Comprehensive Plan – Measurable Objectives or Wish List?
What is the Comprehensive Plan?
The Comprehensive Plan (or Comp Plan) is a long range plan intended to direct the growth and physical development of our community for the next 20 years. It is updated every five years. It is being updated as we speak.
Since 1980, each Virginia locality has been required to have one. Simply stated it is a detailed guide for the physical development of the land area within the jurisdiction of a locality that will be coordinated and harmonious. It has recommendations for how and where County growth should occur. It includes recommendations for supporting local business and industry, protecting natural resources, providing transportation options for walking, biking, public transit, and driving, and allowing and encouraging a variety of housing types.
For the Planning Commission’s current plan update click here
What is a Comp Plan Used For?
determine where new development should occur and at what density.
recommend updates to existing local zoning ordinances.
make funding decisions for public projects.
protect ecosystems and natural resources in the Rural Areas
preserve historical, cultural, and scenic resources
promote a strong, diverse, and sustainable economy
What Content Is Required In A Comprehensive Plan?
Long range recommendations for general development of the locality with specific recommendations for
Transportation plan
Road and Transportation map
Affordable housing areas
Additional Optional Content, pertaining to the long range recommendations for general development in the locality, can also be included -
Land Use
Community service facilities
Capital improvements programs
Historical areas and renewal
Groundwater protection
Recycling centers
Military bases
Utility line corridors
Urban development areas
The guideline for writing a Comprehensive Plan states that “internal consistency within a comprehensive plan is essential because, without it, a zoning ordinance can never be truly aligned with the Comprehensive Plan, and without it, the Comprehensive Plan cannot effectively serve as a clear guide to future development”
The 2015 Comprehensive Plan has many conflicts with the Albemarle County Code.
Most importantly, the 2015 Plan specifically states that there is a conflict with the Plan’s use of Net Density (includes only developable land and does not include acreage of parks, wetlands, streams, critical slopes, etc.).
The County’s Code fails to address this in determining the available acreage used to calculate the number of units allowed on a zoning modification allowance request.
Example – A parcel of 100 acres, which includes 10 acres of parks & wetlands, and has an allowable density of 3 units per acre:
Gross Density = (90 usable acres plus 10 acres of parks & wetlands = counts as 100 acres) @ 3 units per acre = 300 units.
Net Density (100 acres minus the 10 acres of parks & wetlands acres) = 90 usable acres)
@ 3 units per usable acre = 270 units.
The difference is 30 total units.
Our Comprehensive Plan was adopted on June 10, 2015. It is:
· 406 pages long
· contains 9 goals
· 83 objectives
· 337 strategies
This document is estimated at a cost of six figures to produce, has probably not been read by more than 1-2% of County residents even though it is the document that guides (but not controls) so many of the County’s decisions!
We Know, You Want To Drop What You Are Doing And Read It, Right?
First, you have to go online to albemarle.org.
Across the top of this site are the following headings:
Community
Government
Business
How do I?
The easiest way is to select the “How do I?” heading.
Select the magnifying glass symbol on the top right hand part of the page.
Type in “Comprehensive Plan”.
Then select from the list that appears. . .
No wonder so few people read it!
The Comp Plan could use, and we suggest, the Following improvements for the Update that is now underway
Clearly defined goals
Clearly defined strategies
Objectives and goals defined in measurable terms
Accountability assignment of objectives and goals
Regular accounting to public of progress
Easy access with concise and less complicated language
Dennis Odinov notes -
I cannot find where the responsibility lies for fulfilling the various strategies, nor could I locate any report that showed what progress has been made in fulfilling them.
So I wrote to the AC44 website (Albemarle County 2044):
“I have been following the AC 44 work, and to familiarize myself with the structure I have reviewed the 2015 Comprehensive Plan. I counted 335 strategies as part of nine goals. I have not been able to find any reference to who had the responsibility for these goals, and what status reports have been submitted. Would you please direct me to the proper references so that I can understand the process better.”
And three days later I received the following reply:
“Thank you for your question! The strategies within the current (2015) Comprehensive Plan are intended to achieve the Plan’s goals and objectives. Some strategies are ongoing, especially those related to development review and applying regulations (for example: Continue to apply the Watershed Protection Ordinance throughout the County to help protect and preserve water resources.” These would be carried out by the appropriate staff as they review applications or enforce/apply regulations. ( I consider this a continuing job responsibility, not a strategy). Other strategies are for recommendations for specific projects or types of projects to be funded in the future. These recommendations are used to help inform the County’s Capital Improvement Program (CIP). Examples of these projects include transportation improvements and parks and trails. Additionally, the five Master Plans (which are part of the Comp Plan) provide recommendations for each Development Area.” (which often are not followed).
And then they finally answered my question:
“One of the three AC44 goals is: Improve Plan usability by articulating clearly prioritized goals, incorporating metrics for tracking progress, and applying a modern, streamlined document design. So we will definitely be taking a look at how implementation and prioritization is currently structured in the Comp Plan and how it can be improved.”
I was glad to see the last paragraph, because it shows that they recognize the deficiencies of the 2015 plan and will try to address them. This is vitally important, because without accountability the Comprehensive Plan is just a bunch of word salad.
Moose Lodge Property Update
The Board of Supervisors voted unanimously to permit a connection to the water line originally designed to serve only Glenmore and Rivanna Village, that will cross Rte. 250 to serve the former Moose Lodge building.
We were asked several questions by our readers with regard to this connection.
Answers:
As you know, we previously led opposition to the zoning modification request for the Breezy Hill development east of Glenmore. Southern Development asked for 160 units at first, and when confronted with united opposition, reduced the requested number of units several times before finally getting approval for roughly half the initial density The original Breezy Hill application was in violation of the provisions in our Master Plan with regard to traffic and allowable density at the eastern end of the Village of Rivanna development area.
The approval for the water line extending out to Glenmore from Charlottesville specifically prohibits extensions from the development area to the rural areas. The request was to extend the water line from the development area across Rte. 250 to three properties in the rural area and to provide a line to a church proposed in the former Moose Lodge building. A number of wells had previously been drilled on this property and all failed to supply water in sufficient quantity and quality. The application, however, did not identify the church by name or denomination and water line extensions to all three tracts of land were requested. Consequently, we were very wary. If a water line were extended to the three tracts, the unidentified “church” could flip the property at a nice profit, and open the possibility for more dense development that would increase traffic on an already overburdened Route 250.
Fortunately, the Board of Supervisors, when approving the application, specified that the line could only supply the Moose Lodge building or a replacement structure that could not be of greater square footage. Finally, they denied the extension of the water line to the other two properties on the site.
We believe that the decision made by the Supervisors appropriately addresses our concerns.
Additional answers to reader’s questions -
Rt 250 is already over capacity. Any new development will have a negative impact on traffic and emissions.
We are already experiencing negative impact to our wildlife. Many people experience it on a daily basis.
This approval will not enable or prevent affordable housing as it is a proposal for a church.
As to whether this will impact the price of our water or create a strain on supply, research is needed to determine. It is hoped that the Supervisors considered these statistics prior to so quickly approving any new connections.