AC44 Monthly Digest: December 2022

Welcome back to the AC44 monthly digest for the County’s Comprehensive Plan update! This is where we’ll share the work we’ve done over the past month, the feedback we heard, and upcoming opportunities to participate.

What We Did

Phase 1 of the AC44 Comprehensive Plan project concluded at the end of the calendar year. During Phase 1, community input was shared during three rounds of public engagement and through feedback from Working Group meetings. The feedback was then incorporated into a draft Framework for an Equitable and Resilient Community. A final version of the Framework will be shared in early 2023.

Over the past month, the AC44 team finished scoping Phase 2 of the Comprehensive Plan update. Phase 2 is focused on updating Comp Plan policies, which include the current (2015) Plan goals and objectives, and building toolkits for areas of the Comp Plan that require greater detail and guidance.

If you haven’t had a chance to take a look yet, this is a reminder that the Land Use Buildout Analysis is published and available on the AC44 project website. The Buildout Analysis was a joint effort between consultant Kimley-Horn and the AC44 team. The analysis provides an estimate of the theoretical maximum buildout of the county’s Development Areas and notes potential constraining factors that may limit actual buildout. The Buildout Analysis will serve as a reference and dataset to help guide recommendations for upcoming phases of AC44.

Looking Ahead

Phase 2 of AC44 begins with the start of the new year. The AC44 team will present a proposed Phase 2 engagement plan and timeline to the Board of Supervisors at their January 11 meeting. The Phase 2 proposal includes plans for the next Working Group, public engagement opportunities, and a revised structure for the Comprehensive Plan. The updated Framework for an Equitable and Resilient Community will also be shared with the Board.

In the coming months, the AC44 team will continue to refine the updated Comprehensive Plan structure, update Comprehensive Plan policies, goals and objectives, and develop toolkits to guide coordinated land use and transportation planning. The toolkits will likely include components such as development guidelines, multimodal transportation planning, and other guiding principles.

Topic background reports will be completed in early 2023 and shared on the AC44 website. Report topics include transportation, land use, housing, economic development, natural and historic resources, parks and recreation, and community facilities. These reports will provide context for Comprehensive Plan topics along with associated trends and issues to be addressed in the coming years. The reports will be accompanied by engagement opportunities to determine community priorities and gather feedback for each Comprehensive Plan topic.

Public engagement opportunities will include a variety of in-person and online participation options, so stay tuned for details!

Learn More

All community members are invited to participate. Please take advantage of these tools to get started:

Listen to the Let’s Talk Albemarle podcast episode about the Comp Plan. This is a great introduction to understanding what the Plan is, how it's developed, and what it’s used for. You’ll also get some insight into the project team’s role in the process and some of the challenges associated with such a big (comprehensive!) community project.
Visit the Introduction to AC44 webpage to learn about the background of the project, why we have a Comprehensive Plan, and what the Plan is used for in day-to-day life.
Visit the Phase One webpage to catch up on the first phase of the Comprehensive Plan Update project.
Sign up here to receive email updates and participation opportunities. Select the "Albemarle 2044 - Comprehensive Plan Update" box and any other topics you are interested in.

About the Comprehensive Plan

AC44 (or Albemarle County 2044) is the project name for the County’s Comprehensive Plan update and is one of the ways the County is planning for an equitable and resilient future. The Comprehensive Plan sets priorities and serves as a guide for the future physical development of Albemarle County. The Plan includes recommendations for how and where the county should grow, supporting local businesses and industry, protecting and enhancing natural resources, providing transportation options for walking, biking, taking transit, and driving, and allowing and encouraging a variety of housing types.

The goals for the project are to:

Update plan content to reflect recent County-wide strategic initiatives including climate action planning, economic development, and multi-modal transportation planning.
Ensure that equity is integrated into the engagement process and the updated plan content, consistent with the County’s recently added “Community” organizational value.
Improve Plan usability by articulating clearly prioritized goals, incorporating metrics for tracking progress, and applying a modern, streamlined document design.

The Comprehensive Plan is being updated in a four-phased approach, with the adoption of the final Comprehensive Plan expected in late 2024. We are currently in Phase 2: Draft Policies and Toolkits, which will be focused on reviewing and updating Comp Plan goals and objectives and building toolkits for implementing land use and transportation recommendations.

Meet Our Team

We have a talented, multidisciplinary team working on AC44. Contact us by phone or email: AC44@albemarle.org -or- (434) 296-5832 ext. 3270

Tori Kanellopoulos

Senior Planner II

Mariah Gleason

Urban Designer

Ben Holt

Senior Planner II

Serena Gruia

Public Engagement Coordinator

Have You Visited Our Online Engagement Center?

We are looking forward to providing you with a variety of robust tools designed to enable you to share your expertise, ideas, and feedback with us on a regular basis.

Please visit the site and register to access current and future projects.

We have a new podcast! The Let’s Talk Albemarle podcast seeks to foster community participation through the exploration of important topics in Albemarle County. Listen free on Apple Podcast, iHeart, Spotify, Amazon Music, Google Podcasts, or our website.

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