Implement PLAN Danville.
Simply. Clearly. Consistently. Defensibly.
WHAT is ReCode Danville?
As part of the implementation of Plan Danville, the Zoning Ordinance (Chapter 41 of the Danville Code of Ordinances) is being updated. Recommendation #1 of PLAN Danville implementation is: Amend zoning to reflect recommendations in future land use plan.
WHAT is zoning?
Zoning is a set of laws that govern how private land can be used and what types of buildings may be built. For example, a zoning code may tell you how tall your house may be, whether or not you may use your property as a day-care center, or how big of a sign may be installed outside of your business. Check out the videos on this page to learn more about how zoning codes can shape our community.
WHY is Danville updating its zoning code?
The code should reflect the comprehensive plan goals.
Danville adopted a new comprehensive plan in 2024 This zoning code update project aims to calibrate the zoning code regulations to help realize the land use goals described in PLAN Danville.
The code is difficult to use.
The Danville Zoning Code can be difficult to navigate, read, interpret, and administer. This update aims to increase usability with consolidation of regulations, clarifying ambiguous terms, streamlining procedures, illustrating regulations with graphics, and using tables to display numeric standards.
The code is due for modernization.
The Danville Zoning Code was first adopted in 1986 and updated in 2004. That is over 20 years ago! And in those decades, Danville has experienced a lot of change. Technology, business, agriculture, and commuting patterns have evolved with global economic trends. This update aims to modernize the code and provide strategic future-proofing for new technologies, macro-economic trends, and a changing climate.
WHAT is going to happen to my neighborhood?
No decisions have yet been made, as it is still early in the zoning code update process. However, many existing neighborhoods will retain their current character. Some areas have been identified for more significant change in Plan Danville.
WHEN will the new zoning code take effect?
The project is planned to begin the adoption process in late 2025. This adoption process may take several months and consists of public hearings before the Planning Commission and City Council.
HOW do I get engaged in this process?
You can start by learning more about the process by checking out some educational materials, such as the videos presented on this page. There will be opportunities moving forward to provide input. Public input on a zoning code update is best done after standards have been drafted. Additionally, sign up for email updates by providing your email address at the left of this page.
The Diagnostic Report: Evaluating the Current Zoning Ordinance
As the first stage of the zoning update project, the project consultant (ZoneCo) conducted an evaluation of the current zoning ordinance, its regulations, and its promotion of the goals of Plan Danville. This evaluation culminated in the production of the Diagnostic Report. The Diagnostic Report contains critiques of the current zoning ordinance as well as recommendations for zoning updates to be enacted during the zoning update project.
The Diagnostic Report is public and can be downloaded.
Learn About Zoning
This video, produced by the Urban Institute, provides a quick primer on zoning and why it’s important.
Note: To caption this video in Spanish, click the “CC” symbol at the bottom of the video area to toggle Closed Captioning on. Then, click on the gear symbol, then on “Subtitles”, then on “Auto-translate”, then scroll and click on “Spanish”.
This video, produced by City Beautiful, provides a longer introduction to zoning. In the video, City Beautiful covers zoning maps, typical zones, the history of discrimination through zoning, mixed-use zoning, and the importance of zoning updates.
Note that this video is based in Oakland, CA, not Danville, Virginia.
Note: To caption this video in Spanish, click the “CC” symbol at the bottom of the video area to toggle Closed Captioning on. Then, click on the gear symbol, then on “Subtitles”, then on “Auto-translate”, then scroll and click on “Spanish”.
This video, produced by the Center for Humane Studies, goes into more detail on the relationship between zoning and sustainability, economic development, and racism. Single-family zoning is discussed as a mechanism by which housing is made more scarce and, therefore, more expensive. The video also explores blight and urban renewal trends in the 1950s and the history of modernist trends of car-oriented development, single-family neighborhoods, and urban sprawl. Finally, the video introduces Jane Jacobs and people-centric urban design, mixed-use zoning, and Jacobs’ theory of “eyes on the street.”
Note: To caption this video in Spanish, click the “CC” symbol at the bottom of the video area to toggle Closed Captioning on. Then, click on the gear symbol, then on “Subtitles”, then on “Auto-translate”, then scroll and click on “Spanish”.