Harrisonburg Zoning Ordinance Update: Open Houses on October 21 and 26

The City of Harrisonburg is holding two public open houses on its proposed zoning ordinance update: Wednesday, October 21, and Monday, October 26, both from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. Nothing is being voted on at either one. City staff will be there to explain the proposed changes and take feedback, and the city says it aims to bring a final proposal to City Council in early 2027.

When and where are the Harrisonburg zoning open houses?

Both events are open house style, so you can stop in at any point during the two hours.

• Wednesday, October 21, 2026, 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. Harrisonburg Public Works Building, 320 East Mosby Road.
• Monday, October 26, 2026, 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. Lucy F. Simms Continuing Education Center, 620 Simms Avenue.

The city’s project page lists four topics for the open houses: what zoning is, zoning districts and maps, what else is proposed to change, and future plans. Local reporting on the events also describes booths and handouts on zoning districts, residential lot area requirements, setbacks, parking requirements, and the review process for townhouse development, plus a booth on the Comprehensive Plan.

What is a zoning ordinance, and why does it matter for home values?

A zoning ordinance is the set of rules that says what can be built where: which districts allow single-family homes, townhomes, apartments, shops or offices, and how big a lot has to be, how far a building sits from the property line, and how much parking is required.

Those rules shape what gets built next door, what a vacant lot can become, and what you can add to your own property. If you own a home, you are buying or selling in a place whose rules are about to be rewritten. If you are looking at a lot or an older house you might redevelop, the lot area, setback, and parking rules decide what is possible.

What is actually proposed in the update?

The city’s project page says the update proposes changes to residential lot area requirements, setbacks, commercial parking requirements, and the townhouse development review process. It links handouts for each, and a draft ordinance dated October 15, 2026. We have not summarized the handouts here because the details matter, and the draft itself is the place to read them.

Two related items were already on public notices this month. The city’s hearings page listed a City Council hearing on October 13 on a zoning amendment that would reduce the minimum lot width for single-family detached homes in the R-8 district from 35 feet to 30 feet, and a Planning Commission hearing on October 14 on shopping center parking calculations. We have not confirmed the outcome of either, so check the city’s meeting records before relying on them.

Is anything being voted on?

No. The open houses are information and feedback sessions. The Planning Commission held work sessions on the update on June 16, July 21, August 18, and September 15. The city has not published a date for a Council vote. Staff say they aim to bring a final proposal to City Council in early 2027, and any adoption would come through a formal public hearing with its own notice.

How can I comment if I cannot make either open house?

You have several options, all listed on the city’s project page:

• Take the online survey linked from the Zoning Ordinance Update Project page.
• Email [email protected].
• Mail or drop off comments at the Department of Community Development, City Hall second floor, 409 South Main Street, Harrisonburg, VA 22801.
• Speak with staff at City Hall during business hours. The Planning and Zoning Division can also be reached at 540-432-7700.

How does this connect to what is being built right now?

Zoning is the rulebook behind every project on our running list. If you want to see what is already permitted or under construction around the city, see What’s Being Built in Harrisonburg Right Now: All 48 Active Construction Projects. The proposed lot, setback, and parking rules would apply to projects like those going forward.

What should buyers and owners do?

Read the handouts for the districts that cover your street or the area you are shopping in, then bring your questions to a staff member at an open house. A short list of questions helps: what is changing in my district, does it change what I can build or add, and when would it take effect.

If you are weighing a purchase, a sale, or a redevelopment and want to talk through how zoning could affect it, the Valley Homes Team is happy to help you read the local picture. Reach out any time, no pressure.

Sources: City of Harrisonburg Zoning Ordinance Update Project page and Public Hearings and Notices page (harrisonburgva.gov), confirmed by local news coverage of the open houses. Dates and details are as published by the city as of October 19, 2026.