Table of Contents
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 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
II. Building & Construction
III. Zoning & Land Use
IV. Signs
V. Historic Preservation
VI. Environmental & Utilities
VII. Special Activities & Public Space
VIII. Transportation
IX. Taxation
X. Animals & Noise
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.
→ 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 · Submit a Request Online
Full Code of Ordinances
Browse the complete 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).