History of Zoning & Land Use in the Museum District

There are many reasons to love our Museum District, but its visual appeal is top among them. We benefit in a community that was intentionally built as a suburb, where residential comfort and beauty were paramount. Built before the widespread use of automobiles, our neighborhood is characterized by long, consistent views down each street and walkability.

In 1927, the first City Zoning Ordinance was introduced. A primary purpose of Richmond’s Zoning Ordinance is to “facilitate the creation of a convenient, attractive and harmonious community.” In 1996, the city planning commission adopted design overlay guidelines for the Museum District as part of the West of the Boulevard Design Overlay District Guidelines document to protect our neighborhood “characterized by uniqueness of established character, architectural coherence and harmony, and vulnerability to deterioration.“ 

We anticipate many important projects to be coming through our neighborhood, and we need your participation and support in protecting what we love about our neighborhood by carefully balancing needed change with the need for continuity and preservation. 

Quoted text sourced from Code of the City of Richmond, ZONING