Following a public hearing during a meeting last Thursday night, the Gloucester County Planning Commission voted to recommend approval of a zoning amendment that would allow awnings to encroach into the required setback and state right-of-way in the B-2 (Village Business) district.

Planner Emily Gibson said planning staff is still working with the Virginia Department of Transportation on a way to allow such encroachment, possibly an agreement or even a permit process.

The code amendment, if approved by the Gloucester Board of Supervisors, would tie in nicely with the Gloucester Village Plan, planning/zoning director Anne Ducey-Ortiz said, as well as a façade improvement program implemented by the Main Street Preservation Trust.

"The variable width of the VDOT right-of-way along Main Street poses a potential problem for the buildings along Main Street between the court circle and its intersection with John Clayton Memorial Highway (Route 3/14), where approximately 20 buil...