City staff outline a near-total rewrite of Hampton's zoning code to reflect redevelopment and simplify use

City staff presented a progress update on a comprehensive rewrite of Hampton's zoning ordinance, which planners described as "vintage 1960." Terry O'Neil, who has led the project, said the rewrite aims to modernize rules for a built-out, redeveloping city and make the code substantially easier for residents and staff to use.

"Our current zoning ordinance is vintage 1960," O'Neil said, explaining that the code had been "patched up" over decades and no longer matched the city's redevelopment needs. Project coordinator Stephanie Murtagh said the rewrite will reorganize the code by topic — grouping dimensional standards, use standards and parking together — and include web-enabled navigation and tables to reduce legal complexity. "As Terry described, our ordinance right now is almost 50 years old," Murtagh said, adding that staff plan to prepare code language, test it with users and run a legal review before bringing a draft forward.

Planners emphasized parking changes including visitor and shared-parking schedules, clearer setback tables to avoid complex formulas, and a phased approach for overlay districts and sign regulations. Staff said they will conduct community outreach with advisory groups and steering committees and expect to deliver a final draft for the planning commission and council in the coming months, followed by additional work on SPI districts and sign rules.

Council members pressed staff on wetlands protection, treatment of nonconforming lots and implementation of a more consumer-friendly permitting track. Terry O'Neil said staff will create two permitting tracks: a streamlined path for experienced users and a guided path for first-time applicants or small business owners. The council was invited to request one-on-one briefings for more detail.