If you want to be a development detective but find yourself turned around by the terminology in various city releases + news reports, never fear.
Here are some definitions of common terms paired with ongoing projects and examples you might recognize in the River City.
Mixed-Use
Projects that provide more than one purpose in the community, like a building with apartments on top and retail shops on the bottom. Expect to see combinations of housing, retail, parking, commercial, and industrial components.
Think: The upcoming Diamond District development should have plenty of mixed-use spaces.
Rezoning
Changing an area of land from the city’s designated use. Examples of rezoning requests might be developers looking to build a high-rise in a neighborhood with a certain building height restriction, or open a business in an area marked residential.
Think: City Council adopted an ordinance to rezone areas around City Center ahead of its redevelopment.
Special Use Permit
Granted to provide relief from regulations when land is being used in a manner not normally compatible with the zoning. Only granted when intended site use is deemed appropriate and compatible with the surrounding area.
Think: The city is considering changing the special use permit requirement for accessory dwelling units (also known as in-law suites).
Enterprise Zones
Areas of the city where building a site earns you incentives, including a break on real estate taxes and money back from costs of relocating, machinery + equipment, and construction permits. The goal is to promote economic development, so only certain commercial and industrial users qualify.
Think: These currently include much of downtown, Scott’s Addition, and City Center (see this map for all enterprise zones).
Technology Zones
Like Enterprise Zones, Technology Zones offer benefits + incentives to tech companies for the goal of getting more tech businesses situated and thriving in Richmond. This is a recent measure taken by the city — adopted Feb. 28 of this year — and is available for start-ups and businesses making $100,000 or less in annual revenue.
Think: The technology zone is actually city-wide — meaning any start-up that fits the requirements in Richmond can benefit.
Single family home
A freestanding building that shares no walls with other homes or structures. Single family is a type of zoning district in the city.
Example: Much of the Fan District is zoned as R-6 Single-Family Attached Residential.
Multifamily home
One building that contains multiple housing units. Multifamily is a type of zoning district in the city.
Example: The label R-48, 48, 53, 63, and 73 indicate multifamily residential districts on this map.
Principal Use
The primary activity or function of a site. A site’s principal use must be aligned with the zoning ordinances of the land it’s on.
Example: Living in a home within a residential zone is an allowable principal use.
Accessory Use
An activity or function of a site labeled subordinate or incidental.
Example: The garage or shed on your home property might be labeled an accessory use.
