What is a special use permit?

The purpose of the Special Use Permit procedure is to provide a means for the Board of Supervisors to authorize, after review and subject to appropriate conditions, certain specified uses which, although generally appropriate in the district in which they are permitted by the Zoning Ordinance, have a potentially greater impact on neighboring properties that those uses which are permitted by right in the district. 

The special use procedure is intended to provide the opportunity for the Planning Commission and the Board of Supervisors (PDF) to review of each proposed special use and its potential impacts on surrounding properties and land uses, with special regard for the particular circumstances of each use. It is also intended to provide an opportunity for the Planning Commission to recommend and for the Board of Supervisors to impose such conditions as are necessary to ensure that the use will be compatible with the surrounding area and consistent with the intent of the particular district and the purpose of the Zoning Ordinance.

Show All Answers

1. What district is my property in?
2. What if a use is prohibited?
3. What is a special use permit?
4. What is a variance?
5. What is the board of zoning appeals?
6. What fees can be expected?