The proposed General Assembly Substitute Bill No. 7113 aims to facilitate the development of "light-touch density housing" in single-family residential zones. This type of housing includes various forms of residential units such as duplexes, triplexes, and accessory dwelling units, which are designed to be compatible in scale and character with traditional single-family homes. The bill establishes definitions for key terms and sets forth objective zoning, subdivision, and health or safety standards that must be uniformly verifiable and cannot impose unreasonable costs or delays on the development process. Notably, it allows for administrative consideration of proposed light-touch density housing containing up to four residential units without discretionary review, provided there is access to water and sewerage.

Furthermore, the bill restricts municipal agencies from adopting standards that would hinder the development of light-touch density housing, such as imposing minimum lot sizes greater than 5,000 square feet or maximum floor-area ratios below 150%. It also prohibits requirements that would limit the height of buildings to less than three stories or impose excessive fees. However, it allows for certain exceptions, such as setback requirements and off-street parking regulations, particularly in proximity to public transit. The act is set to take effect on July 1, 2025, and introduces new legal language while deleting any conflicting provisions in existing law.