The Virginia General Assembly, during its 1974 session, enacted legislation allowing for counties that have an urban county executive form of government to accept the voluntary proffering of certain conditions in writing from a zoning applicant. In a subsequent action, the Virginia State Code was amended allowing a handful of other jurisdictions, including Prince William County, to accept proffers. The purpose of the legislation, known as conditional zoning, is to provide additional flexibility to local jurisdictions. The concept intends that the negative effects of a particular zoning application be offset to some degree through the proffering of mitigative conditions by the applicant. In 1976, the Prince William County Zoning Ordinance was amended to include provisions for the acceptance and enforcement of proffers submitted with rezoning applications. 

Proffered conditions are reviewed as a part of the rezoning process, and are accepted by the Board of County Supervisors with its approval of the rezoning application. Click here to view the Policy Guide for Monetary Contributions adopted by the Prince William Board of County Supervisors.

Proffer administration is the tracking and enforcement of these proffers. Conditions attached to the approval of a special use permit are administered in a manner similar to proffers.

The Planning Office is responsible for overseeing the collection and expenditure of monetary proffers or special use permit contributions. Non-monetary proffer and conditions are monitored through the site plan and occupancy process.

For more information on Planning and Zoning, click here.