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Citizens advisory committee outlines vision, lot-size and density options in Charles City comprehensive plan update
Summary
County Community Development staff reported progress on a long-overdue comprehensive plan update, summarizing survey results and Citizens Advisory Committee recommendations on density, lot sizes and development priorities.
Gary Mitchell of Charles City County Community Development updated the Board of Supervisors on work by the Citizens Advisory Committee (CAC) to update the county's comprehensive plan, which had not been revised since 2014.
Mitchell said the update began with a Citizens Planning Academy and regular CAC meetings. He read the committee's draft vision statement: "Our vision is to preserve and protect our county's historic natural and cultural resources while promoting responsible growth, striving to be a model plan community where preservation and sustainable development foster a vibrant, healthy and inclusive future." Mitchell said a mission statement and more detailed goals followed.
Survey and CAC findings
Mitchell summarized an online public survey (conducted Sept'Dec) with about a 20% response rate. Key survey points he reported: - Respondents skewed older, with about 40% aged 65+ and roughly 30% aged 55—264. Nearly 70% reported no children in the household. - Top development preferences included more restaurants, small retail, medical and dental offices, and mixed-use projects. - On housing, respondents favored single-family homes on 1'5 acre lots and age-restricted or assisted-living options.
CAC recommendations and definitions
The CAC used a dot-voting exercise to rank priorities and proposed policy clarifications intended to reduce ambiguity in the existing plan and ordinance. Items Mitchell described included: - Requiring paved roads for minor subdivisions (with family subdivisions exempt by state law). - Proposals to set minimum lot sizes north of Route 5 at 25 acres and south of Route 5 at 5 acres for future subdivisions (family subdivisions exempt). - Clear definitions for density categories (rural, low, moderate, high) with proposed minimum and average lot sizes and thresholds for central water and sewer.
Timing
Mitchell said he expected a draft comprehensive plan to be available for the board by late May or early June, and that CAC meets twice monthly on the first and third Tuesdays.
Ending
The board had no substantive policy votes at the meeting on the comprehensive plan; Mitchell said the next steps are continued CAC meetings, technical support from PlanRVA and Crater PDC, and drafting the plan for board review.
