Rockingham County Board of Supervisors October 28: A McGaheysville Rezoning and New Land Division Rules

The Rockingham County Board of Supervisors meets Wednesday, October 28, 2026, and three items on the 7:00 p.m. public hearing list matter to anyone who owns, buys or plans to divide land in the county: a 1.54-acre rezoning on McGaheysville Road and two ordinance amendments. The regular meeting is called to order at 6:00 p.m. at the Rockingham County Administration Center in Harrisonburg. All three hearing items were recommended for approval by the Planning Commission on October 6.

This is the county-level companion to our running list of local projects. For everything under construction inside the city, see What’s Being Built in Harrisonburg Right Now: All 48 Active Construction Projects.

What is the McGaheysville rezoning on the October 28 agenda?

Case REZ26-1316 is a request from Gail and Kevin Dovel to rezone 1.54 acres at 9820 McGaheysville Road (tax map 142A1-4-2A, Election District 5) from R-2, Medium Density Residential, to RV-C, Rural Village with Conditions.

The county’s staff report explains the reason. The applicants want to divide the parcel and build one new dwelling, and the public road frontage requirements in R-2 currently prevent the parcel from being divided. Their proposed condition would limit the property to two single-family detached dwellings.

What the staff report says about the site:

• County water and sewer are available. Any new lot would need to show connection points before acceptance, and the owner pays the connection fees.
• McGaheysville Road (Route 996) is a Major Collector with a 35 mph speed limit and about 2,300 average daily trips. VDOT has no objection given the two-home limit.
• The Fire Marshal’s Office has no concerns.
• The county’s Comprehensive Plan designates the area Mixed Use, and staff noted that adding one dwelling does not contradict that designation.
• Surrounding zoning is R-2 to the east, R-2 and B-1 to the west, A-2 to the south, and R-2 and A-2 across the road to the north.

The Planning Commission voted 4-0 to recommend approval. The Board of Supervisors decides, and it can approve, deny or table the request.

What is the public service facility ordinance change?

Item OA26-1153 is a staff-generated amendment that adds a new defined use, “public service facility,” to the county zoning ordinance. The draft defines it as any facility used by a public entity to provide services to the public. It adds the use to the land use and zoning table and says the parking requirement will be set at the site plan level. Nothing on the agenda ties it to a specific site. It is a code clean-up that gives future public buildings a clear category.

How could new land division rules affect buying or selling acreage in Rockingham County?

Item OA26-1521 is the one to read if you own acreage or are shopping for land. The agenda describes it as a staff-generated amendment to Chapter 16, Subdivision of Land, “to require a waiting period for family and grantor-to-self divisions, and treat divisions in RR-1 the same as A-2.”

In plain terms, the county is tightening how often a parcel can be split off using those two routes, and it is lining up the rules for RR-1 land with the rules already used for A-2 land. The exact waiting periods are in the draft ordinance in the October 28 agenda packet on the county’s Agenda Center. We are not summarizing the numbers here because the draft is a redline and the board can change it at the hearing.

If you are under contract on land, or planning to divide a parcel you already own, check how the final ordinance treats your zoning district before you rely on a future split. Division rights can affect what a parcel is worth and what you can do with it.

What else did the Board decide on October 14?

The October 14 minutes in the same packet show a few decisions that change the local map:

• The board awarded the North Route 11 Corridor Study to Monteverde Engineering and Design Studio, funded by a $160,000 allocation in the FY2027 budget. The study covers long-range planning and code compliance along the corridor.
• The board adopted a resolution asking VDOT to add the completed Buc-ee’s Boulevard to the state’s secondary road system.
• County staff submitted three Smart Scale transportation applications: a second left-turn lane on eastbound Stone Spring Road at Reservoir Street, a second left-turn lane on eastbound US 33 at Resort Drive, and shoulder widening plus a conflict warning system on Mayland Road (Route 259).

How do I speak at the hearing or follow the vote?

The agenda packet is posted on the Rockingham County Agenda Center under Board of Supervisors, dated October 28, 2026. Under the board’s rules of procedure, staff presents first, then the applicant (10 minutes), then public comment with each speaker limited to 3 minutes. Speakers in support go first, those with questions next, and those opposed close the comment period. Because the hearing items begin at 7:00 p.m., arrive a little early if you want to sign up to speak.

Nothing is guaranteed until the board votes, so treat all three items as proposals until the minutes are posted.

Questions about land or a home in the county?

If a rezoning or ordinance change could affect a property you own or are considering, the team at Valley Homes Team is happy to look at the specifics with you. We track county and city agendas so you do not have to.

Source: Rockingham County Board of Supervisors agenda and packet for October 28, 2026, including the October 14, 2026 minutes and Community Development staff report, posted October 23, 2026 on rockinghamcountyva.gov.