The City of Charlottesville wants to hear from community members, builders and developers about the city’s development code at a meeting scheduled for Tuesday, June 23 at 5 p.m. in City Space.
Every year, city staff review the code, focusing “on improving clarity and consistency,” according to a city news release that emphasizes the importance of community input on the code cleanup.
“Community participation is an essential part of this effort,” the release said. “Attendees will have the opportunity to share experiences and identify areas where the code can be improved to better support the needs of residents and project partners.”
The development code — which is a 438-page document that covers zoning, development standards, what properties can and cannot be used for, among other things — is available to read on the city’s website.
Take action
Provide your input on ways to improve Charlottesville’s development code
Bring ideas for how to improve the City of Charlottesville’s zoning code to a “code cleanup” meeting on Tuesday, June 23 at 5 p.m. in City Space, located at 100 5th St. NE in downtown Charlottesville, right off the Downtown Mall.
After years of work, City Council voted to adopt the development code as part of a new zoning ordinance, in December 2023, and it took effect in February 2024. Broadly, the code allows for more density throughout the city, something known as “upzoning.”
It’s been controversial.
Immediately after Council’s vote, a group of residents sued the city to try to stop it from implementing the ordinance. As of fall 2025, the plaintiffs and the city were moving toward a settlement.
But the conversation about the ordinance — and its possible flaws — is far from over. More recently, residents have been asking City Council to change the zoning code to better protect some historically Black and brown neighborhoods from further gentrification and displacement. Some councilors are ready to move quickly on amendments whereas others want more information before making changes.
Community members can keep tabs on updates to the development code, including a timeline for any changes via a dedicated webpage on the city’s site.
While we can’t cover every story that’s important to you, we do our best to be responsive to your needs. We use tips from readers to choose which stories to cover, to incorporate information into broader reports or to help us decide how to grow Charlottesville Tomorrow. Here’s where you can tell us what you think we should be covering.
More about development and zoning in Charlottesville
‘We don’t exist’: Fifeville and West Main student housing plans cast a shadow on community-led efforts
“Development should not come at the cost of pushing people out who helped shape and sustain this city for generations,” said Terry Tyree.
Fifeville moves one big step closer to having a community-owned grocery store, and it wants the city’s help
Plans are moving ahead for a mixed-use development in Fifeville that will include a grocery co-op and low-cost housing, but residents need city funding to get the project to the finish line.
Charlottesville’s zoning lawsuit could be coming to an end
A proposed settlement will save taxpayer money, resolve uncertainty for developers and help the city “move forward with some clarity and purpose around our zoning,” City Attorney John Maddux said.
More local News
Hollymead Principal McCauley not returning, school to eliminate social emotional learning coach role, interim superintendent says
In the wake of the arrest of a former Hollymead SEL coach on charges of sexual crimes involving children, McCauley was placed on administrative leave.
For Fifeville residents, the fight over a seven-story luxury student housing complex isn’t over yet
After finding out that there is no legal mechanism for City Council to re-vote on The Mark, Fifeville residents are exploring their options to continue to advocate for the future of their neighborhood.
Where to go to stay cool in central Virginia during this week’s extreme heat
As high temperatures and humidity create a dangerous mix, cooling centers are opening up in central Virginia to keep community members safe.
Virginia has high vaccination rates. Why do we have a large measles outbreak?
Some community members don’t have easy access to vaccines, while others might look to their neighbors for advice, explains Jennifer Reich, a sociologist who has studied vaccine hesitancy.
Farewell, fines — Jefferson-Madison Regional Library to drop overdue fees for most items starting July 1
“If overdue fines are keeping them from walking through the door, we want to remove that barrier,” said JMRL director David Plunkett. “That’s the whole point.”
