The latest — and potentially final — draft of Richmond’s zoning code rewrite backs away from allowing more density in largely single-family neighborhoods.
- The change came directly in response to residents’ concerns, Mayor Danny Avula told reporters Monday.
Why it matters: Adding density to established, largely single-family neighborhoods has been the most contentious issue throughout the year-plus rewrite process.
State of of play:Draft Three, released Monday, would allow no more than two housing units on most lots in detached-home neighborhoods.
- That includes an accessory dwelling unit (or ADU), which Richmond has allowed by right citywide since 2023.
- ADUs could get bigger — up to 1,200 square feet, compared with the roughly 500 square feet allowed now.
- The latest draft also reduces how much of a lot can be covered by buildings in detached-house districts compared with previous plans, and it requires some land to remain planted or undeveloped.
- Plus, it scraps Draft Two’s “preservation bonus,” which would’ve allowed up to two houses and an ADU if the existing house remained.
Between the lines: That’s a big retreat from Draft One, released in June 2025, which broadly eliminated single-family-only zones, shrank lot requirements, and allowed up to three housing units (including an ADU) across the city.
What they’re saying: “The sense … that lots all over the city could have three distinct buildings was overwhelming to people,” Avula said Monday, calling the idea “the biggest sticking point.”…