Does Langley Air Force Base affect zoning in Hampton?

Land near Langley Air Force Base and NASA Langley Research Center can carry compatibility considerations related to aircraft operations, in addition to the parcel's base zoning district. Check with the Department of Planning for any site near the base.

Are there special rules for Hampton's historic districts?

Areas like Phoebus and downtown Hampton carry historic-district considerations layered on top of base zoning, and redevelopment proposals in these areas should be confirmed with the Department of Planning for any applicable design or historic-review requirements.

Hampton, Virginia · city zoning districts · 10 districts

Hampton, VA zoning map & districts

Hampton, one of Hampton Roads' smaller independent cities, regulates land use under its Zoning Ordinance, administered by the Department of Planning with the Planning Commission and City Council handling rezonings and conditional-use permits. The city's zoning is shaped heavily by its historic districts, including Phoebus and downtown Hampton, and by ongoing waterfront redevelopment efforts along the Hampton River and Chesapeake Bay shoreline as the city works to reposition older commercial and industrial waterfront parcels for mixed-use reuse.

The code Hampton Zoning Ordinance

Hampton zoning map

Open the official CivQuest Atlas - City of Hampton GIS Portal — the official interactive map is the authoritative source for current district boundaries, not the summary on this page.

The Hampton Department of Planning publishes the Zoning Ordinance and official zoning map, with parcel-level zoning available through the city's online GIS mapping resources.

A published summary is never the authority. The adopted ordinance and the city's official zoning map govern, and both change — verify the district and every standard on your parcel before you rely on it.

How zoning works in Hampton

As an independent city, Hampton administers zoning entirely on its own under Virginia's Dillon's Rule framework, with no county layer above it. Land near Langley Air Force Base and NASA Langley Research Center carries additional compatibility considerations that should be checked alongside base zoning for parcels in those areas.

Hampton zoning districts by family

The 10 district codes below are the ones that decide most projects in Hampton, grouped by what they are for rather than by the order the ordinance prints them.

Key districts in the Hampton Zoning Ordinance — a curated reference, not the exhaustive list. Confirm against the current adopted code.
Code	District	What it is for
Residential 3 districts
R-9	Single-Family Residential District	Conventional single-family residential zoning.
MD-2	Multifamily Residential District	Apartment and multifamily zoning.
R-13	Single-Family Residential District	Residential district in Hampton's numbered zoning series.
Mixed-use 1 district
PO-1	Professional Office District	Office-oriented district.
Commercial 2 districts
C-1	Neighborhood Commercial District	Smaller-scale, neighborhood-serving commercial zoning.
C-3	General Commercial District	General commercial corridor zoning.
Downtown / core 1 district
DT-1	Downtown District 1	One of Hampton's Downtown district tiers covering the city's core.
Industrial 2 districts
M-1	Manufacturing District	Light industrial and manufacturing use.
M-2	Manufacturing District 2	Heavier manufacturing district than M-1.
Special purpose 1 district
R-R	Rural Residential District	Rural-character residential/agricultural district.

Hampton zoning — common questions

Does Langley Air Force Base affect zoning in Hampton?: Land near Langley Air Force Base and NASA Langley Research Center can carry compatibility considerations related to aircraft operations, in addition to the parcel's base zoning district. Check with the Department of Planning for any site near the base.
Are there special rules for Hampton's historic districts?: Areas like Phoebus and downtown Hampton carry historic-district considerations layered on top of base zoning, and redevelopment proposals in these areas should be confirmed with the Department of Planning for any applicable design or historic-review requirements.
How do I find the zoning for a property in Hampton, Virginia?: The Department of Planning maintains the Zoning Ordinance and official zoning map, with parcel-level zoning searchable through the city's online GIS resources.

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The parcel layer lands in the order demand does. Illinois went first because that's where the deals were; the next state is decided by who tells us what they're trying to underwrite. Tell us where you're building and what you wanted to run — you'll hear from us when Virginia opens, and sooner if we need a test parcel.

Keep reading

← Virginia zoning — who holds the zoning power in Virginia, under which enabling statute, and the reforms that override local rules.

Other Virginia cities

The zoning reference → — every state, plus city-level district guides like this one.

Hampton zoning summaries on this page are provided for information, not legal advice. Confirm every project against the current adopted code for the jurisdiction.