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Manassas planning staff present draft 2045 comprehensive plan and mobility master plan; public hearing set
Summary
City planning staff presented updates to the 2045 comprehensive plan and the mobility master plan, highlighting demographic updates, a proposed tourist corridor on Route 28, housing and parks updates, and a prioritized multimodal transportation program; a formal public hearing will be held next week and adoption may be considered Oct. 27.
City planning staff presented the draft 2045 comprehensive plan update and a concurrent mobility master plan, summarizing demographic updates, completed projects, new priorities and recommended transportation investments. Planning staff said public comments from a town‑hall and a scheduled public hearing will be compiled into a comment‑and‑response package for council review before consideration of adoption.
Christian Samples, the planning manager, told council the code of Virginia requires jurisdictions to review the comprehensive plan at least every five years; the city authorized the current update in March 2024. The update incorporates 2020 Census and other demographic changes, removes completed projects such as the recently finished city hall and public safety building, and adds recommended focus areas including a potential tourist corridor along Route 28 and more attention to the Mathis character area.
Housing and parks: the draft increases emphasis on attainable housing and regional housing partnerships with Prince William County and the City of Manassas Park. The plan recommends the recently purchased Marstellar site for Fire Station Number 1 and asks for updates to the 2016 parks, recreation and cultural needs assessment. Planning staff also recommended increasing tree canopy and sustainability measures.
Mobility master plan highlights: Chloe presented the updated multimodal transportation analysis, including a refreshed traffic model and levels‑of‑service analysis. The team found 50 of 62 signalized intersections operate at level of service C or better under current conditions, with 12 intersections at D or worse and one at F. Forecasts to 2045 show several major intersections (for example, Liberia Avenue at Prince William Parkway and other downtown locations) would not meet acceptable levels of service without further study and potential redesign. The mobility plan recommends a prioritized pedestrian and bicycle network, differentiated bicycle facilities based on level‑of‑traffic‑stress, safety corridors and a set of performance metrics (2025 baseline, 2030 targets, 2045 targets) to measure progress.
Engagement and next steps: staff reported public outreach included a comprehensive plan committee (11 meetings), surveys and interagency comments from VDOT, DRPT, NVTA and Prince William County. The plan and mobility master plan are posted online; staff will accept comments at the evening’s town hall, during next week’s public hearing (scheduled for Sept. 22 in the transcript), and will present adoption for consideration at the Oct. 27 council meeting.
Ending: Council asked clarifying questions about the proposed tourist overlay corridor, signal retiming and performance metrics. Staff said additional technical study will be needed for major intersection changes and that the plan establishes policy guidance and priorities rather than immediate construction commitments.
