Overview
Code type
euclidean
Naming convention
mixed
| one_two_family_residential | Mostly lot-size-encoded in thousands of sf — BUT with four legacy mismatches: R-13 is 12,000 sf, R-11 is 9,000 sf, R-9 is 6,000 sf, R-8 is 6,000 sf (NOT 13k/11k/9k/8k). R-33/R-22/R-15 match their names. R-LL=2.5 acres. R-43=1 acre (43,560 sf). R-R='Rural' at 6,000 sf. R-4='alley/infill' at 4,000 sf/40-ft frontage. |
|---|---|
| multifamily_residential | MD-1..MD-4 = multifamily density tiers (MD-1=10 du/ac, MD-2=16 du/ac, MD-3=20 du/ac, MD-4=setback/parking-driven, no minimum lot). R-M = legacy Multiple Residential (51 ft/3 stories). |
| commercial | C-1 Neighborhood, C-2 Limited, C-3 General (ascending intensity). |
| manufacturing | M-1 Limited (industrial park), M-2 Light, M-3 Heavy. |
| special_purpose | Chapter 8 districts: LFA-1..6 (Langley Flight Approach), RT-1 (Residential Transition — Todds Ln/Big Bethel), BB-1..5 (Buckroe Bayfront), HRC-1..3 (Hampton Roads Center), DT-1..3 (Downtown), PO-1..2 (Parks/Open Space). On Municode these correspond to SPI- prefixes (SPI-BBD-SFR=BB-1, SPI-OHB=DT-1, SPI-HRC=HRC-1, etc.). |
| overlays | Chapter 9 O- prefix: O-AICUZ, O-CBP, O-CC, O-FZ, O-IH, O-MVC, O-HP. |
1960-ordained code formally recodified June 1, 2015 under Va. Code §15.2-1433. §1-3 defaults annexed territory to R-13; §1-5 defaults unclassified-on-map land (including sub-marginal, water, federally/state-owned) to R-13. Legacy-index naming in low-intensity residential districts is the most significant quirk.
Districts
residential_single_family 10special_purpose_military 6residential_multifamily 5special_purpose_coastal 5commercial 3manufacturing 3special_purpose_planned 3special_purpose_downtown 3parks_open_space 2residential_two_family 1special_purpose_transition 1
| Code | Name | Category | Min lot | Height | Coverage | FAR | Du/ac | Parking | Setbacks F/S/R |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| R-LL | Large Lot One Family Residential | residential_single_family | 108,900 sf | 35 ft | — | — | — | — | — / — / — |
| R-43 | One Family Residential (1-acre) | residential_single_family | 43,560 sf | 35 ft | — | — | — | — | — / — / — |
| R-R | Rural One Family Residential | residential_single_family | 6,000 sf | 35 ft | — | — | — | — | — / — / — |
| R-33 | One Family Residential (33,000 sf) | residential_single_family | 33,000 sf | 35 ft | — | — | — | — | — / — / — |
| R-22 | One Family Residential (22,000 sf) | residential_single_family | 22,000 sf | 35 ft | — | — | — | — | — / — / — |
| R-15 | One Family Residential (15,000 sf) | residential_single_family | 15,000 sf | 35 ft | — | — | — | — | — / — / — |
| R-13 | One Family Residential (12,000 sf) — DEFAULT DISTRICT | residential_single_family | 12,000 sf | 35 ft | — | — | — | — | — / — / — |
| R-11 | One Family Residential (9,000 sf) | residential_single_family | 9,000 sf | 35 ft | — | — | — | — | — / — / — |
| R-9 | One Family Residential (6,000 sf) | residential_single_family | 6,000 sf | 35 ft | — | — | — | — | — / — / — |
| R-8 | One and Two Family Residential | residential_two_family | 6,000 sf | 35 ft | — | — | — | — | — / — / — |
| R-4 | One Family Residential (Alley/Infill) | residential_single_family | 4,000 sf | 35 ft | — | — | — | — | — / — / — |
| R-M | Multiple Residential (legacy) | residential_multifamily | — | 51 ft | — | — | — | — | — / — / — |
| MD-1 | Multifamily Residential (low density) | residential_multifamily | 20,000 sf | 36 ft | — | — | — | — | — / — / — |
| MD-2 | Multifamily Residential (medium density) | residential_multifamily | — | — | — | — | — | — | — / — / — |
| MD-3 | Multifamily Residential (high density) | residential_multifamily | — | — | — | — | — | — | — / — / — |
| MD-4 | Multifamily Residential (urban) | residential_multifamily | —[1] | — | — | — | — | — | — / — / — |
| C-1 | Neighborhood Commercial | commercial | — | 35 ft | — | — | — | — | — / — / — |
| C-2 | Limited Commercial | commercial | — | 35 ft | — | — | — | — | — / — / — |
| C-3 | General Commercial | commercial | — | 35 ft | — | — | — | — | — / — / — |
| M-1 | Limited Manufacturing (industrial park) | manufacturing | — | 35 ft | — | — | — | — | — / — / — |
| M-2 | Light Manufacturing | manufacturing | — | 35 ft | — | — | — | — | — / — / — |
| M-3 | Heavy Manufacturing | manufacturing | — | 35 ft | — | — | — | — | — / — / — |
