title
To amend and reordain Ord. No. 2014-226-207, adopted Nov. 10, 2014, as previously amended by Ord. No. 2017-187, adopted Oct. 9, 2017, which authorized the special use of the property known as 707 East Main Street for the purpose of the installation of one new roof sign, to authorize residential uses, upon certain terms and conditions. (6th District)
body
THE CITY OF RICHMOND HEREBY ORDAINS:
I. That Ordinance No. 2014-226-207, adopted November 10, 2014, as previously amended by Ordinance No. 2017-187, adopted October 9, 2017, be and is hereby amended and reordained as follows:
WHEREAS, the owner of the property known as 707 East Main Street, which is situated in a B-4 Central Business District, desires to use such property for the [purpose] purposes of installing one new roof sign and residential use, which [sign] uses, among other things, [is] are not currently allowed by [section] sections 30-440.1, concerning permitted principal and accessory uses, 30-440.7, concerning building façade fenestration, and 30-516, concerning signs permitted in the B-4 district, of the Code of the City of Richmond [(2015)] (2020), as amended; and
WHEREAS, in accordance with section 17.11 of the Charter of the City of Richmond [(2010)] (2020), as amended, it has been made to appear that, if granted subject to the terms and conditions set forth in this ordinance, the special use granted by this ordinance will not be detrimental to the safety, health, morals and general welfare of the community involved, will not tend to create congestion in streets, roads, alleys and other public ways and places in the area involved, will not create hazards from fire, panic or other dangers, will not tend to overcrowding of land and cause an undue concentration of population, will not adversely affect or interfere with public or private schools, parks, playgrounds, water supplies, sewage disposal, transportation or other public requirements, conveniences and improvements, and will not interfere with adequate light and air; and
WHEREAS, (i) the City Planning Commission has conducted a public hearing to investigate the circumstances and conditions upon which the Council is empowered to authorize such use, (ii) the City Planning Commission has reported to the Council the results of such public hearing and investigation and its recommendations with respect thereto, and (iii) the Council has conducted a public hearing on this ordinance at which the person in interest and all other persons have had an opportunity to be heard;
NOW, THEREFORE,
THE CITY OF RICHMOND HEREBY ORDAINS:
§ 1. Finding. Pursuant to section 30-1050.1 of the Code of the City of Richmond [(2015)] (2020), as amended, the Council hereby finds that the special use set forth in and subject to the terms and conditions of this ordinance will not (i) be detrimental to the safety, health, morals and general welfare of the community involved, (ii) tend to create congestion in streets, roads, alleys and other public ways and places in the area involved, (iii) create hazards from fire, panic or other dangers, (iv) tend to overcrowding of land and cause an undue concentration of population, (v) adversely affect or interfere with public or private schools, parks, playgrounds, water supplies, sewage disposal, transportation or other public requirements, conveniences and improvements, or (vi) interfere with adequate light and air.
§ 2. Grant of Special Use Permit.
(a) Subject to the terms and conditions set forth in this amendatory ordinance, the property known as 707 East Main Street and identified as Tax Parcel No. W000-0011/014 in the [2017] 2025 records of the City Assessor, being more particularly shown on a survey entitled [“ALTA/ACSM Land Title Survey of Three Parcels of Land Containing 0.726 Acres and Located at the Corner of Main Street, 8th Street & Cary Street, City of Richmond, Virginia,” prepared by Youngblood, Tyler & Associates, P.C., and dated October 17, 2007] “Eighth & Main Mixed-Use, Existing Conditions,” prepared by Balzer & Associates, and dated February 26, 2025, a copy of which is attached to and made a part of [Ordinance No. 2014-226-207, adopted November 10, 2014] this amendatory ordinance, hereinafter referred to as “the Property,” is hereby permitted to be used for the [purpose] purposes of installing one new roof sign and residential uses, hereinafter referred to as “the Special Use,” substantially as shown on the plans entitled “Dominion Energy, Signage Recommendations, 8th & Main - Richmond, 707 East Main Street, Richmond, VA,” prepared by ssg., dated February 23, 2017, and last revised April 3, 2017, copies of which are attached to and made a part of Ordinance No. 2017-187, adopted October 9, 2017, and “Eighth & Main Mixed-Use, 707 E Main St., Richmond, VA 23219,” prepared by Fillat+ Architecture, and dated February 28, 2025, hereinafter referred to, collectively, as “the Plans,” copies of which are attached to and made a part of this amendatory ordinance.
