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1. How can I view my property on the city’s map and obtain information such as lot size, property assessment, and zoning designation?

You can visit our GIS mapping page.

2. What are the setbacks for my zoning district?

Setbacks are the minimum required distance between a structure and the property line. The city has different setback standards for each zoning district and differentiates between primary structures and accessory structures. Certain features (such as decks and porches) are permitted to encroach into the established setback lines. In order to determine the setbacks for your specific request, please contact the Building and Zoning Department at 540-942-6628.

3. I want to build a fence on my property. What are the height limitations and setbacks?

Fences for residential properties are allowed to be up to 6 feet in height behind the front building line. Fences are limited to 4 feet in height in front of the building line. There are no setback requirements for fences. They are allowed to be on the property line but it’s up to you to know where your property line is. Fences are not allowed in the city right-of-way.

4. Can I operate a business out of my home?

Certain businesses can be operated from a residence with administrative approval from the Zoning Department and the issuance of a Home Occupation Permit. In addition to a Home Occupation Permit, you will also need to contact the Commissioner of Revenue’s Office for a business license. For administrative approval for a home occupation, these businesses must be able to meet all of the following characteristics:

• The business must be clearly incidental to the home use (the primary use of the home or apartment is maintained as a residence)
• Work activities must be carried on wholly inside the main structure or in a fully-enclosed accessory building.
• The only employees working in the home are members of the family who reside in the home.
• There will be no group instruction.
• There will be no sign or exterior advertising.
• There will be no visible display or storage of material.
• No additional noise or traffic will be generated than what would be normally expected with a home.

The following uses are not permitted as home occupations:

• Animal hospitals and kennels
• Any type of repair or assembly of vehicles or equipment with internal combustion engines (such as autos, motorcycles, scooters, lawn mowers, chainsaws, and other small engines) or of large appliances (such as washing machines, dryers, and refrigerators)
• Bulk storage of flammable liquids
• Commercial nursery or truck farm
• Dispatch centers or other businesses where employees come to the site and are dispatched to other locations
• Food handling, processing or packing other than services that utilize standard home kitchen equipment
• Funeral homes and mortuaries
• Group instruction
• Material or equipment storage businesses
• Medical or dental clinics and labs
• Restaurants
• Retail-oriented uses
• Tow truck services
• Vehicle or equipment rental

5. How much does a Home Occupation Permit cost and how long is it good for?

The application fee for a Home Occupation Permit is $50 and it is a one-time fee only. The permit does not have to be renewed each year.

6. How do I apply for a Conditional Use Permit?

The Department of Planning processes conditional use requests. You can contact them by calling 540-942-6604.

7. How do I apply for a rezoning?

The Department of Planning processes rezoning requests. You can contact them by calling 540-942-6604.

8. When is a site development plan required?

A site development plan is required for any construction, expansion, enlargement, extension, reconstruction, or alteration of a building, structure, use, or change of use. This also includes the reconfiguration or re-striping of a parking lot. One- and two-family dwellings are exempt from this review process.

9. Why do I need to go through the site development review process?

Site plan review and approval is intended to provide information to the city in order to determine whether a proposed project complies with the development standards for the City of Waynesboro.

10. What is the site plan submittal process?

1. Applicants and design professionals who are unfamiliar with the development requirements of the city are strongly encouraged to meet with the Site Development Team once a concept plan has been designed but prior to plan submission. The city may require a pre-application conference with the applicant for large or complex projects.
2. The completed site development application, eight copies of the site plan, and two sets of E&S / SWM calculations are submitted to the Building and Zoning Department along with the appropriate fee.
3. Site plans applications are logged by staff and distributed to the other city departments involved in the review process.
4. Individual departments have four weeks to review the plans for compliance with the city site development standards.
5. Comments are provided to the Building and Zoning Department.
6. The site plan review coordinator compiles all of the comments into one consolidated response for the applicant.

11. What are the minimum submission requirements for a site plan?

• One copy of a completed site plan application and the associated fee
• Eight copies of the site plan - plans should be prepared on a minimum of 11-by-17-inch paper and drawn to scale by a certified design professional.
• Two copies of the storm water management calculations (if required)

12. What information should be included on the site plan?

Minimum content for a site development plan should include the following information:

• Title of the project
• Name(s) of design professional(s)
• Property owner
• Signature panel for the agent’s approval
• Zoning classification
• The northpoint, scale, date, and vicinity map
• The boundaries of the property involved, all existing property lines, and all setback lines
• All existing and proposed contours with 4 foot intervals
• All existing and proposed buildings or structures to include square footage, number of stories, and type of construction
• Any proposed demolition plans and details
• All watercourses, adjacent property lines, waterways or lakes, and other existing physical features in or adjoining the project, including flood hazard areas as identified by official city flood insurance maps
• The location, dimensions, and character of construction of existing and proposed streets, alleys, sidewalks, right-of-ways, easements, construction entrance, curbs and gutters, and all curb cuts.
• The location and size of existing and proposed sanitary sewers; water, gas, telephone, electric, and other utility lines; and culverts and other underground or overhead structures in or affecting the project, including existing and proposed facilities and easements for these facilities.
• All existing and proposed parking, travel lanes, driveways, entrances, exits, loading spaces, walkways, and bicycle parking requirements, indicating type of surfacing, size, angle of stalls, width of aisles, and a specific schedule showing the number of parking spaces provided and the number required (§5.1)
• Existing and proposed storm water management facilities and erosion and sediment control measures, indicating location, size, type, and grade of ditches, catch basins, and pipes, including on-site water retention and related requirements (Chapter 30, Erosion and Sediment Control)
• All existing and proposed landscaping (§5.4)
• Outdoor lighting plan (photometric analysis) to include all outdoor lighting systems, including luminary size, height, and fixture detail (§5.5)
• Information necessary to demonstrate that all construction or development will fully comply with applicable federal, state, and local requirements for accessibility to the handicapped including signage placement and signage detail (§5.1.5.d)