Board approves West Petersburg residential rezoning to encourage infill homeownership

The Dinwiddie Board approved rezoning P‑25‑13 on Dec. 16, a staff‑backed request to change several small lots in the West Petersburg neighborhood to the Residential Urban (RU) district to enable infill single‑family housing that fits the neighborhood’s small‑lot character.

Planning staff said the RU district was created to address nonconforming lot patterns in older neighborhoods where lots are typically 25 by 100 feet and many residences sit on combined parcels. The applicant told the board that many parcels cannot accommodate modern setbacks under R‑1 rules and that RU zoning would allow two‑lot development with a required maximum lot coverage and proffered 7‑foot side yards (14 feet between buildings) to address concerns about overcrowding.

The applicant emphasized a goal of increasing homeownership rather than creating rental housing. “Homeownership increases good outcomes heavily,” the applicant told the board, and pledged to work with neighbors to address drainage and driveway concerns. Several nearby residents—some longtime neighbors and some newer homeowners—spoke in favor of efforts to stabilize housing and encourage owner‑occupied infill; a few raised typical concerns about parking and lot spacing. The board voted by roll call to approve the rezoning with the agreed proffers.