Warren County Board adopts updated comprehensive plan, selects Option 1 for future land use

The Warren County Board of Supervisors voted to adopt an updated comprehensive plan and selected Option 1 for the proposed future land-use map during their April 1 meeting.

Planning staff presented a staff-recommended draft that incorporated input from the planning commission, VDOT, outside organizations and dozens of residents. The board's motion to adopt the plan with Option 1 passed on a roll call vote: Missus Cook, Dr. Jamieson, the chairman and Mr. Stanmeyer voted aye; Missus Cullors voted no.

The plan updates include rewritten guidance on cluster developments (chapter 3, section 2), removal of a bonus-density implementation tied to affordable housing, elimination of a specific 3.5-acre minimum reference for accessory dwelling units, updated cost estimates from VDOT in table 7.2, and several targeted map corrections. Planning staff said they removed an agricultural buffer for Slate Run Farm LLC properties and amended the future land-use designation for several tax parcels; staff also proposed an optional extension of the highway corridor overlay district to include tax map 4 lot 308 (the lot adjacent to Family Dollar).

Planning staff told the board the comprehensive plan would remain general in form and that ordinance-level specifics'for example, lot-size and accessory dwelling unit regulations'would be resolved later in zoning text amendments. Staff also noted a recommendation to add quarry exploration as a secondary option for water supply planning and strengthened language directing affordable housing toward town urban development areas.

During discussion, several supervisors expressed caution about encouraging cluster development in rural areas without clear water and septic capacity. Planning staff and supervisors said successful cluster projects in Warren County have typically been small (often fewer than 10'12 lots) and preserve roughly 60% open space, but that private well and septic constraints make larger rural cluster developments challenging.

The planning commission had recommended approval; staff asked the board to begin the next five-year review process consistent with state code timelines. Staff said implementation steps and any subsequent zoning text amendments will be brought back through the planning commission and then to the board for separate review and adoption.

The board directed staff to proceed with the adopted plan and to schedule future ordinance work sessions on details such as accessory dwelling units and the highway corridor overlay boundary.