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Richlands holds joint public hearing on zoning change to allow modular homes
Summary
Richlands Town Council and the Planning Commission opened a joint public hearing Oct. 14, 2025, on proposed amendments to the townwide zoning ordinance to add a definition of “modular home” and permit modular homes in R‑2 residential zones; no members of the public spoke and the hearing was adjourned for the planning commission to make a recommendation.
Richlands Town Council and the Richlands Planning Commission on Oct. 14 opened a joint public hearing on proposed amendments to the townwide zoning ordinance that would add a definition of “modular home” and list modular homes as an additional permitted use in R‑2 residential zones.
Mike, a town staff member, summarized the change: “So, this is to include a definition of modular home into the Richlands Town code as well as add that as an additional use under R2,” he said. The notice read at the start of the hearing cited Code of Virginia section 15.2‑2204 and said copies of the proposed amendments are available for public review at Town Hall, 200 Washington Square.
Why it matters: the change would let modern, stick‑built modular homes that meet residential specifications be sited in R‑2 neighborhoods, potentially broadening the types of factory‑built housing allowed in town. Town Manager Ronald Holt said the amendments follow a rescinded rezoning request in Hidden Valley; rather than rezoning a single parcel, staff and officials chose to amend the town code so the product could be permitted more broadly. “We thought that it was better to change our existing ordinances to allow for modern stick‑built modular homes,” Holt said.
The hearing record notes the amendments were developed by a joint effort of town staff, the planning commission and council; Holt said planning staff consulted an expert named Gary on technical matters. The public notice gave the hearing date and location and listed Ronald Holt as signing the notice on behalf of the Town of Richlands.
No members of the public rose to speak during the allotted comment period. The Chair closed the public hearing and asked the planning commission to recess and prepare a formal recommendation on the proposed ordinance changes. No formal vote or motion on adoption was recorded at the hearing.
Next steps: the planning commission will consider and deliver its recommendation to the council; any formal amendment to the town code would require subsequent council action and, if adopted, the change would be reflected in the town code section cited in the notice.
