What Chesterfield’s ZOMod Zoning Changes Mean for Commercial Property Owners

The Chesterfield ZOMod zoning changes rezoned every commercial property in the county on January 1, 2026: each parcel was moved from its old district (C-1 through C-5, I-1 through I-3, O-1, O-2 and so on) into the nearest equivalent of 14 new districts. Conditions from past zoning cases carried over, existing buildings that no longer fit the standards became legally nonconforming, and owners of former C-5, I-1, I-2, and I-3 land have until January 1, 2031 to rely on most of their old permitted uses.

That sounds tidy, but the details decide whether a vacant pad is still worth what you thought, or whether a planned expansion still works. This post walks through what changed for commercial and industrial owners. For the bigger picture on buying and selling land in the county, see our Chesterfield commercial land guide.

What were the Chesterfield ZOMod zoning changes for commercial property?

The Board of Supervisors adopted Chapter 19.2, the Zoning Ordinance Modernization (ZOMod), on September 17, 2025, effective January 1, 2026. It replaced Chapter 19.1, which remains online for reference. The county described the conversion as a countywide rezoning to the “nearest equivalent” district, cutting 24 districts to 14. The old conditional use planned development (CUPD) tool was largely replaced by zoning deviations; the county’s ZOMod page lists a zoning deviation fee of $1,400 plus $70 per acre for a new project and $300 for exceptions to existing development or changes to an existing CUPD.

The six non-residential base districts in the new ordinance, and the comprehensive plan categories each is meant to implement, are:

Which new district did my C-1, C-2, O-1, or I-district parcel become?

The county has published only one district-level mapping for commercial land in plain terms: small-scale retail and office properties zoned O-1, C-1, and some C-2 were converted to Neighborhood Business (NB). NB is meant as a transition district next to neighborhoods, with 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. hours carried forward from the old ordinance, a 20,000 SF per-building cap in the base pattern (lower near homes), and a buffer increased from 40 to 50 feet, according to the county.

For C-3, C-4, C-5, O-2, and the industrial districts, the county did not publish a one-to-one table, because the conversion was based on each parcel’s existing zoning and what is on the ground, not just the old district label. Two C-2 parcels, or two I-2 parcels, can land in different new districts. So don’t assume. Look it up (see the steps below), and treat any listing or old survey that says “zoned C-3” or “zoned I-1” as out of date.

What happens to my existing zoning conditions and proffers?

They survive. Under Sec. 19.2-73, conditions imposed or accepted in rezonings, variances, conditional uses, CUPDs, special exceptions, and manufactured home permits decided between January 1, 1973 and January 1, 2026 remain in effect. The rules for sorting out conflicts matter most:

• If a condition conflicts with ZOMod, the condition applies. A negotiated setback, use list, or height limit from your 2008 zoning case still governs.
• If no condition addresses a topic, ZOMod applies. Parking, landscaping, and other standards your case was silent on now come from Chapter 19.2.
• Approvals themselves carry forward. Conditional uses, CUPDs, special exceptions, and most variances granted in that window stay in effect, and building permits and use permits lawfully granted before the change are not affected.

This lines up with state law: Virginia’s conditional zoning statutes say proffered conditions continue when a later amendment is part of a comprehensive new or substantially revised zoning ordinance. If your property carries cash or road proffers, those obligations did not disappear with the district name. For how proffers work on new commercial cases, see whether commercial rezonings in Chesterfield pay cash proffers.

Is there a grace period for C-5 and industrial properties?

Yes, but it is narrower than it is sometimes described. Sec. 19.2-72.E says that until January 1, 2031, any use permitted by right or with restrictions in the former C-5, I-1, I-2, and I-3 districts stays permitted, even if the new district would not allow it. The limits:

1. 1It covers uses only, not development standards. New construction still has to meet Chapter 19.2’s site and building standards. (Some press coverage described the window as permission to develop under the old rules; the ordinance text is narrower.)
2. 2Some uses are excluded: automobile sales (other than a consignment lot), data centers, motor vehicle sales, motor vehicle rental, mini-storage/mini-warehouse facilities, and truck rental. The list was amended after adoption, most recently for self-storage in May 2026, so check the current text.
3. 3Zoning conditions still win. If a condition on your property prohibits the use, the window does not revive it.
4. 4Conditional uses don’t qualify, and neither do projects that fail to meet a Chapter 19.1 restricted-use requirement.
5. 5After January 1, 2031, uses established under the window become nonconforming and fall under the nonconforming use rules.

What if my building doesn’t meet the new standards?

It becomes legally nonconforming and can stay. Under Sec. 19.2-69, a lawful use or structure existing when the ordinance changed may continue, and a change in ownership or occupancy does not affect that. The catches are what you can do next:

• A building that is conforming as to use but nonconforming as to setbacks, parking, height, or similar standards can be enlarged or structurally altered only if the alteration complies with ZOMod.
• A nonconforming use that stops for more than two years cannot restart.
• A nonconforming building damaged by fire or natural disaster can be rebuilt, reducing nonconformities where possible, if the work is done within two years (four in a federally declared disaster area).
• Site plans approved before January 1, 2026 are exempt from the new streets and transportation section, and certain existing nonresidential uses on private well and septic are not forced onto public utilities for minor expansions or a change of use, if the Health Department approves.

For buyers, this means an older strip center or flex building can keep operating as-is, but an expansion or pad addition may trigger current landscaping, parking, and design standards. Price that into the deal.

How do I look up my parcel’s new ZOMod district?

1. 1Open the county’s development code portal and use the Zoning Map link under Maps. Search the address or click the parcel to see its current (ZOMod) district and overlays.
2. 2Use the Case Information Map on the same portal to find past zoning cases on the parcel, then pull the case documents and read every condition.
3. 3Read the new district’s section in Chapter 19.2 Article 2 and the use matrix in Article 3 to confirm your use is permitted, and check Article 6 if the site is already built.
4. 4If anything is unclear, ask Chesterfield Planning (planning@chesterfield.gov, 804-748-1050) for a written zoning determination. The county is the final word; a map screenshot is not.

During adoption the county ran a separate draft conversion map that showed old and new districts side by side, with cross-hatching for parcels with conditional uses or CUPDs. Case conditions and district standards are what govern now, so rely on the live zoning map and the case files.

Talk through your property’s ZOMod conversion

If you own or are buying commercial or industrial land in Chesterfield and the ZOMod conversion changes your plans, I can help you sort out which questions go to the county, your engineer, and your attorney, and what the change means for value. See how I work on the services page, revisit our Chesterfield commercial land guide, or get in touch.