What is a Small Area Plan?

A Small Area Plan is a long-range, visionary planning document that describes how development may occur within a targeted area. It is used to evaluate development proposals and create policies to help ensure new development aligns with the community’s expectations for the area.

Why is a Small Area Plan being created for this area?

The area along U.S. Route 1 between the Chickahominy River (Henrico County Line) and the Town of Ashland is designated an Economic Development Zone (EDZ), due to its concentration of existing businesses and its potential to accommodate additional businesses. The goal of this plan is to obtain stakeholder feedback in order to:

• Identify preferred business types
• Recommend public infrastructure improvements
• Develop design guidelines tailored to the area (recommendations regarding landscaping, building architecture, building heights, setbacks, etc.) to create a cohesive look as development and redevelopment occur.

The recommendations from the Small Area Plan are intended to ensure the area accommodates appropriate economic development opportunities that reflect the community’s vision for the area, providing a guide for future investment. Design guidelines and infrastructure recommendations will influence the character of new development and redevelopment.

A Visioning Workshop was held Wednesday, Nov. 5. The presentation can be found here. Informational boards on display at the meeting can be found here.

Study Area

The study area encompasses the U.S. Route 1 Corridor between the Chickahominy River (Henrico County Line) and the Town of Ashland  (just north of North Lakeridge Parkway). The western boundary generally follows Stony Run, with the eastern boundary following Lickinghole Creek and Interstate 95.