Charlottesville commission recommends state law changes and studies on rezoning review, delegation and mortgage subordination

The Charlottesville Planning Commission debated and largely endorsed a package of recommendations for the city’s legislative agenda that includes asking the city attorney to draft proposed changes to state law governing rezoning review and a recommendation to modernize the state law on mortgage subordination.

Commissioners framed the first recommendation around uncertainty created by the requirement that local rezoning proposals sometimes be submitted to the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) even when the locality maintains its own streets. One commissioner summarized the direction: “City attorney to craft a recommendation to make modifications to the language at 15.2-22221, part b, pertaining to rezonings proposed by the locality.” Members signaled consensus to ask the city attorney to review and propose modifications rather than prescribe…