The mission of the Department of Community Development is to protect the health, safety, and welfare of the citizens of West Point through the promotion of orderly and beneficial development. We are responsible for the administration of the Town Zoning Ordinance, and we are available to help citizens with the permitting process for new development. If you would like to build a new home or start a business in the Town of West Point, please visit the Department of Community Development in Town Hall or call (804) 843-3563. For information on a recent development study done on the downtown area of West Point by a visiting masters degree student, look here.
Local permits are needed for the protection of both the property owner and the Town. They help to avoid problems and added expense during construction, and the information they provide also helps to maintain a high quality of life and a healthy community. Permit types include zoning, land disturbance and building.
All land in the Town is part of a zoning district, each one created to group land uses together in ways that maximize advantages and minimize difficulties for property owners.
The Town's zoning ordinances address both the types of buildings and types of uses permitted in specific areas. Furthermore, the zoning ordinance contains requirements for such characteristics as building height, lot width and area, minimum yards (setbacks), and living area for each zoning district. To obtain applications, the zoning district map and a summary of the requirements by zoning district, please follow the links provided at Town Zoning Ordinance. To obtain a detailed listing of land uses permitted within each district, contact the Director of Community Development by calling (804) 843-3563.
As a service to Town residents, Town staff are now handling building permits and property maintenance. Residents may pick up and drop off building permits in the reception area of Town Hall. Property maintenance and building inspections are conducted daily. The Building Official, handles permit processing and inspections. If questions arise before your next construction project, please call (804) 843-3426.
GIS, Geographic Information System, is a computer-based program providing a collection of information and data that is used to store, manipulate, analyze, and present maps. GIS is important because it provides increased efficiency, better, more professional presentation to the public, and an accurate record of important information.
The Town of West Point is currently working on providing mapping information on this Web site. Information contained in our GIS databank includes, but is not limited to:
Streets
Water
Topography
Parcels
Buildings
Tax Maps
All land in the Town is part of a zoning district, each one created to group land uses together in ways that maximize advantages and minimize difficulties for property owners.
The Town's zoning ordinances address both the types of buildings and types of uses permitted in specific areas. Furthermore, the zoning ordinance contains requirements for such characteristics as building height, lot width and area, minimum yards (setbacks), and living area for each zoning district. To obtain the zoning district map and summary of the requirements by zoning district, please follow the links provided below.
Obtaining a zoning permit is the first step that must be performed before any building or use of land can be established on property located within the Town of West Point. Any new building or addition as well as any new USE of a building or land will require a zoning permit. This includes but not limited to the following types of buildings and activities:
A zoning permit requires just enough site information to ensure that a proposed home or business fits in well with its surroundings. Certain information is needed in order for a permit to be issued, including the location of the lot and a plat or survey of the lot showing the locations of existing and proposed buildings. In addition, evidence may need to be provided by the property owner that all relevant permits issued by state agencies, such as the Virginia Department of Health (for septic systems) and the Virginia Department of Transportation (for entrances and public water/sewer tie-ins) have been obtained before an application for a zoning permit will be considered. An application must be completed and a zoning permit issued before a building permit can be obtained.
Additional information and review by the Director of Community Development, Planning Commission, and/or Town Council may be required depending on the type of use or building proposed for a piece of property as well as where it is located. Contact the Director of Community Development for details on when the following applications and checklists are required.
In some cases, a land disturbance permit may be required before development commences. This permit is used to ensure that erosion and sedimentation are controlled, helping to prevent flooding and protecting our rivers from pollution. Land disturbance permits are required for any activity affecting a land area of more than 2,500 square feet, including all new single-family dwellings. When determining your land disturbance area, remember to include the area of driveways and drainfields, in addition to all areas of clearing, grading, excavating, transporting, and filling. An application must be approved and the limits of disturbance clearly marked on the site before any clearing begins. The Town will provide for a site inspection both before and after clearing to ensure that erosion and sediment control practices have been implemented and followed. The permit application is available for download in MS Word format:
Note: The owner of property that is eligible for or listed in the Virginia Landmarks Register (as downtown historic district) may qualify for federal and state rehabilitation tax credits. Look here for more information.
