Residential Overlay Zoning Exploration Continues

by the Virginia-Highland Civic Association Planning Committee

The exploration of Residential Overlay Zoning for Virginia-Highland came about as a direct result of the Master Plan process. One of the top concerns of residents expressed was the impact that teardowns and rebuilds present in the redevelopment of our residential areas. You can download a copy of the Master Plan. In particular, see sections (#4.6 on page 98).

What is residential overlay zoning?

Residential overlay zoning makes existing codes more neighborhood-specific.  It is very specifically not historic district regulation. It can apply to both new construction and renovation.

What types of things would overlay zoning regulate?

Among the most common factors residents have identified are what designers call mass and scale, issues that often arise due to the relatively small size of this neighborhood’s R-4 (residential) lots.  This city’s current zoning was written three and a half decades ago; it was an improvement over what preceded it, but (among many challenges) it does not acknowledge the vast differences in the size of R-4 lots.  Structures that average 35’ high with 50% lot coverage can feel very different on a small lot than on a large one.  Relatively straightforward features like front porches, door placement, and garage siting (for example) can be the type of elements considered when approaching overlay zoning.

How would overlay zoning be enforced?

The process for residential overlay zoning functions much like existing zoning processes.  In some cases, it might lead to less process than what we have now. For example, many residents currently go through a variance process to create a second floor within the footprint of their existing home. While these are routinely approved by the city, the process itself can be expensive and add two to three months to the renovation process.  The residential overlay zoning could be created in a way that allows certain routinely-approved renovations wholly within the existing footprint to proceed without a variance, saving a bunch of time.

There are other less obvious examples too.  Builders of brand new homes are today rather ironically incentivized to follow the setback rules precisely to avoid the variance process, even when the result is a structure whose dimensions and placement do not resemble those of nearby houses in any way.  The purpose and importance of setbacks are obvious, and they will not be abandoned.  But can the letter of the law be written in a fashion that rewards and incentivizes renovations or new homes that fit in with existing conditions far better than they often do today?  It’s worth a look.

A variance process will always exist (as it does now) to address unusual or specific needs or hardships.

Your opinions and ideas are needed

As was the case with the Master Plan process, there will be varied and numerous opportunities for residents to help fashion and evaluate any new ideas. We want to hear from as many of you as possible. We’ve all had experiences with redevelopment, and all those unique perspectives will help us come up with new ideas and decide if they have value. As ideas begin to take shape, we’ll share them in ways that are easy to evaluate – providing graphics and rationales.

What to expect next

We want to keep moving, but the busy holiday season is upon us.  The first round of input will probably be electronic. With the help of our consultants, we’re creating a website that provides explanations, examples and a method for initial reactions.  The ideas you’ll see online are the result of resident input and recent sessions with local architects and builders. We’ll also include ways for you to provide any and all your ideas and insights on the site. There will be a number of public meetings open to all as the process proceeds.

Thanks for your interest. As always, if you have questions about development in the neighborhood please reach out to the Virginia-Highland Planning Committee at [email protected]

{For more information please see previous article about the ongoing Residential Overlay Zoning exploration. As the process develops, we’ll continue to update you through the Voice and through a website the consultants are slowly putting together.}