Chesterfield County Comprehensive Plan

Many people in Chesterfield County ( but not everyone) are aware of the ongoing review of the Chesterfield County comprehensive plan. The process started over two years ago and is moving towards completion.

In misplaced anticipation of significant citizen interest and input, the Planning Commission held a two session public hearing on the proposed plan on Tuesday, October 3rd, one starting at 1:00 PM and one starting at 6:00 PM. We came prepared to stay late and to extend the public hearing to this (Thursday) evening if necessary. Eighteen (18) people, three in the afternoon and fifteen in the evening, chose to address the commission on this important issue. That is sad.

The greatest interest and controversy is what to do with western and southwestern Chesterfield County. The initial draft, presented by the steering committee and outside consultants on January 6th, 2011 calls for much of that region to be "Countyside" preserving its rural nature and limiting residential development to one unit per 25 acres. That draft also did NOT include the "East-West expressway" in its transportation plan. That road would run from the Skin Quarter area on Hull Street Road, approximately paralleling the Appomattox River, to I-95 near Petersburg.

The proposed changes, supported at this time by a majority of the Commissioners, would increase density to 1 residential unit per 5 acres and add the East-West expressway to the transportation plan. The greatest support for these changes comes from large landholders who want the opportunity to profit handsomely when development expands into their region of the county. Obviously, a comprehensive plan that calls for preservation of the rural character of that region is not to their liking. On the other hand, many families already living in that part of the county are more than happy with the notion that their rural, uncrowded way of life would be preserved.

Both the January and September versions of the proposed plan (along with a "mark up" that shows the actual changes next to the original wording) are available at this link.

Although the Planning Commission's public hearing has been held, it is not too late to have input. Contact information for members of the Commission is here and for members of the Board of Supervisors here. The Board of Supervisors will make their final decision on the plan early in 2012.

Write, email or phone your commissioner and your supervisor if you have strongly held opinions on any part of the comprehensive plan proposals.