Enterprise Zones
Rewarding Investment – Revitalizing
Communities
The Virginia
Enterprise Zone program is committed to encouraging
economic growth and revitalization throughout the
commonwealth by supporting businesses and investors.
The program provides reimbursement grants for real
property improvements as well as new job creation within the zone.
This program is managed by the Virginia Department of Housing and Community
Development (DHCD). Accomack County originally created it's Enterprise
Zone in 2005 and has made some amendments to the area in the Zone since that
time.
Qualification for real
property investment grants requires the participant spend a minimum of $100,000 in
qualifying investments for commercial, industrial, or mixed-use buildings or
facilities. or rehabilitation and expansion or a minimum of $500,000
in qualifying investments for new construction. Participants may
qualify for reimbursements for up to 20% of the qualified costs in excess of
the minimums. For example, if you spent $150,000 in qualifying
expenses in renovating a business property in the Enterprise Zone, you could be
eligible for a grant up to $10,000. The amount of the reimbursements will depend on state
funds available for reimbursement as well as total caps on funds depending
on the type and amount of investment.
For job creation grants, funds are available for net new permanent full time
positions that pay a minimum of $12.69 per hour as well as provide health
benefits. Certain categories of positions, such as retail, personal
service, or food and beverage positions, are excluded. A minimum of 5
new permanent full-time positions must be created in order to qualify for
funding.
For complete information on these
programs, please follow the link to the Virginia Department of
Housing and Community Development (DHCD)
Enterprise Zone Site.
Proposed 2010
Enterprise Zone Changes
The
Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development approves lands that
Accomack County wishes in include as part of it's Enterprise Zone. As
part of it's most recent review it was noted that the records of DHCD and
Accomack County did not fully recocile. Changes have been identified which would reconcile the DHCD records with those of Accomack County. A Public Hearing has been scheduled for 7:30 pm on Wednesday, April 21, 2010 to consider changes to the Enterprise Zone. The Public Hearing will be heald in the Board or Supervisor's Chambers, Room 104, 23296 Courthouse Avenue, Accomac, VA.
Property
owners potentially impacted by the changes were notified via first class
mail on April 5, 2010. Listed below are answers to questions property
owners may have about the correspondence they received.
Not a
thing. The Enterprise Zone Program is a separate, State managed
program which focuses on business development. It does not change
what activities can take place on your property under the Accomack
County Zoning Ordinance (or the Zoning Ordinance of the applicable town
if your property falls within the limits of an incorporated town).
During
the adoption of the original Enterprise Zone lands, the Accomack County
Board of Supervisors specifically excluded certain lands from the
Enterprise Zone. Either your land was in one of these specific
categories or it is part of lands that have not been approved by DCHD to
be part of the Zone. If it is part of lands that have not been
formally approved by DHCD, the County has to decide to keep it out of
the Zone or to have DHCD formally include it into the Zone. Most
of the properties which are not being added to the zone are in
residential use and would not qualify for Enterprise Zone funding.
Accomack County is limited by the amount of land it is allowed to have
within it's Zone. Including all of the lands that have been shown
as being within the Zone would place the Zone as being over it's limit.
Removing part or all of your property helps the County get under this
limit. Plus, it provides additional acreage for future expansion
by businesses in Accomack County.
-
You mentioned part or all of my property may be affected. How do I
know if my parcel is partially or fully affected?
Please
click on the appropriate area of the map below to see how you are
impacted. If you still have questions, please contact Tom
Brockenbrough in the Department of Planning at 757.787.5797 or
757.824.5324.
-
Would this change be permanent?
Not
necessarily. DHCD allows Accomack County to amend the areas within
it's Enterprise Zone every 12 months. If your property is proposed
for a change in use which could potentially qualify it for Enterprise
Zone funding, it can be evaluated for being added into the Zone at a
later date.
-
What if I still think my property should be included in the updated
Enterprise Zone?
You
have several options if you wish to have your property considered for
inclusion in the Zone. You may attend the Public Hearing on April
21, contact your member of the Board of Supervisors, or Tom
Brockenbrough in the Accomack County Department of Planning.
-
And if I still have questions?
Please
contact Tom Brockenbrough in the Accomack County Department of Planning
by phone at 757.787.5797 or 757.824.5324 or via email to
tbrockenbrough@co.accomack.va.us.
The map below contains links to areas of the county
where the zone is concentrated. You may enlarge
the image in your browser to identify actual parcels
eligible for the incentives as well as lands identified
for inclusion or exclusion as a result of the update.
.
Visitors and Tourists | Resident Services | Business Services
Site Map | Contact Us | Home
|