Unified Development Ordinance
The Town of Wytheville is in the process of rewriting the Zoning and Subdivision Ordinances for the Town. The rewrite seeks to modernize land use development standards, provide more opportunity for housing and mixed-use development, and encourage overall economic development. Revised drafts will be published here periodically as corrections and change requests from the Planning Commission are completed.
The most recent draft of the Unified Development Ordinance can be found at the link below.
The Planning Department is the Town of Wytheville’s newest department. The department recently separated from the Engineering and Public Utilities Department to better serve the Town’s planning and community development needs. The department works with property owners and developers to guide new development and protect Wytheville’s unique quality of life.
The department develops and implements long-range comprehensive plans, reviews development plans, prepares land use regulations for adoption, enforces subdivision and zoning regulations, and guides economic development and beautification efforts. The Planning Department reviews all development proposals to ensure that new construction and land uses meet Zoning Ordinance requirements. The Department also works closely with the Town Engineering and Building Departments to assure that new construction and renovation projects meet applicable code requirements.
Development Administration
The Planning Department wants everyone investing in Wytheville to succeed in their efforts to improve our community, create new businesses, grow our economy, and develop better housing opportunities for our citizens. As part of that effort, our goal is to review applications quickly and work to guide development towards solutions for Wytheville’s challenges. Developers and other applicants are encouraged to seek guidance early in the process to facilitate development plans that meet code requirements and can be approved quickly.
Permitting and Plan Review
The Planning Department reviews all zoning related permit applications. The permits and reviews conducted by the Planning Department include:
- Site Plan Reviews for New Commercial and Multi-Family Construction
- Change of Use Permits
- Special Use Permits
- Rezoning Applications
- Home Occupation Permits
- Homestay Permits
- Telecommunication Tower Permits
- Backyard Chicken Keeping Permits
- Zoning Determinations and Certifications
Applications for each of the permit types above can be found on the Town’s online permitting portal. Please follow the information below if you need to submit a permit application to the Planning Department.
The Town of Wytheville utilizes the
OpenGov/Viewpoint Cloud Software for Town applications and permits. This
platform is used by multiple departments including; Building, Planning &
Zoning, Engineering, Public Utilities, Administration, Public Works, and
the
Fire Department. It is a web-based system that allows the public to
apply
for and track applications from the comfort of their home or business at
any
time, and it is available 24 hours a day and 7 days a week.
Our staff is available to assist any user who does not have a computer or the ability to do an online permit. If you need assistance with the software or to submit an application, please contact 276-223-3354 or 3333 to schedule an appointment to receive assistance.
The first time you log in you will need to register and set up an account. Once you are registered, the portal will save your information. You will need an email address to set up an account.
TO UTILIZE THIS PORTAL PLEASE GO TO:
https://wythevilleva.viewpointcloud.com/
FIRST TIME USERS, CLICK SIGN UP ON THE UPPER RIGHT CORNER OF THAT PAGE.
IF
YOU ARE ALREADY SIGNED UP, CLICK LOGIN.
Click here to learn more about OpenGov.
Engineering Related Planning and Permitting
The Planning Department works closely with the Engineering and Public Utilities Department on other types of planning and permitting initiatives such as transportation planning, street design, utility design, stormwater, and subdivision review. These permit applications can be found under the Engineering & Public Utilities Department tab on the permitting portal that is linked above. Questions related to these issues can be addressed by contacting the department most directly related to your question.
Long-Range Planning Initiatives
The Planning Department is currently working on several major planning initiatives and will be completing other projects in the near future. Some of the projects that are currently underway include:
- Development of a Unified Development Ordinance, which is a major revision of the Subdivision and Zoning ordinances. The new UDO will replace the two existing ordinances with a single combined ordinance addressing both subdivision and zoning regulations.
- Comprehensive Plan Revision is a second major long-range planning initiative that is underway. An initial review of the Comprehensive Plan was conducted in 2020 and a full revision will be initiated after adoption of the Unified Development Ordinance.
- Transportation Planning and Beautification is another Planning Department initiative. Current projects include the Heritage Walk Phase III project currently under construction on Tazewell Street and the Heritage Walk Museum Connector project which will connect the existing Heritage Walk in Withers Park to each of the Town Museum facilities around Withers Park. Additional streetscape and pedestrian improvement projects are planned as funding is awarded.
Zoning Enforcement
The Planning Department is also responsible for enforcement of the Town Zoning Ordinance. This is done through the permitting process mentioned above, through enforcement actions when land use changes are made without permits, when modifications to a site result in non-compliance with the Zoning Ordinance, or when other violations are found.
Useful Links
- Comprehensive Plan
- Planning Commission
- Economic Development
- Board of Zoning Appeals
- Building Department
- Engineering Department