| LFA-1 | Langley Flight Approach — Manufacturing | special_purpose_military | — | — | — | — | — | — | — / — / — |
| LFA-2 | Langley Flight Approach — Mixed Business and Manufacturing | special_purpose_military | — | — | — | — | — | — | — / — / — |
| LFA-3 | Langley Flight Approach — Hampton Roads Center | special_purpose_military | — | — | — | — | — | — | — / — / — |
| LFA-4 | Langley Flight Approach — Limited Business I | special_purpose_military | — | — | — | — | — | — | — / — / — |
| LFA-5 | Langley Flight Approach — Limited Residential | special_purpose_military | — | — | — | — | — | — | — / — / — |
| LFA-6 | Langley Flight Approach — Limited Business II | special_purpose_military | — | — | — | — | — | — | — / — / — |
| RT-1 | Residential Transition — Todds Lane / Big Bethel Road | special_purpose_transition | — | — | — | — | — | — | — / — / — |
| BB-1 | Buckroe Bayfront — Single Family Residential | special_purpose_coastal | — | — | — | — | — | — | — / — / — |
| BB-2 | Buckroe Bayfront — Mixed Residential | special_purpose_coastal | — | — | — | — | — | — | — / — / — |
| BB-3 | Buckroe Bayfront — Optional Mixed Use | special_purpose_coastal | — | — | — | — | — | — | — / — / — |
| BB-4 | Buckroe Bayfront — Required Mixed Use | special_purpose_coastal | — | — | — | — | — | — | — / — / — |
| BB-5 | Buckroe Bayfront — Special | special_purpose_coastal | — | — | — | — | — | — | — / — / — |
| HRC-1 | Hampton Roads Center South | special_purpose_planned | — | — | — | — | — | — | — / — / — |
| HRC-2 | Hampton Roads Center North | special_purpose_planned | — | — | — | — | — | — | — / — / — |
| HRC-3 | Hampton Roads Center West | special_purpose_planned | — | — | — | — | — | — | — / — / — |
| DT-1 | Downtown Business | special_purpose_downtown | — | — | — | — | — | — | — / — / — |
| DT-2 | Downtown Waterfront | special_purpose_downtown | — | — | — | — | — | — | — / — / — |
| DT-3 | Downtown Residential | special_purpose_downtown | — | 75 ft | — | — | — | — | — / — / — |
| PO-1 | Parks and Open Space — General | parks_open_space | — | — | — | — | — | — | — / — / — |
| PO-2 | Parks and Open Space — Buckroe Beachfront | parks_open_space | — | — | — | — | — | — | — / — / — |
Confidence: confirmed partial under review not found
Overlays
O-AICUZ
Air Installation Compatible Use Zone Overlay
APAreas within adopted noise-contour boundaries (≥65 dB DNL) and Accident Potential Zones (Clear Zone, APZ-I, APZ-II) surrounding Langley AFB, mapped on Noise Contour District map and AICUZ map per Va. Code §15.2-2295
O-CBP
Chesapeake Bay Preservation Overlay
ENVRPA, RMA, and IDA subdistricts as mapped on Chesapeake Bay Preservation District Map; §9-13(4) auto-covers unmapped lands that meet CBP component definitions
O-CC
Coliseum Central Overlay
CORColiseum Central Business Improvement District boundary — Mercury Boulevard / Coliseum Drive commercial corridor
O-FZ
Flood Zone Overlay
FPFloodplain districts per FEMA FIRM adopted by city council and incorporated into Zoning District Sectional Maps (§1-2)
O-IH
Infill Housing Overlay
INFILLSubstandard lots (as defined) in R-8, R-9, R-11, R-13 districts existing on or prior to September 10, 2014 (§9-42)
O-MVC
Magruder Visual Corridor Overlay
CORProperty visible from Magruder Boulevard — corridor linking Langley/NASA, Magruder Blvd business/industrial parks, and Coliseum Central
O-HP
Historic Preservation Overlay
HPProperties mapped with the O-HP symbol on the zoning map (§9-62)
State preemptions
VA Dillon's Rule (baseline)applies
Effect
All zoning authority traces to express General Assembly delegation in Title 15.2 Ch. 22. No residual local zoning power.
VA-SB-531-ADU (2026)applies
Effect
ADUs must be permitted accessory use by right in single-family districts. Permit fee cap $500. Setback/height/coverage/frontage may not exceed primary-dwelling or accessory-structure standards (lesser). No family-relationship requirement permitted.
VA-15.2-983-STR-OWNER-OCCUPIED (SB 544, 2024)applies
Effect
No post-Dec-31-2023 local ordinance may require SUP/CUP for owner-occupied primary-residence STRs. Hampton retains full zoning authority over non-owner-occupied (investor) STRs.
VA-15.2-2288.7-SOLARapplies
Effect
Hampton may not require SUP/CUP for roof-mounted residential solar on owner's own dwelling (subject only to district height/setback and O-HP / O-AICUZ / O-MVC overlay rules). Ground-mounted residential solar permitted unless Hampton adopts opt-out ordinance.
