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Henrico adopts R‑5B small‑lot zoning and pairs it with $60 million affordable housing trust
Summary
Henrico County officials described a newly adopted R‑5B zoning district that permits small lots (about 3,000 sq ft, 35 ft wide) at up to 10 units per acre, and a $60 million cash-funded trust intended to help produce roughly 150 affordable home sales per year, with early efforts focused on infill and older platted lots.
Henrico County officials on March 4 told the Virginia Housing Commission that the county has adopted a new R‑5B zoning district to allow smaller single‑family lots and is pairing the zoning change with a $60 million affordable housing trust funded by data‑center revenue.
The R‑5B district allows minimum lot areas of about 3,000 square feet, a minimum lot width of roughly 35 feet and an allowable density of about 10 units per acre, Jean Moore, assistant director of planning for Henrico County, said. The board of supervisors adopted the R‑5B district in February 2025, Moore said.
“All the properties and conditions are voluntary at this time,” Moore said, describing how the county is using rezoning, design guidance and voluntary developer commitments rather than mandatory affordability requirements.
Henrico County manager John Victolkus told the commission the county also announced a $60 million trust fund, funded with data‑center revenue and routed through a 501(c)(3) partner, intended to support affordable home production over a roughly 12‑ to 15‑year pipeline. “We are working with developers and builders literally daily,” Victolkus said, and the county hopes to generate about 150 affordable home sales per year; he said the county is targeting buyers between 60% and 120% of area median income (with a “sweet spot” at 80%–120% AMI).
County planners said the R‑5B is intended for infill and older platted subdivisions where narrow lots already exist; staff report having identified roughly 500 existing platted lots that could be candidates for small‑lot development, though many are encumbered by environmental or infrastructure constraints. To limit negative design outcomes on narrow lots, the county adopted design guidelines as an amendment to its comprehensive plan that address architecture, streetscape elements, parking location, open space and sidewalks.
Henrico officials and planning staff also noted accessory dwelling units (ADUs) as a complementary tool; Moore said ADUs are allowed by conditional use permit in many single‑family districts and by right in planned development districts, and that the county has approved 20 ADUs so far.
Officials emphasized tradeoffs: narrower lots and design standards can reduce per‑unit land costs but may raise construction or compliance costs (for example, fire code or site‑improvement needs). Moore said some narrow‑lot sites will require rezoning and potentially public investment to extend utilities or add sidewalks, and the county is evaluating where public assistance might reduce barriers to development.
No formal Commission action was taken on the presentation. Henrico officials offered to return with updates on the trust fund and pipeline as projects proceed.
