FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 16, 2022
Draft Report Available and Upcoming Open House for Zoning Rewrite
CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA - The City has started the process of updating the Zoning Ordinance, and will host an open house event to gather input on the proposed zoning approach.
Background & Overview
The City of Charlottesville Department of Neighborhood Development Services has been working in partnership with a consultant team on a three-part process called Cville Plans Together. Earlier efforts focused on creation of an Affordable Housing Plan (endorsed by the Council in March 2021) and updating Charlottesville’s Comprehensive Plan (adopted November 2021). The third and final part of this project is a zoning ordinance rewrite. You can find out more about the Cville Plans Together process and view materials from previous phases at cvilleplanstogether.com.
The Zoning Ordinance comprises a set of municipal laws that regulate the development of buildings and the use of land. It is an important factor in how the community manages and prepares for the growth and evolution of its physical space. You can learn more about zoning in the Zoning 101 overview posted on the Cville Plans together website.
The purpose of the zoning ordinance rewrite is two-fold:
- To ensure that the zoning ordinance effectively implements the Affordable Housing Plan and the newly updated Comprehensive Plan, including the Future Land Use Map, and
- To make other needed updates to streamline and clarify the ordinance.
Draft Diagnostic + Approach Report Available
The first steps in the zoning ordinance rewrite are to identify the changes that are needed to the zoning ordinance and an approach for addressing them.
View the draft Zoning Diagnostic and Approach Report at cvilleplanstogether.com/zoning-plan/draft-approach. This document identifies issues with the current ordinance and establishes a proposed approach to updating the ordinance.
Please note that we have not yet developed a draft zoning map or draft zoning text. The Report outlines a proposed set of changes and the purpose of this event and the summer community comment period is to gather input on this approach before we share a draft zoning map and text.
We will share additional resources from the June 27 open house (described below) no later than the day after that event. This will include display boards and summary materials, as well as virtual input activities that will mirror those from the in-person event.
Upcoming Open House
What: Drop-in Open House
Date: Monday, June 27, 2022
Location: Ting Pavilion (700 E Main St)
Time: 4:00 - 8:00 pm
Purpose: Kick off the community review and comment period for the Zoning Diagnostic and Approach Report
- The City will host an in-person open house event to gather input on the proposed zoning approach.
- Please drop in any time between 4-8pm on June 27 at the Ting Pavilion. There will be a series of informational stations where you can learn more about the analysis of the current zoning ordinance and our proposed approach to the rewrite. There will not be a presentation. All materials from the open house will also be available at cvilleplanstogether.com/zoning-plan.
- We encourage you to consider walking, biking, or taking a bus or trolley to the meeting. If you will be driving to the event, the closest parking area is the Market Street garage. A 4-hour parking validation ticket will be provided to attendees as needed.
In the case of severe or inclement weather, please check the website for updates about the open house date and location.
To stay up to date on upcoming opportunities to review materials and provide your input, please sign up for the project email list.
Questions related to this news release may be directed to James Freas, Director of Neighborhood Development Services at freasj@charlottesville.gov.
Media Contact
David Dillehunt
Deputy Director of Communications & Public Engagement
City of Charlottesville
434-970-3114
dillehunt@charlottesville.gov
