Virginia Village Overlay District Details

A new zoning overlay

As part of a series of actions taken on June 22, 2026, the City Council gave initial authorization to critical zoning changes for the existing Virginia Village affordable housing site. [Please see the Pulse post, Council Moves Virginia Village Redevelopment Forward, Issues RFP, June 24, 2026.]

The Virginia Village Overlay District would replace the Mixed-Use Overlay District, or MUR-1 overlay currently in place, which the planning staff report maintains “is better suited for larger mixed-use redevelopments than what is anticipated for Virginia Village.”

According to the staff report, “The proposed amendments establish new regulations that would govern properties included in the zoning overlay district for Virginia Village and are intended to regulate potential future redevelopment within the Virginia Village neighborhood in a manner that reflects the vision and community values set forth in the Comprehensive Plan and Small Area Plan for this area.”

Thus, the proposed zoning ordinance for Virginia Village would apply not only to the City-owned properties, but also to the properties that remain in private hands, should they choose to access it.

The overlay district seeks to encourage either an affordable housing or an open space contribution from potential developers by imposing one of two requirements:

1) Developers can access the overlay by providing a minimum number of committed affordable units, as measured across the combined project area, which would be affordable to households earning 60% of the Area Median Income (AMI) for the life of the project. A townhouse development application would need to provide the same number of affordable dwelling units prior to demolition or rehabilitation—a one-for-one replacement. A multifamily development application would have to make 50 percent of the total number of housing units affordable.

2) Alternatively, developers can provide a minimum public open space area equal to 50 percent of the combined project area that would be maintained for the life of the project.

Specifically, the new overlay district, as described by Senior Planner Jack Trainor and amended by Council on June 22, calls for:

Building Scale and Density Transitions

• Step-down approach:
  • 10-foot building step-back requirement for any portion of a building above 40 feet in height (across entire site).
  • Increasing building setback-to-height-ratio requirement respective to Gundry Drive properties and Big Chimneys Park (“bulk plane”) of 45 degrees.

• Building heights:
  • 6 stories maximum building height [amended from 7 stories by Council].
  • Bulk plane plane and specific building height restrictions ensures building height transitions to tallest peaks toward S Maple Avenue, from 3-4 stories on the north side of Shirley Street; 5-6 stories on the south side of Shirley Street; and 6 stories on Gibson Street and S Maple Avenue.
  • Maximum height of 40 feet or 4 stories, whichever is less, within first 150 feet of Gundry Drive rear lot lines.

• Buffers and setbacks:
  • Minimum 35-foot-setback when adjoining Gundry Drive residential district or public park (external to the overlay).18-foot setback from S Maple Avenue.20-foot setback from all residential district property lines internal to the overlay district.15-foot setback from abutting commercial-zoned districts and Shirley Street face of curb.Minimum tree canopy requirements clarified to be regulated by use and density parameters under the Code of Virginia § 15.2-961.
  • Screening requirements between internal-external overlay uses including:
    • 15-foot-wide landscape strip.
    • Vegetation & shade tree requirements.
    • 6-foot-tall screening element (masonry wall; earthen berm; wood fence).

• Architectural style:
  • The new overlay district may include general guidance about neighborhood compatibility but stop short of codifying architectural standards.

Housing and Affordability

• Unit mix:
  • Permits a variety of housing types (multifamily, townhouse) and loosens density restrictions.
• Affordability:
  • Establishes a minimum one-for-one replacement of any existing housing units for committed affordable units, or a minimum of 50% of total new housing units as committed affordable units, whichever is greater, included within a redevelopment at 60% AMI and below for the life of the project.
  • Note: This requirement was structured to apply to all properties within the overlay district; however City-owned properties subject to the request for proposals (RFP) released on June 24, 2026, will have a substantially higher expectation for their affordable housing contribution under two of the RFP’s three scenarios (b and c).

Open Space and Connectivity

• Big Chimneys Park:
  • Vegetative buffers and public open space requirements can serve as complementary and connecting links to Big Chimneys and surrounding trails.
  • Access to development incentives found in the new overlay district will also include minimum public open space contribution as an alternative means for qualification, beyond the affordable housing contribution stated above.
• Pedestrian Links:
  • New construction will be subject to City streetscape design standards, improving pedestrian and bicycling facilities.
  • Vegetative buffers and public open space requirements can also connect pedestrians to Big Chimneys and surrounding trails.
  • Most of these improvements are established as expectations in the RFP, given that the City-owned properties represent the northern and southern edges of Virginia Village.
• Parking:
  • All redevelopment will be subject to off-street parking requirements included in Sec. 48-1004.
• Placemaking:
  • Redevelopment and new public open space can incorporate “sense of place” wayfinding and signage.

Complementary Uses

• The overlay permits childcare, supportive services, and other residential-supporting uses.