Community Planning

Successful communities take into account all of a region’s resources and link them together for the enhancement of all residents, neighborhoods, and businesses. Community planning encompasses strategies that link land use, development and transportation, systematically working through neighborhood-based problems and situations.

Most rural areas develop their long-range growth plans in a comprehensive plan. These plans take into account growth projections and define how the area will grow, and more importantly defining how the growth will be managed. From comprehensive plans, which are advisory in nature, regulations can be established to achieve the goals of a community.

The TJPDC is involved in community planning, giving special assistance to rural counties in the development of village plans and other community design issues. This is accomplished by providing local assistance in comprehensive plans, providing training and workshops, and planning and hosting charrettes and workshops.

Application for Community Development Block Grant in Town of Columbia

An application for a Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) in the Town of Columbia, known as the St. James Street Revitalization Project, is being prepared. Fluvanna County will apply for funds by March 27, 2013 for a comprehensive community development project to benefit Low-to-Moderate Income households in the area. A fact sheet and map describes project objectives, activities, and opportunities for public input. Contact Billie Campbell at bcampbell@tjpdc.org or 434-979-7310 x 230 for more information.

Town of Columbia Revitalization Planning

The Town of Columbia in Fluvanna County will be the subject of a Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) planning grant over the next two years. TJPDC assisted the town in preparing the successful grant, with the purpose of planning for the acquisition, demolition, and permanent relocation assistance for a designated project area along St. James Street. Fluvanna County will act as the agent of the grant, and TJPDC will assist the town with performing the planning tasks outlined in the proposal. The Town of Columbia has been meeting monthly with representatives from Fluvanna County, TJPDC, and citizen groups on a task force to work toward revitalization. The planning grant will fit within this broader endeavor, and the task force will also function as the management team for the grant. The Town of Columbia expects to submit an application for a Community Improvement Grant (CIG), based on the findings and the public participation process of the planning grant, in the Spring of 2013.

Charlottesville Housing and Land Use Inventory

The City of Charlottesville partnered with the TJPDC to conduct an inventory of housing conditions and existing land uses throughout the entire city. This ambitious project focused on collecting current and accurate data to help guide the city’s efforts to better meet the needs of its citizens and the overall community. The data will be an integral part of the City’s Comprehensive Plan update and results from this project also will help the City apply for grant opportunities, which typically require access to such figures and identified needs. Click here to view the final report.

Town of Stanardsville Comprehensive Plan

The Stanardsville Town Council has adopted an updated Comprehensive Plan for the Town. The Council voted to adopt the plan on July 11, 2011, after it was recommended by the Greene County Planning Commission. The plan presents a vision to support economic vitality and improve the quality of life for citizens through a variety of goals and implementation strategies. The final plan is available for download here.