(b) The adoption of this amendatory ordinance shall constitute the issuance of a special use permit for the Property. The special use permit shall inure to the benefit of the owner or owners of the fee simple title to the Property as of the date on which this amendatory ordinance is adopted and their successors in fee simple title, all of which are hereinafter referred to as “the Owner.” The conditions contained in this amendatory ordinance shall be binding on the Owner.
§ 3. Special Terms and Conditions. This special use permit is conditioned on the following special terms and conditions:
(a) One roof sign shall be installed on the Property and shall be mounted on the roof above the west face of the building, substantially as shown on the Plans.
(b) The roof signage shall not exceed an area of 335 square feet. The height of the sign shall not exceed 13 feet and the width of the sign shall not exceed 36 feet. All roof signage shall be substantially configured and arranged as shown on the Plans.
(c) Materials and colors for the roof signs shall be substantially as shown on the Plans.
(d) The roof signs shall be internally illuminated substantially as shown on the Plans.
(e) Residential uses shall be a permitted principal use on the ground floor. No principal use other than residential uses shall be required on the ground floor of the building along the Main Street frontage, substantially as shown on the Plans.
(f) Operable windows shall not be required for the Special Use.
§ 4. Supplemental Terms and Conditions. This special use permit is conditioned on the following supplemental terms and conditions:
(a) All required final grading and drainage plans, together with all easements made necessary by such plans, shall be approved by the Director of Public Utilities prior to the issuance of building permits.
(b) Storm or surface water shall not be allowed to accumulate on the land. The owner, at its sole cost and expense, shall provide and maintain at all times adequate facilities for the drainage of storm or surface water from the property so as not to adversely affect or damage any other property or public streets and the use thereof.
(c) Facilities for the collection of refuse shall be provided in accordance with the requirements of the Director of Public Works. Such facilities shall be located or screened so as not to be visible from adjacent properties and public streets.
(d) Any encroachments existing, proposed on the Plans or contemplated in the future shall require separate authorization and shall be subject to the applicable provisions of the Code of the City of Richmond [(2015)] (2020), as amended, and all future amendments to such laws.
(e) In all other respects, the use of the Property shall be in accordance with the applicable underlying zoning regulations.
§ 5. General Terms and Conditions. This special use permit is conditioned on the following general terms and conditions:
(a) No permit implementing this special use permit shall be approved until satisfactory evidence has been presented to the Zoning Administrator that any delinquent real estate taxes applicable to the Property have been paid.
(b) The Owner shall be bound by, shall observe and shall comply with all other laws, ordinances, rules and regulations applicable to the Property, except as otherwise expressly provided in this ordinance.
(c) Words and phrases used in this ordinance shall be interpreted to have the meanings ascribed to them by section 30-1220 of the Code of the City of Richmond [(2015)] (2020), as amended, unless the context clearly indicates that a different meaning is intended.
(d) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, this special use permit is being approved due, in part, to the mitigating effects of each and every condition attached hereto; consequently, if any portion of this ordinance is determined to be invalid for any reason by a final, non-appealable order of any Virginia or federal court of competent jurisdiction, the invalidity shall cause the entire ordinance to be void and of no further effect from the effective date of such order.
(e) The privileges granted by this ordinance may be revoked pursuant to the provisions of sections 30-1050.7 through 30-1050.11 of the Code of the City of Richmond [(2015)] (2020), as amended, and all future amendments to such laws. Failure to comply with the terms and conditions of this ordinance shall constitute a violation of section 30-1080 of the Code of the City of Richmond [(2015)] (2020), as amended, and all future amendments to such law, or any other applicable laws or regulations.
