Zoning

Currently the GPRA Zoning Committee is taking an active role in advocating for our neighborhood as well as Richmond as a whole. 
CODE REFRESH
The City of Richmond is deep into a re-write of its 1970’s era zoning code. It is referred to as a “Code Refresh,” however it is actually a totally new code, intended to implement the long-term land use plan included in the Richmond 300 master plan. ​
GRTC NORTH-SOUTH PULSE BRT EXPANSIOn
​GRTC, along with consulting partners H&R Consulting, Kimley-Horn, PlanRVA, VDOT and the City of Richmond have developed a North-South Bus Rapid Transit concept that has been adopted in the Regional Transportation Plan 2045. The East-West Pulse BRT has been in operation since 2018. The North-South Pulse BRT will be constructed from Azalea on the northside to Hull Street on the southside and includes neighborhoods with high transit dependence and so will increase equity in public transit for Richmond.
THE HERMITAGE
The Hermitage at the corner of Hermitage and Westwood Avenues has plans to demolish the current buildings to rebuild the property. ​
RICHMOND CULTURAL HERITAGE STEWARDSHIP PLan
The Richmond Cultural Heritage Stewardship Plan is a direct outgrowth of the city’s Richmond 300 Master Plan (R 300), which was adopted by City Council in 2020, and amended in July 2023. In Richmond 300, historic preservation is featured in Chapter 2, “High Quality Places.” Goal 3: Historic Preservation in Richmond 300 provides a basic overview of the existing cultural resources and preservation program and identifies three (3) primary objectives for historic preservation in the city:
  1. Preserve culturally, historically, and architecturally significant buildings, sites, structures, neighborhoods, cemeteries, and landscapes that contribute to Richmond’s authenticity.
  2. Reduce the demolition of historical buildings.
  3. Broaden the constituency for historic preservation by more equally representing, preserving, and sharing sites related to traditionally under-represented groups (e.g., Native Americans, African Americans).
The plan was originally scheduled to have been passed by the Planning Commission, and sent to Council in May, 2025 for enactment. However, the Planning Commission, with no clear explanation why, instead referred it to a subcommittee for study. Please take time to read the plan, and consider supporting it as an important preservation tool by insisting the Planning Commission send it forward to Council. As the ongoing zoning “refresh” moves forward, this plan must move forward in parallel as an important tool with which to safeguard the city’s important architectural and cultural heritage.