# Virginia HB1212: Zoning; small lot residential districts required.

Virginia HB1212, Zoning; small lot residential districts required., is a 2026 Regular Session House bill sponsored by Briana D. Sewell (Democratic); status signed, last action 2026-04-13 (Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0751)); PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-10-12).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB1212-2026
- As of: 2026-10-12
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: Virginia HB1212
- State: Virginia
- Session: 2026 Regular Session
- Title: Zoning; small lot residential districts required.
- Status: signed
- Chamber: House
- Introduced: 2026-01-14
- Last action: 2026-04-13, Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0751)
- Sponsor: Briana D. Sewell (Democratic)
- Cosponsors: 0
- Touches household money: yes
- Roll calls: 9 (269 yes, 133 no in all)
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 2

## Summary

Small lot residential zoning districts. Requires any locality with a population of 50,000 or more to adopt, maintain, and apply to land within its boundaries at least one zoning district classification that permits a single-family dwelling on a lot with a minimum lot area not exceeding 3,000 square feet. The bill provides that such zoning district classifications shall not impose minimum lot widths exceeding 30 feet or setback, lot coverage, or density requirements that would preclude construction of eligible dwellings on conforming lots. The bill's provisions do not apply to areas within a historic district.

## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read

- Large localities must allow small-lot homes: benefit, low. In any Virginia city or county with 50,000 or more people, zoning must include at least one district that allows single-family homes on lots up to 3,000 square feet. That district cannot require lot widths over 30 feet. It also cannot use setbacks, lot coverage, or density limits that block buildin…
- Historic districts exempt from small-lot rules: cost, low. The small-lot requirement does not apply inside state-designated historic districts. Localities do not have to allow the small-lot option within these areas. Homes there remain under the historic-district rules.

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: Briana D. Sewell (Democratic), House

## Roll call votes

| Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2026-03-06 | House | Senate amendments agreed to by House | pass | 61 | 35 |   |
| 2026-03-06 | House | Senate amendments agreed to by House | pass | 60 | 35 |   |
| 2026-03-04 | Senate | Passed Senate with amendments | pass | 21 | 18 |   |
| 2026-03-04 | Senate | Local Government Amendments agreed to | pass | 0 | 0 |   |
| 2026-03-03 | Senate | Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote) | pass | 0 | 0 |   |
| 2026-03-03 | Senate | Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading) | pass | 40 | 0 |   |
| 2026-03-02 | Senate | Reported from Local Government with amendments | pass | 8 | 7 |   |
| 2026-02-12 | House | Read third time and passed House | pass | 62 | 35 |   |
| 2026-02-06 | House | Reported from Counties, Cities and Towns with substitute | pass | 17 | 3 | 1 |

## Actions (34)

- 2026-04-13: Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0751) (Governor)
- 2026-04-13: Approved by Governor-Chapter 751 (effective 7/1/2026) (Governor)
- 2026-03-14: Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 13, 2026 (Governor)
- 2026-03-14: Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 14, 2026 (House)
- 2026-03-13: Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB1212ER) (House)
- 2026-03-13: Enrolled (House)
- 2026-03-13: Signed by President (Senate)
- 2026-03-13: Signed by Speaker (House)
- 2026-03-06: Senate amendments agreed to by House (61-Y 35-N 0-A) (House)
- 2026-03-06: Reconsideration of Senate amendments agreed to by House (House)
- 2026-03-06: Senate amendments agreed to by House (60-Y 35-N 0-A) (House)
- 2026-03-04: Passed Senate with amendments (21-Y 18-N 0-A) (Senate)
- 2026-03-04: Local Government Amendments agreed to (Senate)
- 2026-03-04: Engrossed by Senate as amended (Senate)
- 2026-03-04: Read third time (Senate)
- 2026-03-03: Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote) (Senate)
- 2026-03-03: Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading) (40-Y 0-N 0-A) (Senate)
- 2026-03-03: Rules suspended (Senate)
- 2026-03-02: Senate committee offered (Senate)
- 2026-03-02: Reported from Local Government with amendments (8-Y 7-N) (Senate)
- 2026-02-13: Referred to Committee on Local Government (Senate)
- 2026-02-13: Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading) (Senate)
- 2026-02-12: Read third time and passed House (62-Y 35-N 0-A) (House)
- 2026-02-11: Engrossed by House - committee substitute (House)
- 2026-02-11: committee substitute agreed to (House)
- 2026-02-11: Read second time (House)
- 2026-02-10: Read first time (House)
- 2026-02-06: Committee substitute printed 26107349D-H1 (House)
- 2026-02-06: House committee offered (House)
- 2026-02-06: Reported from Counties, Cities and Towns with substitute (17-Y 3-N 1-A) (House)
- 2026-01-28: Assigned HCCT sub: Subcommittee #2 (House)
- 2026-01-21: Fiscal Impact statement From CLG (1/21/2026 2:50 pm) (House)
- 2026-01-14: Referred to Committee on Counties, Cities and Towns (House)
- 2026-01-14: Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26104253D (House)

## Bill text

- Chaptered, 2026-04-13: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1222223.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1222222.PDF)
- Enrolled, 2026-03-13: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1203634.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1203633.PDF)
- Amendment, 2026-03-04: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1194826.HTML)
- Amendment, 2026-03-02: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1187552.HTML), [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1188903.HTML)
- Substitute, 2026-02-06: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1132323.HTML), [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1132643.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1132322.PDF), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1132642.PDF)
- Introduced, 2026-01-14: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1087783.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1087782.PDF)

## Related bills

- HB5: Employment; paid sick leave, civil penalties. (signed)
- SB199: Employment; paid sick leave, civil penalties. (signed)
- HB95: Va. Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; landlord remedies, noncompliance with rental agreement. (signed)
- HB1393: Electric utilities; pilot program for energy assistance and weatherization for certain individuals. (signed)
- HB834: Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; fire or casualty damage, termination by landlord. (signed)
- HB675: Protection of employees; coercion or threat based on immigration status, civil penalty. (signed)

## Sources
- [Chaptered (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1222223.HTML)
- [Chaptered (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1222222.PDF)
- [Enrolled (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1203634.HTML)
- [Enrolled (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1203633.PDF)
- [Amendment (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1194826.HTML)
- [Amendment (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1187552.HTML)
- [Amendment (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1188903.HTML)
- [Substitute (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1132323.HTML)
- [Substitute (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1132643.HTML)
- [Substitute (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1132322.PDF)
- [Substitute (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1132642.PDF)
- [Introduced (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1087783.HTML)
- [Introduced (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1087782.PDF)

## Related
- [HB5: Employment; paid sick leave, civil penalties.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB5-2026)
- [SB199: Employment; paid sick leave, civil penalties.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-SB199-2026)
- [HB95: Va. Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; landlord remedies, noncompliance with…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB95-2026)
- [HB1393: Electric utilities; pilot program for energy assistance and weatherization for…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB1393-2026)
- [HB834: Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; fire or casualty damage, terminat…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB834-2026)
- [HB675: Protection of employees; coercion or threat based on immigration status, civil…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB675-2026)
- [Virginia bills](https://policyrisk.com/states/virginia/bills)
- [Virginia state hub](https://policyrisk.com/states/virginia)
- [All state legislation](https://policyrisk.com/state-bills)

Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB1212-2026 (as of 2026-10-12).