Planning Department
Board of Zoning Appeals
The Board of Zoning Appeals meets the first Tuesday of each month at 5 p.m. in the Board of Supervisors Room, Montgomery County Government Center, 755 Roanoke St., Christiansburg, Virginia.

Variance & Appeals Guidelines
In writing your justification for a variance request, you should carefully consider the following. Section 10-55(1)(g) states that the Board of Zoning Appeals shall base its required findings upon the particular evidence presented to it in each specific case where the property owner can show that:

A.      The strict application of the terms of this Ordinance would effectively prohibit or unreasonably restrict the utilization of the property because of:

  • The exceptional narrowness, shallowness, size, or shape of the property at the time of the effective date of the Zoning Ordinance, as amended; or
  • The exceptional topographic conditions or other extraordinary situations or condition of the property; or
  • The condition, situation, or development of the property immediately adjacent thereto

B.      The granting of such variance will alleviate a clearly demonstrable hardship approaching confiscation, as distinguished from a special privilege or convenience sought by the applicant.

C.      The property was acquired in good faith.

D.      Satisfactory evidence exists to support all of the following findings from Section 10-55(1)(e)

  • The strict application of this Ordinance would produce undue hardship to the property owner;
  • Such hardship is not shared generally by other properties in the same zoning district and the same vicinity;
  • Such variance is not contrary to the public interest nor to the intended spirit and purpose of this Ordinance;
  • The granting of such variance will not be a substantial detriment to adjacent properties nor change the character of the zoning district in which the property is located;
  • Such variance would result in substantial justice being done; and
  • The condition or situation of the property which gives rise to the need for such variance is not of so general or recurring a nature as to make reasonably practicable the formulation of a general regulation to be adopted as an amendment to this Ordinance.

By-Laws & Application
View the Board of Zoning Appeals By-Laws
Variance & Appeals Application