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Lynchburg planners outline mobility, 'missing middle' housing and economic strategies in comprehensive plan update
Summary
Planning staff told the committee the comprehensive plan update—two years in the making—will prioritize safety and connectivity, seek to enable missing‑middle housing through zoning changes, and align future land‑use with economic-development and parks investments; public hearings are planned this fall.
Planning staff presented emerging themes from Lynchburg’s comprehensive plan update, framing the document as a 20‑plus year policy guide that will inform zoning and subdivision regulations and city capital investment.
Staff said the update — developed with the Planning Commission and community input over roughly two years — emphasizes mobility and safety on high-crash corridors, an integrated multimodal system connecting roads, transit, bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure, and links to regional assets including Amtrak and the Lynchburg Regional Airport. The plan recommends targeting analysis and investment toward corridors with higher crash rates and filling gaps in sidewalks and ramps to improve access.
On housing, the planner highlighted a shortage of so‑called 'missing middle' housing types (duplexes, triplexes, rowhomes) and noted that current zoning quickly jumps from low-density residential categories to a high-density R4 district. The plan recommends evaluating zoning districts and lot standards to permit appropriately scaled infill and workforce housing while protecting neighborhood character.
Economic development recommendations in the draft focus on increasing site readiness (for example, Ivy Creek Innovation Park pad sites), promoting mixed-use redevelopment along key corridors, and aligning future land-use mapping with enterprise-zone priorities. Staff also emphasized parks and recreation as both quality-of-life and economic assets — citing the Peaks to Creeks trail and sports‑tourism opportunities — and said final public hearings with the Planning Commission and City Council are planned later this year.
Why it matters: the comprehensive plan provides the city’s policy framework for future zoning and capital spending. Staff stressed that the plan itself is not code but will inform regulatory changes; VDOT review and required public hearings are part of the next steps. The plan's recommendations could shape future zoning amendments, infrastructure investments and development incentives if adopted and subsequently implemented.
Council members asked for clarification on specific corridors, parking, historic tax credits for adaptive reuse and safeguards for neighborhood character. Staff said the draft will continue through internal review and public outreach before returning to the public hearing and adoption process.
