply or sewer system is available and used; and
(4)
The excavation or mining of soil or other natural resources.
