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Planning staff previews major changes in zoning code refresh: ADUs, preservation bonus, tree canopy

City of Richmond Planning Commission · January 20, 2026
AI-Generated Content: All content on this page was generated by AI to highlight key points from the meeting. For complete details and context, we recommend watching the full video. so we can fix them.

Summary

Planning staff presented the second draft of a decades-old zoning code refresh, highlighting reduced building coverage limits, new accessory-dwelling-unit rules, a preservation bonus, sublot proposals to encourage homeownership and tree canopy requirements; commissioners asked for further data and neighborhood outreach.

City planning staff briefed the commission on the second draft of a comprehensive zoning-code refresh intended to modernize rules that staff said have been in place for roughly 50 years.

The director described the draft's goals: “We want to allow infill housing, but remove some of the loopholes that allow rapid change,” and staff summarized what changed from draft one — reduced maximum building coverage in residential districts, clarified side setbacks, remapped residential categories (RDB/RDC),…

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