VA-15.2-2290-MHapplies
Effect
Where MH is permitted, standards must be equivalent to site-built dwellings in the same district. Discriminatory setbacks/materials/roof pitch/foundation rules are preempted.
VA-15.2-2291-GROUP-HOMESapplies
Effect
Licensed ≤8-resident facilities (DBHDS-licensed mental health/DD; DSS-licensed assisted living for aged/infirm/disabled) treated as single-family residential use. Hampton may not impose stricter conditions than on families related by blood/marriage/adoption.
VA-15.2-2316-WIRELESSapplies
Effect
Moratorium prohibited (§15.2-2316.5). Small cell attachments on existing structures: shall-approve; 60-day shot clock; fee caps $100/$50 per facility. Limits denial grounds.
VA-SB-974-HB-2660-SITE-PLAN (2025)applies
Effect
'Designated agent' administrative review replaces planning commission/governing body review for administratively-eligible submittals. Compressed shot clocks: 40-day final plat/site plan, 45-day preliminary, 30-day resubmission, 14-day designated-agent decision, 7-day minor-correction.
Federal — Langley AFB / Fort Monroeapplies
Effect
O-AICUZ overlay implements Va. Code §15.2-2295 in response to federal AICUZ study. Fort Monroe (decommissioned 2011; now NPS National Monument + Fort Monroe Authority) partially within Hampton corporate limits — NPS federal jurisdiction on the monument parcel; Hampton zoning applies to non-NPS parcels of former Fort Monroe.
Adopted building codes
Statewide — VA Uniform SBC
Click a code label to open its state-by-state adoption atlas.
Quirks & notes
Formulas
Definitions
- height
- Grade to highest point of structure (Ch. 2). DT-3 base point may be raised to 8.5 ft above MSL (§8-44(3)(a)). Over-water DT structures measured from mean high water extension.
- lot_coverage
- Building footprint / lot area; principal + accessory (Ch. 2).
- far
- Not primary metric in Hampton code; density controlled by min lot size and du/ac caps.
- du_ac
- §2-__ distinguishes gross density (du/gross acre) from net density (du/buildable acre). MD-1/2/3 density caps are BUILDABLE acre.
- setback_front
- Front property line to nearest building face. R-LL/R-43/R-33/R-22/R-15/R-13/R-11/R-9: pre-ordinance lots use block-average-front-yard rule (avg of block, minimum 20 ft, capped at 60 ft).
- setback_side
- Most one/two-family districts use a % formula: sum of two side yards ≥25% of lot width, no individual <10%. Lots ≤40 ft and of record prior to Jan 27, 1960 may use 5 ft each.
- setback_rear
- Base 20 ft; increased by 1/3 of lot depth over 75 ft, capped at 35 ft max.
- parking
- Chapter 11 — not extracted in this pass.
Capacity calculations
- max_footprint_sf
lot_area_sf * lot_coverage- max_gfa_sf
not_applicable (no FAR regime)- buildable_width_ft
lot_width_ft - setback_side_ft * 2- buildable_depth_ft
lot_depth_ft - setback_front_ft - setback_rear_ft- max_stories_approx
max_height_ft / 10
Massing explorer
Interactive 3D comparison across every district. Drag to orbit, scroll to zoom, use the slider to walk districts, and toggle applicable overlays in the right-side panel.
Sort by
Max height
— ft
——
Floor area ratio
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Lot coverage
—%
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Setbacks (F / S / R)
— ft
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Parking
— /unit
——
Max density
— du/ac
——
Min lot size
— sf
——
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| District | Category | Height | FAR | Coverage | Setbacks | Parking | Density | Min lot | Overlays |
|---|
Sources & references
Primary source
Municode /va/hampton/codes/zoning is JS-rendered; chapter anchors do not return text to scripted WebFetch. Canonical text retrieved via hampton.gov DocumentCenter/View/7112 PDF (12,215-line pdftotext extraction). Zoning Ordinance is a SEPARATE publication from the general Code of Ordinances (/codes/code_of_ordinances).
Citations
- [1] na
Research status
Publication gates
| primary url present | passed | |
|---|---|---|
| no aggregator cited | passed | |
| confidence tags full form | passed | |
| overlays have parameters trigger confidence | passed | |
| preempt section city specific | passed |
Known issues
freshness:volatile
Verification
| last_verified_at | 2026-04-18T23:30:00Z |
|---|---|
| verifier_specialist | verification-pass |
| verifier_version | 1.0 |
| verification_result | passed |
| atomic_claims_checked | 78 |
| atomic_claims_passed | 78 |
| verification_notes | Every base-district lot-size and height claim cites Ch. 4, 5, 6, 7, or 8. Chapter 9 overlay enumeration is EXHAUSTIVE per extracted TOC (7 overlays; no Art. 8+ exists in Ch. 9). Under_review items: O-HP designated-property inventory; Hampton STR ordinance status; Hampton Ch. 14 amendments vs. SB 974/HB 2660; Fort Monroe NPS boundary. |
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