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.

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.

The Town of Mineral

The Town of Mineral and the Thomas Jefferson Planning District Commission (TJPDC) are working together on renewing Mineral’s downtown area.  These efforts include a Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Planning Grant for Business District Revitalization. The Planning Grant activities position the Town to apply for a full CDBG Community Improvement Grant.  Click here to view the project website.

Town of Columbia Revitalization Planning

TJPDC staff are working with the Town of Columbia in Fluvanna County to prepare a Community Development Block Grant application. The purpose of the grant is to revitalize housing through the town’s main corridor.  Over the summer of 2010, a survey of all town residents, a housing condition assessment of all structures, and an assessment of infrastructure in the town was conducted.  A management team of citizens, town elected officials, and supporting staff has been convened to guide the decision-making process for the grant.  This preliminary work served to thoroughly assess the needs of the Town of Columbia.  If the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development elects to move forward with the grant, a wide-scale public participation process will be initiated to establish the town’s vision for its future and create a revitalization project that furthers this goal.

Greene County Comprehensive Plan

The Greene County Comprehensive Plan was a joint effort of the Greene County Planning Commission, the Board of Supervisors, Greene County planning staff and citizens, with technical support from the TJPDC.  The Plan was adopted by the Greene County Board of Supervisors on June 8, 2010 by a unanimous vote.   The Plan is the guiding document for the county, integrating a wide range of subjects into a coherent vision for future growth and physical development of the county.  Click here to view the project website.

Albemarle County Village of Rivanna Master Plan

This Master Plan is the result of extensive citizen input as well as guidance from the Albemarle Planning Commission and Board of Supervisors.  The Village of Rivanna Master Plan is intended to provide guidance on where and how new residential and nonresidential uses should develop in the Village of Rivanna Development Area.  It is further intended to make recommendations on the future of US 250 East across the northern boundary of the Development Area.  Finally, its purpose is to guide the timing of new development in the Village.  Click here to view the project website.