Richmond extends deadline for feedback on major zoning overhaul, wants more voices heard

RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) -- Richmond residents will have more time to make their voices heard on a massive plan that will reshape the River City's neighborhoods. Those behind the plan hope to hear from a wider range of Richmonders before the proposal is finalized.

“Code Refresh,” an initiative that began in February 2024, consists of a major update to Richmond’s zoning rules — which haven’t been updated in decades. These changes aim to address the city's housing crisis, make it easier to afford a place to live and tackle historic housing segregation, while also working to ensure new developments complement existing neighborhoods.

The first draft of Code Refresh was released in June. After collecting feedback from more than 4,500 people, the city revised the proposal and published a second draft in November.

This updated draft included a variety of changes, from new tree canopy requirements to zoning tweaks meant to prevent developers from knocking down single-family homes only to immediately build a duplex.

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Several community meetings were held in November to gather feedback on the second draft. An interactive map where residents can leave comments was also posted online.

On Wednesday, Dec. 10, Richmond officials announced that the deadline to leave comments on said interactive map was extended until Feb. 15, 2026 in an effort to allow more people to participate.

More feedback needed from underrepresented populations

The need to toss a wider net for feedback was made clear during a Wednesday meeting of the Zoning Advisory Council (ZAC). The council heard a report from the consulting firm associated with Code Refresh, which included a review of how those November meetings went.

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Nearly 250 people attended the November sessions. The firm shared a few of the major takeaways from these sessions, including:

• Attendees want less car-centric development and more public transit, trails and walkable corridors.
• Attendees want more neighborhood amenities, like small-scale retail stores.
• Attendees are worried about whether or not the city's water, sewer and stormwater infrastructure, as well as its schools, can support significant development.
• Attendees are concerned about housing being equitable, people being displaced by development, the rise of renting over homeownership and the influence of developers on neighborhoods.
• Attendees are divided on whether or not Richmond would benefit from becoming more dense.

While virtually all ages were represented among session attendees, the majority of those who came out were white homeowners, the firm said -- leaving non-white Richmonders, as well as renters, underrepresented.

The consultants emphasized that it's important that Richmonders from many different walks of life provide their perspective on Code Refresh. The plan between Wednesday night and February is to "get creative" with outreach.

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One possibility is to meet people where they already are. Consultants said they are considering setting up shop at Richmond City Council meetings or the meetings of other local organizations, like nonprofits.

You can find more information on Code Refresh here. If you would like to share your thoughts on the second draft of Code Refresh, you can find the interactive map here. As said, comments will be accepted until the deadline of Feb. 15, 2026.