Harrisonburg Planning Commission Work Session on Zoning Ordinance Update – August 24, 2026

The Harrisonburg Planning Commission held a work session on Tuesday, August 24, 2026, at 6:00 PM in City Hall Room 011 to continue their Zoning Ordinance Update Project. The meeting focused on refining zoning district names and intent statements, and reviewing draft provisions for off-street parking, landscaping, and related standards. Commissioners participated remotely and in person; public comment was not accepted. The meeting adjourned at 7:48 PM.

Discussion Items

3.a. Brief Reflections on Prior Work Session (10-15 minutes) Staff offered an opportunity for commissioners to raise questions about prior sessions, including the zoning map. No additional questions or comments were raised.

3.b. Review Zoning District Names and Intent Statements

• Staff presented proposed names ("urban," "traditional," "suburban") to replace the current R-1, R-2, R-3 numeric system, aiming to better communicate neighborhood character along a continuum.
• Commissioners expressed concern that "suburban" may evoke suburban sprawl, and that density labels (low, medium, high) could create perceptions about property values or desirability.
• Alternatives discussed included "low medium high neighborhood," "core urban," "old town," "transitional," and density-based names.
• Concerns were raised that "traditional" carries cultural, historic, and planning connotations that may not clearly communicate district characteristics.
• Commissioners generally agreed that the proposed intent statements improve upon existing numeric labels, but further consideration of district names is warranted.
• Staff requested that commissioners provide additional name suggestions and feedback by September 7, 2026, to allow compilation for a future work-session discussion.

3.c. Review portions of draft Zoning Ordinance text (Parking and Landscaping)

• Staff reviewed draft provisions for off-street parking, shared parking, vehicle stacking, residential driveways, parking-lot landscaping, and parking location. The objective is to make modest updates while reserving larger policy changes for a later phase.
• Parking requirements will align with proposed zoning ordinance use tables, using measurable features (e.g., floor area, beds, dwelling units) rather than operational factors (e.g., employee counts).
• Restaurant parking: reduced from 1 space per 100 sq ft to 1 space per 250 sq ft, to improve flexibility for reuse of existing commercial buildings.
• Residential parking: 1 space per dwelling unit, except in the R-A C and R-GC districts (covering most student housing), where 0.85 spaces per bedroom is proposed. Staff stated this would create a small reduction for four-bedroom units while eliminating the current differential that may discourage one- and two-bedroom units.
• Institutional care: 1 space per 3 beds, consistent with current nursing-home standard. A commissioner questioned whether some facilities (e.g., medical offices) might have parking demand not primarily related to beds; staff said such uses may need evaluation under an office-related category.
• Churches: commissioners noted declining attendance but increased community center use, and that growing churches typically seek more than minimum parking. Staff is comfortable with the simplified approach.
• Shared parking: the current provision in Section 10-3-26(b) has been used only once. The draft proposes removing the 10-year expiration so recorded agreements remain until formally terminated.
• Retail parking: currently decreases from 1 per 200 sq ft to 1 per 250 sq ft after 10,000 sq ft of gross floor area. Commissioners discussed incentives to repurpose excess parking from older shopping centers into development.
• A commissioner asked about exemptions or flexibility from parking minimums for neighborhood commercial development near residential areas where customers may walk or bike. Staff will examine the concept.
• Private K-12 schools: proposed as special exception; colleges/universities as permitted in mixed-use and commercial districts. Commissioners generally expressed comfort with addressing these through special exception or institutional overlay rather than a fixed parking metric.
• Public schools: commissioners generally expressed comfort with no minimum parking requirement.
• Vehicle stacking for drive-throughs: proposed to move from Design and Construction Standards Manual into zoning ordinance, with slight differences. Staff will evaluate other localities' enforceable approaches for managing excessive queueing.
• Parking minimums purpose: commissioners discussed public concerns about spillover into residential areas, on-street parking conflicts, and downtown parking perceptions. Staff asked for direction on whether reductions go too far.
• Compact parking: current allowance of 25% compact spaces retained; staff can examine adjustments if interested.
• Residential driveway width: proposed maximum of 12 ft at the lot line for lots ≤40 ft wide, and 30% of lot width or 24 ft for wider lots. The limitation aims to reduce curb cuts and pedestrian conflict points.
• Parking lot landscaping: proposed 15% landscaping, with interior islands required for larger lots. Staff will evaluate application to parking garages and integrated structures (e.g., "Texas donut").
• Parking location: in neighborhood commercial districts, the draft proposes limiting parking between a building and a public street. Commissioners discussed broader application outside downtown.

Key Outcomes

• Commissioner Alsindi’s remote participation from Erbil, Iraq was unanimously approved.
• Commissioners will provide additional feedback and suggested names for proposed neighborhood zoning districts by September 7, 2026.
• Staff will continue meeting with City departments to review draft content.
• The next regular Planning Commission meeting is scheduled for September 9, 2026; the next work session is scheduled for September 15, 2026.
• Staff is planning at least two public open houses in late September to mid-October 2026; dates not yet established.