Local Government

The Harrisonburg Metro Area consists of two separate jurisdictions with a long-standing reputation for collaboration and cooperation. Both governments, Rockingham County and the City of Harrisonburg, are managed by professional administrators who report to an elected body. The Board of Supervisors oversees and provides guidance to County staff, and the City Council determines the direction and activities of the City’s officials.

The County and the City also fund and manage three departments jointly: the Social Services department which manages benefit programs; the Court Services Unit which maintains and manages the jail and related services; and the Harrisonburg-Rockingham Emergency Communications Center, which handles 9-1-1 calls and dispatches police, fire and medical units in emergencies.

In both jurisdictions, rezoning applications filed by new or existing businesses are reviewed by their respective Planning Commissions, which issue recommendations to the Board of Supervisors or the City Council. The Board and the Council make the final decisions on rezoning requests.

The two jurisdictions differ in their business permitting requirements:

• Harrisonburg requires businesses to be licensed.
•  Rockingham County does not require business licenses. All business approvals are land-use applications, which are administered under the zoning ordinance and are approved for specific properties.

Rockingham County and Harrisonburg have separate master land-use plans and operate their own school systems, but they share a common philosophy: economic development is essential to maintaining the Metro Area’s stable and diverse economy, job creation, and its unsurpassed quality of life.  

Rockingham County

In Rockingham County, the County Administrator reports to and works closely with the Board of Supervisors which is responsible for all policy and fiscal decisions, including the budget, tax rates, land use and zoning designations, and other issues that require deliberation by the electorate’s representatives.

Sixteen departments offer services contributing to excellent living conditions and a high quality of life.

City of Harrisonburg

In Harrisonburg, the City Manager reports to the City Council and manages departments that handle Harrisonburg’s infrastructure and provide government services. As mentioned earlier, final decisions on zoning and other development-related matters are determined by the City Council.

Harrisonburg and Rockingham County also are participants on several boards that provide expertise on community affairs, such as affordable housing and redevelopment, workforce investment, and emergency medical services among others.