What are the current R-1 setbacks in Richmond, Virginia?

Current Chapter 30 §30-402 lists a 35-ft front yard, 10-ft side yards and a 10-ft rear yard for R-1, with a 20% maximum lot coverage and 35-ft maximum height. The earlier 12-ft side / 30-ft rear summary was incorrect.

Can one setback table be used for all Richmond residential districts?

No. Richmond's current R-6 and R-7 urban residential districts use much tighter yards than R-1, and other districts have separate standards. Check the exact Chapter 30 district section for the parcel.

Is Richmond's Code Refresh Draft Three already the zoning law?

No. Draft Three is a proposed replacement framework. Current Chapter 30 remains controlling until a replacement ordinance is formally adopted and effective.

How do I find the exact setbacks for my Richmond property?

Identify the current Chapter 30 zoning district on the City's zoning map, read that district's operative section, check overlays and parcel-specific conditions, and confirm unusual cases with Planning & Development Review.

Richmond Setbacks & Height Limits — Residential Zones

Fact-checked against Richmond's current Chapter 30 and Code Refresh Draft Three status on September 21, 2026.

Richmond is preparing a major zoning rewrite, but Code Refresh Draft Three is still a draft. It does not replace the legally operative Chapter 30 merely because draft maps and tables have been published.

Current R-1 Standards

Current Chapter 30 §30-402 provides:

Standard	R-1
Minimum lot area	20,000 sq ft
Minimum lot width	100 ft
Front yard	35 ft
Side yards	10 ft each
Rear yard	10 ft
Maximum lot coverage	20%
Maximum height	35 ft

The previous page incorrectly stated that R-1 had a 30-ft rear yard and 12-ft side yards.

Current R-6 and R-7 Are Much Tighter

Richmond's existing Chapter 30 includes separate urban residential districts.

For example, current R-6 uses a 15-ft front yard, 5-ft sides for uses other than attached dwellings, and 5-ft rear yard under the applicable provisions. Current R-7 uses a 15-ft front yard, generally 3-ft side yards for dwelling uses where not attached, and 5-ft rear yard.

That is why one R-1-through-R-7 “typical” table is unsafe.

Code Refresh Draft Three Is Proposed

Richmond released Code Refresh Draft Three on August 17, 2026. The City's current Code Refresh page presents it as Draft Three and continues to list Zoning Advisory Council meetings and public engagement.

Treat:

Draft Three district names;
Draft Three zoning map;
proposed ADU changes;
proposed height/setback tables

as proposed, not current permit law, until the City formally adopts and makes a replacement ordinance effective.

The previous page's statement that the rewrite was being “adopted in pieces” could imply that draft dimensions already controlled. That wording has been removed.

ADUs

The current Chapter 30 ADU rules remain the applicable local framework unless and until adopted legislation changes them.

Draft Three proposes changes, including a larger possible ADU size, but those draft provisions should not be presented as current zoning.

How to Check a Property

Confirm the current Chapter 30 zoning district.
Use the legally current district regulations.
Check old/historic districts, floodplain, riverfront, airport, and other overlays.
Treat Code Refresh Draft Three separately as a proposal.
Recheck the effective ordinance if filing after future Council action.
Confirm parcel-specific questions with Planning & Development Review.

Official Sources

This guide is informational only. Current Chapter 30 controls until a replacement ordinance is formally adopted and effective.