Pearisburg launches Comprehensive Plan process with interactive 'Built Game' exercise

Mayor Robert L. Dickerson called a special session of the Pearisburg Town Council on Feb. 9 to begin preparations for the town’s Comprehensive Plan and to thank staff and partners for their work on the project. Mayor Dickerson said the plan “will guide Pearisburg’s growth, priorities, and investments for years to come.”

Town Manager Adam Poser was introduced in the roll call and singled out by the mayor for understanding council goals and for working to advance the town’s priorities. The meeting roster included all seven councilmembers, members of the Planning Commission, department directors and staff, and representatives from the New River Valley Regional Commission (NRVRC).

Emma Carroll of the NRVRC led an interactive “Built Game” exercise designed to illustrate land-use tradeoffs and the planning choices a Comprehensive Plan requires. Carroll explained the mechanics of the exercise and guided participants through scenarios that highlighted three principal lessons: a Comprehensive Plan establishes a long-term vision; housing, roads and water systems must be balanced; and decisions made today affect growth and resource protection in the future. The council and attendees described the activity as engaging and useful for illustrating planning tradeoffs.

Council members and staff agreed that feedback from the exercise will be incorporated into the town’s broader community outreach effort, which the minutes state will continue through the summer of 2026. No motions or votes were recorded in the minutes; the session concluded after the exercise and was adjourned by the mayor.

The session served as an introductory planning workshop rather than a decision meeting; next steps recorded in the minutes are continued outreach and follow-up as the Comprehensive Plan process proceeds.