Planning commission forwards wide UDO amendments to City Council after staff presentation of state‑driven changes

The Planning Commission voted 6–1 to forward a broad package of Unified Development Ordinance (UDO) amendments to City Council for consideration. Staff presented the amendments as largely responsive to several bills passed by the Virginia General Assembly this spring.

Planner Caitlin Aubet said the package implements state requirements and related housekeeping edits, including reducing minimum lot sizes and widths in certain single‑family districts to meet a new small‑lot standard, permitting manufactured housing in residential districts where single‑family detached homes are allowed, creating uniform single‑family design standards, and reducing parking minimums for housing within a half‑mile of mass transit stations. "What the essence of this text amendment is is essentially, general assembly had a very busy session in spring this year, and what that is essentially is a state mandate around small lot zoning," Aubet said.

The amendments also add language implementing recent state provisions on battery energy storage as an accessory to permitted solar facilities, clarify decommissioning and reporting requirements, and require the locality to report denials of solar CUPs to the State Corporation Commission. Commissioners asked about the July 1 effective dates of many state bills and about the practical impact of requiring reporting of CUP denials; staff and the commission discussed waiver and appeal mechanisms and the role of the comprehensive plan in evaluating solar siting. After discussion, the commission voted to forward the amendments with a 6–1 recommendation to City Council.