Project Archives

The following are plans and studies conducted in the rural areas of the Charlottesville region over the past several years.  The Thomas Jefferson Planning District conducted work on most of these projects, or was involved with specific tasks.  Refer to separate member websites for any plans or studies that were developed by individual localities and organizations in the region’s rural areas.

Transportation Plans and Studies

Calendar Year – 2009

Louisa County Transportation Plan (THA Grant, Final Report) – This report summarizes the work conducted on Louisa County’s Transportation Plan, with assistance from the THA Toolkit and funding from VBPD.  These efforts represent the initial steps in developing the County’s Transportation Plan.  The report completed the initial data collection phase of the process and laid the foundation for the next steps in developing the transportation plan. 

Town of Mineral Downtown Revitalization (THA Final Report) – This document is a final report for an assessment of accessibility in the downtown of the Town of Mineral.  The study was conducted by the Thomas Jefferson Planning District Commission (TJPDC) and the Town of Mineral with use of a grant from the Transportation and Housing Alliance (THA).  The primary purpose of the study was to assess the existing physical condition of Mineral Avenue, the central corridor of the town, with particular attention paid to the needs of people with disabilities and others typically left out of the planning process.

Calendar Year – 2008
Coordinated Human Service Mobility Plan (CHSM) – There are coordinated planning requirements in the Federal legislation that provides funding for transit projects and services.  To meet these requirements, the Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation (DRPT) undertook the development of CHSM Plans for rural and small urban areas of the Commonwealth.  While these plans focus on the elements of the FTA coordinated planning requirements, these plans also take a broad view of the mobility issues faced daily by older adults, people with disabilities, and people with lower incomes in Virginia.

Calendar Year – 2007
Northwest Fluvanna/Southwest Louisa Corridor Study – This is a transportation and land use study that focuses on the fastest growing portion of Fluvanna and Louisa Counties.  The study area is bounded to the north by Zion Crossroads and to the south by highway 53, passing through Palmyra.  This Report summarizes the Corridor Study process, and provides a hands-on, how-to guide for achieving the region’s vision for the future.  This includes a Framework Plan that provides policymakers, planners, and the public with design guidelines and development tools to help achieve the common vision for the region’s future, and includes strategies for coordinating transportation and land use.

Calendar Year – 2006
Nellysford Community Plan – The Nellysford Community Plan is the result of an extensive effort to collect and analyze data relevant to the greater Nellysford area, located in Nelson County.  The plan establishes what Nellysford residents and businesses wish for their community.  The purpose of these efforts was to plan a safer transportation network, improve and enhance the overall business environment, identify potential development of housing opportunities, guide the development of new public spaces, and guide the pattern and design of future development.

Zion Crossroads Community Plan – This plan represents a collaborative effort between Fluvanna County citizens, staff and business owners, and the Thomas Jefferson Planning District Commission.  The plan is the fourth and final installment in a series of community plans for Fluvanna County.  The Fork Union, Lake Monticello, Palmyra and Zion Crossroads Community Plans were designed to be incorporated into Fluvanna County’s Comprehensive Plan.  The Zion Crossroads Community Plan also feeds into the Northwest Fluvanna/Southwest Louisa Corridor Study.

Calendar Year – 2005
Lake Monticello Community Plan – This report summarizes a community-based vision for the Lake Monticello area of Fluvanna County.  It was developed by Fluvanna County and the Thomas Jefferson
Planning District Commission, with ideas generated at public workshops, conversations with stakeholders and follow-up meetings with a steering committee.  Priority themes were to increase traffic safety and improve flow at key intersections, enhance existing commercial centers, provide housing choices, preserve the rural character of the surrounding area, and protect precious natural resources.

Lovingston Safety Study – The purpose of this plan is to enhance the small town, pedestrian-oriented character of historic Lovingston, located along the Route 29 corridor in Nelson County.  The Safety Study is meant to achieve a safer, more efficient connection between historic Lovingston and the growth occurring on the western side of Route 29. The study’s recommendations are designed to achieve a balanced, multi-modal system that allows pedestrians, bicyclists, and drivers to safely travel in the greater Lovingston area while maintaining and improving the capacity of Route 29 for regional through traffic.

Palmyra Community Plan – The Palmyra Community Plan is meant to achieve the community-based vision for the historic Palmyra Village and surrounding area.  This plan included substantial input from Fluvanna County residents, business owners and staff as well as the Virginia Department of Transportation.  It builds upon the concepts and ideas presented in the 2000 Fluvanna County Comprehensive Plan.

Calendar Year – 2004
Eastern Planning Initiative – The TJPDC won a grant from the Federal Highway Administration Transportation and Community and System Preservation (TCSP) program to conduct the Jefferson Area Eastern Planning Initiative (EPI) for the City of Charlottesville, the eastern portions of Albemarle and Greene Counties, and the whole of Fluvanna and Louisa Counties.  The initiative has two primary objectives; to develop a set of modeling tools capable of concurrently evaluating transportation and land use options, and to lay the groundwork for a regional vision of sustainable transportation and land use.  The final documents include a Policy Report and Technical Report.