(f) When the privileges granted by this ordinance terminate and the special use permit granted hereby becomes null and void or when the Special Use of the Property as authorized by this ordinance is abandoned for a period of 730 consecutive calendar days, whether as a result of the Owner relinquishing this special use permit in a writing addressed to the Director of Planning and Development Review or otherwise, use of the Property shall be governed thereafter by the zoning regulations prescribed for the district in which the Property is then situated.
§ 6. Implementation. The [Commissioner of Buildings] Zoning Administrator is authorized to issue a [building permit substantially in accordance with the Plans] certificate of zoning compliance for the Special Use subject to the terms and conditions set forth in this amendatory ordinance. An application for the [building permit] certificate of zoning compliance shall be made within [730] 1,096 calendar days following the date on which this amendatory ordinance becomes effective. If [either] the application for the [building permit] certificate of zoning compliance is not made within the time period stated in the previous sentence [or the building permit terminates under any provision of the Virginia Statewide Building Code], this amendatory ordinance and the special use permit granted hereby shall terminate and become null and void.
§ 7. Effective Date. This ordinance shall be in force and effect upon adoption.
II. This amendatory ordinance shall be in force and effect upon adoption.
City of Richmond
Intracity Correspondence
O&R Transmittal
DATE: May 20, 2025
TO: The Honorable Members of City Council
THROUGH: The Honorable Dr. Danny Avula, Mayor (by request)
(This in no way reflects a recommendation on behalf of the Mayor)
THROUGH: Odie Donald II, Chief Administrative Officer
THROUGH: Sharon L. Ebert, DCAO for Economic Development and Planning
FROM: Kevin J. Vonck, Director of Planning & Development Review
RE: To amend and reordain Ord. No. 2014-226-207, adopted Nov. 10, 2014, as previously amended by Ord. No. 2017-187, adopted Oct. 9, 2017, which authorized the special use of the property known as 707 East Main Street for the purpose of the installation of one new roof sign, to authorize residential uses, upon certain terms and conditions.
ORD. OR RES. No.
PURPOSE: The applicant is requesting to amend Ord. 2017-187 authorizing the special use of the property known as 707 E. Main Street in order to facilitate the redevelopment of the existing office building into hotel and multi-family residential uses. The B-4 Central Business District, where the property is located, allows hotel and multi-family residential as permitted uses. The proposed redevelopment requests relief from the zoning requirement for operable windows for residential uses as well from the restrictions regarding residential uses on the ground floor.
BACKGROUND: The property is located on the southwest corner of East Main Street and South 8th Street. The property is 131 feet wide and contains 30,362 square feet. The City’s Richmond 300 Master Plan designates a future land use for the subject property as Downtown Mixed-Use. This designation is described as featuring high-density development with office buildings, residential buildings, and a mix of complementary uses including regional destinations in a highly walkable urban environment.
Intensity: Buildings heights are typically a minimum height of five stories. (p. 92)
All of the properties in the vicinity are located in the B-4 Central Business District.
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT: The Downtown Neighborhood Association was notified of the application; additional community notification will take place after introduction.
STRATEGIC INITIATIVES AND OTHER GOVERNMENTAL: Richmond 300 Master Plan
FISCAL IMPACT: $800 application fee.
DESIRED EFFECTIVE DATE: Upon adoption
REQUESTED INTRODUCTION DATE: July 28, 2025
CITY COUNCIL PUBLIC HEARING DATE: September 8, 2025
REQUESTED AGENDA: Consent
RECOMMENDED COUNCIL COMMITTEE: Planning Commission August 19, 2025
AFFECTED AGENCIES: Office of Chief Administrative Officer
Law Department (for review of draft ordinance)
RELATIONSHIP TO EXISTING ORD. OR RES.: None
ATTACHMENTS: Draft Ordinance, Application Form, Applicant’s Report, Survey, Map
STAFF:
David Watson, Senior Planner, Land Use Administration (Room 511) 646-1036