Comprehensive plan overhaul raises zoning concerns

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (WVIR) - Some zoning concepts in Charlottesville’s Comprehensive Plan overhaul are raising Neil Williamson’s eyebrows.

Williamson runs the Free Enterprise Forum. He says some of the concepts would undermine property rights, such as giving the city right of first refusal in some situations. Another would allow “sub-lots” of existing zoning lots, which Williamson believe could be illegal under state code.

“So I am a bit bewildered on why we’re going down a road that we cannot put into the actual zoning code, because this is not an aspiration document, it’s law,” he said.

Williamson says there are some good proposals, such as making housing easier to develop in the city. He encourages the public to read the documents and get involved.

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