AC44 Monthly Digest: July 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.

Because the Comprehensive Plan involves so many different interests, this monthly newsletter is being shared with everyone who has subscribed to one or more County email lists. More frequent AC44-specific updates will be sent to AC44 subscribers.

To subscribe to the AC44 list, please visit this webpage and check the box next to "Albemarle 2044 - Comprehensive Plan Update"

July: What We Did

The project team has been busy listening to and reading through your feedback related to the potential Growth Management Options. We had 474 responses to our second online questionnaire, and we spoke with several of you in person and virtually at open houses, which were held at the end of June. You can find a compilation of feedback related to the Growth Management Options at the following link: Community Member Feedback Phase 1 (Step 2): Growth Management Options.

The AC44 Working Group held its third meeting in July, where they focused their discussion on project engagement methods and began to help identify themes from the community feedback. The meeting materials and minutes can be found on the AC44 Working Group page of the project website.

Lastly, on July 26 the Planning Commission held a Work Session to discuss the Growth Management Options and potential common themes. The Planning Commission offered feedback on the potential options and held a discussion on common themes that are emerging from the community feedback. Links to the meeting materials and meeting recording are below.

Ways to Participate

Our next round of engagement will consist of community roundtables. We will be asking for community expertise and lived experiences to inform the County's approach to Growth Management. We will share the common themes we have been hearing and we'll be asking for community input on how we can better incorporate equity and climate action into how we plan for future growth and resilience.

Dates and locations for the roundtables are still being finalized. Virtual and in-person options will be offered. Stay tuned for specific dates and locations!

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 Planning for Growth webpage to learn the background of the Growth Management Policy (a component of the Comp Plan) and review the initial ideas about ways we might update the Policy.
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 inclusive 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 will be updated in a four-phased approach, with the adoption of the final Comprehensive Plan expected in late 2024. We are currently in Phase 1: Plan for Growth, which will be focused on the County’s Growth Management Policy.

Why the name 'Albemarle County 2044 (AC44)’?

The process to update the Comp Plan kicked off in early 2022 and is anticipated to be completed by the fall of 2024. When adopted, the Comp Plan will be in effect from 2024 to 2044 with periodic updates, in response to changing conditions and trends in the county. 'AC44' is an abbreviation of the full project name.

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. 3272

Rachel Falkenstein

Planning Manager

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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