Rewrite of the city’s zoning code to meet the needs of Richmonders today and tomorrow 

Richmond, VA  — Today, the City of Richmond hosted community leaders and media partners at City Hall for the release of Code Refresh Draft Three, the latest version of the City’s zoning code rewrite, transforming the current, decades-old zoning code into a version that accommodates both where we are today and where we see ourselves in the future.  

“Richmond has undoubtedly been on the rise over the past decade,” said Mayor Danny Avula in his opening remarks. “And as a result, people from all over the country have discovered what we have all known for years about our city—that Richmond is an amazing place to live.” 

That attention, he explained, has led to a housing crisis in which housing production cannot keep up with rising demand, leading to a steep rise in housing costs and leaving many longtime homeowners and renters in a difficult position.  

“As we plan for the future of our city,” he said, “it turns out that so much of what contributes to the health and wellbeing of a community — safe and affordable housing, green space, making neighborhoods more walkable and bikeable, increasing access to mass transit — is actually baked into the rules that a community creates to define the built environment: our zoning code.” 

Mayor Avula went on to highlight four key goals he hopes to accomplish with Code Refresh. They include: 

• More homes for more people , expanding housing choice and opportunity for Richmonders of all races and incomes.  
• Complete neighborhoods and a diverse economy , connecting people to the places they live, learn, work, shop, and play more easily.  
• Beautiful communities , preserving the authenticity and distinct neighborhood character that make Richmond special.  
• A sustainable city , protecting Richmond parks, trees and green spaces; encouraging eco-friendly development; and building the energy grid of the future.  

A new zoning code would build on progress already made to advance the Mayor’s comprehensive housing plan , including the establishment of predictable funding for the affordable housing trust fund, the strengthening of anti-displacement tools, and efforts to build a stronger partnership with the Richmond Redevelopment and Housing Authority. 

“The reason I am here today is to show my gratitude and support for the engagement and responsiveness and the compromise that has led this draft of Code Refresh to be one that, I believe, everyone will be able to support,” said First District Councilmember Andrew Breton . “I myself have spent hours reviewing the previous drafts, listening to residents, relaying questions to the departments, and getting answers .” 

He went on to highlight some notable changes in the new draft, including; 

• By right unit allotments in residential zones (maintaining the “1+1” structure) 
• Increase in minimum lot widths 

As well as some first-time provisions, including: 

• Tree canopy minimums 
• Contextual height limits 
• Elimination of data center development by right, throughout the City 

Janet Woodka, a sixth district resident and member of Manchester Alliance , shared her optimism for draft three. “I wasn’t in favor of Code Refresh in the beginning,” she shared. “The amount of outreach, the amount of conversation that has gone on; every draft has improved. In this instance, the planning and development team listened ... really listened.” 

“I am really looking forward to seeing this draft,” Woodka said. “Is it going to have everything I want, probably not. Is it going to be better than what we have? I feel very confident that it probably will be ... Change is happening in Richmond, it’s not gonna stop and I think this is a big step forward in trying to create a system that can adapt to that change.”  

“Most folks know that the City has had some trust issues on the Southside,” said Sean Crippen, Board Chair of Virginia Community Voice and Southside Resident . “Mayor Avula is one of the first Mayor’s I’ve ever met where, when you talk to him, he pulls out a pen and a paper – he actually listens to you.” 

“We just want to make sure the citizens and community voices are being heard, and we appreciate everyone for actually doing that.” 

The event concluded with remarks from Jovan Burton, Executive Director for the Partnership for Housing Affordability , who shared some of the data underpinning the Richmond’s housing crisis and the need to take immediate, decisive action.  

“Richmond has more than 237,000 residents and we’re expected to approach 276,000 by 2050,” he shared. “And at the same time, increasing housing costs are out of pace with what current Richmonders can actually afford.” 

“Zoning is not an affordable housing program, it doesn’t control interest rates or construction costs ... and changing the code won’t suddenly make every home more affordable. But, it does establish the rules. It determines what we can build, where we can build it and whether or not we have more options to solve this issue.” 

“We can’t lower housing cost by wishing demand away,” he shared. “But we can lower them by refusing to make scarcity our public policy.” 

“Getting here hasn’t been easy,” said Mayor Avula , “but rigorous debate and challenging compromises are the essence of our democracy and the hallmark of how I want our administration to lead Richmond forward. What we are proposing today is a result of listening well, making changes, and finding compromises.” 

Please visit rva.gov/coderefresh to view the new draft maps and use regulations.  

Miss the press conference?

Check out the full recording by visiting the City of Richmond on YouTube .