Richmond planning commission approves rezoning of High Street parcel despite resident objections

The Richmond City Planning Commission voted 4-2 to approve an amendment rezoning a parcel on High Street from R-1C to R-3 after a public hearing that drew several neighborhood residents.

Supporters of returning the parcel to R-3 had argued the change would make zoning consistent with surrounding lots; nearby homeowners urged the commission to keep or restore single-family character. The applicant’s representative said the property owner’s home is “surrounded by 22 apartments” and requested action to address a prior rezoning process the representative said the owner did not fully participate in.

The dispute centered on neighborhood character, parking and whether the rezoning would permit new multifamily development. “There’s no parking, everybody parks on the street,” said Bob McCurdy, a Breck Avenue resident, describing traffic and congestion near High Street. The applicant’s representative said the family’s 87-year-old owner did not actively participate in the 2022 process that changed adjacent parcels and requested consistency with neighboring lots.

A staff member who addressed the commission said current development regulations make constructing new apartment complexes on the subject parcels impractical. “The requirements today make that, for the most part, inevitable. . . . Apartments behind houses, don’t worry. Not today. That won’t happen today,” the staff member said, noting parking, landscape buffers, drainage and lot-size constraints that would limit achievable density despite the R-3 classification and referencing a maximum of about 14.24 dwelling units per acre in the zoning table.

Commissioners then moved to a vote. During roll call, Commissioner DeGruent voted yes, Commissioner Francis voted yes, Commissioner Miller voted no, Commissioner Perkins voted no, Commissioner Miles voted yes and Commissioner Estelle voted yes. The motion to approve the amendment from R-1C to R-3 passed, 4-2.

No specific development proposal, building permit, timeline or implementation date was presented at the hearing. Commissioners and speakers referenced a Planning Commission action in 2022 and “findings of fact,” but the commission did not attach specific conditions or an immediate development plan to the rezoning decision during the session. The commission moved on to other business after the vote.

Because no formal development application accompanied the rezoning request, the practical effect on parcel buildout will depend on future permit applications and compliance with the city’s development regulations, including parking, drainage and landscape requirements discussed by staff.