Planning commission forwards New Kent 2045 comprehensive plan with recommendation to correct factual errors

The New Kent County Planning Commission voted April 21 to forward the draft New Kent 2045 comprehensive plan to the Board of Supervisors with a favorable recommendation and instructions that staff and the consultant correct factual inconsistencies and typographical errors before submission.

Todd Gordon of EPR, the county's consultant, summarized the draft update and reminded commissioners that Virginia law requires localities to adopt a comprehensive plan to guide long‑range decisions. Gordon described the plan as a product of nearly three years of work, public engagement and steering‑committee review; he said it forecasts county population growth toward 36,000 by 2050 and includes a future land use map, chapter goals carried over from the county’s 2021 strategic plan, and a tactics matrix identifying short, medium and long‑term implementation items.

Commissioners raised questions about inconsistent numbers in the draft — for example, differing population and household‑size figures shown in separate tables and text — and about the plan's length, the balance between graphics and explanatory text, and whether the public had adequate opportunity to review the final document format. Patrick Silva, principal planner, and Gordon said elements of the plan had been posted to the project website throughout the process; the full 100‑page draft was added around the time of a joint work session and advertised in the Tidewater Review in advance of the public hearing.

Commissioners discussed options including deferring for further review. Several members said most issues appeared to be typographical or sourcing inconsistencies that staff and the consultant could correct without restarting the public‑hearing process. Planning Commission member Reverend Hathaway moved to adopt Resolution PC‑06‑25 forwarding the New Kent 2045 comprehensive plan to the Board of Supervisors with a favorable recommendation and an instruction that staff fact‑check numeric figures and correct typographical errors prior to submission. The motion passed (one abstention by Commissioner Moyer); the commission closed the public hearing and transmitted its recommendation.

Why it matters: the comprehensive plan sets long‑range policy guidance on growth, land use, transportation, utilities and public facilities. The draft emphasizes concentrating development in established growth areas, preserving rural and conservation lands, and using tactics and metrics to measure implementation — for example, tracking acres preserved in conservation easements, building permits in designated development areas, and the ratio of residential to nonresidential tax base.

Next steps: staff will work with EPR to correct identified inconsistencies and prepare the final packet for the Board of Supervisors, which will hold its own public hearing before acting on the plan.