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Vienna council hears Planning Commission's draft 2026 comprehensive plan update; public hearing set for May 4
Summary
Council and the Planning Commission reviewed a years-long draft update that reorganizes goals, policies and an implementation tracking approach; staff noted new emphasis on multimodal transportation, tree canopy, cell coverage and an implementation guide. Council set a May 4 public hearing and a May 18 follow-up deliberation.
Mayor (speaker 1) opened a joint work session of the Vienna Town Council and the Planning Commission to review the planning commission's recommended draft of the 2026 comprehensive plan update. Matt Glassman, chair of the Planning Commission, thanked staff and commissioners for years of outreach and said the commission finalized its recommendation on Feb. 25.
David Levy, director of Planning and Zoning, told the council the comprehensive plan is a long-range policy guide that informs zoning and capital-improvement planning. "What is a comprehensive plan? It's a long range policy guide for the town," Levy said, adding that the vision typically stretches 10—0 years and that the state requires periodic review.
Staff described a reorganization of the document around clearer goals, policies and strategies, and an implementation chapter intended to feed a tracking system that would identify responsible departments, timelines and capital priorities. Levy said chapters now call out multimodal transportation and safety, elevated tree canopy and environmental stewardship, updated standards for water and stormwater, and a stronger nod to economic development and placemaking.
The draft retains Vienna's core values—support for local businesses, single-family neighborhoods, parks and safe drinking water—while identifying areas for targeted updates, including a set of intersections recommended for study and a more intentional cellular-coverage policy. Staff said the plan retains flexibility and will be accompanied by implementation work between the council and department directors.
Councilmembers and commissioners discussed next steps: staff will assemble written comments and oral testimony for a public hearing on May 4 and return the packet for council deliberation on May 18. Levy said staff will present additional department-level material and suggested the council can direct edits or accept the commission's recommendation.
The council did not take formal votes at the session; the public hearing is the next procedural step.
