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R-53 MULTIFAMILY RESIDENTIAL DISTRICT

Richmond, Va., City Code ch. 30, art. IV, div. 10
in effect

Richmond, Va., City Code § 30-418.1 Permitted principal uses.

Sec. 30-418.1. - Permitted principal uses. The following uses of buildings and premises shall be permitted in the R-53 district: (1) Any principal use permitted in the R-1 district as set forth in Section 30-402.1; (2) Single-family attached dwellings and uses and structures customarily incidental to attached dwelling developments, provided that: a. Appropriate agreements and covenants approved by the City Attorney provide for the perpetuation and maintenance of all areas to be held in common ownership by property owners within such developments; b. Architectural variations shall be provided among units within any series of more than four units; (3) Two-family dwellings; (4) Multifamily dwellings; (5) Day nurseries, provided that: a. A minimum outdoor play area of 100 square feet for each child enrolled shall be furnished on the premises, but not within a required front yard; b. The play area shall be enclosed with a continuous opaque structural fence or wall not less than four feet in height, and such fence or wall shall not be located within a required front yard; c. No play equipment or structure shall be located within a front yard or a required side yard; (6) Tourist homes situated on Federal highways; (7) Parking areas serving uses permitted in this district, provided that any card reader or other access control device at an entrance to a parking area shall be provided with not less than one stacking space situated off the public right-of-way; (8) Adult day care facilities. (Code 1993, § 32-418.1; Code 2004, § 114-418.1; Code 2015, § 30-418.1; Code 2020, § 30-418.1; Ord. No. 2004-180-167, § 1, 6-28-2004; Ord. No. 2007-338-2008-11, § 1, 1-14-2008; Ord. No. 2024-314, § 2(30-418.1), 12-9-2024)

Richmond, Va., City Code § 30-418.2 Permitted accessory uses and structures.

Sec. 30-418.2. - Permitted accessory uses and structures. Accessory uses and structures, including the following, which are customarily incidental and clearly subordinate to permitted principal uses shall be permitted in the R-53 Multifamily Residential District (see Article VI, Division 9 of this chapter): (1) Any accessory use or structure permitted in the R-1 district as set forth in Section 30-402.2. (2) Guest units in multifamily developments available for short-term occupancy by guests of regular tenants of such developments, provided that the total number of such guest units shall not exceed one for each 50 dwelling units within the development. (3) One dwelling unit located in an accessory building, containing two or more stories, which is existing at the effective date of the ordinance from which this subsection is derived and which is located on the same lot as a two-family or multifamily dwelling, provided that emergency vehicle access to the accessory building shall be provided in accordance with requirements of the Department of Public Works and Department of Fire and Emergency Services. (4) Short-term rental located within an accessory building permitted by Subsection (3) of this section. (Code 1993, § 32-418.2; Code 2004, § 114-418.2; Code 2015, § 30-418.2; Code 2020, § 30-418.2; Ord. No. 2019-343, § 1(30-418.2), 6-22-2020; Ord. No. 2023-101, § 5, 4-24-2023; Ord. No. 2023-196, § 1, 9-25-2023)

Richmond, Va., City Code § 30-418.4 Lot area and width.

Sec. 30-418.4. - Lot area and width. (a) Minimum lot areas and lot widths for single- and two-family dwellings in the R-53 Multifamily Residential District shall be as required in the R-7 district and set forth in Section 30-413.5. (b) Multifamily dwellings shall be located on lots of not less than 5,000 square feet in total area and not less than 1,250 square feet in area for each dwelling unit. (Code 1993, § 32-418.4; Code 2004, § 114-418.4; Code 2015, § 30-418.4; Code 2020, § 30-418.4)

Richmond, Va., City Code § 30-418.5 Yards.

Sec. 30-418.5. - Yards. Yard regulations in the R-53 Multifamily Residential District shall be as follows: (1) Front yard. There shall be a front yard with a depth of not less than 15 feet (see Article VI, Division 4 of this chapter). (2) Side and rear yards. Side and rear yards shall be as follows: a. Side and rear yards for single- and two-family dwellings and buildings accessory thereto shall be as required in the R-7 district and set forth in Section 30-413.6 (see Article VI, Divisions 3, 4 and 9 of this chapter). b. Side and rear yards for uses and buildings other than single- and two-family dwellings and buildings accessory thereto shall be not less than 15 feet in depth. (3) Spaces between buildings on same lot. Spaces between buildings on the same lot shall be as follows: a. Where two or more buildings, at least one of which contains a dwelling use, are erected on the same lot, the distance between any two such buildings shall be not less than 15 feet. b. Where two or more buildings, neither of which contains a dwelling use, are erected on the same lot, the distance between any two such buildings shall be not less than ten feet. (Code 1993, § 32-418.5; Code 2004, § 114-418.5; Code 2015, § 30-418.5; Code 2020, § 30-418.5)

Richmond, Va., City Code § 30-418.6 Usable open space.

Sec. 30-418.6. - Usable open space. In the R-53 Multifamily Residential District, usable open space of not less than 40 percent of the area of the lot shall be provided for multifamily dwellings (see definition of term in Section 30-1220). (Code 1993, § 32-418.6; Code 2004, § 114-418.6; Code 2015, § 30-418.6; Code 2020, § 30-418.6)

Richmond, Va., City Code § 30-418.6:1 Lot coverage.

Sec. 30-418.6:1. - Lot coverage. Maximum lot coverage in the R-53 Multifamily Residential District shall not exceed 60 percent of the area of the lot for uses other than multifamily dwellings. (Code 1993, § 32-418.6:1; Code 2004, § 114-418.6:1; Code 2015, § 30-418.6:1; Code 2020, § 30-418.6:1)

Richmond, Va., City Code § 30-418.8 Height.

Sec. 30-418.8. - Height. No building or structure in the R-53 Multifamily Residential District shall exceed 35 feet in height, except that additional height shall be permitted on lots of two acres or more in area, provided that: (1) No portion of any building shall penetrate inclined planes originating at interior side and rear lot lines or at the centerline of a public alley adjoining any such lot line and extending over the lot at an inclination of one foot horizontal for each one foot vertical. (2) No portion of any building shall penetrate an inclined plane originating at the centerline of an abutting street and extending over the lot at an inclination of one foot horizontal for each one foot vertical along any street frontage where a front yard is required and one foot horizontal for each 1½ feet vertical along other street frontages. (3) No building shall exceed 60 feet in height. (Code 1993, § 32-418.8; Code 2004, § 114-418.8; Code 2015, § 30-418.8; Code 2020, § 30-418.8)
Source: City of Richmond, Virginia, Code (2026 recodification) and Charter (Municode Library, library.municode.com)URL: https://library.municode.com/va/richmond/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=CH30ZO_ARTIVDIRE_DIV10R-MUREDIFetched: 11/8/2026

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