RICHMOND, Va. — Richmond's proposed zoning code overhaul is drawing fierce debate from some residents who say it could permanently reshape their neighborhoods.
Code Refresh is the city's first major zoning overhaul in 50 years. It aims to bring zoning up to speed with the city's vision for the future and adapt land use rules to better reflect how Richmonders already live. The proposal includes exploring ways to modernize the housing landscape, boost supply and encourage walkable mixed-use development in neighborhoods long zoned for single-family homes.
Richmond’s current zoning law says no more than three unrelated persons or a combination of related and unrelated persons can live in the same household.
Dozens of Richmond families turned out to Tuesday's Code Refresh meeting, voicing strong opposition to the plan.
Reva Trammel, 8th District Councilwoman, said she is listening to her constituents on the matter.
"I'm representing at least 27,000 people in my district right now, with no grocery store," she said.
Supporters of Code Refresh were not at Tuesday's meeting, but they previously said the overhaul is a chance to level the playing field as housing prices continue to rise.
Annika Schunn, a Housing Policy Advocate with Housing Opportunities Made Equal in Virginia, said the pressure on the market is real.
"We have folks moving to Richmond City who are now basically competing for housing against existing residents," Schunn said.
At a June 15 work session, Kevin Vonck, the city's director of planning and development, said new zoning laws would help the city move forward with the Richmond 300 Plan, formally adopted in 2020 to guide equitable and sustainable growth. Vonck said growth could help absorb housing demand, lowering costs and boosting the local economy.
Also in June, city planners presented a third draft to council members addressing the number of units that would be allowed a lot, how many people could live in a household, and how houses of worship would be zoned.
For Jeanette Littleton Brown, the debate is deeply personal. She has watched the Westwood neighborhood change for decades and fears the code refresh could change it even more.
"Code refresh for Westwood, as it is written now, would be the dagger for us," Littleton Brown said. "When other nearby neighborhoods were serviced, we were not. Our infrastructure is old."
Those against the code refresh say they want to see a public referendum on the proposal. Longtime Richmond Resident Charles Menges said the decision should not rest with elected officials alone.
"A public referendum where the people get a vote in doing that sort of thing," Charles said.
Trammel echoed that call.
"Give it back to the people, not to the mayor, not to five council members. The citizens," she said.
Littleton Brown urged residents to get informed and engaged.
"I just I hope people really take this serious. Realize, even though they may not know a lot about it, they need to find out about it," Littleton Brown said.
Richmond planners and city officials say they are near the end of their third draft after years of public input and two revision rounds.
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