In December 2023, the City of Charlottesville adopted a new Development Code to implement the City's updated Comprehensive Plan. The new code allows greater density and housing choice throughout the city by-right. This includes a base density of 3 units per lot across the city, with some exceptions in the Residential Neighborhood A (RN-A) district. Now that the Development Code has been in effect since early 2024, the City has identified challenges with implementation. One of the more significant barriers appears to be meeting stormwater management requirements when developing smaller infill sites utilizing the City's criteria that are more stringent than the State requirements. The City's threshold for water quantity is 6,000 square feet of land disturbance, while the State threshold is 10,000 square feet. Similarly, the City's threshold for water quality is 6,000 square feet of land disturbance, while the State threshold is one acre. Potential changes to environmental regulations and policies to facilitate infill development need to be balanced with protection of the natural environment and climate change mitigation and adaptation. With the City's Climate Action Plan and Climate Risk and Vulnerability Assessment, the City identified the following top three local risks from climate change: extreme heat, increased intensity storms with associated flooding, and changing seasonal weather patterns. There is also a need for community engagement to ensure community needs and priorities are incorporated into updated City regulations and policies. To address challenges with Development Code implementation and to balance Comprehensive Plan policies, the City of Charlottesville is conducting an Environmental Regulations and Policy Review project, which covers six topics: stormwater management, floodplain management, tree canopy, stream buffers, critical slopes, and energy efficiency. While this RFP is focused on the stormwater management topic, City staff will bring a comprehensive lens to the project and knowledge of relevant parallel projects. Through an analysis of existing conditions as part of the Environmental Review Project, the City has identified the following challenges for the stormwater management topic, which informed the RFP scope: Under the City's current stormwater management regulations, smaller infill lots (between 6,000 and 10,000 square feet) requiring stormwater management may not be large enough to develop to their by-right potential and allowed lot coverage and accommodate required onsite stormwater management infrastructure. While the City's 6,000 square foot land disturbance threshold is more stringent than State Code (10,000 sq ft for water quantity and 1 acre for water quality), development below the threshold and many single-family detached homes currently go unregulated. Many developers currently buy offsite nutrient credits to meet water quality requirements. Requiring or encouraging onsite stormwater management infrastructure for water quality would benefit the city's waterways and water quality. To date, feasible prescriptive stormwater management facilities have not been identified that can meet state technical criteria and space limitations, though there is continued interest in their feasibility. In analyzing and recommending potential ordinance changes, there needs to be consideration of the impacts any ordinance changes would have on City resources for implementation, including staffing needed to administer ordinance changes. The City would also need to justify proposed changes to the State Water Control Board. Nuisance flooding and drainage complaints already occur and could increase with projected rainfall volume and intensity increases. Any potential ordinance changes should look to mitigate these potential flooding hazards. This proposed stormwater management regulations project will involve coordination with multiple City departments, including Public Works Engineering, Utilities, Neighborhood Development Services, and the Office of Sustainability. The project outcomes include: Updated stormwater management requirements for urban infill developments that are under 10,000 square feet of land disturbance, likely through a tiered system based on land disturbance square footage. Updated Erosion and Sediment (E&S) threshold to an appropriate level commensurate with the City's updated Development Code and sublot sizes. A feasibility study of the option for developers to meet some requirements by paying into City-owned shared stormwater management facilities. Prescriptive stormwater management facilities that developers can choose from to meet their stormwater management requirements for these urban infill developments (under 10,000 square feet of land disturbance), including a design toolkit and compliance matrix. Input Documents and Resources The following City plans, programs, and studies should be used to inform this project: Chapter 10 of City Code Water Protection Ordinance: Article II: The City's erosion and sediment and stormwater management requirements (VESMP). City of Charlottesville Standards and Design M anual (SADM) Relevant City data and studies, including stormwater modeling for Moore's Creek, Meadow Creek, and the Rivanna River, and the citywide Infrastructure Study and Model. Water Resources Protection Program : Includes the City's Stormwater Utility and fee, addressing aging stormwater management infrastructure, using Green Infrastructure (nature-based solutions), water quality and quantity management, and resource stewardship. Stormwater Management Program : Supporting information and documents for the City's MS4 Permit. City's GreenPrint (published in 2018): Highlights watershed protection and tree canopy as key tools for managing runoff. Flood Resilience Plan (adopted 2023): Analysis of existing conditions and implementation strategies including project and programmatic solutions. Prioritization of watershed management areas. The City received a round 5 Community Flood Preparedness Fund grant in fall 2025. This grant is anticipated to kick off in early 2026 and will likely include an update to the Flood Resilience Plan. Comprehensive Plan (adopted 2021): Policies include allowing and encouraging housing choice and density; protecting the natural environment; incentivizing the use of green infrastructure (nature-based solutions); exploring watershed scale compliance strategies for stormwater management; prioritizing locations for City investment in green infrastructure; and improving water quality. Resilient Together (in progress, anticipated adoption in 2026): Community climate resilience and adaptation plan for the city. Recommendations will include the topic of stormwater management.
