Zoning Overlays & Bonuses in Charlottesville, VA (2026)
2 verified zoning overlays & bonuses rules for Charlottesville, Virginia, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Density Bonus Law
Charlottesville's Development Code rewards owners who keep and rehab an existing building in the R-A, RN-A, R-B or R-C residential districts with a density bonus: meeting the preservation standards in Sec. 4.2.1 lets a project build up to the maximum dwelling units per lot listed in that district's Bonus - Existing Structure standard.
Charlottesville Existing-Structure Density Bonus
Light RestrictionsCharlottesville Development Code § 4.2.1
4.2.1. Existing Structure Preservation Bonus ... ... B. Applicability 1. The existing structure bonus applies to any project within Residential A (R-A), Residential Core Neighorhood A (RN-A), Residential B (R-B) or Residential C (R-C) zoning districts where a developer chooses to meet all of the standards of this Section in order to receive a density bonus to the maximum allowed dwelling units ...
Downtown Design Guide
In the City of Charlottesville, Virginia, the Downtown Mall sits inside the Downtown Architectural Design Control (ADC) District, one of eight ADC districts City Council has designated. New construction, additions and demolition of contributing structures there need a Certificate of Appropriateness from the Board of Architectural Review before a building permit issues.
Downtown Architectural Design Control Rules
Significant RestrictionsCharlottesville Development Code § 2.9.2.B, D.1, D.2.a-c
The following areas have been determined by City Council to be of unique architectural or historic value, and are hereby designated as Architectural Design Control (ADC) Districts, the limits of which are shown on the City’s zoning map. City Council has designated only certain buildings within these districts as “contributing structures.” ... ... 1. Downtown Architectural Design Control Distric...