A status update on Charlottesville’s Development Code

Charlottesville’s Development Code went into effect on February 19, 2024 two months after the City Council unanimously adopted the new zoning code. Since that time, I’ve spent a lot of time reviewing property transactions and doing what I can to write stories about how the new rules are being implemented.

What follows comes from a look at the city’s development review portal.

• So far no one has filed for a Comprehensive Plan Amendment, though City Council has technically made one with the recent adoption of the Parks and Recreation Master Plan. You can see that plan here.
• So far there have not been any amendments to the text of the zoning ordinance as visible in the portal.
• There has been one rezoning approved by City Council. This was to change the affordable housing proffers for a project with the name 240 Stribling that had been approved under the old rules. Southern Development will be able to build some of the affordable units designated at 240 Stribling at another project called Flint Hill.

There are many different types of land use applications and under the new rules a property owner has to file for a “Development Plan Review – Major” with the city’s Department of Neighborhood Development Services. So far 21 are visible in the permit portal but some have been voided.

One of the first major development plans filed was 303 Alderman Road to replace a single-family home with six townhouse units. Evergreen Home Builders paid $835,000 for 303 Alderman on June 17, 2024 and Shimp Engineering filed the first set of plans exactly a month later. The application has been denied by staff three times with the most recent on March 13. That document is not available in the portal

Another early project submitted is a 24-unit development at 2030 Barracks Road. Greenshire Holdings purchased the undeveloped land for $581,500 on June 28 and subsequently filed a major development plan with NDS.

The by-right proposal would be to subdivide the property into two lots and to build 12 units on each. The land is within the Residential-B district which allows up to six units per lot but an additional six can be built if they meet the city’s affordability guidelines.

NDS staff issued a denial on April 10. The letter is not within the portal.

Other projects not yet approved:

• One project for 133 Stribling Avenue would see “development of a delapadated [sic] home into a two lot multifamily development of 12 units” on a one acre parcel on land designated as Residential-B. An entity called 133 Stribling LLC purchased the property in August 2023 for $585,000. The most recent document in the permit portal is a letter of denial from NDS dated May 15, 2024. You can read that here.
• Another project that has to be resubmitted is a site plan to add an additional three units at 1317 East Market Street. NDS requested a resubmission on July 30, 2024, according to the permit portal. This was an early submission and none of the materials are viewable in the portal.
• PL-24-0141 is for several changes to at 522 2nd Street Southeast, Suite E. That’s the address of Ix Park. NDS staff issued a denial letter on February 7, 2025.
• PL-24-0143 would see six units replace a single family house at 1040 St. Clair Avenue. I wrote about this story here. A denial letter was issued by NDS staff on February 10. This is not in the permit portal.
• PL-24-0113 would see 12 units built across four lots on Hillcrest Road near the U.S. 250 Bypass. I wrote about this here. An initial denial letter (not in the portal) was issued by NDS staff on December 20, 2024, but a new plan has been submitted and is under review.
• PL-25-0018 would allow an existing church at 211 Albemarle Street for a daycare. The initial submission was denied on March 24 but a resubmission was accepted on April 10.
• PL-25-0033 would see three additional units built at 1107 Myrtle Street in the Belmont-Carlton neighborhood under the Residential-A zoning. The existing structure would be retained. This project is under review.
• PL-25-0034 is for 117 Harris Road in the Fry’s Spring neighborhood. This project would see the 0.821 acre lot subdivided into two lots with seven units to be constructed on each for a total of 14 rental units. The existing house built in 1957 would remain on one lot. This review of the first submission is still underway.
• PL-25-0038 is to allow for a workshop to be built at 1114 East High Street and does not include additional residential units. This is still under review.
• PL-25-0040 would seek a total of nine units on a 0.17 acre parcel at 902 Nassau Street. The description reads “three single family detached housing and six single family attached housings on three lots with three sublots.” This project is still under review.
• PL-25-0048 is for 303 Palatine Avenue which is a Residential-A property with 0.35 acres. The description in the permit portal is for “3 single family dwellings, 6 duplexes on three lots with 6 sublots.” That’s a total of nine units where there is currently one. No affordable units are required and none are envisioned.
• PL-25-0051 is for 122 Apple Tree Road in the Jefferson Park Avenue neighborhood. A firm called Yevam LLC purchased the undeveloped 0.203 acre property in May 2024 for $188,400. Now they have plans to take advantage of the Residential Mixed Use 3 zoning to build “16 residential units and 524 SF of commercial space.” At least one of the units has to be designated as affordable. The project is still underview.

Before you go: This story initially went out in the April 16, 2025 edition of the Charlottesville Community Engagement newsletter. For ways to support this work, take a look at the Support the Info tab above!