FREDERICKSBURG, VA — The Fredericksburg Planning Commission will hold a public hearing Wednesday, Aug. 12, on proposed zoning changes affecting manufactured homes, residential parking, solar facilities, battery storage projects, data centers and temporary wireless structures.
The hearing on Unified Development Ordinance Text Amendment UDOTA FY27-01 is scheduled during the commission's regular meeting, which begins at 6:30 p.m. The changes are intended to align Chapter 72 of the city code with zoning legislation passed by the Virginia General Assembly in 2026.
City staff recommends that the commission support the amendments and forward a recommendation for approval to the City Council. The council discussed the proposed changes during a June 9 work session and initiated the text amendment process July 14, according to the meeting packet.
One proposed change would require manufactured homes to be treated no more restrictively than site-built single-family houses allowed in the same zoning district, provided they meet conditions established under state law.
Fredericksburg's current ordinance defines manufactured homes but does not list them as a specific permitted use. The city's definitions of mobile homes and modular units also exclude those structures from being considered single-family dwellings.
The amendment would update the definitions of manufactured housing, modular units and dwellings while removing the definition of a mobile home. Manufactured and modular homes meeting state requirements could then be permitted as single-family dwellings.
Another provision addresses temporary support structures used for wireless communications. These structures include monopoles or portable facilities that transmit voice, data or images without having a permanent foundation.
Under the amendment, any temporary support structure would require a temporary-use zoning permit. Structures taller than 80 feet or installed for at least 30 days also would require a building permit.
Approvals would generally be limited to 180 days, although an extension of up to two years could be granted when deemed reasonably necessary. A structure not removed within 48 hours after its approval expires could be removed at the owner's expense.
The proposal would add references to state requirements governing ground-mounted solar energy facilities. Unless permitted by right, such projects would require a special exception or siting agreement. Localities also must notify the State Corporation Commission about special-exception decisions involving solar facilities.
Battery energy storage projects would be allowed as accessory uses on parcels covered by an approved special exception for a solar facility. The storage capacity could not exceed the generating capacity of the associated solar facility.
The proposed ordinance also addresses state-mandated assessments for high-energy-use facilities, such as data centers. Before certain land-use approvals, an applicant would have to submit a site assessment that includes a sound profile.
Fredericksburg would incorporate that requirement into its Technology Overlay District. The assessment could also examine potential effects on water, agricultural resources, parks, registered historic sites and forestland on or immediately next to the project site.
The amendment would lower the maximum number of off-street parking spaces the city may require for residential projects within a half-mile of the Fredericksburg commuter rail station or FXBGO! Central, also known as the Lawrence A. Davies Transit Center.
Within those areas, the maximum would be half a parking space per dwelling for multifamily or mixed-use residential developments. One-family houses, two-family houses and townhouses would be subject to a maximum of one space per dwelling.
For qualifying residential developments outside those areas, state law requires Fredericksburg to provide an administrative process allowing at least a 20 percent reduction in minimum parking requirements.
The city's existing alternative-parking-plan process already allows reductions supported by parking-demand information. The proposed changes would preserve current parking exemptions, shared-parking provisions and alternative plans, but reductions could not be combined.
People may speak for up to five minutes during the public hearing. Written comments on the hearing item must include the commenter's name, address and ZIP code and must reach the city by 2:30 p.m. on the meeting date.
Comments may be mailed to 601 Caroline St., Suite 400, Fredericksburg, VA 22401, or delivered to the Community Planning and Building office on the fourth floor of 601 Caroline St.
The meeting may be viewed on the Fredericksburg Government Access Channel on Cox channel 84, Verizon channel 42 or through the city's Regional Web TV stream.
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