AGENDA DATE: 3/4/2026
TITLE:
Title
Zoning Modernization - AC44 Implementation Priorities
BODY
SUBJECT/PROPOSAL/REQUEST: Review the recommended priority AC44 Comprehensive Plan actions for Phase 3 of Zoning Modernization
ITEM TYPE: Regular Action Item
STAFF CONTACT(S): Richardson, Wall, Herrick, Tevendale, Svoboda, MacCall, Brumfield
PRESENTER (S): Lea Brumfield
LEGAL REVIEW: Yes
REVIEWED BY: Jeffrey B. Richardson
BACKGROUND: In conjunction with the adoption of the AC44 Comprehensive Plan on October 15, 2025, Albemarle County staff have been engaged in the Zoning Modernization project, a multi-year effort to both update the language and format of the Zoning Ordinance and to begin implementation of the actions and goals outlined in the AC44 Comprehensive Plan. The update process has been split into multiple separate phases of work.
In Phase 1, County staff drafted four articles (Article 1 - General Provisions, Article 2 - Administration, Article 3 - Permits and Applications, and Article 10 - Nonconformities) to establish the tone, modern language style, and ordinance format of the new ordinance. They were reviewed by stakeholder groups, the Planning Commission, and presented to the Board of Supervisors for review and general feedback on August 21, 2024.
Phase 2, currently underway, involves transposing the remaining ordinance into seven new articles with this established tone, style, and format. It will incorporate updates required by the Code of Virginia, development review process improvements, and minor changes to codify standard practices or adopt best practices. It will not include substantive regulatory changes.
Phase 3 of Zoning Modernization will contain the substantive regulatory work needed to implement the vision of AC44. In Phase 3 ordinance drafts, staff will both incorporate the listed actions from AC44 Part 3: Implementation and address the underlying goals and principles of the comprehensive plan.
STRATEGIC PLAN: Quality of Life - Encourage a vibrant community with economic and recreational opportunities that serve all community members
DISCUSSION:
AC44 Comprehensive Plan Actions Summary (also see Attachment A)
The AC44 Comprehensive Plan includes an implementation chapter with 378 specific actions organized by topic area. Several themes reoccur across topic areas, and many actions across topic areas are interrelated. Thirty-seven listed actions are related to zoning regulations (Attachment B).
Additionally, Community Development staff identified regulatory steps from the narrative and illustrative text of the comprehensive plan that are required to implement the plan's vision but are not explicitly listed as actions.
In collaboration with the AC44 Comprehensive Plan team, departmental leadership, and the County Executive’s Office, the Zoning Modernization team identified which comprehensive plan actions and unlisted regulatory items should be addressed in Phase 3. This analysis considered alignment with the plan's Big Moves, readiness for implementation, potential for multiple-objective impact, frequency of current waiver requests, and ability to leverage ongoing work.
The team identified a recommended list of seven actionable themes (see below) as Tier 1 priorities for Phase 3 of the project.
The remaining actions were categorized as Tier 2 priorities (smaller-scale technical updates that could be addressed later in Phase 3 or through standalone text amendments) or Tier 3 priorities (items dependent on future community-specific planning efforts, such as the Rural Area Plan or Activity Center detailed planning).
Recommended Zoning Modernization Priorities
The following list of recommended priorities for Phase 3 of Zoning Modernization is not ordered by importance or timeline precedence. Additionally, this prioritization applies only to the Zoning Modernization project. Please see Attachment C for a full list of recommended Tier 1 implementation actions.
1. Affordable housing initiatives
2. Activity Center initiatives
3. Economic Development initiatives
4. Modernize and streamline the development review process
5. Increase density across the Development Area
6. Increase mixed-use accessibility across the Development Area
7. Rural Area special topics
Next Steps
Following the Board’s review and direction on the prioritized themes and associated actions, staff will begin drafting focus group discussion topics and assembling the various topic-based groups, relying on technical expertise (Attachment D). Additionally, staff will continue the drafting process of Phase 2.
BUDGET IMPACT: There is no budget impact associated with this agenda item.
RECOMMENDATION:
Recommendation
Staff recommends that the Board provide general feedback on the recommended prioritized AC44 actions for Phase 3 of Zoning Modernization.
ATTACHMENTS:
A - Staff Analysis
B - Complete AC44 Zoning Regulations Actions list
C - Prioritized AC44 Zoning Regulations Actions list
D - Preliminary Engagement Plan