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.
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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.
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