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Property request · variance

Rice’s Hotel/Hughlett’s Tavern Foundation: allow a structure (73 Monument Place)

  1. Board of Zoning Appeals hearing (county’s record, May 6)May 6

  2. Board of Zoning Appeals decides (county’s record, May 6)Approved, unanimously · May 6

A step the records show opens the record itself.

About the Board of Zoning Appeals

In plain words

Rice's Hotel/Hughlett's Tavern Foundation, owner, asked for a variance to allow a structure less than the required 35 feet from the street right-of-way.1 The property is zoned A-1, Agricultural, and is located on Tax Map Parcel #16-A(1)-32-A at 73 Monument Place.1 The Board of Zoning Appeals heard the request, and Jan Lodge said the wood workers guild does not have a building on the property.2 Ralph Hendrickson and Edwin Hoxsie described the 50' x 40' building with storage above and said why that location would be best.2 After the request and site plan were reviewed, with no objections about size or placement, Dandridge Crabbe made a motion to approve the request as submitted.2

Summarized from the county’s records, September 29.

Where each sentence comes from
  1. “for a variance to the Northumberland County Zoning Ordinance, Article III, Section 148-22- to allow a structure less than the required 35 feet from the street right-of-way” … “The property is located on Tax Map Parcel #16-A(1)-32-A at 73 Monument Place.” … “on property zoned A-1, Agricultural”The matter as the records title it
  2. “Jan Lodge, President of the Board of Directors of Rice’s Hotel/Hughlett’s Tavern Foundation, said that the wood workers guild does not have a building on the property.” … “Ralph Hendrickson and Edwin Hoxsie described the 50’ x 40’ building with storage above and explained why this would be the best location for it.” … “there having been no objections regarding the size and placement of it, Dandridge Crabbe made a motion to approve the request as submitted”May 6, 2025 · Board of Zoning Appeals · In the minutes

Written automatically from the county’s records. Each sentence has to quote the record it comes from, word for word, or it’s left out. The records have the final say.

The official wording

The Board then heard a request by Rice’s Hotel/Hughlett’s Tavern Foundation, owner, for a variance to the Northumberland County Zoning Ordinance, Article III, Section 148-22- to allow a structure less than the required… Show all

The Board then heard a request by Rice’s Hotel/Hughlett’s Tavern Foundation, owner, for a variance to the Northumberland County Zoning Ordinance, Article III, Section 148-22- to allow a structure less than the required 35 feet from the street right-of-way on property zoned A-1, Agricultural. The property is located on Tax Map Parcel #16-A(1)-32-A at 73 Monument Place.

Zoning districts here

  • A-1 · AgriculturalWhat the ordinance says it’s for
    “This district covers the portions of the County which are occupied by various open uses, including farms, orchards, vineyards, forests, and parks. This district is established for the specific purpose of facilitating existing and future farming and forestry operations, conserving water and other natural resources, reducing soil erosion, protecting watersheds and reducing hazards from flood and fire. To ensure the success of the above goals, it is necessary to maintain as low a density of residential development as is reasonable. The character of this district should remain agricultural in nature, with residential, industry or small commercial business permitted only when it will benefit the immediate area without degrading the environment.”
    Zoning Ordinance § 148-19

Words the law defines

  • Variance
    “‘Variance’ means, in the application of a zoning ordinance, a reasonable deviation from those provisions regulating the shape, size, or area of a lot or parcel of land or the size, height, area, bulk, or location of a building or structure when the strict application of the ordinance would unreasonably restrict the utilization of the property, and such need for a variance would not be shared generally by other properties, and provided such variance is not contrary to the purpose of the ordinance.”

    Code of Virginia § 15.2-2201, Chapter 22. Planning, Subdivision of Land and Zoning

  • Site plan
    “‘Site plan’ means the proposal for a development or a subdivision including all covenants, grants or easements and other conditions relating to use, location and bulk of buildings, density of development, common open space, public facilities and such other information as required by the subdivision ordinance to which the proposed development or subdivision is subject.”

    Code of Virginia § 15.2-2201, Chapter 22. Planning, Subdivision of Land and Zoning

What’s happened

  1. Tue6May

    Board of Zoning Appeals · a vote

    ApprovedRice’s Hotel/Hughlett’s Tavern Foundation: allow a structure (73 Monument Place)

    After reviewing the request and site plan for the building and there having been no objections regarding the size and placement of it, Dandridge Crabbe made a motion to approve the request… Show all

    Moved by Crabbe, seconded by Packett

    Minutes, May 6Open it in the meeting →

Meeting by meeting, newest first, in the records’ own words. Each vote names the minutes it’s written in.

The records

Gathered from Northumberland County’s agendas, minutes and notices. Checked October 26.

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How a variance is decided

A variance lets an owner depart from a specific zoning rule, such as a setback or frontage requirement, on one property.

The Board of Zoning Appeals decides variances after an advertised public hearing. State law sets the standard it must apply.

The law: Va. Code § 15.2-2309 (Powers and duties of boards of zoning appeals); Va. Code § 15.2-2204 (Advertising public hearings). This describes the general process, not this decision.