====== Charlottesville, Virginia — Regulatory Process Guide ======

This wiki documents civic processes for residents, property owners, and businesses operating in the City of Charlottesville, Virginia. Each section maps a workflow from the [[https://library.municode.com/va/charlottesville/codes/code_of_ordinances|Charlottesville City Code of Ordinances]] as an interactive BPMN process diagram. Use this as a starting point to understand what steps are required, which city departments are involved, and where to find official forms.

**Primary contact:** Neighborhood Development Services (NDS), City Hall, 605 E Main St · (434) 970-3182

----


===== Process Directory =====

This guide is organized as one page per civic process. Each process page follows the same format: governing city code chapter, key official links, and an interactive BPMN process diagram. Select a process below.

===== I. Business & Licensing =====
  * [[charlottesville:01_starting_a_business|Starting a Business in Charlottesville]]

===== II. Building & Construction =====
  * [[charlottesville:02_building_permit|Building Permit Process]]
  * [[charlottesville:03_electrical_permit|Electrical Permit & Lamp / Fixture Installation]]

===== III. Zoning & Land Use =====
  * [[charlottesville:04_zoning_variance_sup|Zoning Variance & Special Use Permit]]
  * [[charlottesville:05_subdivision|Subdivision of Land]]

===== IV. Signs =====
  * [[charlottesville:06_sign_permit|Sign Permit Process]]

===== V. Historic Preservation =====
  * [[charlottesville:07_bar_coa|Board of Architectural Review (BAR) — Certificate of Appropriateness]]

===== VI. Environmental & Utilities =====
  * [[charlottesville:08_water_stormwater|Water Protection / Stormwater]]
  * [[charlottesville:09_solid_waste|Solid Waste & Recycling]]

===== VII. Special Activities & Public Space =====
  * [[charlottesville:10_special_events|Amusements & Special Events]]
  * [[charlottesville:11_city_market|City Market Vendors]]
  * [[charlottesville:12_special_sales|Special Sales (Yard Sales, Going-Out-of-Business)]]

===== VIII. Transportation =====
  * [[charlottesville:13_streets_row|Streets & Sidewalks — Encroachments & Right-of-Way Permits]]
  * [[charlottesville:14_vehicles_for_hire|Vehicles for Hire (Taxis, TNCs)]]

===== IX. Taxation =====
  * [[charlottesville:15_taxes|Business & Property Taxes]]

===== X. Animals & Noise =====
  * [[charlottesville:16_animals|Animal Regulations]]
  * [[charlottesville:17_noise|Noise Control]]

===== Quick Reference: City Departments =====

^ Department ^ Primary Responsibilities ^ Contact ^
| Neighborhood Development Services (NDS) | Zoning, building permits, BAR, sign permits, subdivisions | (434) 970-3182 |
| Commissioner of Revenue | Business licenses, BPOL tax, vehicle decals | (434) 970-3170 |
| City Treasurer | Tax payments, real estate, personal property | (434) 970-3146 |
| Public Works | ROW permits, streets, stormwater | (434) 970-3800 |
| City Utilities | Water/sewer connections and permits | (434) 970-3500 |
| City Market | Vendor licensing | (434) 970-3371 |

----


----



===== XI. FOIA — Freedom of Information Act =====

Virginia FOIA governs public access to government records and open meetings. See the dedicated deep-dive page for complete process flows, SpiffWorkflow implementation guidance, role mapping, and legal reference.

**→ [[charlottesville:foia|FOIA Deep-Dive: Records Requests, Open Meetings, Enforcement & SpiffWorkflow Implementation]]**

Key processes covered:
  * Citizen records request process with all response types (§ 2.2-3704)
  * Internal FOIA Officer workflow with deadline enforcement
  * Open meetings compliance for all city boards (§§ 2.2-3707 – 2.2-3712)
  * Court enforcement (§ 2.2-3713) and penalties (§ 2.2-3714)
  * SpiffWorkflow roles, service task connectors, form schemas, and DMN exemption table

**Charlottesville FOIA Contact:** City Attorney's Office · 434-970-3131 · [[https://www.charlottesville.gov/774/Submit-a-FOIA-Request|Submit a Request Online]]

----



===== Full Code of Ordinances =====

Browse the complete [[https://library.municode.com/va/charlottesville/codes/code_of_ordinances|Charlottesville Code of Ordinances on Municode]]. The code is organized into 34 chapters covering all areas of city regulation. The most recent supplement is Supplement 63 (updated February 2026).