What are the drawbacks of Sanitary status? Planning Department There would be legal costs (estimated at $2,500-$10,000) associated with The mission of the Office of Planning is petitioning the Circuit Court for Sanitary District status. In order to become a to assist the community in developing Sanitary District, court approval must be the to its best potential. Our Sanitary secured. The Warren County Board of Supervisors must approve the annual staff evaluates and implements policies budget, tax rate, and any building impact to support the goals of the community as fees. it prospers and matures. The office is Currently there are 11 sanitary districts in responsible for the review of Warren County. They include:  Blue Mountain development applications such as  Cedarville Heights rezonings, special use permits,  High Knob comprehensive plan amendments,  Lake Front Royal zoning approvals, and zoning appeals  Linden Heights and variances. Zoning approval is  Riverside required prior to the construction of any  Shangri-la  Shenandoah Farms new structure and any new business in  Shenandoah Shores an existing building.  Skyland Estates The Warren County Zoning Ordinance  South River Estates and Ordinance can be found

How do we get started? on our website at: Warren County

www.warrencountyva.net Planning Department The residents of the subdivision must circulate a petition for the creation of a 220 North Commerce Avenue Sanitary District. Interested registered Suite 400 voters who reside in the subdivision should Front Royal, Virginia 22630 sign the petition. Once the required amount (540) 636-3354 of signatures have been obtained, an attorney may draft the necessary [email protected] paperwork to file the petition for the www.warrencountyva.net creation of the Sanitary District. What is a Sanitary District? Directors would submit an annual budget and  Sanitary District tax rates could be set proposed tax rate to the Board of Supervisors A “sanitary district” is a special taxing up on a tiered system to allow for a for approval. lower rate for undeveloped lots. district allowed by the Code of Virginia. The  Impact fees could be required to be paid governing body of a Sanitary District has the Once a subdivision is designated as a Sanitary by builders prior to the issuance of a following powers and duties: District, the subdivision governing body could waive the annual fees currently paid to the building permit.  To construct, maintain and operate water Association.  Sanitary District status would make a supply, sewerage, garbage removal and subdivision eligible for various State and disposal, heat, light, fire-fighting What are the benefits of becoming a Federal disaster relief funds and allow us equipment, power, gas, streets, parking Sanitary District? to acquire surplus government property. lots, curbs, gutters, sidewalks,  The ability to raise additional revenue to community buildings, community centers There are a number of benefits that the make necessary improvements to the and other recreational facilities for the residents of a subdivision would receive from community. use and benefit of the public in such becoming a Sanitary District. This list of  There would no longer be a need for the sanitary districts. benefits includes: Board of Directors to place liens on  To acquire by gift, condemnation,  Sanitary District status will not affect the property as any unpaid Sanitary District purchase, lease, or otherwise, and to privacy of roads, gate, pool, etc. taxes would be have to be paid before maintain and operate such systems.  The ability to establish uniform fees the sale of any property. The  To levy and collect an annual tax upon all throughout the entire subdivision (Some Association could lose unpaid fees if property in such sanitary district. subdivisions have different covenanted there is no lien placed on individual  The power to abate nuisances within the rates.) properties when they are sold. district.  All lots, including those owned by a  Sanitary District status can provide stability for a subdivision and can likely How is a Sanitary District Created? developer, would be subject to Sanitary District taxes. increase property values for all property The Circuit Court of any County, upon the  Sanitary District taxes would be collected owners. It could also improve the credit petition of 50 qualified voters of a proposed by the Warren County Treasurer’s Office, status of our community. district, or if the proposed district contains thereby increasing the collection rate and less than 100 qualified voters upon petition of freeing the subdivision Association from Can a Sanitary District be dissolved? fifty percent of the qualified voters of the the burden of collection. Currently the proposed district, may make an order County charges a fee of 5% plus $350.00 The Code of Virginia contains provisions to creating a sanitary district. The order shall for collecting the Sanitary District tax, abolish the Sanitary District at any time by create the boundaries and powers for such much less than collection firms charge for order of the Circuit Court . district. collecting on delinquent accounts.  Sanitary District fees are treated as taxes How would Sanitary District status and are therefore deductible on one’s affect the Board of Directors and Federal Income Tax Return. our current fees?  For the majority of homeowners, Sanitary The Warren County Board of Supervisors District taxes would be collected along would be designated as the governing Board with County taxes on one’s mortgage of the Sanitary District. The Board of escrow throughout the year.