Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Town of Gordonsville, Virginia

Town of Gordonsville’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  Construction inside Gordonsville town; permits issued by the joint county building department

  • No building permit is issued until the applicant obtains a Gordonsville zoning permit.
  • All fees are collected by the county.

  “All building permits and other permits necessary to construction in the town shall be issued by the building department, jointly operated by the Town of Orange, the Town of Gordonsville and the county”

• Building code adoptedAdopted

  Virginia Uniform Statewide Building Code enforcement inside Gordonsville town, by the Orange County building inspection department under the town's Sec. 5-2

  • Enforcement is joint among Town of Orange, Town of Gordonsville and the county.

  “The building inspection department as established by the county board of supervisors shall have the full authority and responsibility for the enforcement of the provisions of the Virginia Uniform Statewide Building Code within the town.”

• Local zoningPresent

  Land inside Gordonsville town limits

  • Town code Sec. 5-2 refers to a Gordonsville zoning administrator and zoning permit; the zoning ordinance text itself was not opened.

  “unless and until the applicant secures from the zoning administrator of the Town of Gordonsville and presents to the building inspector a zoning permit indicating that the proposed construction complies with the zoning and subdivision requirements of the Town of Gordonsville”

• Mandatory utility hookupWater (with conditions)

  Buildings used for human occupancy abutting a street with a town public water line inside Gordonsville town

  • Applies when public water is within 100 feet of the principal structure
  • Connection at owner's expense
  • Drilling a private well to circumvent the requirement is unlawful
  • Sewer connection rule not found

  water connection distance: <= 100 feet

  “Provided public water is within 100 feet of the principal structure, the owner of all houses, buildings or properties used for human occupancy, employment, recreation or other purposes”

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  Land inside Gordonsville town

  • Subdivision ordinance text not opened

  “complies with the zoning and subdivision requirements of the Town of Gordonsville”

• Short-term rentalsLimited

  Short-term rentals (under 30 consecutive days) inside Gordonsville town

  • Operators required to register must register the property with the town
  • $250 penalty after 30-day written notice for unregistered property
  • Registration barred after fourth violation

  penalty: 250 USD (per violation)

  “Unless and until an operator pays the penalty and registers such property, the operator may not continue to offer such property for short-term rental.”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Town of Gordonsville or Orange County directly.

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder inside Gordonsville town
• Inspections — Inspections of construction inside Gordonsville town
• Certificate of occupancy — Certificate of occupancy inside Gordonsville town
• Zoning districts — Zoning districts of Gordonsville town
• Minimum dwelling size — Single-family residential district, Gordonsville town

Each answer was extracted from an official source and independently re-checked against that source by a second reviewer. That is an evidence check, not legal advice. Rules change; confirm with the authority before you buy or build.