Crozet Development Area Master Plan – The Albemarle Board of Supervisors selected Crozet as the County’s first Master Plan, based on the community’s strong interest and high level of development activity.  The Board adopted this document as part of the Albemarle County Comprehensive Plan. 

Fork Union Community Plan – This report summarizes a community-based vision for the greater Fork Union area.  It was developed by Fluvanna County and the Thomas Jefferson Planning District Commission as an outgrowth of public workshops.  Specific ideas generated included creating a village atmosphere through beautification and traffic calming, improving pedestrian access, and encouraging small-scale, community-based economic development.  

Design Manual for Small Towns – This is a practical "how to" handbook for residents of small towns, their elected officials, and the local government staff who support them.  It provides transportation and land use strategies for preserving small town character.  The Design Manual is organized in a fashion that shows the community how to work together to better understand the existing conditions, identify current transportation problems, and articulate desirable solutions.

Other Regional Projects

The following are additional reports and plans that the Planning District conducted over the past several years.  These documents focus on other topics, besides transportation, but may still be useful for rural planning in your area.  These topics include environmental, housing and accessibility issues.

Environmental

Regional Natural Hazard Mitigation Plan (webpage) – The Federal Disaster Mitigation Act of 2000 requires all localities to develop and adopt a hazard mitigation plan or participate in a regional plan in order to continue to be eligible for funding through the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) Hazard Mitigation Grant Program and Pre-Disaster Mitigation Grant Program.  This Regional Natural Hazard Mitigation Plan (document) is a multi-jurisdictional plan that enables the localities of the Thomas Jefferson Planning District Commission (TJPDC) –Albemarle County, Fluvanna County, Greene County, Louisa County, Nelson County, the City of Charlottesville, and the Towns of Scottsville, Columbia, Stanardsville, Louisa, and Mineral – to meet this requirement.  The plan addresses natural hazards such as flooding, winter storms, and wildfires. It is neither intended nor required to address non-natural disasters, such as terrorism, chemical spills, or similar events.

Solid Waste Management Plan (webpage) – This is an update to the Thomas Jefferson Planning District Solid Waste Management Plan.  It serves as a regional plan for the local governments of Albemarle County, City of Charlottesville, Fluvanna County, Greene County, Nelson County, and the towns of Columbia, Scottsville, and Stanardsville.  The Solid Waste Management Plan (document) details proposed systems for recycling, reuse, collection, disposal and treatment of a large variety of wastes, and establishes general goals and policies.  The planning group met regularly over the course of a year to write this plan both to satisfy the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality requirements, and to serve as a basis for strategic planning for solid waste in the longer term.

Lake Anna Special Area Plan (webpage) – This Plan is the culmination of the work from the Special Area Plan Committee appointed by the three Elected Bodies of Orange, Spotsylvania and Louisa Counties.  The primary issue addressed in the plan is the quality of water in the Lake and its tributaries.  A consistent regional approach is recommended for local action to preserve and protect Lake Anna’s water quality.  This approach recognizes the regional nature of the watershed and the local authority for implementing the recommendations.  The Lake Anna Special Area Plan (document) was submitted to the Boards of Supervisors to accept as a regional plan for incorporation into each local comprehensive plan.

Housing

Green Building Sourcebook (webpage) – A new initiative encourages the use of sustainable, green building techniques and materials in the development of affordable housing in the region. As part of this initiative, the HOME Consortium developed the Green Building Sourcebook (document) to provide information and resources for people interested in learning more about building sustainable, affordable housing.  The Thomas Jefferson Planning District Commission is committed to regional planning that links land use, affordable housing, the economy and the environment with the goal of developing sustainable communities.

The State of Housing Report – This is a regional housing report that was developed by the Thomas Jefferson Regional HOME Consortium.  The Housing report covers topics such as affordable rental supply, housing for special populations, workforce housing, commuting patterns, migration patterns, and other housing related items.  There is a summary of numerous programs in the Planning District.  It also discusses housing needs and recommendations for local governments, non-profit foundations, and other community partners to consider.

Accessibility

2006 Needs Assessment – Jefferson Area Disability Services Board – The assessment of needs is the first step of a process to mobilize resources for filling gaps in services for people with physical and sensory disabilities.  This assessment is based on both quantitative and qualitative data.  The analysis considers the services currently being provided in the region and the needs of people with disabilities in order to identify gaps in those services.  The DSB used the assessment to inform and educate local governments and other service providers, to provide local information to state-level agencies and organizations, and to highlight areas where the Board can effectively work to coordinate and stimulate activities to fill the identified gaps in services.  

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