Opinion ID: 1249847
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: effect of the permanent zoning ordinance

Text: The question arises whether Matthews should be subject to the provisions of the Permanent Zoning Ordinance which became effective March 1,1975. In Bd. Sup. James City County v. Rowe, 216 Va. 128, 216 S.E.2d 199 (1975), we invalidated a zoning ordinance but directed the trial court on remand to give the local governing body adequate time to enact a new zoning ordinance. But in that case the invalid zoning ordinance had repealed a valid zoning classification so that the effect of the invalidation of the ordinance was to leave the land unzoned. See also Richmond v. Randall, 215 Va. 506, 211 S.E.2d 56 (1975); Bd. of Supervisors of Fairfax County v. Allman, 215 Va. 434, 211 S.E.2d 48 (1975). In the present case, however, the land was unzoned at the time the Interim Zoning Ordinance was enacted, so the effect of invalidating the Ordinance is to leave the land classified as it was before. In Carper and Horne, where we also invalidated zoning ordinances, we did not grant time for additional local legislation. Moreover, it is uncontradicted that Matthews's final plat would have been approved in August or September, 1974, except for the Interim Zoning Ordinance. Under these circumstances we hold that the rule applied in Rowe is not applicable in this case and that Matthews's proposed subdivision is not subject to the provisions of the Permanent Zoning Ordinance.