The City of Richmond is over a year into Code Refresh, an initiative to “refresh” the City’s 50+ year old zoning code. Code Refresh presents an opportunity for the City to reenvision its future and prioritize sustainability, housing affordability, and racial justice in its zoning decisions. This is the first installment in our Climate-Smart Zoning series, which explores the relationship between zoning and the environment and provides recommendations for Code Refresh. 

In this blog, we’ll discuss the impacts of zoning, how it relates to climate change and environmental justice, and introduce you to the Code Refresh process.

Thanks for another amazing Party for the Planet! In case you missed us, here is a recap of the events featuring awards, the highlights of the night, and more. We hope to see you next year!

This week brought a welcome development for Albemarle County: staff have announced they plan to recommend a pause on the proposed data center ordinance, delaying any move to allow massive new data centers “by right” in overlay districts. For now, the existing protections stay in place: any data center larger than 40,000 square feet must still obtain a Special Use Permit (SUP) from the Board of Supervisors. Read on for the full update.