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To declare a public necessity to amend ch. 30 of the City Code and to initiate an amendment to the City’s zoning ordinance to make such lawful changes as may be necessary to eliminate or appropriately reduce parking minimums and restrictions in areas zoned for commercial use and areas within the TOD-1 Transit Oriented Nodal District by requesting that the Chief Administrative Officer cause to be conducted a study to determine whether and, if so, how the City’s zoning ordinance lawfully may be amended to permit changes as may be necessary to eliminate or appropriately reduce parking minimums and restrictions in areas zoned for commercial use and areas within the TOD-1 Transit Oriented Nodal District.
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WHEREAS, section 15.2-2286 of the Code of Virginia (1950), as amended, provides that a zoning ordinance may include, among other things, reasonable regulations and provisions for the amendment of regulations or district maps from time to time; and
WHEREAS, in accordance with section 15.2-2286 of the Code of Virginia (1950), as amended, such amendment may be initiated by resolution of the governing body, provided that any such resolution by the governing body proposing an amendment to the regulations or district maps shall state the public purposes therefor; and
WHEREAS, the Council of the City of Richmond believes that the City’s zoning ordinance, codified as Chapter 30 of the Code of the City of Richmond (2015), as amended, should be amended by eliminating or appropriately reducing parking minimums and restrictions in areas zoned for commercial use and areas within the TOD-1 Transit Oriented Nodal District to allow businesses closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic to safely reopen to provide goods and services and facilitate the required social distancing for patrons of those businesses; and
WHEREAS, the Council believes that it is in the best interests of the citizens of the City of Richmond that the City amend its zoning ordinance, codified as Chapter 30 of the Code of the City of Richmond (2015), as amended, to make such lawful changes as may be necessary to eliminate or appropriately reduce parking minimums and restrictions in areas zoned for commercial use and areas within the TOD-1 Transit Oriented Nodal District;
NOW, THEREFORE,
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF RICHMOND:
That the City Council hereby declares that the public necessity, convenience, general welfare and good zoning practices of the City require the initiation of an amendment of the zoning ordinance set forth in Chapter 30 of the City of Richmond (2015), as amended, to make such lawful changes as may be necessary to eliminate or appropriately reduce parking minimums and restrictions in areas zoned for commercial use and areas within the TOD-1 Transit Oriented Nodal District to allow businesses closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic to safely reopen to provide goods and services and facilitate the required social distancing for patrons of those businesses.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED:
That, pursuant to section 15.2-2286 of the Code of Virginia (1950), as amended, the City Council hereby initiates an amendment to the City’s zoning ordinance by requesting the Chief Administrative Officer to cause to be conducted a study to determine whether and, if so, how the City’s zoning ordinance lawfully may be amended to permit, to the extent permitted by law, elimination or reduction in parking minimums and restrictions in areas zoned for commercial use and areas within the TOD-1 Transit Oriented Nodal District within the city of Richmond and to provide the Council with a report concerning the results of the study and the recommended changes to the zoning ordinance based on such study as soon as practical after the adoption of this resolution.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED:
That the City Planning Commission is hereby directed to hold a public hearing on any such proposed changes to the zoning ordinance and submit its recommendation and any explanatory materials to the City Council as soon as practicable.