List of Charlottesville zoning districts
Charlottesville's zoning is organized by districts, each with its own permitted uses. There are other types of zoning, the one most frequently brought up is a Form-Based Code. In general the focus of the form-based code in on the forms buildings take, rather than their use.
Charlottesville's zoning is organized by the following districts:
Within a category of zoning, such as Residential, there are various levels of intensity, or restrictiveness. R-1, the least intense and most restrictive, to R-3, the most intense and least restrictive. In general, the higher numbers are more intense and less restrictive than lower numbers. The first letter(s) of a zoning designation describes what general type it is (example: R, B or M) in Charlottesville’s Zoning Code, followed by a number; the higher the number, generally the more intense the land use.
Residential
Residential zones are classified in the following categories (§34-350)
- Single-family (R-1): low-density areas where the dominate pattern of residential development is the single-family dwelling.
- R-1; low-density residential areas
- R-1S; low-density residential areas characterized by smaller lots
- R-1U; low-density residential areas in the vicinity of the University of Virginia
- R-1SU; low-density residential areas in the vicinity of the University of Virginia characterized by smaller lots
- Two-family (R-2): low-density areas where additional housing opportunities are available beyond the single-family dwelling
- R-2; low-density residential areas in which single-family attached and two-family dwellings are encouraged
- R-2U; low density residential areas in the vicinity of the University of Virginia in which single-family attached and two-family dwellings are encouraged
- Multifamily: areas for medium-density and high-density residential development, with the high density permitted only when harmonious with surrounding areas
- R-3; medium-density residential areas in which medium-density developments, including multifamily uses, are encouraged
- R-UMD; (University Medium Density) areas in the vicinity of the University of Virginia in which medium-density developments, including multifamily uses, are encouraged
- R-UHD; (University High Density) areas in the vicinity of the University of Virginia in which high-density residential developments, including multifamily uses, are encouraged
Generally speaking, the older residential neighborhoods such as Fifeville, North Downtown, Woolen Mills and Rose Hill are predominantly R-1S, with smaller properties characterizing a pre-World War II development pattern. “Newer” residential neighborhoods, like Greenbrier, Meadowbrook Heights and The Meadows that developed after World War II are predominantly R-1.
Pockets of two-family zoning can be seen in the Fry’s Spring, Martha Jefferson, Starr Hill, Fifeville and Belmont neighborhoods. Neighborhoods like Lewis Mountain and Venable contain most of the city’s R-1U zoning, and the Jefferson Park Avenue neighborhood has the majority of the city’s R-2U zoning.
The medium-density R-3 property is minimal, mostly confined to the northern tip of Park Street and to sites owned by the Charlottesville Redevelopment and Housing Authority. The “university” multifamily zones (R-UMD and R-UHD) are seen exclusively in the Jefferson Park Avenue and Venable neighborhoods.[1]
- McIntire-5th Residential
- Planned Unit Development
Commercial
- B-1
- B-3
- B-2
- Emmet Street Commercial
Industrial
- M-I
- Industrial Corridor
Mixed-use
- Downtown Corridor
- Downtown Extended Corridor
- Downtown North Corridor
- West Main West Corridor
- West Main East Corridor
- Central City Corridor
- Urban Corridor
- High Street Corridor
- Highway Corridor
- Neighborhood Commercial Corridor
- Cherry Avenue Corridor
- South Street District Corridor
- The Corner District Corridor
- Water Street District Corridor
Overlay districts
These districts are in addition to the above.
- Public Park Protection
- Architectural Design Control Districts and Individually Protected Properties
- Entrance Corridors
- Parking Modified Zone
- Corner Parking Zone
- Urban Corridor Parking Zone
- Special Use Permits
References
- Web. Zoning District Map, Department of Neighborhood Development Services, City of Charlottesville, April 6, 2009, as amended July 22, 2009 and October 1, 2009, retrieved 13 Jan 2010.