LAND USE & PRO-LIFE POLICY · VIRGINIA
Campbell County, VA Abortion-Facility Rules & Records
Find the code sections, determine which locality has zoning authority, and follow Campbell County's special-use-permit process through the official records.
Broader code update adopted 7-0 on July 21, 2026
Start with the property and the responsible locality
A useful review starts with the property's parcel number and municipal boundary. Under Virginia Code §15.2-2281, counties have zoning jurisdiction in unincorporated territory, while municipalities have jurisdiction inside their incorporated areas. Altavista and Brookneal have their own zoning authority.
For an unincorporated Campbell County parcel, the Zoning, Planning, and Subdivisions office is the starting point for district identification, applications and questions about the county ordinance. Ask which rules apply to the proposed use and what documentation the office needs to evaluate the site.
For the decision that created these provisions, read our report on the July 21 adoption vote.
The code sections to read
The county code index identifies the published Chapter 22 zoning version as July 21, 2026. These references use the printed page numbers in the official chapter PDF.
| Code section | Printed page | Provision |
|---|---|---|
| §22-2(B)(1) | 2 | Defines abortion; excludes spontaneous miscarriage. |
| §22-2(B)(2) | 2 | Defines an abortion facility as one performing one or more abortions per month. Wherever allowed, it must be at least five miles from any child day care center or public, private, or parochial school. |
| §22-2(B)(70) | 12 | Excludes abortion facilities from the hospital definition. |
| §22-2(B)(96) | 15 | Excludes abortion facilities from the medical or dental clinic definition. |
| §22-12.1(A)(52) | 59 | Lists abortion facilities as a use requiring a special use permit in Business–General Commercial (B-GC). |
| §22-35 | 181–182 | Sets out the county's general special-use-permit application procedure. |
The buffer clause does not specify a distance-measurement method or property-line basis. This guide does not determine which parcels satisfy it. A written response from the responsible zoning office is the practical next record to seek for a particular site.
How the special-use-permit process works
The county's Special Use Permits guide describes two public hearings: the Planning Commission reviews the request and makes a recommendation, and the Board of Supervisors approves or denies it. The same page links submission requirements and the county's permit portal.
To follow a proposed use:
- Confirm the parcel's jurisdiction and zoning district with the zoning office.
- Obtain the current application requirements, site-plan requirements and applicable fees from the county's permit guide.
- Locate the Planning Commission hearing materials and recommendation.
- Locate the Board's hearing materials, recorded decision and any conditions attached to approval.
A hearing notice, a staff recommendation and a final decision serve different purposes. Keep the application number and parcel identifier with the records so that documents from separate cases are not confused.
Find the record that answers your question
| Question | Official starting point | Record to locate |
|---|---|---|
| What ordinance text is published? | County code index | The current zoning chapter and relevant section |
| Which rules apply to this parcel? | Zoning office | District information and a parcel-specific determination |
| What does an applicant propose? | Zoning office | Application, narrative and site plan |
| When will a public body consider it? | AgendaCenter | Hearing notice, agenda and supporting packet |
| What did the public body decide? | AgendaCenter | Minutes, written decision and any approval conditions |
| When were these provisions adopted? | July 21, 2026 minutes | The broader code-update vote |
An agenda describes scheduled business; it is not itself proof that a proposal passed. For a claim about a specific property, the final decision and its conditions are more useful than a general description of the ordinance.
For the broader county process, the zoning and development records guide explains parcel identifiers, case packets and the difference between planning recommendations and board action.
What this guide can establish
The published code and adoption minutes document the rules. They do not supply a site-by-site eligibility map or establish a particular permit outcome. This edition does not report a verified clinic closure, permit denial or court decision about these provisions.
The county ordinance concerns land use. It does not, by itself, answer every question about Virginia abortion law or medical practice. For the local government's action and its recorded vote, see the July 21 decision explainer.
Official source library
| Source | Use |
|---|---|
| Campbell County Code gateway | Current published code access |
| Chapter 22, version July 21, 2026 | Definitions, buffer, zoning district and permit procedure |
| July 21, 2026 Board minutes | Adoption record |
| Virginia Code §15.2-2281 | County and municipal zoning jurisdiction |
| County Special Use Permits guide | Hearings, submission requirements and permit-portal links |
| Zoning, Planning, and Subdivisions office | Official contact and parcel inquiries |
| Campbell County AgendaCenter | Hearing materials, agendas and minutes |
Source review: October 17, 2026. The zoning PDF is the county's published code chapter.
Update log
October 17, 2026 — First edition. Added the adopted code references, county-versus-town jurisdiction and official routes for finding permit records.
Continue to the Campbell County hub for related local coverage. Documented corrections can be submitted through Corrections; our editorial standards explain how we handle source material.
October 18, 2026: Added related coverage of another provision in Chapter 22: vape-shop school buffers and the five-percent retail test. That category has its own definition and distance rule; it should not be combined with the abortion-facility provision.