Poquoson planning commission to begin comp‑plan update focused on north side of Victory Boulevard

The Poquoson Planning Commission on July 21 agreed to begin a targeted update of the city’s comprehensive plan aimed at the north side of Victory Boulevard and to ask staff to design a citizen and landowner survey to guide future zoning and development decisions.

Commissioners and staff said the area—described repeatedly as the city’s last large chunk of developable land on the west entry—faces environmental constraints, limited road frontage and a patchwork of ownership that make piecemeal development likely. Staff urged a deliberate, staged approach that would craft a unified vision before pursuing code changes. "We had a 28% response rate in the comprehensive plan on mailing out some of our surveys," Mr. Horton said, citing prior engagement levels as a baseline for outreach.

Why this matters: commissioners said they want to balance commercial uses with preserved natural areas, improve connectivity and consider senior‑oriented housing options while avoiding unplanned sprawl. Staff recommended sequencing: update the comp plan first, then pursue zoning amendments or overlay districts to enable any master‑planned development.

What happened: staff described possible elements for a future master plan—planned connectivity, sidewalks, public spaces and environmental buffers—and recommended a comprehensive property inventory, including identification of undeveloped R‑1 parcels and EDA‑owned parcels that could seed development. Commissioners asked that the survey clearly define the geographic area under consideration and suggested using illustrations or QR codes to help respondents understand the scope.

Next steps: staff will prepare a draft survey and present it to the commission at its next meeting for feedback before distribution. Commissioners emphasized proactive landowner engagement and multiple public hearings before any zoning changes are proposed.